WCC news: Symposium on religion and international affairs will focus on role of faith and civil society in multilateral solutions

The 11th edition of the Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations will assess the trends and opportunities for the participation of civil society, and specifically faith actors, in all stages from policy formulation to implementation if the world is to achieve sustainable development, peace and security and enjoy human rights and rule of law. Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth 29 August 2024 The event is scheduled to take place on 21 January 2025 in New York City, with the possibility for participants to join and interact online. The annual symposium has traditionally sought to speak into the agenda of key global themes and events of the year as a means of fostering faith-based engagement in key advocacy opportunities at that time.  In 2025, in addition to the annual reviews and processes, key global events include the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, and the 2nd World Summit for Social Development convened by the UN General Assembly. “Over the past years, we have seen significant and systemic reduction of space for civil society, and often the complete absence of any mention of faith actors as vital contributors in national and multilateral solutions,” said Dr Ryan Smith, World Council of Churches (WCC) representative to the UN in New York.  “In addition to framing sessions to explore the issue broadly, the symposium will hopefully allow us to break into panels that look at more specific issues with a view to showcasing how faith actors are engaging and part of solutions in these areas,” added Smith. In 2015, faith-based partners initiated this symposium, which coincided with Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday that aimed at fostering dialogue on the intricate interplay between religion and international affairs. With a deliberate inclusion of UN member states and entities, the symposium sought to create a platform for collaborative policymaking and constructive engagement. The event is co-organized by the WCC, ACT Alliance, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, Islamic Relief, Religions for Peace, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Soka Gakkai International, United Religions Initiative. Invitations will be sent to various constituencies and networks of the collaborating symposium partners. This includes faith-based and civil society organizations, member states and their permanent missions, and UN agencies through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development.  Learn more about the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland