NEWS

Amid the 2023 SDG Summit in New York, members of the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) addressed the theme "Inspiring Faith, Hope, and Transformative Action." Khushwant Singh, the Head of PaRD Secretariat,…

Learn more about PaRD's Annual Forum on Religion and Sustainable Development 2023 in Berlin, Germany, October 17-19, with the theme 'Multiplex Collaborations in a Multipolar World.' Explore the event's purpose and objectives.

Participants in a webinar hosted by the WCC, Norwegian Church Aid and PaRD explored the challenges of menstrual hygiene and the role of religious communities in eliminating stigma and abuse around menstruation. Read more on the WCC website.

RELIGION MATTERS!
CALENDAR
15
Oct
-
17
Oct
World Health Summit 2023
The World Health Summit, organized jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO), is considered the world's leading meeting on global health.
17
Oct
-
19
Oct
PaRD's Annual Forum on Religion and Sustainable Development 2023
PaRD’s Annual Forum provides an opportunity to share good practices, deliberate on policy recommendations, and develop ideas on synergistic ways to engage on the nexus of religion and development.
23
Oct
-
27
Oct
World Climate Research Programme Open Science Conference
Every decade, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) brings together communities from around the world to showcase recent and significant advances in climate science, identify gaps and opportunities, and jointly develop future plans.
30
Oct
-
03
Nov
Geneva Peace Week 2023
Through this annual forum organisations in Geneva and their international partners come together to share knowledge and practice on a diverse range of topics related to peace across contexts and disciplines.
21
Nov
-
23
Mar
Religion and Technology in an era of Rapid Digital and Climate Change (RaTiRDaCC 2023)
The international conference organised by RWTH Aachen University and IIT Madras/Chennai presents research on the interplay of religious behaviour, SDGs and technological development in a South-North-persepective.
28
Nov
-
30
Nov
International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance Ministerial Conference
Preliminary Program of the Ministerial Conference of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance on Freedom of Religion or Belief under Authoritarian Regimes
30
Nov
-
12
Dec
Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 28)
The United Nations Climate Change Conferences serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC parties (Conference of the Parties, COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change.
13
Dec
-
15
Dec
Global Refugee Forum 2023
The Forum will provide an opportunity to build on the significant progress made by governments and other stakeholders towards the implementation of pledges and initiatives announced since 2019.

Mission

The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) convenes governments, multilateral entities, academia as well as religious, traditional, indigenous and other civil society actors in a safe space that provides continuity for dialogue, learning, and collaboration to better inform policy and practices in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

PaRD has
165
members
from
8
religions
from
132
organisations inspired by religion
from
8
governments
from
6
multilateral entities
from
10
research/academic institutions

Foundation, Priorities & Principles

The SDGs set the foundation of PaRD’s work. With the SDGs, 193 countries have set 17 goals to ensure a better life for all, end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and well-being for everyone. PaRD currently concentrates on Health (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Environment, Water and Climate Action (SDGs 6, 13, 14, 15), Sustaining Peace (SDG 16) and Food Security (SDG 2). The basis of PaRD are the fundamental principles of human rights as well as freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief (FoRB), as both are preconditions for sustainable development. 

Through PaRD’s workstreams and taskforces, members and interested partners collaborate and gather evidence about the positive role of faith actors in sustainable development. Together, concepts are created for conferences, seminars, guidelines, briefing materials, and learning resources.

Interested parties can find more information about PaRD in our official flyer and in PaRD's strategic plan 2022-2026. 

 

Knowledge centre
Find selected publications on
religion and development.
VOICES FROM PaRD AND BEYOND

PaRD provides a unique opportunity for members of several governments to regularly discuss the importance of faith in development and find ways to take action for common cause when it comes to the challenges of our day. Due to its international nature, it is a topic that affects every country and its programming. I am grateful to PaRD for making these essential connections a consistent part of our work.

Adam Nicholas Phillips

PaRD Steering Board Co-Chair and director of USAID Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Local, Faith and Transformative Partnerships Hub.

We have to act today, not just plan for 2030 and beyond, and planning for development goes beyond electoral cycles.

Mastorea Sadan

Chief Senior Expert National Planning Commission Secretariat (NDP), South Africa.

My vision as a new Co-Chair is to see PaRD as a place of healing and empowerment through service and full dedication to the SDGs. 

Hazel Maureen Danetta Dixon

PaRD Steering Board Co-Chair from African Union.

In all the inequity of the world - it is not that there are no resources or aid from richer to poorer, the issue is the effectiveness of the aid which is given. More stakeholders need to be involved, shared wisdom is needed in times of crisis, and PaRD will help ensure that there is transparency.

Bishop Sithembele Sipuka

President of the Southern Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC)

The contributions of religious actors to achieving the SDGs need scientific investigation and scrutiny. A transdisciplinary approach is necessary: research not only about, but with religious actors. The membership of our research programme in PaRD creates excellent conditions for this. 

Prof Dr Wilhelm Gräb

Former Head of the Research Programme on Religious Communities and Sustainable Development of Humboldt University

The successful PaRD General Assembly in South Africa has shown how far this unique partnership has come and how much more potential there is for exchange and cooperation between religious actors, governments and multilaterals for sustainable development. And never has it been more needed than now. Time to get even busier!

Peter Prove

PaRD Steering Board Co-Chair from World Council of Churches (WCC)

The development that all SDGs are trying to attain will never happen until the religious language within Muslim societies changes when it comes to girls rights – the girl’s rights to go to school, to get an education, to decide if she wants to marry and when she wants to marry.

Ani Zonneveld

Muslims for Progressive Values
PaRD member with focus on Gender Equality and Empowerment

PaRD provides a unique space: It allows faith-based organisations, governments and intergovernmental organisations to directly connect with each other. PaRD enables to learn about the positive potential of religion, and explore creative ways to tackle our common global challenges.

Prof. Mohammed Abu Nimer

Salam Institute for Peace and Justice
PaRD member

Compassion, healing and unity is at the heart of spirituality – and to transcend man-made boundaries. To strengthen this positive force on a global level through collaboration between state actors and civil society, helps to commonly contribute to sustainable solutions for our wellbeing – and that of the Earth.

Khushwant Singh

PaRD Head of Secretariat

What PaRD has that is its strength right now, is the ability to bring together donor governments from the North with Faith-Based organizations (FBOs). PaRD needs to enable something catalytic, multireligious and multinational that’s transformative for people and lives!

Azza Karam

Religions for Peace
PaRD member with focus on Interreligious Dialogue