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2023 Program


August 14-18, 2023 | McCormick Place Lakeside Center

The program at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions brings together faith and religious leaders, academic and industry experts, and institutions and grassroots organizers committed to interfaith dialogue and action.

In the midst of tragedies in our communities, state sponsored repression and violation of basic human rights, and clear threats and assaults of freedom worldwide; there is no better time and no better place to convene than at the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

“When people come to the Parliament they get to experience something that everybody longs for. They get to experience the world as we all long for it to be: peaceful, curious, open-hearted, and not just tolerant but grateful for our diversity.”

Rev. HPs. Phyllis Curott, Program Chair

Let’s do something together! Join thousands of global attendees all under one roof building capacity, networks of support, and actionable responses to the issues facing the world.

Programming for the 2023 Parliament Convening will be hosted at McCormick Place Lakeside Center in Chicago, IL, USA from August 14-18, 2023. A number of off-site community events will also be available.

Program Guide

  • General Sessions

    90 minute main stage assemblies & plenaries

  • Parallel Sessions

    Panels, observances, performances, and other on-site programs

  • Workshops

    60-90 minute interactive & skill-building programming

  • Community Events

    Offsite programs offered by community partners

*Please note that the full program might take a few seconds to load.

Track Guide

  • Faith and Democracy

    Thematic

    With steadily growing disaffection and marginalization in democracies worldwide coinciding with a proliferation of political campaigns funded by religiously partisan or antidemocratic political action and corporate interests, the Faith and Democracy track highlights the voices of officials and organizers working at the intersection of faith and democracy in a track that examines and offers practical insights for people of faith and goodwill to defend freedom, human rights, and enhance equity in the political process.

  • The City of Chicago

    Thematic

    The Parliament of the World’s Religions is returning home to the City of Chicago and featuring organizers, artists, and leaders from religious, municipal, educational, and intersectional social movements committed to showcasing how Chicagoans leverage interfaith cooperation, defend freedom and human rights, celebrate diverse interreligious achievements in peace and justice and stand with our planet.

  • Climate Action

    Critical Issues

    “The right to a healthy environment,” “Faith for Earth” and more banners, titles, and calls to action characterize the mission of environmental justice undertaken by scholars, leaders, and presenters of all faiths throughout the past 30 years of convenings. The Climate Action track features programming highlighting critical actions to be advanced in communities worldwide, led by voices of faith in the global mission of saving our planet.

  • Faith & Interfaith Understanding

    Critical Issues

    With steadily growing disaffection and marginalization in democracies worldwide coinciding with a proliferation of political campaigns funded by religiously partisan or antidemocratic political action and corporate interests, the Faith and Democracy track highlights the voices of officials and organizers working at the intersection of faith and democracy in a track that examines and offers practical insights for people of faith and goodwill to defend freedom, human rights, and enhance equity in the political process.

  • The Global Ethic

    Critical Issues

    The ethical directives outlined by the Parliament’s foundational document, Towards a Global Ethic, are as timely today as they were in 1993 when religious and spiritual leaders endorsed the critical commitments to a culture of non-violence and respect for life, solidarity and a just economic order, tolerance and a life of truthfulness, equal rights and partnership between men and women, and sustainability and care for the Earth. The track features scholars, organizers, and community leaders working to advance the Global Ethic as a foundational document.

  • Peace & Justice

    Critical Issues

    Recognizing the necessity for being rigorously engaged in overcoming differences that obstruct the achievement of peace and justice, the track features thinkers and doers working constructively beyond talk of injustice, through concrete action, working in projects that offer insights and training on peace and justice.

  • Indigenous Peoples

    Critical Constituencies

    From cross-cultural dialogue among youth to activism led by Indigenous Elders and Wisdom Keepers, the Indigenous Peoples’ track features ritual, workshops, artistic expression, sacred observances, and panels led by Indigenous Peoples from around the world on urgent issues including the protection of sacred Indigenous sites and all of life itself; as well democracy, freedom, and human rights.

  • The Next Generation

    Critical Constituencies

    The Next Generation track features programming with spiritually and geographically diverse youth, young adult changemakers, and intergenerational cohorts that are working towards interfaith cooperation in their communities and are tackling critical issues on defending democracy, freedom and human rights, climate action, peace & justice, the dignity of women & girls, and Indigenous Peoples.

  • Women and Girls

    Critical Constituencies

    The Women’s Dignity track features voices from across the global spectrum of religious and spiritual communities, civic institutions, and intersectional social movements enabling collective and individual action to promote the dignity and human rights of women and girls, to stop religiously justified violence against women and girls, and to promote women’s leadership and equal participation in religious and spiritual communities.

  • Sacred Stories for Our Time

    Sponsored by Fetzer Institute

    The stories we tell shape our future, but our current dominant narratives are contributing to loneliness, conflict, and unsustainable consumption. What are the sacred stories we need to tell to create a different future? This track features religious practitioners, spiritual leaders, academics, and activists who are helping to tell the sacred stories the human family needs to flourish.


Land Acknowledgment

The Parliament of the World's Religions acknowledges it is situated on the traditional homelands of the Bodéwadmik (Potawatomi), Hoocąk (Winnebago/Ho’Chunk), Jiwere (Otoe), Nutachi (Missouria), and Baxoje (Iowas); Kiash Matchitiwuk (Menominee); Meshkwahkîha (Meskwaki); Asâkîwaki (Sauk); Myaamiaki (Miami), Waayaahtanwaki (Wea), and Peeyankihšiaki (Piankashaw); Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo); Inoka (Illini Confederacy); Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), and Odawak (Odawa).

PoWR recognizes the region we now call Chicago remains home to a diversity of Indigenous peoples today and this land upon which we walk, live, and play continues to be Indigenous land.


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