Participants greet each other at the International Religious Freedom Summit Africa held in Kenya.
The inaugural International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit Africa took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 17, 2025. Organized by Pepperdine University, the Religious Freedom Institute, and hosted by the Global Peace Foundation, the summit convened policymakers, religious leaders, and civil society representatives to address the challenges and opportunities related to religious freedom across the African continent.
The summit highlighted the vital connection between religious freedom and economic development, with Ambassador Sam Brownback emphasizing that societies cannot prosper without protecting this fundamental right. Favoritism toward specific religions, he warned, leads to division and deters investment. Legal safeguards were also underscored, as Kenya’s Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu pointed to constitutional protections of religious liberty as essential for justice and social harmony. Additionally, speakers like Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett stressed the importance of interfaith collaboration—especially between Christians and Muslims—as a key to fostering inclusive development and preventing conflict.
Global Peace Foundation advocates that freedom of conscience, belief, and religion is the most essential of all human rights and the deepest expression of human dignity and freedom. Learn more about our Freedom of Conscience, Belief, and Religion initiatives.
Read more about the International Religious Freedom Summit Africa in the news:
Capitol Business: IRF Africa Summit links religious freedom to economic growth
Africa Times Network: Faith and Freedom Take Center Stage as Nairobi Hosts Landmark Africa Summit
Top News Kenya: Inaugural International Religious Freedom Summit Africa Held in Nairobi: Historic Step for Human Rights and Development
Tukio: Nairobi Hosts Inaugural International Religious Freedom Summit to Champion Peace and Development
Kenya Daily Monitor: Inaugural International Religious Freedom Summit Africa Launches in Nairobi
Switch Media News: World Leaders Unite in Nairobi for International Religious Freedom Summit Africa
Nyanza Daily: Kenya hosts Africa’s first International Religious Freedom Summit
