Report on Interfaith Collaboration and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent conference hosted by the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC) convened over one hundred leaders from diverse faith backgrounds to address hate, extremism, and antisemitism. The event and its subsequent initiatives demonstrate a powerful, relational model for advancing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those focused on peace, gender equality, reduced inequalities, and partnerships. The conference prioritized tangible actions and building personal relationships as a foundation for creating inclusive and resilient communities.

Advancing SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The conference’s core mission was to promote peaceful and inclusive societies by directly confronting violence and discrimination. This aligns with SDG 16, which seeks to reduce all forms of violence and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

• Combating Violence and Hate Crimes: The event featured explicit condemnation of antisemitism and held a moment of silence for victims of a recent hate-motivated murder, directly addressing SDG Target 16.1 (Significantly reduce all forms of violence).
• Building Inclusive Institutions: Panel discussions focused on systemic issues such as antisemitism in healthcare and education, aiming to make these sectors more inclusive and just.
• Promoting the Rule of Law: Following the conference, participants were invited to Capitol Hill to advocate for stronger legislation against all forms of hate, including religious hate crimes and antisemitic violence, contributing to SDG Target 16.b (Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development).
• Fostering Peaceful Societies: The prevailing theme, as articulated by leaders like Sheikh Musa Drammeh, was to move beyond dialogue to relational action, building a “one family” human connection that is resilient to external conflict.

Promoting SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The event served as a powerful platform for women’s leadership and a direct effort to combat religiously motivated discrimination, advancing both SDG 5 and SDG 10.

1. Women’s Leadership (SDG 5): The conference was organized and led by courageous Muslim women, including Anila Ali, Zebunnesa Zubair, and Soraya Deen of AMMWEC. The participation of other female leaders, such as the Rabbanit president of the Association of Jewish Chaplains, highlighted women’s full and effective participation in peace-building, a key component of SDG Target 5.5.
2. Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10): By creating a space where the trauma and reality of the Jewish community were validated without caveats, the conference directly worked to reduce inequalities based on religion (SDG Target 10.2). The gathering of Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Christian leaders to stand in solidarity against hate exemplifies a commitment to ensuring equal opportunity and eliminating discriminatory practices (SDG Target 10.3).

Fostering SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The conference exemplified a multi-stakeholder partnership, crucial for achieving the SDGs as outlined in SDG 17. The collaboration was built on a history of mutual support among the participating communities.

• Multi-Faith Collaboration: The event brought together Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, and Christian leaders.
• Civil Society Partnerships: Key organizations included AMMWEC and Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains, with co-sponsorship from groups like Hadassah and the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance.
• Public-Private-Civil Society Synergy: Future initiatives, such as the “Culinary Conversations” project, are supported by philanthropic bodies like the Atra and the Russell Berrie Foundation, demonstrating a partnership model to achieve shared goals.

Future Initiatives: A Grassroots Model for Local and Global Impact

A forthcoming pilot initiative in New Jersey, “Culinary Conversations,” aims to translate the conference’s principles into a replicable grassroots model that addresses multiple SDGs at the community level.

Program Objectives and SDG Alignment:

