On May 13, 2026, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) hosted its first Town Hall meeting of the year via Zoom, bringing together a global network of board members, practitioners, academics, and regional coordinators. The town hall addressed a shared reality felt deeply across our network over the past few years: civic spaces have become smaller, reflection has become harder, and yet, the need to connect and learn together has only grown.
Introduced by Board Co-Chair Dionne Gravesande, the gathering served as a critical platform to reflect on how we stay connected in a fragmented field—and how we can begin to rebuild something more coherent, together. Participants collectively affirmed that JLI holds significant potential to convene neutral, values-driven spaces, creating safe environments to address sensitive topics and foster genuine community engagement across constituencies.
During the sessions, we shared updates on the State of the Evidence Navigator, explored the Inner Development Goals from a Faith Perspective, learned from regional examples, and, most importantly, created space for conversation about where members see their place in this evolving system.
What was covered:
- Framing the moment we are in: Addressing global polarization and flux within the multilateral system.
- Update on the Evidence Backbone: Introducing the Sutra Navigator tool to help development workers navigate intersectionality.
- The IDG x Faith Initiative: Discussing how inner transformation connects to values-based work and the need to ground this framework in faith language.
- Regional perspectives: Highlighting the progress and collaborative infrastructure across regional hubs.
- Breakout conversations: Deliberating on existing connections, practical tools, and key institutional gaps.
- A shared reflection: Exploring how to turn these insights into actionable, practitioner-led strategic roadmaps.
To sustain meaningful connections moving forward, participants emphasized the importance of moving away from static repositories toward dynamic, regularly updated content that encourages active, ongoing platform engagement.
Full minutes and recordings will be shared with participants in the coming weeks. For a comprehensive review of the specific inputs, institutional perspectives, and regional notes that informed this session.
For further updates, visit the JLI website, subscribe to the newsletter, and follow JLI on social media.