Some of you will remember thirty years ago. Europe’s heart bled as we watched the siege of Sarajevo. We believed war could never return after the Second World War. The Dayton Peace Agreement ended the shooting, but the peace it built was thin. Today, tensions rise once more in Bosnia and Herzegovina between the Federation and Republika Srpska – an unheeded warning.
 

And yet, hope lives in gestures. In Baljvine, a Bosnian village, Bosniaks and Serbs refused to fight one another when war swept the land. This rare example of solidarity echoes louder now. More recently, in the village of Šćipe near Prozor, a Catholic priest hosted an iftar for his Bosniak neighbours – sharing bread and simple words, a quiet act of repair. These small acts do not erase history, but they write a new chapter.
 

So let this be the spirit of our Forum. From a village that refused to fight to a shared meal across faiths. Let us carry that spirit into diplomatic efforts and policy change.

 

 

6 More Days Until the EPDF!
As we prepare for the 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum (EPDF), taking place in Geneva from 10–13 November, we take a moment to reflect on what this unique space represents. The EPDF brings together religious leaders, policymakers, civil society and the private sector to explore how interreligious and intercultural dialogue can strengthen social cohesion and environmental protection, offering an inspiration for more inclusive and sustainable policies across Europe. Every other year, it serves as a meeting point for people who believe that dialogue, when done right, can bridge divides and build the trust our societies so urgently need.

 

We know the crises stack up. Conflicts rage from the Middle East to Ukraine, dividing cities and fracturing towns. Climate change is speeding the storms, rising temperatures and displacement. The same bitter logic that brings conflicts now threatens ecosystems, and hope. In this moment, interreligious dialogue is more than an ideal – it is a strength. When communities divided by religion or ethnicity learn to talk, listen, and repair, they build a foundation from which we can manage the crossover of conflict and climate. The People-Planet-Prosperity nexus becomes real.
 

The 6th EPDF is a platform. But the real work happens afterward – in schools, places of worship, neighbourhoods, fields, in the seeds we plant and the dialogues we open. People, Planet, Prosperity converge in small acts. And from those acts, great change can take root.
 

People. Diversity of faith, differences in culture and identity are not problems. They are lifelines. Interreligious dialogue shows us that the voice of the stranger matters. When neighbours across faiths share and eat together, they build trust. When people meet with willingness, they change the logic of fear.

Planet. Our human diversity mirrors the biodiversity of life on Earth – its species, habitats, ecosystems, the air, the soil. We cannot protect one without the other. To safeguard forests, rivers, climate, we must build communities that care for each other. A planet under stress needs people who see themselves as part of the living whole. Interreligious dialogue teaches care – not only for each other, but for what sustains us all.

Prosperity. Growth is not only numbers on an account. Real prosperity is found in healed relations, inclusive opportunities, or dignity restored. A society that trusts is more prosperous than one marked by fear. Dialogue creates openings between communities, generations, and faiths for innovation, resilience and shared futures. 

The 6th EPDF will frame prosperity this way: not just economic, but ethical, communal and sustainable.

 

Read the draft Call to Action and the final agenda under “Resources” on the EPDF webpage here.

 

If you have missed the report of the Expert meeting that took place in Rome in preparation of the 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum, read it here as it will provide critical insights in view of the EPDF in Geneva.
 

 

Launching a Space for City Networks at the 6th EPDF: the Informal Working Group on Inclusive, Cohesive, and Sustainable Societies
 

Cities are at the forefront of shaping inclusive and resilient communities. Across Europe, networks of municipalities are already leading the way in promoting social cohesion, participatory governance, and sustainability. However, their impact can be even greater when they exchange knowledge, align efforts and collaborate strategically.
 

At the upcoming 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum, KAICIID will propose the Informal Working Group (IWG) of City Networks – a collaborative platform designed to connect networks committed to shared principles of inclusion, equity, and participation. The IWG will serve as a space for learning, dialogue, and joint initiatives, helping cities leverage their collective experience to foster more inclusive and sustainable societies.
 

The EPDF sparks ideas, connections, and collaborations - but the impact continues long after the Forum ends. KAICIID’s Follow-up Initiatives offer opportunities to translate these insights into tangible local and regional actions, from micro-grants and youth-led programs to city workshops, university dialogues, and high-level reflective roundtables. Through interreligious and intercultural dialogue, these initiatives will mobilize communities, inspire inclusive policies, and foster sustainable, cohesive societies across Europe. 

