Bonner Querschnitte 46/2019 Ausgabe 610 (eng)

(Bonn, 24.10.2019) The Director of the World Evangelical Alliance Sustainability Center (WEASC), Matthias Böhning, has been appointed as a member of the Faith Advisory Council for the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development.

As a first reaction, Böhning made the following statement:

“It is with great gratitude and honor that I accept the appointment as a member of the Faith Advisory Council to the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development. This appointment fills me with deep appreciation. I particularly thank Iyad Abumoghli, Principal Coordinator of the Faith for Earth Initiative of UN Environment and member of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force, for his generous nomination. As the representative of the World Evangelical Alliance Sustainability Center to the Faith Advisory Group, I look forward to working together with faith-based partners and the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development. My wish is to contribute to a more systematic cooperation between faith-based organizations and UN agencies, with the aim of tackling challenges related to sustainable development together”.

The Advisory Group of Faith-Based Organizations to the United Nations Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development was established in September 2018 and is composed of the UN system’s faith-based partners, reflecting the diversity of religions, regional and national presence, and covering thematic areas which mirror the UN’s mandate. To date, each major faith tradition is represented on the Council. The Advisory Group is tasked with providing strategic advice to UN agencies and offices on engaging with religious actors to realize the Agenda 2030. The Advisory Group is committed to uphold multilateralism and international human rights through multi-faith collaboration around the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The United Nations Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development was set up in 2010. It aims to provide policy guidance around engaging with faith-based actors, deepen UN system staff capacities on intersections of religion with the UN pillars of development, human rights and peace and security dynamics, as well as provide strategic policy guidance. The UN Interagency Task Force involves 20 UN system entities and is chaired by Dr. Azza Karam of the United Nations Population Fund.

Matthias Böhning’s appointment to the multi-faith advisory council of the United Nations was also discussed at the recent inaugural visit of the new Secretary General of the German Evangelical Alliance, Dr. Reinhardt Schink, to the WEA Sustainability Center in Bonn. He congratulated Mr Böhning on his new responsible and challenging task. Dr. Reinhardt Schink wished him the blessing and preservation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the presence of the Spirit in all deliberations and the authority of the Father to be a clear evangelical voice at the UN level.

Downloads and Links:

• Photo 1: Representatives of various faith traditions at a side event in the context of the Faith for Earth Initiative at the UN Environment Assembly (2019) © WEASC
• Photo 2: Matthias Böhning © Leonard von Bibra
• Photo 3: Matthias Böhning with the new Secretary General of the German Evangelical Alliance, Dr. Reinhardt Schink © WEASC
• Website of the WEA Sustainability Center: https://wea-sc.org
• Annual Report 2018 of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development: https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27504/UNIATF2018.pdf