The global Muslim community and sustainability (February 2025)

Monday 3rd February 2025, 3pm GMT
(In person)

Following on from the release of our June 2024 report ‘Stewardship: Exploring Faith and Sustainability,’ the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life organised an event bringing together diplomats from across the Muslim world to discuss faith-based approaches to environmentalism at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London.

About the event

After introductory remarks from the Chair of IIFL, the event began with a keynote speech from HRH Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom. An expert panel then discussed the relationship between Islam and sustainability, before taking questions from a distinguished audience made up of diplomats from across the Islamic world, British parliamentarians and Muslim business leaders.

Gallery

Keynote speaker

HRH Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom

HRH Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud is the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom. He delivered the keynote speech, during which he discussed stewardship, Saudi Arabia’s environmental initiatives and the importance of faith in the modern world.

The panel

Dr Hanaa Al Banna

Lecturer and module leader

The panel was moderated by Dr Hanaa Al Banna, a lecturer and module leader at Northumbria University. Dr Al Banna is an expert in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability.

Lord Khan of Burnley

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement

Lord Khan is a Labour peer who serves as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement. Prior to being elevated to the House of Lords, Lord Khan was a Member of the European Parliament and was elected the youngest ever Mayor of Burnley.

Kinana Jamaluddin

President of Anjuman Najmi in Dubai

Kinana addressed the Global Summit of Religious Leaders in Azerbaijan ahead of COP29 where he spoke about the pivotal role religious leaders will play in addressing the global climate crisis. He is extensively involved in sustainability efforts and received the ‘Special Category Award’ in the 2022 Middle East Waste and Recycling Awards, on behalf of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Dubai.

Kamran Shezad

Director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Kamran is the Director of IFEES, a charity that promotes grassroots efforts on behalf of the global Muslim community to combat climate change. He also sits on the Multi-Faith Advisory Council to the United Nations Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development. Kamran was listed as one of the top 100 most impactful environmental professionals in the UK by The Ends Report.