Freedom of Religion and Belief’s Linkage to Sustainable Development Gains High-level Attention

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.

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

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. 

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.

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. 

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!