Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the UAE will host the first edition of Interfaith Alliance For Safer Communities: Child Dignity in the Digital World Forum on November 19-20. 

Held in the UAE in recognition of the country’s leading role in promoting tolerance and interfaith dialogue, the forum will host 450 guests including religious leaders, NGOs and heads of industry to discuss ongoing social challenges and develop comprehensive solutions for protecting youth from cybercrime.

The forum’s first day held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, will witness a number of high-level delegates who will attend and participate. The first session on The Risks to Children in the Digital Age’ will be moderated by Dr Mustafa Y. Ali (Secretary-General of the Global Network of Religions for Children). Speakers will include Cornelius Williams (Head of Child Protection at UNICEF), Robbert Van Den Berg (Executive Director, ECPAT International), Maud de Boer Buquicchio (UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children), as well as Jacqueline Beauchere from Microsoft.

The second session, Impact on Children’ will see Professor Anantanand Rambachan, Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies, St. Olaf’s College discuss the impact of online sexual abuse and exploitation on children with Professor Ernesto Caffo (Child Psychiatrist and Founder, Il Telefono Azzurro) and Professor Gabriel Dy-Liacco, (Associate Professor, Divine Mercy University, USA).

A session on What Policy-Makers Can Do’ will feature Marta Santos Pais (UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children), His Excellency Kul Chandra Guatam (Former Assistant Secretary-General of the UN), Julie Inman-Grant, (Australia’s eSafety Commissioner), and Howard Taylor, (Executive Director at the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children), moderated by Dorothy Rozga from the Interfaith Alliance Steering Committee.

Following a message from Sonia Ryan, Founder of the Carly Ryan Foundation and parent of a victim of online grooming, the last panel discussion will focus on What Faith Communities Can Do’, moderated by Rebeca Rios Kohn from Arigatou International. Speakers will include Father Hans Zollner SJ (President of the Centre for Child Protection at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome), Dr. Kezevino Aram (Director of Shanti Ashram), Rabbi Diana Gerson (Associate Executive Vice President at the New York Board of Rabbis), as well as Dr. Brinder Singh Mahon OBE (Chief Executive Officer and Director of The Nishkam School Trust), Garth Blake (Chair of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission in Australia), and officials from Awqaf.

The forum’s second day, which coincides with Universal Children’s Day , will focus on a call to action’ at  Wa’hat Al Karama, with Bhai Sahib Bhai Dr. Mohinder Singh OBE KSG (Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha), Reverend Keishi Miyamoto, (President, Myochikai) and Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, Hindu Spiritual Leader. 

The Interfaith Alliance For Safer Communities forum is an expansion of the Child Dignity in the Digital World Congress which was held in October 2017 in the Vatican, and resulted in the Rome Declaration endorsed by Pope Francis. During the congress, the UAE was identified for its reputation for tolerance, and were consulted with to host an international forum to highlight its commitment to developing interfaith dialogue. These efforts resulted in the formation of the Interfaith Alliance For Safer Communities which will have its first event addressing  Child Dignity Online.

The forum is supported by Al Azhar, and is held in partnership with a number of global entities and organizations including the Child Dignity Alliance, Arigatou International, The Global Network of Religions for Children, End Violence Against Children, Religions for Peace International, WePROTECT Global Alliance, Unicef, The Center for Child Protection of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Al Azhar University, World Vision International, Shanti Ashram, International Justice Mission