Episode 1 of 3: Seeing Clearly: Contextualizing Religion in Global Policy – The Lived Religion Approach: exploring how religious literacy and the lived religion approach can equip diplomats and policymakers to engage more thoughtfully in global affairs. 

How can policymakers and diplomats better understand religion in today's global affairs? In this opening episode of three, we will explore more deeply with Professor Erin K Wilson her ‘lived religion’ approach, an analytical framework she introduced us to in the October 2024 webinar “Sowing Seeds of Peace”.  Following particular steps, Erin equips global actors with tools to recognize religion as it is experienced and practised, not just theorized. She challenges conventional secular assumptions and calls for neither over- nor underestimating religion's role in all contexts of life.

Join us in this 30-minute online fireside discussion, where Erin will illustrate how religious dimensions can be more accurately understood in policy design, humanitarian coordination, and multilateral relations. This conversation aims to highlight why lifelong learning in religious literacy is essential in rapidly changing global contexts.

Building on the October 2024 webinar “Sowing Seeds of Peace: The Role of IRD Organisations in Promoting Religious Literacy in Education as a Contribution to Peace”, this three-part follow-up series deepens the conversation by spotlighting religious literacy as a practical skillset for navigating complex societal challenges. Hosted in collaboration with the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, the series brings back three thought leaders from the original panel for focused 30-minute fireside discussions exploring how lived, contextual understandings of religion can shape diplomacy, transform conflict engagement, and foster inclusion in education.

Moderated by Dr Kate Soules, Executive Director of the Religion and Education Collaborative, each session offers actionable insights into how religious literacy builds empathy, critical thinking, and cross-cultural competence—skills essential for peaceful engagement in today’s world:

•    17 July with Professor Erin K Wilson (Diplomacy and Global Affairs)
•    21 July with Dicky Sofjan (Conflict & Interfaith Engagement) [info & registration] 
•    24 July with Daniel Del Nido (Education & Inclusion) [info & registration]