CAF, A Voice for the Internally Displaced Persons at the IRF 2025 in Washington DC.

Introduction

The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit is an annual gathering in Washington, D.C., uniting experts, state actors, civil society organizations, private entities, and religious groups worldwide. The summit aims to assess the global state of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) through plenary sessions, seminars, side events, and networking opportunities that foster collaboration among stakeholders.

CAF’s Participation in the 2025 IRF Summit

The 5th IRF Summit took place from February 3 to February 6, 2025, against the backdrop of a recent government transition in the United States, with the new administration in office for less than a month at the time of the event. The summit was well attended, drawing over 1,500 participants from around the world, including approximately 10 representatives from Nigeria and over two dozen from across Africa. Notably, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was among the keynote speakers.

Side Event on Africa & the Middle East

CAF, in collaboration with Leah Foundation, ICON, Empower Women Media, and other interest groups, organized a side event focusing on Africa and the Middle East. This session provided a platform to discuss regional religious freedom challenges and explore potential collaborations. The discussions delved into the peculiarities of Nigeria’s religious freedom issues that require urgent international attention.

Key Objectives of the IRF Summit

The IRF Summit strives to promote religious freedom for everyone, everywhere, by:

• Raising awareness about religious persecution and discrimination worldwide.
• Building alliances among organizations to advance FoRB.
• Influencing policy to protect religious freedoms globally.

Notable Events and Announcements at the 2025 Summit

Several significant events and announcements marked the 2025 IRF Summit:

• IRF Summit Africa Announcement: A groundbreaking assembly, IRF Summit Africa, was announced to convene on June 16, 2025, in Kenya. This initiative aims to galvanize the religious freedom movement throughout Africa in response to increasing religious persecution on the continent.
• IRF Roundtable on Capitol Hill: The first in-person International Religious Freedom Roundtable of the year convened on February 3, 2025, bringing together 200 participants in person and approximately 55 online. This gathering included representatives from the U.S. government, international delegates, and civil society leaders, addressing pressing challenges within the global IRF movement and major hotspots for religious persecution.
• Panel Discussions on Global Challenges: Panels addressed ongoing challenges faced by religious communities worldwide, from discrimination and persecution to restrictions on religious practices. Emphasis was placed on the resilience and determination of religious groups and advocates fighting for freedom of belief in the face of adversity.

Conclusion

CAF’s active participation in the 2025 IRF Summit underscores our commitment to addressing religious freedom challenges, particularly in Nigeria and the broader African region. The summit provided valuable insights and fostered collaborations that will enhance our efforts to promote and protect FoRB globally.