On February 24, 2016, I was invited and thereby participated in the Consultative Workshop for Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in Preparation for the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) hosted by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs - United Nations and Other International Organizations (DFA-UNIO) and the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM).
The WHS is the first global multi-sectoral summit convened by the United Nations to address the myriad natural and man-made humanitarian crises facing the world today. It will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 23-24 May 2016.
The Philippine Government and SMOM have been at the forefront of preparations for the WHS and will actively participate in its proceedings in Istanbul. Agencies of the Philippine Government, coordinated by the DFA, played an active role in the global and regional preparations for the WHS. Both SMOM and the DFA were able to share the invaluable lessons learned in the Philippines with our own humanitarian preparedness and response efforts, particularly from Super typhoon Haiyan /Yolanda.
The workshop is aimed at eliciting the views of Philippine-based FBOs on the agenda of the WHS and beyond, informed by the results of the Geneva SMOM symposium and the WHS global consultations thus far. The results of the workshop will form a vital part of the Philippine contributions to the WHS.
During the workshop, I have proudly shared URI's Cooperation Circle framework with respect to faith membership as one of the models of genuine interfaith cooperation.
