During the Annual Forum and General Assembly of Members (GAM) in Stellenbosch, South Africa, the results of PaRD’s leadership elections were announced. The results demonstrate that diversity and inclusiveness are taken seriously.
The new steering group members who take key strategic and financial decisions are:
Fred Nyabera, Arigatou International; Hazel M.D. Dixon, AU-CIDO; Denise Kodhe AU-ECOSOCC; Hanno Spitzer BMZ; Mercy Munene, CYNESA; Atallah Fitzgibbon, IRW; Mohammed Abu-Nimer, KAICIID; Kristian Westad Bertelsen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark; Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS; Adam Nicholas Phillips, USAID; Peter Prove, WCC and Stefan Sengstmann, WVI.
The new co-chairs of PaRD are Hazel M.D. Dixon, AU-CIDO; Adam Philips, USAID and Peter Prove, WCC.
The work-streams drive the work of PaRD. The new co-leads of the current work-streams are:
WECARE: Najat Abdi Mohamed, Global One Kenya; Juliane Stork, Humboldt University; Liu Liu, Tearfund; Dinesh Suna, WCC and Joan Okitoi-Heisig, World Evangelical Alliance.
Health: Courtney Brode Roberts and Timothy Lavelle, USAID; Justine Aenishaenslin and Stefan Sengstmann, World Vision International.
Sustaining Peace: Andreas Dybkjær-Andersson, Danmission; Renata Nelson, KAICIID; Rachel Palermo, Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers and Maya Assaf-Horstmeier, World Vision International.
Gender Equality: Mada El Dibs, Global Affairs Canada; Shahin Ashraf, Islamic Relief Worldwide and Gunvor Bjerglund Thomsen, MFA Denmark.
Following sub-committees support the work of the steering group:
Communication: Denise Kodhe AU-ECOSOCC; Mercy Munene, CYNESA; Kristian Westad Bertelsen, MFA Denmark; Timothy Lavelle, USAI; Peter Prove, WCC and Stefan Sengstmann, WVI.
Membership: Hazel M.D. Dixon, AU-CIDO; Fred Nyabera, Arigatou International; Atallah Fitzgibbon, Islamic Relief; Mohammed Abu-Nimer, KAICIID, and Mada El Dibs, Global Affairs Canada serving in an advisory role, non-voting SG member.
Budget & Finance: Hazel M.D. Dixon, AU-CIDO; Hanno Spitzer, BMZ; Atallah Fitzgibbon, IRW; Mohammed Abu Nimer, KAICIID; Peter Prove, WCC; Kristian Westad Bertelsen, MFA Denmark; Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS and Adam Phillips, USAID.
The hybrid meeting in South Africa provided the opportunity to meet former steering group members and express gratitude for their engagement and dedicated work for PaRD. Grammy Award winner Ani Zonneveld, Muslims for Progressive Values, dedicated her song “In my soul” to the former leadership. The outgoing members of the former Steering Group are co-chairs Prof Mohammed Abu-Nimer, KAICIID and Jørgen Thomsen, Dan Church Aid/ACT Alliance, and members Maria Lucia Uribe Torres, Arigatou International; Hellen Mugo, CYNESA; Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance and Mercy Niwe/Kimberly Parent, World Bank.
