Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo
United Religions Initiative (URI) Europe Liaison Officer, board member of European Interfaith Youth Network (EIYN), Religions for Peace
Mirian Akuaba De-Souza
Mirian Akuaba De-Souza is a 26-year-old young lady and a Ghanaian born – Togolese. She had her secondary education at Mawuli Senior High School in Ho-Ghana. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (major) with Sociology from the University of Ghana (2016). She also holds a Certificate in Traditional Governance And Community Development from the African Centre for Traditional Governance And Community Development in collaboration with Twafoman Development Association. She wishes to undertake her master’s degree in Applied Human Rights very soon.
Mirian is the Youth Coordinator for Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP), Ghana- affiliate of Religions for Peace International, where she is responsible for coordinating the activities of all the nine component bodies of the Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace both locally and internationally.
She is highly passionate about issues affecting the vulnerable, especially children and the aged. She is more curious and very aflame when dealing with these issues. Mirian worked with the Commission on Human Rights And Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) at the Research Department during her national service. She also had internships with the Department of Social Welfare and More Hope For Disabled Foundation (a social group for persons living with disability).
Currently, she is the Executive Director for Souza Royals Enterprise, which specializes in Event Planning and Decor and supply of general goods and services. She is also the founder of Organization for Livelihood Empowerment-Africa, a non-profit organization which seeks to enhance livelihoods among rural African communities that would positively impact their lives and their families out of poverty. She owns a reading club in her neighborhood, Oyarifa called Creative Readers Initiative (CSI). Mirian is the Vice Director, Club Administration of Rotaract Club of Adenta-Central. She is also the treasurer at CHARICARE Social Services Foundation, an organization that supports the needy in society and lastly, a member of NeedBe Foundation, a non-profit organization.
She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Christian Daughter’s Association (CDA) and The Seat of Wisdom Catholic Youth.
She aspires to be an international expert in human rights. Mirian is an advocate for volunteerism. She believes this has helped her develop a strong support system and build her self-confidence over these years. Her highest point of achievement was when she witnessed the abuse of a child, rescued and sent her to the department of Social Welfare, and later reunited her with her families.
Speakers
Maria Cristina Kaveri Cantoni
Member executive board, Religions for Peace Italy
Chairperson, RfP European Women of Faith Network
Ms. Ana Maria Daou
Community Engagement Senior Coordinator, Adyan Foundation
Deputy Coordinator, International Youth Committee
Ms. Fatima Hallal
Junior Researcher, Hartford Seminary-Interreligious Relations
Member, International Youth Committee
H.E. John Cardinal Onaiyekan
Archbishop of Abuja, Archdiocese of Abuja
Honorary President, Religions for Peace
Mirian Akuaba De-Souza
Youth Representative, Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace
Member, International Youth Committee
Prof. Evelin Lindner
Founding Director and President, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, Germany
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati
President, Divine Shakti Foundation
Secretary-General, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance
Prof. Dr. Riem Spielhaus
Professor of Islamic Studies and Education, George-August University Göttingen
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik
Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)
Irmgard Maria Fellner
Director for Cultural Relations Policy and Deputy Head of the Directorate-General for Culture and Communication at the Federal Foreign Office
Nihal Saad
Chief of Cabinet and Spokesperson to the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilization (UNAOC)
Renz C. Argao
Director, Argao Center for Psychological Services
Coordinator, Religions for Peace International Youth Committee
Grandmother Marie-Josée Rankin-Tardif
President, Kina8at Together
Elder from the Anicinape (Algonquin) tradition
H.E. Metropolitan Emmanuel Adamakis
Metropolitan of France, Ecumenical Patriarchate Religions for Peace
Prof. Takaaki David Ito
Professor of Spiritual Care at the Graduate School of Applied Religious Studies
Annette Schavan
Chairmanship of the Foundation Peace Dialogue of the World Religions and Civil Society
Laura Vargas
Inter-Religious Council of Peru – Religions for Peace, Interfaith Rainforest Initiative
Bishop Munib Younan
Bishop Emeritus President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Honorary President, Religions for Peace
Prof. Anantanand Rambachan
Professor of Religion, St. Olaf College
Co-President, Religions for Peace
Karima Bennoune
UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights
Homer G. Angelo & Ann Berryhill Endowed Chair & Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis
School of Law
Rabbi David Rosen, KSG, CBE
International Director, Department of Interreligious Affairs in the American Jewish Committee
Co-President, Religions for Peace
Dr. Suphatmet Yunyasit
Representative of Thailand to the ASEAN Women of Peace Registry; Human Rights and Peace Studies, Faculty, Mahidol University; Secretary-General, Religions for Peace Interreligious Council of Thailand; Member, RfP International Women’s Coordinating Committee
Düzen Tekkal
Journalist, Filmmaker, War Reporter, Human Rights Activist,
Founder, Hawar Help and German Dream
Rev. Dr. Antje Jackelen
Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala Primate of the Church of Sweden
Co-Presiden, Religions for Peace
Bishop Margot Käßmann
Former Chairperson, Evangelical Church of Germany
Co-President, Religions for Peace
Rev. Sr. Agatha Ogochukwu Chikelue
Nun of the Daughters of Mother Mary of Mercy; Co-Chair Nigerian & African Women of Faith Network
Executive Director Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP)
Chair, Religions for Peace International Women’s Coordinating Committee
H.E. Ib Petersen
Assistant Secretary-General, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
H.E. Gillian Triggs
Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
H.E. Michelle Müntefering
Minister of State for International Cultural Policy at the Foreign Office, Germany
Rev. Kosho Niwano
President-Designate, Rissho Kosei-Kai, Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace, Buddhist, Japan