HISTORY OF THE SYMPOSIUM
Eight years ago, faith-based partners came together to launch an annual symposium around the intersections of religion and international affairs. They partnered with the UN Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development with the intention of organizing an annual policy dialogue between the UN System, member states, faith actors and wider civil society on critical issues of the day. Over the years, the sponsorship of the Symposium has included an increasing range of faith traditions and different UN entities.
The Symposia series features a theme each year that both relates to current policy debates and intersects with the concerns and contributions of faith-based actors working in international affairs. The first Symposium in 2015 established the framework for all future symposia with a focus on human rights and human dignity. The second Symposium focused on the prevention of atrocity crimes and violent extremism (2016), the third focused on just, inclusive and sustainable peace (2017), the fourth focused on migration and displacement (2018) and the fifth (2019) covered the intersections of these four themes with key aspects of economic justice and financing for sustainable development. The sixth (2020) was intended to reflect on the planned processes to review progress 25 years since the Beijing Platform for Action and the state of multilateralism at the 75th anniversary of the UN, but was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. Given the crucial importance of the theme, a smaller but well resourced workshop for faith-based organizations was organized in its stead. The seventh, and first virtual symposium (2021), focused on accelerating gender equality, equity and justice.
The Symposium has been timed to be held in January of every year, in close proximity to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to help commemorate the values and legacy he bequeathed to the world. This timing is made more relevant today as we confront an increased racialization of our social and political relations, demonstrated by the rise of populism and an upsurge of acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, including white supremacy and bigotry committed in our societies today and which loom large in the functioning of the multilateralism system and neo-liberalism. The Symposium is also a contribution to the global observance of the World Interfaith Harmony Week that is celebrated annually in the first week of February of each year.
OUTCOMES
Reflecting the opportunities presented by a virtual format:
Deepen understanding of how pernicious and all-encompassing racism, colonialism and slavery remain today.
Showcase the transformative roles people are playing, drawing from actual and innovative experiences around the globe.
Highlight policy recommendations and practical steps to increase the urgency and effectiveness of partnerships working across diverse stakeholders, including faith-based organizations, UN System entities, member states, intergovernmental and non-governmental entities in different regions.
Mobilise collective capacity and resources with urgency to redress colonialism, racism, and slavery.
Organization of Symposium
The detailed programme is being developed with input from the Expert Reference Group. It will include a framing of the intersections, historic roots and the development of racism, colonialism and slavery in the course of history, and how they continue to play out today, underpinning modern day policies, practices, and advocacies for their eradication. It will go on to explore how the geo-political context, international affairs and global economic systems continue to be dominated by racism and colonial legacy, how this is now changing and resistance to this change, eg militarism, policing, disarmament, and use of violence. The Symposium will particularly focus on looking at solutions and innovations in policy and legal frameworks, as well as changing social and attitudinal norms, and the partnerships required to redress injustices and forge a more equal and fair world.
Watch below the recording of the 2022 edition of the Symposium: