G20 Interfaith Forum in Cape Town, South Africa on August 10-14

Ubuntu in Action: Focus on Vulnerable Communities

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, May 6, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) will hold its major 2025 Forum event from August 10-14 in Cape Town, South Africa. The gathering will bring together diverse stakeholders, including people from various faiths, other civil society organizations, government representatives, and multilateral entities, as well as academia.

The Cape Town event is inspired by South Africa’s theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,“ and the overarching African philosophy of Ubuntu with which South Africa approaches its G20 Presidency. Like South Africa, the G20 Interfaith Forum recognizes that neither individuals nor nations can thrive in isolation and that global priorities should ensure that no one is left behind. The IF20’s key 2025 priorities align with the priority areas of the 20th G20 Summit, that will be held on 22-23 November 2025 in Gauteng, South Africa.

OBJECTIVES

The IF20’s mandate is to contribute to a more just world and a sustainable future by drawing on and enriching the multifaceted ideas, experiences, activities, and contributions of religious and faith actors across the world. The gathering offers the opportunity to harness the transformative potential of religion and faith-inspired actors to advance global sustainable development agendas (and specifically the United Nations SDGs). We aim to foster a more just, equitable, and sustainable world by focusing on advocacy efforts and actions that build on the rich experience of countless communities at local, national, and international levels. The IF20 thus draws on the work as a true “network of networks.”

G20 INTERFAITH’S PRIORITY AREAS OF FOCUS:
The context of South Africa’s priority themes of Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability guides the IF20’s 2025 work. For faith communities, the absolute priority is to give practical meaning to “Leaving No One Behind.” Priority areas of focus are as follows:

1. Food security and poverty. Food security, with its strong links to addressing poverty and inequality, is a leading issue, driving the Global Alliance launched by the G20 in Brazil and inspiring both South Africa and the African Union. The topic extends from the very local to the very global. IF20 supports this multisector program, aiming to show convincingly that religious institutions are major players, and how our (G20 Interfaith) commitments can enhance transnational and national efforts. IF20 builds on global multifaith efforts to address hunger, including by the World Council of Churches, Caritas organizations, PaRD, World Vision, Islamic Relief, LDS Charities, and countless others.

2. Economic and Financial Action. Fiscal and debt crises confronting many countries, concentrated in Africa, dampen poverty alleviation and climate action, as well as government capacities to provide basic services like education, health care, water supply, disaster response, and job creation. Religious communities link the economic and financial issues to equity and thriving, notably through their focus on 2025 as a Jubilee year. Action to mobilize public finance nationally and multilaterally can ensure debt sustainability and mobilize finance for sustainable and equitable development.

3. Addressing interreligious tensions through education and enhancing understanding of religious matters. The foundational Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL) program and Arigatou International’s Ethics Education and Learning to Live Together programs offer potential to strengthen regional and global approaches and address issues of violence and conflict linked to religious actors. Priority efforts directed to reinforce social cohesion are integral to education policies and to broader issues of trust and information, religious approaches to ethics and practice offer contributions to the fast-developing fields of Artificial Intelligence. Many religious groups work to address gender-based violence and action to support women, children, and families—for example, their physical and mental health, inequalities, and fair, equitable treatment.

4. Migration and refugee movements, human trafficking, and modern slavery present major challenges, with special applications for Africa. IF20’s continuing work highlights extensive religious teaching and practices supporting policies and action to support those on the move, especially those who are most vulnerable. Fear of migrants and refugees affects politics in many settings and call to religious advocacy for compassion and care. IF20’s longstanding focus on the urgent need for multinational action on human trafficking will underpin 2025 advocacy.

5. Disaster prevention, response, recovery. Active religious involvement, as first responders, at regional and global levels and through policy and programmatic analysis, play vital roles. With rethinking at different levels on optimal approaches, the contributions of religious actors deserve greater focus. Disaster relief is closely tied to widely varied environmental challenges, including rainforest destruction and climate movements/migration, underlining the needed focus on prevention, building resilience, and meaningful response.

BACKGROUND ON THE ORGANIZER

The G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) annual platform involves a network of religiously linked institutions and initiatives that engage on global agendas, including the SDGs. The G20 process has evolved since it was established in 2014, recognizing an expanding range of stakeholders and platforms that allow different sectors and communities to present ideas and recommendations to global leaders. The IF20 contributes insights and recommendations that respond to and help shape the G20 and thus global policy agendas, building on the vital roles that religious institutions and beliefs play in world affairs and reflecting their rich diversity of institutions, ideas, and values. Through its networks, the IF20 contributes not only to formulation but also to implementation of G20 policies, and to forging consensus on priorities shared by interfaith and intercultural organizations, religious leaders, scholars, and development and humanitarian entities. IF20’s work with business and civil society actors and other key stakeholders contributes to the agenda for each Annual IF20 Forum, inspired each year by successive host governments.

Media Instructions

Media Accreditation:
All journalists, photographers, and media representatives interested in covering the conference must request accreditation in advance. Please send your full name, media organization, job title, and contact details to secretariat@g20interfaith.org by July 4, 2025.

Press Kit & Briefings:
A digital press kit—including background information, speaker bios, and the conference agenda—will be shared with all accredited media ahead of the event.

Media Access & Interviews:
Designated areas will be available for media coverage during plenary sessions and selected breakout events. Interviews with keynote speakers, government officials, and organizers can be arranged upon request.

Marianna Richardson
G20 Interfaith Forum
+1 202-460-9070
email us here