Actualités et manifestations

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Religious Engagement in Global Affairs

A New Interreligious Dynamic for the Good of Humanity

GENEVA, 9-10 JUNE 2022
UNI BASTIONS

For more information and registration : fadi.daou(at)unige.ch

Free entrance

Facing the major current challenges, international institutions progressively realized the important role of religious actors and communities in the global affairs of development and peace, and hence recognized the contribution they can bring for the good not only of their followers, but for the whole humanity. Consequently, “Religious Engagement” progressively became a key concept in political and religious studies and affairs, meaning the approach adopted by public, political and international institutions towards religious actors and communities, and vice-versa, to collaborate for the common good of humanity.

This approach of “religious engagement in global affairs” was adopted by global multifaith organizations such as Religions for Peace, International development Institutions such as the World Bank, and UN agencies and programs for Human Rights, Refugees, Environment, etc., in addition to the multilateral policy platforms such as the G20 interfaith Forum.

This new role of religions in the public sphere raises several theological questions. What are the principles, limits, and risks of this approach? Does interreligious engagement for common causes represent a result or a new form of interfaith dialogue? What are the reciprocal expectations on the part of international and religious organizations? What are the potentialities, challenges and needed resources for this multi-stakeholders collaboration?

The academic discussion we are aiming for, and the proceedings which will be published for the benefit of academic and public knowledge in this field, wish to contribute to the conceptual and practical development of interreligious engagement for the good of humanity.

The conference is organized in partnership with the European Academy on Religion and Society (EARS), and with the support of La Réforme Progressive.

Thursday 9 June 2022 | Uni Bastions, room B112

16:00 OPENING SESSION

Dr. Elisabeth Gangloff Parmentier, Dean of the Faculty of Theology – University of Geneva
Dr. Matthias Smalbrugge, President of the European Academy on Religion and Society (EARS)
Dr. Stéphane Berthet, Vice-rector of the University of Geneva

16:15 FIRST SESSION

The theological and political foundations of interreligious engagement in global affairs

Dr. Beate Bengard, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology – University of Geneva
Dr. Michael Driessen, Associate Professor of Political Science – John Cabot University, Rome

Chaired by:
Dr. Matthias Smalbrugge, President of the European Academy on Religion and Society (EARS) and Professor at Vrije University, Amsterdam.

18:00 Coffee break

18:30 GUEST SPEAKER CONFERENCE

The multi-religious engagement for development and Peace: a chance for our world
L’engagement multireligieux pour le développement et la paix : Une chance pour notre monde?

With simultaneous translation: French/English
Avec traduction simultanée : Anglais/Français

Prof. Azza Karam
Secretary General of “Religions for Peace” - New York
Member of the High Level Advisory Board to the Secretary General of the United Nations on Effective Multilateralism
Professor of Religion and Development at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam

Presented and moderated by:
Prof. Christophe Chalamet

Friday 10 June 2022 | Uni Bastions, room B111

9:00 THIRD SESSION

From Dialogue to common engagement: theological and methodological specificities of a new interreligious dynamic

Dr. Fadi Daou, Scientific collaborator at the Faculty of Theology – University of Geneva
Dr. Adnane Mokrani, Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Senior fellow at the Fondazione per le scienze religiose

Chaired by:
Dr. Christophe Chalamet, Professor of Systematic Theology at the Faculty of Theology – University of Geneva

10:45 Coffee break

11:00 FOURTH SESSION

Experiences, principles, and conditions of success of civil-religious multilateral engagement in global affairs

Faith for Rights Program (UN-OHCHR)
Mr. Ibrahim Salama, Chief of Human Rights Treaties Branch - United Nations and Mr. Michael Wiener, Senior Fellow in Residence, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
Religious engagement at WHO
Dr. Fabian Winiger, Senior Research Fellow at the Professorship of Spiritual Care, University of Zürich
UNHCR Partnerships with Faith-Based Organizations and Faith Actors
Ms. Safak Pavey, Senior Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Faith for Earth Program (UNEP)
Faith for Earth Program (UNEP)
Dr. Iyad Abu Moghli, founder and director of the program
PaRD: International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development
Mr. Khushwant Singh, Head of Secretariate

Chaired by:
Dr. Fadi Daou, Scientific collaborator at the Faculty of Theology – University of Geneva

14:15 ROUNDTABLE

Resources for religious engagement in global affairs: the role of theology

Discussion among the speakers

Chaired by:
Dr. Sarah Stewart-Kroeker, Assistant Professor of Ethics, Faculty of Theology – University of Geneva

12 avr. 2022

Actualités et manifestations