Candlelight vigil for the COP30 World Climate Conference in Belém (Brazil) in the courtyard of the City Church Graz
Last Friday, 14 November 2025, environmentally active and creation-minded people, along with passers-by, gathered in the courtyard of the City Church Graz to pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that, in these very days, landmark decisions for all our futures are being made at the World Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil.
A COP30 lettering traced in candles illuminated the space. The burning candles shone for good decisions in the interest of all people, nations, religions, and communities — including the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the vulnerable, and future generations, who suffer (and will suffer) most from the climate crisis.
LIGHT — TEXTS — SILENCE — MUSIC
Texts and contributions provided food for thought. The greeting from Bishop Erwin Kräutler, the "Amazon Bishop", and a message from the Brazilian partner diocese of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau, Bom Jesus da Lapa, highlighted in particular the existential threat facing indigenous communities and the great importance of shared global efforts against climate change and its impacts. A report from Austrian delegate and Graz climate economist Karl Steininger was read aloud; youth delegate at the People's Summit Benedicta Opis emphasised in a message that the EU must take on and further strengthen its pioneering role in climate protection, that the gap between financing targets and actual measures must finally be closed, and that the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies must be urgently implemented. This also brings us back to Bishop Erwin Kräutler, who reported that the Brazilian government recently approved oil and gas drilling in the Amazon delta — a catastrophic contradiction to the aims of the World Climate Conference.
With the very personal contribution from Paul Schaden of Fridays for Future, the younger generation also had a voice at this event. Many visitors took the opportunity at the "open microphone" to express their wishes for the conference and the future of our planet. Concern, gratitude, and appeal were voiced, and moving texts were quoted — all carried by a sense of thankfulness, hope, and confidence. What words could not express was conveyed through cello music by Ukrainian musician Olena Mishchii and through silence.
A glowing symbol of hope shines from Graz to Belém
The striking images of the glowing COP30 lettering, captured during the vigil, reached Austrian delegates currently negotiating on the ground in Belém via digital channels — accompanied by an encouraging message: "We stand behind you and want to give you courage with this glowing COP30 symbol to take the right steps for all our futures on this one Earth, with vision and humanity."
