Climate Justice COP26: Action and Inspiration

SANDIE STRATFORD IN COAT OF HOPES
Hopefully you are aware that people are gathering in COP26 In Glasgow this week to demand climate Justice. On November 6th there are many local gatherings and local rallies taking place and you may be able to find one near you. However, if you have life /travel logistics right now there are still ways that you can Pray, write letters, hold leaders to account after they make this commitments and tune into some online workshops that our friends and partners are doing, (listed below) *We are just asking everyone if they are on the March or not to spend 15 mins in prayer on November 6th in solidarity with all walks taking place that day, from 11:00-11:15am Some of the alternative conference the peoples summit is online, keep praying, watching and turning i

Some of the alternative conference the peoples summit is online, keep praying, watching and turning in.

COP 26 COALTION:
https://cop26coalition.org
https://cop26coalition.org/peoples-summit/

CHRISTIAN AID :
https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved-campaigns/climate-change/co...

CAFOD:
https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/COP26-climate-summit?gclid=CjwKCAjwoP6LBhB...
https://cafod.org.uk/News/Events/COP26-Day-of-Action-2021

CHRISTIAN CLIMATE ACTION
https://christianclimateaction.org/2021/10/06/coming-to-cop26/

THE CLIMATE COALITION
https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/ask-your-mp-to-write-to-boris-johnson
https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/open-letter-cop26

AVAAZ PETITION
https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/climate_action_now_loc/?copy

Some people meeting to pray in London too on Nov 6th.

If you do want to connect with SPEAK peeps in Glasgow DM the SPEAK facebook page: :www.facebook.com/TheSpeakNetwork/ and we will see what we will do depending on when you message us.

We are going to try and put out some prayer requests in the next few weeks Over WhatsApp and email. Please make sure you confirmed your data if you want to receive these
www.speak.org.uk/stay-touch

Friends of SPEAK Sandie Stratford and Matt Walker walked all the way to COP26 as part of Camino to COP.

Here is what Sandie Stratford said " We have arrived in Glasgow. I am proud of my achievement: 56 days, 500 miles, lots of adventures, lovely fellow walkers. Marching into city with other pilgrims: Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Young Christian Climate Network.

Camino to Cop is a Climate pilgrimage that in recent weeks has walked from London/Bristol to Glasgow telling the story of the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities.

During this journey the pilgrims have been inspired to make the ‘Coat of Hopes’. This is how it is described:

‘Coat of hopes is a travelling, community created, work of performance craft.
A patchwork garment made of embroidered pieces of blanket, created by a diverse range of people along a 500 mile walk.
Carrying stitched griefs, remembrances, prayers and hopes connected to their local landscape, to the gathering of world decision makers at COP26, in Glasgow.
(The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference.
Held in the city of Glasgow from 1-22 November 2021 under the presidency of the United Kingdom.)
The coat seeks to build connections between people and communities, to value and carry their voices, and to belong to all who would own it.

This is really inspiring, could be like a distant relative of SPEAKS big dress we made as patchwork petition years ago to ask for Justice for works in the garment industry working in exploitative conditions in free trade Zones.

Here is a good video about the coat of hopes, it is an Invitation to COP26 delegates to meet and wear the Coat of Hopes; and to feel the weight and warmth of peoples hopes and prayers https://youtu.be/hUKuyxe9_O4

Sandie Stratford is a long term friend of SPEAK as supporter in our journey. In fact she helped inspire some of us to get into social justice issues as teenagers pro actively giving us information on the world debt crisis. Its amazing how inspiration spreads. So always good to keep supporting the next generation and recognising the work of previous generations as what is truly amazing about Climate Justice action is the range of ages of people inspired. Here is more from Sandie about her journey these last few weeks:

“As a long-distance walker, I know all about mud, rain, aches, along with bulls in field, getting too hot then too cold. Somehow pilgrimage is different, rather than going from A to B, we interact with the communities on the way. 'We're walking to Glasgow! Would you like a leaflet?' has a way of eliciting very surprising responses, if not expletives! The best response was 'JESUS!' to which we responded, 'Yes, He's coming too'.

And, we are attending to nature, the changes from late summer to autumn, the places which hold stories of flooding and draught. The landscapes have been glorious: stubble, rolling fields, woods and pastures. Especially lovely has been lunching in churchyards.

We're having amazing encounters with passers-by who try on our 'Coat of Hopes', a coat made from blanket, covered in hand crafted patches stitched on at each evening stopover. Wearing the coat and meeting such a huge range of people has been an amazing experience.

What did I expect from a pilgrimage? I’m not sure, however, what I am learning is more about myself, more about the people I am with, their pain and hope, more about how to live well in community. I am more hopeful. “

Wow!! Despite the all the challenges we are facing personally and collectively there is a lot of hope around. We are planning to follow up COP26 with a Pray and Post reminding leaders of their commitments and pointing out any challenging inconsistencies that may emerge. We are however hoping and praying for positive outcomes the next few weeks especially as we join together on Saturday Nov 6th in prayer and action. Let us know if you have any thoughts or reflections on what should be included in there.