University of Potsdam Germany
15-17 June 2017
website: g20interfaith.org
More than a hundred experts and leaders from fields ranging from economy, law, politics, religion, development to humanitarian aid, coming from 30 different countries, gathered for the fourth consecutive G20 Interfaith Summitin Potsdam.
Plenary sessions covered three themes: sustainable development, religious freedom or freedom of belief, and the economic sector. The relationship between religion and sustainable development sessions explored inter alia religious contributions to alleviating the refugee and famine crises. The plenary on religious freedom or freedom of belief explored the contributions faith based organizations make in contexts of weak or failed states, and the challenges associated with religious contribution to SDG fulfillment given the predominantly private nature of religion, the confessional nature of religious communities, and the barriers of denominationalism. The plenary on religion and the economic sector focused on developing religious and development literacy for organizations to improve the quality of conversation given religion’s importance for the economy.