• Build Trust and Connection: In line with SDG 16, the program will use the shared experience of cooking and eating to build relationships between neighbors from different cultures, creating a foundation for local peace and social cohesion.
• Address Food Insecurity: By sending prepared food home with participants, the initiative will take direct action to address local food insecurity, contributing to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
• Create Inclusive Communities: The project fosters positive experiences between diverse community members, promoting the creation of inclusive, safe, and resilient communities as envisioned in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Develop a Replicable Model: The goal is to create a successful framework for building interfaith relationships that can be replicated in small communities across the country, scaling its impact in alignment with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • The core theme of the article is the promotion of peace and inclusion by combating hate, extremism, and violence. The American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council Conference is described as an effort to “combat hate, extremism, and antisemitism.” The article emphasizes building bridges between communities, advocating for “stronger legislation against all forms of hate,” and creating a sense of safety and mutual respect, which are central to SDG 16.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article directly addresses inequality based on religion by focusing on the fight against antisemitism and “religious hate crimes.” The goal is to foster an environment of inclusion and equal respect for all faith communities, thereby reducing the inequalities and discrimination faced by groups like the Jewish community. The conference aimed to “explicitly call out antisemitism” and validate the community’s experience.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article is a testament to the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships. It details collaboration between various faith groups (“Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, and Christian leaders”), civil society organizations (AMMWEC, Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains), and philanthropic foundations (“the Russell Berrie Foundation”). This interfaith and cross-sectoral cooperation to achieve common goals is the essence of SDG 17.
4. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article highlights the crucial role of women in leading these peace-building efforts. It explicitly states the conference was “Led by courageous Muslim women” and mentions the “American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council.” The author also notes the significance of bringing “three generations of women in my family” to the event, underscoring the theme of female leadership and empowerment in public and community life.
5. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • A specific future initiative, “Culinary Conversations,” is described as having a dual purpose: building relationships and addressing a basic need. The plan is to “send food home as a way of addressing local food insecurity,” directly connecting the interfaith work to the goal of ending hunger at a local level.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.1: “Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” This is addressed through the efforts to combat “antisemitic violence” and “religious hate crimes,” and by mourning individuals who were “murdered.”
   • Target 16.7: “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.” The conference itself, bringing “over one hundred people across faiths together,” and the planned “Culinary Conversations” are models of inclusive and participatory community-building.
   • Target 16.b: “Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.” This is directly referenced by the plan to “advocate for stronger legislation against all forms of hate” on Capitol Hill.
2. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… religion.” The article’s focus on interfaith collaboration, validating the experiences of the Jewish community, and combating antisemitism is a direct effort to promote the social inclusion of a religious group facing discrimination.
   • Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices.” The work to “combat hate” and “call out antisemitism” aims to eliminate discriminatory practices and foster equal opportunity for safety and respect.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.” The entire article showcases such a partnership, involving civil society organizations (AMMWEC, Neshama), various faith communities, and financial support from a private foundation (Russell Berrie Foundation) to achieve shared objectives.
4. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.5: “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in… public life.” The article highlights this through the leadership of “courageous Muslim women” from AMMWEC (Anila Ali, Zebunnesa Zubair, Soraya Deen) and the author’s own prominent role as a Rabbanit and presenter.
5. Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):
   • Target 2.1: “By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.” The “Culinary Conversations” initiative directly addresses this target with its plan to “send food home as a way of addressing local food insecurity.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 16 Targets:
   • An implied indicator is the reduction in the number of “religious hate crimes” and “antisemitic violence” incidents. The article mourns victims of murder, implying that a reduction in such deaths (related to Indicator 16.1.2) is a key goal.
   • The creation of a “sense of safety and hope— both spiritual and psychological” is a qualitative measure of progress. This relates to reducing psychological violence and feelings of discrimination (related to Indicators 16.1.3 and 16.b.1).
   • The number of people from diverse faiths participating in events like the conference and the “Culinary Conversations” serves as an indicator of inclusive and participatory action.
2. For SDG 10 Targets:
   • A key implied indicator is the reduction in perceived discrimination and harassment. The author’s ability to “physically, spiritually, and psychologically exhale” because her community’s reality was “fully validated” points to progress in reducing the psychological burden of discrimination (related to Indicator 10.3.1).
3. For SDG 17 Targets:
   • The number and quality of partnerships formed are clear indicators. The article mentions specific partnerships between AMMWEC, Neshama, and the Russell Berrie Foundation. The planned “Culinary Conversations” will create new local partnerships between “Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, and Christian leaders.” The goal to have this model “replicated in small communities across the country” is a measure of success.
4. For SDG 5 Targets:
   • The number of women in leadership positions within these interfaith initiatives is a direct indicator. The article names several women leaders, and their continued influence and the emergence of new female leaders would measure progress (related to Indicator 5.5.2).
5. For SDG 2 Targets:
   • A direct indicator is the amount of food distributed to households to address food insecurity. The article states the initiative will “send food home as a way of addressing local food insecurity,” which is a measurable outcome (related to Indicator 2.1.2).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: jewishjournal.com