2025 Our Whole Society Conference

On June 15-17, The Canada Interfaith Conversation will present the 2025 iteration of the Our Whole Society Conference under the theme: "Our Whole Society: Fostering Hope in a Divided World." Hosted at the Canada Museum for Human Rights, this conference will explore insights from diverse faith traditions and secular perspectives and will be a forum for sharing the grassroots experiences of individuals making positive contributions to Canadian society. The conference will examine sources of hope in relation to major themes of importance to Canadian society such as reconciliation, polarization, healthcare, education, climate change, and emerging technologies.

The world today faces numerous crises. Climate change, violence, and increased political and economic instability, among other calamities, threaten our society and even our planet. In Canada, the effects of rising polarization and complex challenges related to housing, healthcare, and emerging technologies are also keenly felt by individuals and communities. When faced with the limitations of institutional responses to these multiplying crises, many have turned inwards out of a sense of despair. In this context, addressing collective challenges such as the promotion of basic human rights and democracy both at home and globally, becomes increasingly difficult.

Amid this turmoil, we are a society in desperate need of hope. Not a passive optimism by which we ignore the seriousness of our situation and live in the naive belief that challenges will be resolved on their own. No, we need a sense of hope that acknowledges our current reality with total honesty and encourages us to address these challenges through collective, collaborative, and sustained responses that will leave us strengthened and more unified. We need hope that is grounded in the shared experiences of many who find signs of positive social transformation in their bridge-building and community work. 

The 2025 conference, “Our Whole Society: Fostering Hope in a Divided World,” will explore sources of hope that inspire action in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. What conceptions of hope encourage and sustain collective action? How do we recognize the gravity of challenges before humanity while working toward a more positive collective future? What understandings of hope can we draw upon to meet the most pressing demands of our time?

More soon