The Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom is the premier event convening senior governments and civil society leaders worldwide to address religious freedom. It was launched in Washington, D.C., in 2018 by the U.S. State Department. Poland will host this year's Ministerial from November 16-17, marking the first time that the event is hosted by another country. Due to the pandemic, Ministerial activities will take place online.

IGE's Center for Women, Faith & Leadership (CWFL) fellowship programs build the capacity and leadership skills of global women of faith working in the fields of religious freedom, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. Amidst this pandemic, IGE's 2020 CWFL Fellowship cohorts have faced unprecedented challenges both as leaders who advocate for the vulnerable and marginalized, and in their professional lives. Nevertheless, our Fellows have applied the skills acquired through this Fellowship like never before. 

Join the event, “Women-of-Faith’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic” and hear from women of faith leaders who are working at the intersection of prayer and strategic planning to respond to the many challenges that face their communities. The event will feature five IGE Fellows (Sr Adebola Daramola, Sr Beena Devasia Madhavath, Christy Anastas, Sr Theresa Eke, and Vickie Blackson) who have quickly addressed the challenges presented by the pandemic, being inspired and motivated by their faith and calling.

The following are examples of how our Fellows have utilized their training during this time: (1) Self-care for sustainability (addressing compassion fatigue, trauma healing exercises, helping skills, etc.) when facing the daunting task of running a COVID-19 unit within an impoverished region of India. (2) Cause marketing and storytelling to fundraise for impoverished minority populations in Myanmar who are struggling to obtain personal protective equipment. (3) Negotiation skills to establish a food bank in the West Bank to aid Palestinian families who lost their jobs due to the pandemic and are struggling to feed their families. (4) Public speaking and dialogue to educate women in Malaysia about COVID-19 and dispelling misinformation so women can feel empowered to keep their families safe and prevent the spread of the virus.

Date: November 16, 2020
Time: 9-11:00 AM EST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82552068947