International development charity Christian Aid is organising a special COP26 event at Glasgow Cathedral on Monday (7pm, 8th November 2021). One of the highlights of the evening will be a performance of the classic soul song Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye, which will be sung by the London gospel choir The Kingdom Choir. The choir were in the international media spotlight after singing at the wedding of Harry and Meghan in 2018. The academic and BAFTA award-winning broadcaster Professor Robert Beckford of the University of Winchester will also be speaking during the event about the intersections between racial justice and climate justice, with climate change disproportionately impacting black and brown people. There will also be an address by Christian Aid’s Chair Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.
Head of Public Engagement at Christian Aid Chine McDonald says the event promises to be something quite special, with justice at its core: "What better way to draw people’s attention to climate justice than through the power of music? Climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity today, with some of the world’s poorest and most marginalised groups bearing the brunt of it, facing floods, droughts and storms on the frontline of this crisis. We are delighted to be hosting this once-in-a-lifetime event that draws together musicians, church leaders, activists, theologians and members of the public to raise our voices together for climate justice. We’re delighted that The Kingdom Choir have agreed to join us and perform this special version of Mercy, Mercy Me.”
Christian Aid is grateful to Sony and the Marvin Gaye estate for allowing The Kingdom Choir to perform their version of the song - especially arranged by choir member, Clinton Jordan - a song which was written by the artist 50 years ago and is well-known for its references to the climate and caring for creation (long before the climate change movement began).
Conductor Karen Gibson from The Kingdom Choir says: “It was a privilege to be invited by Christian Aid to sing the iconic Mercy, Mercy Me during COP26, a song which feels more relevant than ever. Climate change is an issue that we cannot ignore and we were delighted to accept the invitation to be here in Glasgow during this historic climate summit and do what we do best. We hope the event will draw attention among diverse communities of the need for real and urgent action on climate change.”
The event will also be firmly rooted in Scotland, with the prominent minister, hymn-writer and composer John Bell from the Iona Community leading some congregational singing and Jen Morris from the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) and a Glasgow PhD student also a guest speaker. The YCCN have recently completed a 1200-mile relay from the G8 in Cornwall (in June) to Glasgow and Jen will speak about the strong message young people are sending to political leaders for ambitious and urgent action to end the climate crisis.
Jen Morris from the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) said: “As COP26 enters its final week we need to keep raising the voices of those on the frontline of this crisis and this unique event is a fantastic way to do this and I’m delighted to be involved. The climate crisis is both a symptom and a cause of global injustice, with the world’s poorest paying the heaviest price for the actions of the richest. YCCN is calling on the UK Government to put people before bank balances and use its role as hosts of COP26 to push for urgent action on climate finance.”
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Notes to Editors:
Photos will be available AFTER the event on Monday.
Tickets for the event at Glasgow Cathedral are available here: eventbrite and it can also be watched online.
