“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”. This sentence by Martin Luther King reminds me that perhaps this is the very rhythm of our lives, our societies, and our shared European journey – a careful, sometimes trembling step forward, even when the horizon is blurred and the path ahead seems to dissolve into mist.

 

It is in these first steps that trust, courage and imagination take form, shaping what was once invisible into a possibility that can be lived.

 

This sense of stepping forward, daring to act in the uncertainty of what is not yet revealed was at the heart of the European Policy Dialogue Forum (EPDF) expert meeting in Rome this past April, titled Common Horizons: Interreligious Pathways to Social Cohesion and Climate Justice in Europe. 

 

Scholars, religious leaders, civil society actors and policymakers gathered to outline a Europe where differences do not divide but intersect, and where histories and beliefs converge into a shared purpose. They explored questions of inclusion, dignity and collective responsibility – the very essence of what it means to build communities in our rapidly changing continent.

 

As the 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum draws near, these reflections take on fresh urgency. Every conversation, every insight, every tentative first step becomes part of the architecture of common horizons, preparing the ground for commitments that will guide action beyond the Forum. And in taking these steps – uncertain, deliberate, and intertwined – we affirm our faith in what Europe is and what it can become.

 

Warm wishes from Lisbon,

 

 

Read the report of the EPDF Expert meeting here.

 

The next European Policy Dialogue Forum (EPDF) will focus on municipal governance!

 

Governance refers to how authority is exercised - the processes, rules, and people that shape collective decision-making. It encompasses how decisions are made, such as how a city council sets housing priorities or if and how communities are consulted on local projects. It also includes how power is distributed among institutions and stakeholders, for example between national and local governments, or between public authorities and civil society. Finally, it refers to how institutions manage public affairs, including the mechanisms through which policies are implemented and services delivered. 

 

For example, how schools are run, waste is collected, or which social services are provided. Governance should not be confused with “government” which refers to the formal political structure of a state and the organization and exercise of political power. In a nutshell: governance is about how decisions happen and who is involved, while government is about who formally holds power.

Good governance goes further: it means that public authority is exercised according to the principles of transparency, accountability, the rule of law, equity, participation and responsiveness. For example, when citizens can easily access information about how public funds are spent, when communities are consulted before major urban projects, or when public officials are held accountable for their decisions, governance becomes not only more efficient but also more just – a system that serves people rather than power.

By contrast, weak or poor governance is when those values are missing or de-emphasised. Rules may be opaque, oversight may be weak, corruption or exclusion may occur and institutions may fail to serve all citizens equitably. In such cases, governance tends to favour those already in power, widening inequality, undermining trust and reducing social cohesion.

 

At the municipal level, governance takes on a direct and tangible role in people’s daily lives, from education, housing, and public spaces to environmental planning and community services. Good municipal governance recognises that cities are living spaces where people participate in shaping their environment. By embedding values into policies, encouraging inclusive participation and fostering local initiatives, municipalities can become laboratories for innovation, fairness and resilience, thereby demonstrating how governance can truly serve both people and the planet.

 

 

Read a testimony from Benedetto Zacchiroli, the President of the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR), who was at the EPDF Expert meeting in Rome and will be a speaker at the 6th EPDF in Geneva in the panel titled: Building Values-Based Urban Communities.

 

For our French or German-speaking readers: read “Interreligious Dialogue: Is It Still Necessary?” by Rifa'at Lenzin, Freelance scholar of Islamic studies and publicist, President of IRAS COTIS. She studied Islamic studies, religious studies and philosophy in New Delhi, Zurich and Bern. 
 

 

A living space for our shared vocabulary-in-progress, where we try unpacking what these terms mean to us and invite you to do the same

 

Equity
 

Equity in human rights literature refers to the principle of fairness in the distribution of resources, opportunities and outcomes, taking into account the different needs, disadvantages and structural barriers that individuals or groups may face. 

 

Unlike equality, which treats everyone the same, equity recognises that treating people identically does not necessarily result in justice, especially in contexts marked by historical and systemic discrimination. From a human rights perspective, equity is rooted in the principle of non-discrimination and the obligation to ensure substantive equality. 
 

This means that States and institutions must take positive action, often referred to as affirmative measures, to correct imbalances and enable all individuals, particularly those from marginalised or disadvantaged groups, to enjoy their rights on an equal footing. Equity also emphasises equal access to rights rather than merely formal guarantees. For instance, the right to education is not fully realised if children from low-income or minority backgrounds lack the resources or support to benefit equally from educational opportunities. 

 

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), in General Comments such as No. 20 on non-discrimination, has stressed that States must address not just intentional discrimination, but also indirect and systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality, which is the core of the equity approach. Equity is not only a policy goal – it is a lens through which we can better understand ourselves, others, and the world we share.

 

The Human Library on 10 November 2025 at the Crowne Palace Hotel in Geneva, just ahead the 6th EPDF, will offer an interactive space where participants will explore the theme of equity through lived experience - understanding how systems of inclusion or exclusion shape both individual identities and our collective future. In the Human Library, “books” are people: individuals who have volunteered to share a personal story that touches on inequality, resilience, community or change. These stories will reflect different intersections - religious, social, generational and environmental - and invite listeners to reflect on how equity, or the lack of it, ripples through communities, deepening or healing divides.

 

In this timely opinion piece, KAICIID Acting Secretary General, Ambassador António de Almeida-Ribeiro, reflects on the central themes of the EPDF Expert meeting in Rome and the road ahead. He invites us to consider how inter-religious dialogue can help reimagine our shared responsibility for people and planet in a time of intersecting crises.

Read the reflections here.
 

 

 

 

As a member of the Network for Dialogue, I see every day how civil society actors can be inspired to promote and enable interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a pathway to the social inclusion of refugees and migrants in Europe. At the Anna Lindh Foundation Forum (19-21 June) in Tirana, Albania, this mission came to life.

 

Over 800 participants from academia, grassroots organizations, and policymaking gathered, many from the MENA region, working in active partnership with the European Commission and diverse local and international actors. The forum was more than a series of panels; it was a celebration of cultural richness traditional music, dance and art reminded us that peace is not just a political aspiration but a lived practice.

 

I was honored to join a panel on Bridging Grassroots Peacebuilding and Global Policy, with a focus on putting euro-med youth at the centre of the peace and security agenda. Alongside young experts from both grassroots and policy levels, I presented our work at NISA (Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan) – sharing our approach to empowering peace leaders. The warm applause reflected a shared understanding: inclusive peace begins in communities, driven by human connection.

 

NISA’s Vision draws on Galtung’s Conflict Triangle and the Euphrates Institute’s Peace Practice Alliance model. Co-founded with my colleague Obi Onyeigwe in Nigeria, NISA begins with a simple but radical premise: peace starts with a person.

Our work supports peace-building across four interconnected levels:

In my role within the Network for Dialogue, I see how these principles align with our shared commitment: dialogue built on respect, inclusion, and justice. We know we cannot transform politics overnight, but we can transform ourselves, our communities and public attitudes creating the pressure and momentum that shape lasting change.

 

Peace is not handed down. It is built person by person, community by community.

 

 

 

 

 

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