The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) attended the Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development General Assembly from 24 to 27 June 2018 to share experiences and explore future synergies and collaborations to support the Sustainable Development Goals. The Assembly, supported by the World Council of Churches and the Swiss Confederation, brought together more than 50 faith-based organizations, international organizations and members of the diplomatic community.

KAICIID Director General, Fahad Abualnasr, presented KAICIID’s work in building networks for religious leaders in the Central African Republic, Myanmar, Nigeria, and the Arab Region, as well as in Europe through the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council.

“Religious leaders benefit from networks because there is a lot to be learned from the experiences of their peers in different contexts, as well as from challenges and successes,” said Abualnasr. “Facilitating these relationships is key, and organizations like the Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development and KAICIID are working together to make this a reality.”

Abualnasr also presented KAICIID projects supporting the empowerment of women, such as the Programme for the Support of People Seeking Refuge in Europe.

KAICIID Senior Adviser, Dr. Mohammed Abu-Nimer moderated a fireside chat among religious actors and leaders of Faith-Based Organizations people in which the panelists shared emotional experiences and the difficult realities of working in the field.

Following the meeting, a steering committee was elected to guide the direction of the Network on their work in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals on Health (SDG3), Gender Equality & Empowerment (SDG 5) and Sustaining Peace (SDG 16).

About PaRD

The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) was established in February 2016 at the Berlin conference “Partners for Change – Religions and the 2030 Agenda”. It brings together members and partners from all over the world in order to harness the positive impact of religion and values in sustainable development and humanitarian assistance. Membership in PaRD is voluntary and open to all governmental and intergovernmental entities. Partners are civil society and non-governmental organisations such as religious and value-driven organisations, secular NGOs, community initiatives, foundations, academic institutions and other relevant development organisations.

KAICIID and PaRD

KAICIID began its collaboration with PaRD in September 2016 as two of the multiple co-organizers and co-sponsors of the “Preliminary Meeting to the Special Session on Religion” at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016, and similarly to the UN General Assembly side event “Bearing Witness”, in September 2016. Following the joint cooperation on these initial projects, KAICIID was admitted as a member of PaRD in October 2016. The members and partners of the network work together to further the engagement of policymakers and faith actors in the common goal of ensuring sustainable development with a particular focus on UN SDGs 3, 5, and 16. To this end since 2016, KAICIID has actively participated in the network as a whole, as well as on the network’s Sustaining Peace work-stream.

Additionally, KAICIID has directly collaborated with PaRD on projects such as the iDOVE programme in Africa and UNIATF-led UN Strategic Learning Exchange on “Engaging with Faith Organizations and Communities for Sustainable Development” in Amman.