Stay in touch to find out how you can get involved in 2026.
 

Read more about the EPDF follow-up initiatives under “Resources.”
 

 

 

[…] The recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December 1948)

 

Human dignity refers to the inherent value and equal worth of every human being, serving as a foundational principle that underpins human rights, ethical conduct, and social cooperation across diverse cultures, religions and worldviews. 

 

The concept encompasses:

 

For Further Reflection…
 

Why Religion Is Key to Combating Racism in Europe by the KAICIID Acting Secretary General Ambassador Antonio Almeida de Ribeiro.

 

As Europe grapples with rising divisions and exclusion, this article shows how religion – so often seen as a source of conflict – can instead become a bridge for inclusion, dignity and peace.
 

 

 

 

 

I was extremely glad to host the training workshop and roundtable in Luxembourg. I had long hoped to welcome the Network here, to show how Luxembourg functions as a country where the majority of people have a migrant background, and also to strengthen cooperation among N4D members. Thanks to funding from the European Commission, I managed to do both.
 

The training workshop was an opportunity for us, as Network members, to meet and build our capacities as civil society organizations on topics related to intercultural and interreligious dialogue, as well as to strengthen the capacity of the Network itself. In addition, through the roundtable – with a well-balanced panel representing religious institutions, civil society, education, local government, and an intergovernmental organization – we were able to explore the role of religious institutions in fostering active citizenship and participation at this significant historical moment. The discussions connected local, national, and international perspectives, reflecting the current situation in Europe that affects all our member countries.
 

Hospitality mattered to me – offering the best venue, getting every detail right – because I wanted folks to feel valued, to sense that this space was theirs as much as ours. When you see people relax, start talking across religious and cultural divides, when they share personal stories of migration and integration, that’s when you realise the policy stuff, while important, is only part of the picture. Emotion is even more powerful. Integration isn’t just about laws; it’s about feeling seen and accepted. In those conversations, this was palpable.
 

I also felt hopeful because this roundtable did more than get words on paper. Stakeholders who usually work separately saw possibilities for cooperating. And N4D’s training workshops, conversations, and grassroots initiatives all started to converge - giving the network momentum toward financial autonomy, toward having its own beating heart.
 

 

 

 

June 2024, as we welcomed summer in Germany, stands out as a remarkable moment for me and my team – the dawn of a new chapter in our story.  We were selected for the first Catalyst for Cohesion grant scheme, a KAICIID initiative that supports small-scale, innovative change-making initiatives at the local level.

 

Born out of our initial experiences in Germany – where the glow of Christmas candles soon gave way to long winters of loneliness, and the search for belonging echoed from Osnabrück to Cologne – My City, My Safe Space came alive as a haven where youth from Germany, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia could finally meet and truly connect. A place where their thirst for acceptance, belonging, and safety could be quenched.
 

The message was clear, and the intention was brave: “fostering cohesive and inclusive communities at the city level”, not only to break the barriers of prejudice, but also to open a safe space where local German and international youths to step into each other’s discomfort and feel what it means to belong. The yearning of the youth for more engagement after the project, the support of KAICIID and our vision pushed us forward to transform the project into a BreachBuilders e.V., a registered youth organisation built to ensure continuous and sustainable youth engagement.
 

Today, BreachBuilders e.V. is managing its first project, the Youth Gender Advocacy Fellowship funded by the European Youth Foundation and Council of Europe, which aims at equipping youths with skills to track gender equality gaps at global and local levels and advocate for gender justice. BreachBuilders e.V., an offspring of the Catalyst for Cohesion, is a testament to the fact that when given the right opportunity, youths can be effective drivers of change.

 

Being part of this year's European Youth Forum (EYF) 2025, with the support of KAICIID, was an incredible experience for us. We had the opportunity to contribute ideas, learn from experts, unlearn and relearn right at the heart of European Parliament in Strasbourg. Yet, as inspiring as the forum was, it also revealed how exclusion still lingers as only a handful of migrant youths were present. These critical gaps are some of the breaches in society we aim to bridge with our future projects. 

 

Catalyst for Cohesion 2024 was a true epitome of “lead the change, you want to see” and we hope it continues to inspire more changemakers across Europe in the coming years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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