Name: 2025 Our Whole Society Conference
Start: 2025-06-15T18:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-17T17:00:00-05:00
Location: Canadian Museum for Human Rights

About this event
The world today faces numerous crises. Complex challenges related to climate change, violence, and increased political and economic instability, among other calamities, have led many to turn inward out of a sense of despair. The Our Whole Society conference, which explores insights from diverse faith traditions and secular perspectives, will be a forum for sharing the grassroots experiences of individuals and communities making positive contributions to Canadian society. The Our Whole Society (OWS) operates under the auspices of the Canadian Interfaith Conversation (CIC).
Now in its seventh iteration, the biennial conference will address such challenging questions as, 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? These topics will be addressed within the framework of our 2025 theme, Fostering Hope in a Divided World.
The Conference, scheduled for June 15-17, 2025, at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, will bring together public figures, social activists, academics, religious leaders, and members of the general public to examine sources of hope in relation to major themes of importance to Canadian society such as reconciliation, climate change, polarization, human rights, and international affairs.
Speakers: Our Whole Society will begin with a keynote presentation by Payam Akhavan, a Professor of International Law and Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, evening June 15. He will be reflecting on the setbacks and present opportunities for renewed commitment for innovative solutions to build a more just world. This will be followed by two days of panels and workshops exploring how to foster hope in Canada with insights on the current context and possible ways forward from speakers including Elin Kelsey, an academic and co-creator of an international network of researchers and practitioners working on the emerging academic discipline of Climate Emotions and Lloyd Axworthy, former Foreign Minister of Canada.
Conference Partners: The Conference is being organized by Canadian Interfaith Conversation in partnership with the Manitoba Multifaith Council, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, Mauro Institute for Peace & Justice at St. Paul's College, University of Manitoba, Martin Luther University College in Waterloo and Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics, Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto.