Speakers
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His Excellency Sheikh Al Mahfoudh Bin BayyahAbu Dhabi Forum for Peace, Secretary GeneralSheikh al-Mahfoudh Bin Bayyah is the current serving Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace. For the past 10 years, he has also worked under the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. A seasoned diplomat, he has been instrumental in establishing the Forum’s flagship programmes including the Marrakech Declaration, the New Alliance of Virtue, and the Charter for Inclusive Citizenship in Arab countries.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Sheikh al-Mahfoudh joined the first group of religious leaders to meet President Bush at the White House, after which he participated in several international training programs and conferences focused on countering violent extremism. He also played a pivotal role in the formative years of the establishment of Zaytuna College, the first accredited Muslim liberal arts College in the US. -
Rabbi Noam MaransAmerican Jewish Committee , Director, Interreligious and Intergroup Relations
Rabbi Noam Marans is American Jewish Committee (AJC)’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. He served as chair of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), world Jewry’s official dialogue partner with leading faith groups. He was the lead speaker offering Jewish perspectives when Pope Francis convened the world’s religions in support of the environment in advance of COP 26. He is a graduate of Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, which also recognized him with an honorary doctorate. Earlier this year, Seton Hall University honored Rabbi Marans with its Sister Rose Thering Award for outstanding interreligious leadership.
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Reverend Christine TrainorSt. Andrew’s Church, Abu Dhabi,
The Reverend Christine Trainor serves as the Senior Priest of the Anglican Church in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. She has worked in 12 congregations in the Episcopal and Anglican Churches, including St Bartholomew’s Church in New York City, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. A graduate of Yale University Divinity School, Christine has written and contributed to 14 books on preaching, enriching prayer, and reading Holy Scripture critically and faithfully. She has won scholarships and awards for her preaching, and recently keynoted at a conference for children, youth and educators in the region from South India to Türkiye.
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Sadhvi Bhagawati SaraswatiDivine Shakti Foundation ; Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, President ; Secretary General
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, PhD is a spiritual leader, motivational speaker and social activist, based in Rishikesh, India. She is the Secretary-General of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, President of Divine Shakti Foundation, Co-President of Religions for Peace, Director of the International Yoga Festival as well as author of #1 bestselling memoir, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.
Practical Faith Leadership in Addressing Climate Change American – Jewish Committee
Under the COP28 theme of Food, Agriculture, and Water, American Jewish Committee (AJC) will convene a panel of global faith leaders to discuss local impact of global warming and reactions to scarcity in their respective communities. In this unique setting, attendees are invited to learn how communities uniquely apply particular and universal faith values, and how their leaders share best practices across religious and geographic boundaries.