Center for Metanoia Studies (Centre d'Etudes Interdisciplinaires de la Métanoïa)

Alexis de La Ferriere (co-Director of the Center for Metanoia Studies) has been appointed to the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Working Group of the G20 Interfaith Forum.

Religious institutions and beliefs play a vital role in world affairs. However, the positive contributions that faiths and religions make to social well-being and to policies which impact national and international communities is predicated on the recognition and protection of the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief. As stated in Article 18 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.”

The FoRB Working Group exists to promote this fundamental right and to advance the overarching objectives of the G20 Interfaith Forum, which advocates for global solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges by collaborating with religious leaders and political representatives.

The G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) offers an annual platform where a network of religiously linked institutions and initiatives engage on global agendas (primarily on and including the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs). 

Beginning in Australia in 2014, the G20 Interfaith Forum has convened annually in the G20 host country. The Forums have considered wide-ranging agendas, including economic models and systems, the environment, women, families, children, work, humanitarian aid, health, education, freedom of religion or belief, global security, governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The agenda for each Forum is framed taking into account the annual G20 priorities (outlined each year by the host government), together with topics that the various networks of religious actors recommend that the G20 leaders address. The forum has met in Australia in 2014, Turkey in 2015, China in 2016, Germany in 2017, Argentina in 2018, Japan in 2019, Saudi Arabia in 2020, and Italy in 2021.