NEWS

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.

PaRD’s Leadership met from 27 to 29 March 2023 in Friedrichsdorf (Germany) to set priorities and discuss activities for 2023 and early 2024. Find out the most important things you need to know about PaRD this year – especially in relation to PaRD’s…

Online hate speech against women is silencing women's voices. DanChurchAid's report "Online Harassment and Censorship of Women Human Rights Defenders", launched during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), discusses how to ensure a…

No more underage marriages - that's what Malawian Paramount Chief Kawinga has enforced in his community. He is one of a group of more than 20 male champions for gender justice who came together in a workshop organised mainly by the All Africa…

The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) welcomes four new members, including the Indonesian government, represented by its Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA).

RELIGION MATTERS!
TWITTER

📅 Save the date! Join us in Berlin from 17-19 October 2023 for our Annual Forum on Religion and Sustainable Development. Share promising practices, discuss strategies and develop ideas on the topic of religion and #development. Follow this account & stay informed about #PaRD23. pic.twitter.com/25C3AWue0M

07. June
@PaRDSecretariat

A real delight welcoming the head of @PaRDSecretariat in Geneva, and exploring areas of common concern and potential collaboration. In a nutshell, we agree that ethics from religious and non-religious backgrounds needs to contribute to the design of the future development agenda. twitter.com/PaRDSecretaria…

06. June
@PaRDSecretariat

Tray lunch with a presentation on PaRD and activities of it's over 160 members and Q&A session @Oikoumene with Co-Chair @peterprove Co-Chair of WECARE Workstream @Dinesh911 and various colleagues from WCC and other organisations including @Globethics. pic.twitter.com/IAuznptNFA

06. June
@PaRDSecretariat

After very collegial & constructive talk's on contributions of #faith actors to (mental)health, also during #Covid_19 pandemic, and how to intensify collaboration with #multilaterals. @hess_se @WHO @Oikoumene @peterprove @ArigatouGeneva @marialuciauribe @WorldVision pic.twitter.com/53tNaE07bj

06. June
@PaRDSecretariat

Great exchange with Prof. @fdaoulb DG @Globethics, Dr I. Haaz, C. Housel & PaRD Head of Sec K. Singh on role of ethics and values in #sustainabledevelopment & for bringing out the needed transformation to contribute to #SDGs and #Post2030Agenda. pic.twitter.com/BhZs52991F

06. June
@PaRDSecretariat

Report from @PaRDSecretariat shows the vital role of local faith actors in #Nigeria's Middle Belt. Funding for HDP initiatives & providing trainings on technical skills, program management, & Do No Harm can empower LFAs' impact. #Evidence4Peace #SDG16 partner-religion-development.org/fileadmin/Date…

05. June
@PaRDSecretariat
CALENDAR
04
Jun
-
11
Jun
Spirituality & Sustainability Conference
The 10th Spirituality & Sustainability Conference will be held in Rome and Assisi.
05
Jun
-
15
Jun
Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB58)
Building on the mandates that emerged from COP 27 in Egypt last year, the conference will hold a large number of mandated events and continue discussions on issues of critical importance, such as the global goal on adaptation & just transition.
10
Jul
-
19
Jul
United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
During the forum, participants will be able to explore actionable policy guidance for the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs at all levels.
17
Jul
-
20
Jul
Women Deliver (WD2023)
As one of the largest multi-sectoral convenings to advance gender equality, the Women Deliver 2023 Conference and Global Dialogue are co-created by grassroots advocates, multilateral governments, the private sector, philanthropies, and youth.
14
Aug
-
18
Aug
Parliament of the World's Religions
The Parliament of the World’s Religions cultivates harmony among the world’s spiritual traditions and fosters their engagement with guiding institutions in order to achieve a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
05
Sep
-
19
Sep
78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78)
The 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) will open in September. Only tentative dates are available.
09
Sep
-
10
Sep
G20 Summit
The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place on 9-10 September 2023 in New Delhi. The Summit will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year.
18
Sep
-
19
Sep
2023 SDG Summit
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the 2023 SDG Summit, will be convened in September 2023 (tenative dates), during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week.

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
162
members
from
8
religions
from
127
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