Interfaith conference focuses on hope throughout society

How can people today find hope to promote and sustain collective action? How do we tackle the challenges facing the world and work towards a more positive future? What role can diverse faith traditions play in helping us face the most pressing demands of our time?

These are the topics to be addressed at the Our Whole Society Conference at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights from Sunday through Tuesday.

The theme of the conference, which is sponsored by the Canadian Interfaith Conversation, is “fostering hope in a divided world.”

Keynote speakers include former global affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy, who will talk about how Canada can provide hope to the world; Premier Wab Kinew, who will address hope and reconciliation; international human rights lawyer Payam Akhavan, who will discuss hope and human rights; and environmentalist Elin Kelsey, author of the book Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis, who will speak about hope and the environment.

Héctor A. Acero Ferrer, one of the conference organizers and director of lifelong learning at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, said the conference is an opportunity “to build robust dialogue between religious traditions about their role in society” and a way to “build connections across divides in the world.”

Winnipeg was chosen for the event because of the CMHR, and also because of the city’s close association with the truth and reconciliation process.

“We want to enter into dialogue with Indigenous voices across the settler-Indigenous divide,” Acero Ferrer said.

Rocky Baronins is the community relations committee chair for the Manitoba Multifaith Council, one of the supporters of the conference.

”There are so many global tensions,” he said. “We need to sit in the same room and talk and find common ground, not focus on our differences.”

In addition to the keynote addresses, there will be panels on ethics, politics and humanity; educational initiatives for reconciliation; the role of media in sharing stories of hope (with Free Press editor Paul Samyn); and hope and interfaith dialogue.

This is the seventh time the biennial conference has been held. It has previously been held in Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Waterloo, and virtually during the pandemic.

Supporters for the Winnipeg event include the CMHR, St. Paul’s College, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the Manitoba Multifaith Council, the Institute for Christian Studies, the Baha’i Community of Canada, the Canadian Council of Churches, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the United Church of Canada.

Cost of the conference is $150 for all three days, or $65 for students. The opening plenary at 7:45 p.m. Sunday is $20. To register, or for more information, go to wfp.to/wholesociety.

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