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 Annual Forum 2023.
PaRD’s Annual Forum on Religion and Sustainable Development 2023 is happening – that is one of the most important results from this year’s Leadership Meeting. Planning is currently underway, especially with regard to content. A final decision has not been made to where and when exactly the conference including the General Assembly of Members is being held, but one thing is for sure: It is coming – and most certainly in the second half of the year. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. It is recommended to subscribe to PaRD’s newsletter to not miss the news.
Elections for PaRD’s Steering Board are due in 2023
The time has come again: New elections for PaRD’s Steering Board (formerly known as Steering Group) are coming up. Every two years the Steering Board is elected and its new members are announced at the Annual Forum. Again, PaRD members have a chance to step up and become part of PaRD’s Steering Board, which represents all key member constituencies:
- governmental entities (3 seats)
- multilateral entities (3 seats)
- civil society organisations especially faith organisations & academic institutions (6 seats)
Members will receive further information on the election process and requirements in the course of the coming weeks.
Events and Topics in Focus
In order to maximize impact, PaRD’s Leadership has identified the following themes/events as a top priority for 2023 and early 2024 (besides the Annual Forum):
- High-Level Political Forum 2023 | 10-19 July 2023
- Climate Action Summit | Sept 2023
- 2nd SDG Summit | Sept 2023 (incl. synergies with African Faith Leaders’ Initiative & working towards including multi-religious perspectives on Customary and Informal Justice)
- International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance Ministerial Conference | 28-30 Nov 2023
- Geneva Peace Week | 30 Oct – 3 Nov 2023
- COP28 | 30 Nov – 12 Dec 2023
- 68th Commission on the Status of Women | March 2024
- Faith-sensitive MHPSS for children on the move (incl. participation at Global Refugee Forum, PeaceCon 2023 and World Refugee Day)
Changes in PaRD’s Governance Structure
PaRD’s Steering Board has decided to slightly adapt PaRD’s governance structure.
The following bodies within PaRD are dissolved:
- Membership Sub-Committee
- Communication Sub-Committee
- Finance & Budget Sub-Committee
The following bodies and positions are renamed:
| Old name | New name |
| Steering Group | Steering Board |
| Co-Leads | Workstream Leads / Taskforce Leads |
| Work Group | Taskforce |
| Initiative | Taskforce |
| FoRB Initiative | FoRB Workstream |
| Food Crisis Response Work Group | Food Security Taskforce |
These changes include the following regulation: Workstreams are defined as groups working on a long-term basis on priority issues. Taskforces are groups working on one specific short-term task (e.g. planning of the Annual Forum or a side-event to COP). If the task develops into a long-term engagement, a taskforce can become a workstream.
Synergies with UN agencies and the World Bank
To strengthen the relationship and work on possible synergies with the World Bank and agencies of the United Nations, PaRD’s Leadership met virtually with representatives from UNEP, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNHCR and the World Bank.
A first concrete result was achieved following a very collegial discussion: A regular exchange between PaRD and UNEP in regards to COP 28 was established. A new PaRD Taskforce on COP 28 is working on PaRD’s engagement in the event.
