The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, DFID, Islamic Relief, World Vision and Oxfam are working together in association with the RSA to host 6 groundbreaking seminars to discuss the new perspectives emerging on Faith and Development.

“Economics is too important to be left to economists” said Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams recently. The global recession has caused us all to reflect our current economic system and ask:  Have our financial markets suffered from a lack of values?  Can the solution to reforming these be found within the teachings of faith traditions? 

Furthermore the global economic crisis is putting disproportionate pressure on the world’s poorest: An estimated 55-90 million more people will be living in extreme poverty than anticipated before the crisis and there could be as much as a £2.9 billion shortfall in funding to tackle humanitarian crises in the world’s poorest countries warns the UN in their Millennium Development Goals Report 09. In light of this can – and should – faith communities be putting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable back on the agenda?

The next seminar  “Faith in the Marketplace?” today. This seminar will provide an opportunity for an open discussion around these key questions. Ken Costa, who has worked in investment banking for 30 years and is now Chairman of Lazard International and Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University, will be giving keynote addresses. Steve Chalke, founder of the Oasis Trust ,will chair the seminar and Reverend Giles Fraser Canon Chancellor, St Paul’s Cathedral and John Reynolds Church of England Ethical Investment Advisory Group are discussants.

The next 4 seminars will explore the role faith communities play in conflict resolution, as healthcare and education service providers and as stewards of the environment. Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, senior advisor to the World Bank Katherine Marshall and Joel Edwards, commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission will be joining a prestigious line up of academics, development workers, journalists, and government, business and faith leaders. The series ends with a closing keynote from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams chaired by Rabbi David Rosen. We are incredibly excited to have such an inspirational line up discussing some of the huge questions facing policy makers as they grapple with an increasingly interconnected world. This debate is not taking place in the abstract but in front of the people carrying out these ideas on the ground and making policy in government and we hope will produce concrete outcomes.

The Guardian is hosting the discussion online on ‘Comment is free: belief’, where you can find edited versions of the speeches and lively discussion about them click here to become part of the debate.

 The Tony Blair Faith Foundation

 

 Photo: M.Hallahan/Sumitomo Chemical

In a recent Gallup poll, 82% of those surveyed in sub-Saharan Africa said their most trusted institution was a religious organisation (Gallup 2008).

 In Mozambique Reverend Herminio describes the interfaith training around Malaria that begins with a Muslim prayer and ends with a Christian blessing but most importantly equips faith leaders to teach their congregations about malaria control, “The trainers are the same Imams and Pastors that people trust, we are not imported from outside, we cannot keep quiet about this, when our communities are dying. If we have the knowledge we have to share it.” It is stories and statistics like these that are encouraging the development community to look more and more at the potential of faith communities.

“Faith communities” (faith based organisations, faith communities and religious leaders) are seen as development’s missing link reaching those that governments and NGOs can’t.  But what is the role of these faith communities?  Do they have a justifiable role at the ‘development table’?  And how effective can they be?  This series is designed to answer some of these tough questions. 

It all began last night with a key note address from Tony Blair on why faith matters for development, chaired by Karen Armstrong.

Visit the RSA’s website to view the video.

The next 5 seminars will explore the role faith communities play in conflict resolution, as healthcare and education service providers, installing ethics in the marketplace and as stewards of the environment.  Douglas Alexander, Tariq Ramadan, Ken Costa and senior advisor to the World Bank Katherine Marshall will be joining a prestigious line up of academics, development workers, journalists, and government, business and faith leaders. The series ends with a closing keynote from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams chaired by Rabbi David Rosen. We are incredibly excited to have such an inspirational line up discussing some of the huge questions facing policy makers as they grapple with an increasingly interconnected world. This debate is not taking place in the abstract but in front of the people carrying out these ideas on the ground and making policy in government and we hope will produce real outcomes.

Join the debate at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/series/faith-and-development

Programme of events

Wednesday 30 September     Faith in the Marketplace?

Tuesday 6 October                  Poverty & Conflict: Faith as a Solution or Cause?

Tuesday 20 October                Health and Education – Where Faith Fits?

Wednesday 4 November       Towards a Sustainable Environment: What Can Faith Teach Us?

Thursday 12 November         Closing keynote address from The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

If you are interested in attending any of these events please visit the RSA website at http://www.thersa.org/events/our-events