Inaugural IRF Builders Forum & Roger Williams IRF Awards Dinner
Pictured: Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat Founder & Chief Executive Officer. View Event Gallery
Washington, DC – The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. recently played host to a pivotal two-day event, the inaugural IRF Builders Forum & Roger Williams IRF Awards Dinner, which brought together a diverse group of global leaders, advocates, and champions dedicated to advancing religious freedom worldwide. Held on May 21-22, 2025, this landmark gathering showcased groundbreaking initiatives, fostered dynamic collaboration across sectors, and celebrated the extraordinary efforts of individuals and organizations committed to building religious freedom from the ground up.
The event was co-convened by the IRF Secretariat, Templeton Religion Trust, and Love Your Neighbor Community, with significant cosponsorship from a broad coalition of organizations including the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, Global Peace Foundation, The Review of Faith & International Affairs, US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights, Religious Freedom Institute, Church of Scientology for Public Affairs & Human Rights, The Sanneh Institute, Conciencia Nacional Por La Libertad Religiosa, and Estamos Unidos.
A key highlight of the Forum was its strategic alignment with the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation's (RFBF) 2025 Faith@Work Conference, "Dare to Overcome," which immediately preceded the Builders Forum. RFBF's conference is recognized as the premier annual gathering for Fortune 500 company employee resource groups (ERGs), corporate chaplains, and other faith-and-belief workplace initiatives. The successful overlap of these two significant events facilitated unique interaction between the faith-friendly corporate world and the global network of IRF advocates and builders.
Day 1: Breaking Barriers and Fostering Collaboration
Conway School of Nursing, The Catholic University of America
Day 1: Breaking Barriers and Fostering Collaboration
The first day of the IRF Builders Forum centered on the theme, "Breaking Barriers: Pathways to Greater Impact in Advancing Religious Freedom." Preliminary sessions set the stage for a day of Civil Society Congress, featuring multi-faith planning sessions and joint sessions with RFBF’s Dare to Overcome conference.
Multi-faith planning sessions were a cornerstone of Day 1, bringing together diverse voices and expertise to address critical areas. The first session focused on Congressional Affairs and best practice strategies to keep IRF issues non- or bi-partisan. Further sessions delved into the complexities of the Middle East, the critical issue of genocide, and the challenges in Africa. The final planning session focused on Prisoners of Conscience & Youth Engagement. The afternoon integrated two joint sessions with RFBF’s Dare to Overcome conference, allowing corporate attendees and IRF Builders Forum participants to coalesce and engage in shared discussions.
Celebrating Champions: The Inaugural Roger Williams IRF Award Dinner
Heritage Hall, The Catholic University of America
A poignant and celebratory highlight of the IRF Builders Forum was the first-ever Roger Williams IRF Award Dinner. This dinner was designed to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Movement, offering a much-needed opportunity for encouragement and recognition amidst the often-challenging discussions surrounding persecution.
The award is named in honor of Roger Williams, the visionary founder of Rhode Island. As a colonial-era Christian non-conformist in an era of state-supported churches and enforced doctrinal homogeneity, Williams championed freedom of conscience, advocating for both non-Christians and those who challenged official church practices.
The first ever IRF Builder Award recipients included:
Raúl Marroquín Aldana, Anila Ali, Pastor Cash Luna, Drew Bowling, Kyle Cristofalo, Hulda Fahmi, Brian Grim, Lauren Homer, Lisa Johnson, Sean Nelson, Matias Perttula, Pam Pryor, William Roberts, Lou Ann Sabatier, Anna Sineva, Sue Taylor, and Nathan Wineinger.
Day 2: Policy, Partnerships, and Future Directions
Busch School of Business, The Catholic School of America
Day 2 of the Forum expanded its reach to include policymakers alongside civil society representatives, underscoring the importance of multi-sector engagement in advancing religious freedom. Government participation included liaisons from the United States, Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Georgia.
The focus then shifted to the current state of international religious freedom, with a framing presentation by Nadine Maenza, followed by insightful keynote remarks from prominent figures: Patrick Harvey, Senior IRF Official, U.S. State Department; Stephen Schneck, Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; Fernanda San Martin Carrasco, Director, International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB); and Jan Figel, Former E.U. Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the E.U.
A powerful address was delivered by Pastor Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor to the President, White House Faith Office. In her remarks, White emphasized the U.S. commitment to religious freedom globally:
"America will not retreat from defending the right to believe, the right to worship and the right to live out one's faith in every area of life, both publicly and private. And I close with this, faith is not fragile. It is fierce, and freedom is not optional. It is essential.” She highlighted the White House Faith Office's support for the IRF Secretariat's regional roundtables across seven critical global regions, emphasizing that these are "not just meetings. They're the building blocks for lasting peace, justice, and freedom. And we're not just talking about freedom. You're building from the ground up, but you're not alone."
A subsequent panel showcased the impact of engagement and the "Builders approach" in various regions. Speakers shared compelling examples from Kazakhstan (Rev. Arman Arenbayev and Imam Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev), Guatemala (Pastor Raul Marroquin, Estamos Unidos), NE Syria (Nadine Maenza, IRF Secretariat), Ghana (Professor John Azumah, The Sanneh Institute), Georgia (Guram Imerishvili), and Mexico (Cristian Badillo, Conciencia Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa).
A significant outcome of Day 2 was the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), solidifying collaborative efforts for future religious freedom initiatives. These include:
An MOU between the Georgian State Agency on Religious Issues (Republic of Georgia), Love Your Neighbor Community, and the IRF Secretariat, committing to establish a Georgia-based Religious Freedom Secretariat and Roundtable and develop a Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL) Educational Module in the South Caucasus Region.
An MOU between The Sanneh Institute (Ghana), the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (USA), and the IRF Secretariat (USA), committing to collaboratively adapt and execute the Dare to Overcome Human Rights & Business Communication Skills Curriculum for teenagers, with in-kind contributions from all parties.
The final session of Day 2, "Where Do We Go From Here?", offered a forward-looking perspective with insights from three former U.S. government staffers experienced in the Department of State, USAID, National Security Council, and the Office of the Vice President. Speakers included Pam Pryor (Former U.S. State Department Senior Bureau Official), Sarah Makin (Former National Security Council Senior Director for Strategic Engagement), and Samah Norquist (Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center).
The event concluded with a salon dinner hosted at the Embassy of Kazakhstan, providing a final opportunity for networking and shared reflections among participants.
Summary
The inaugural IRF Builders Forum and Roger Williams IRF Awards Dinner served as a powerful testament to the growing global movement for religious freedom. By fostering collaboration, recognizing significant contributions, and planning concrete steps for the future, the event laid a robust foundation for continued progress in protecting and promoting religious freedom for all.
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For further information, please contact:
Kaylee Fisher, Global Operations Director or Sharyn Runyon, Public Relations
