Editorial - Ten years of funding in Central and Eastern Europe

Last November I addressed the World Conference on Religion and Peace in Amman, Jordan. The subject was the importance of secular civil society working together with religious civil society.

In Africa faith-based organizations probably provide the best social and physical infrastructure in the poorest communities – a situation mirrored in many parts of the world today as churches, temples, mosques and other places of worship become focal points for the communities they serve.

Sadly, many religious and secular civil society leaders have difficulty in acknowledging how much they have in common, and this stands in the way of their working together.

Religious/secular partnerships will not of course remove all differences. As each organization seeks to remain true to its mission, there will inevitably be areas of debate and disagreement. But recognizing the common ground that does exist – both between the different faiths and between these and secular CSOs – must surely be the first step towards more practical collaboration. This is the aim of the new series of articles on traditions of giving and volunteering in the different world religions that starts in this issue of Alliance. The series begins with two articles examining traditions of giving within Islam. These will be followed in June and September with articles on Judaism and Christianity.

The challenge today is not only to reduce poverty but also to eradicate the inequalities that perpetuate it. Religious and secular organizations working together can help create a stronger civil society sector that is more able to meet this challenge.

Kumi Naidoo
CIVICUS Secretary General and CEO