Opening Event:
October 19, 11am EDT
Discussion Groups:
Continuously from October 19, 12:00pm EDT to October 20, 10:59am EDT
Closing Event:
October 20, 11am EDT
Platform: Zoom
In a world of rising conflict, the time to act is now.
Join our game-changing virtual summit to make your ideas a reality. In our participant-led Open Space format, you’re not just another attendee—you’re a co-creator. Hosted by a coalition of global FoRB leaders, this 25-hour virtual event is your opportunity to connect, collaborate, and catalyze change with seasoned champions and emerging change-makers from every corner of the world.
Zoom capacity is limited, so apply now to be part of shaping a society that respects freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief for all.
Open Space Technology is a highly-effective system for organizing large groups of people with a shared goal. It fosters a dynamic, participant-led gathering where participants create their own agenda, self-select into subgroups to engage in interactive conversations, and then share summaries of their conversations with the full group.
This proven approach has been used over 60,000 times in 140 countries, including at NASA and Google Ventures. Its participatory nature makes it an ideal tool for achieving the goals of the summit. It is also well-suited to virtual events.
Increase and Expand
The strength of our movement lies in both its size and its diversity. We need more people and a variety of skills—from policy analysis and lobbying to filmmaking and social media. By joining hands across beliefs and borders, we don’t just prepare to manage crises; we position ourselves to seize every opportunity for meaningful progress.
Connect and Collaborate
Change happens at the speed of trust, and trust happens at the speed of relationships. We seek to build meaningful connections between and among seasoned advocates and innovative newcomers from all faiths and none. Because when we stand up for each other, freedom of religion or belief truly advances.
Support and Sustain
This is more than just a meeting—it’s the launch of a movement. The action doesn’t stop when the Zoom call ends. We offer technical tools, in-depth training, and crucial funding to empower youth leaders in transforming plans into reality.
We will invite the Zoom limit of 1,000 FoRB advocates to a 25-hour virtual “un-conference” where participants will set their own agenda and self-organize into breakout groups. Invitations to participate will be issued strategically to maximize diversity.
We will select youth participants to represent the widest possible range of religious, cultural, and geographic backgrounds, with a priority for those with unique skills or experience to contribute, and a demonstrated commitment to FoRB. To ensure that this is a youth-driven event, 80% of the total seats will be reserved for young people.
We will also invite young people who already have deep experience in the FoRB movement to serve as mentors. These young FoRB champions know better than anyone what it is like to work in this movement as a Millennial or Zoomer.
We will also invite 200 “former youth” to participate as mentors. Mentors will be selected based on:
Fiona Bruce
Chair, International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA); Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief; Member of Parliament, UK
Frank Wolf
Author of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), Former US Congressman, Current Commissioner United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Nguyen Dinh Thang
CEO & President, Boat People SOS; Steering Committee, SEAFORB, IRF Summit, IRF Roundtable
Nadine Maenza
President, IRF Secretariat; Global Fellow, Wilson Center; Former Chair, USCIRF
Roslyn Mould
Vice President and Board Member, Humanists International
Peter Burns
Executive Director, IRF Summit
Ted Baehr
Founder, MOVIEGUIDE; Chairman, Christian Film & Television Commission ministry; Author, How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Losing Your Soul
Sharon Rosen
Director of Religious Engagement globally at Search for Common Ground (Search)
Farzana Mahmood
President, Citizens’ movement for human rights foundation
Ukoha Ngwobia Ukoha
Country Coordinator for Nigeria on FoRB, Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa; Ordained Pastor, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Cole Durham
President, G20 Interfaith Forum; Co-Editor-in-Chief, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion; Founding Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University
Katherine Marshall
Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue at Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University
Deepika Singh
Associate Secretary General; Director of Programmes; Religions for Peace
Jason Jones
President of The Vulnerable People Project and Movie to Movement; film producer, author, activist, popular podcast host, and human rights worker
Mervyn Thomas
Chair, UK FoRB Forum; Founder President, Christian Solidarity Worldwide;
Open Space is powerful because of its ability to transform talk into action. Conversations that begin by sharing information naturally turn to “What can we do about it?”
We expect that the Global Youth Summit will produce new plans, partnerships, and projects. The trick is in implementing those plans, and then making the action sustainable.
To make this summit a long-term success, we will:
The Global Youth Summit may become an annual gathering, or maybe it will evolve as different needs and opportunities are identified. But the goal is to build a movement, not an event.
Although space in the conference is limited, we are still looking for young people and certain categories of mentors who want to create a future of freedom of religion or belief for all. For those who are not accepted, we will stay in touch with other opportunities to get involved, such as by joining in the conversation on the FoRB Forum app before, during, and after the event.
If you know someone under 35 who is passionate about freedom of religion or belief and is eager to make a positive impact in the world, and/or someone who would make an excellent mentor who is passionate about FoRB but works outside of traditional FoRB advocacy (such as technologists, business-leaders, film-makers, philanthropists, lawmakers, or cultural influencers), please fill out the “Nominations” form or send them to this webpage.
Consider partnering with us to build a future of freedom of religion or belief for all. All financial contributions will go toward youth-led initiatives either initiated or developed during the Global Youth Summit.
Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved, First Freedom Foundation