Send Seán to COP28

Hi! My name is Seán. I’m a graduate student at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL, and an aspirant to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church. I’ve also been asked by the Most Rev Michael Curry to serve as a delegate to COP28 this winter on the Church’s behalf.

COP28 is a United Nations summit focused on bringing together leaders from countries, religious bodies, and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of developing international agreements to address climate change. This year, the summit is being hosted in Dubai, UAE—and that’s why I need your help.

As an environmentalist and Episcopalian, I feel it’s a great honor to be asked to serve in this capacity, for which I would be abroad from 11/28/23 through 12/9/23. As a graduate student, I don’t have the ability to finance my own attendance. Flights to Dubai and local accommodations aren’t cheap, and while the Church has a limited ability to offset delegates’ costs, we’ve been encouraged to reach out to our broader communities for financial assistance.

The approximate costs break down as follows:

So far, I have independently raised $955, and the Bishop's office has committed to providing $1000 to offset my expenses, leaving me in need of approximately $3020. Every dollar raised here will help me offset the costs of attendance, fulfill my duty to God and my church, and help all of us address the impact of climate change on this Earth, our island home.

As I am also seeking direct contributions from people in my life, I will consistently update this page to reflect fundraising off GoFundMe; I want to be transparent throughout this process. Any money incidentally raised in excess of the costs I incur on this trip will be directed towards my educational expenses, but I intend to maintain clear communication with all donors on and off GoFundMe to minimize such.

Thank you so much for all your help, and God bless you!

Grace and peace,

Seán Hansen