KAICIID welcomes the launch of “Partners for Change- Religions and the 2030 Agenda”

Berlin – At an international conference entitled "Partners for Change – Religions and the 2030 Agenda", Federal Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Gerd Müller presented Germany’s first-ever strategy on the role of religion and faith communities in German development policy.

The German Ministry for Development has founded the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), a joint endeavour with other donors and international organisations, for example the US, the UK, Sweden, the United Nations and the World Bank. The purpose of this Partnership is to develop common ideas on how to improve cooperation with faith communities. The Partnership is also open to civil society organisations.

The Partnership will work to increase cooperation between the international development community and religious actors, promote interfaith dialogue, address stereotypes and prejudice through education and the media, strengthen religious freedom and religious diversity, and promote human rights.

Recognising the positive role that religious communities can play in development, the Minister stated that Germany will seek to take the world’s religions into account, and engage in dialogue with them, in order to tap the positive potential of governmental and religious institutions and of religious worldviews for the benefit of global development.

KAICIID Senior Advisor Mohammed Abu-Nimer attended the meeting, noting the German government’s key role in global development, and said "This is a historical meeting, and an urgently needed network, since it links religion to sustainable development. Notably, among the main areas of focus and objectives for the network are interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding, corresponding with the needs and objectives that KAICIID has been supporting under the Centre's mandate."

In many parts of the world, religious communities and leaders can be as influential in development as policy makers and other leaders in civil society . Well-connected religious networks provide access to locations and communities that would otherwise be harder to reach. Religious institutions are often sought as the first source of support for people confronting emergencies or challenges. Religious institutions are influential advocates for the rights of the weak and powerless, while religious spaces serves as sanctuaries for dialogue on rights and responsibilities.

Equally important, religion provides people with the moral imperative to help others. It provides the values and ethical grounding that motivate people to strive for a better world.

KAICIID’s mandate of promoting interreligious dialogue is designed to leverage this positive potential, and strengthen interreligious cooperation on issues of common concern to humanity.