What Church Leaders Taught at the G20 Interfaith Forum in South Africa

In a world in need of unity, some 500 global leaders — including six leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — gathered this week in South Africa for the annual G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20). Their mission was to help shape a more inclusive and ethical world through dialogue and serving those in need.

“This forum is an opportunity — a God-given one — to determine how we can continue to collectively make a difference for good in the lives of others,” said Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, president of the Church’s Africa Central Area. “We must stop looking for reasons to divide and instead seek for opportunities to be one and serve others as one. Collectively, we have and can continue to play a vital role in being agents of change. In fact, our role is vital. Our greatest joy comes as we help our brothers and sisters.”

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Elder Mutombo’s remarks came in an August 11 session featuring reflections from several religious leaders on the conference’s leading issues and challenges. Elder Mutombo outlined the Church’s humanitarian work around the world and noted that Latter-day Saints “feel a kinship with those who suffer in any way.”

“As sons and daughters of God, we are all brothers and sisters,” Elder Mutombo said. “We heed an Old Testament admonition: ‘Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy.’”

“I express our unwavering commitment — as a Church and as disciples of Jesus Christ — to serve arm in arm and shoulder to shoulder as we strive to lift others everywhere, in every way we can,” Elder Mutombo said. “This world, particularly the African continent, will never be the same.”

IF20 participants quickly put this commitment into action by gathering on August 12 to pack 32,400 nutritious meals for those in need.

“The service project was a lot of fun,” said Elissa McConkie Gifford, director of field operations for the Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. “We had young people and older people and people of all faiths and people of all cultures. We shared our love for music and enjoyed just getting our hands dirty and doing something really meaningful besides just sitting here and talking about what we could be doing.”

Ubuntu in Action Through Self-Reliance

Church leaders’ comments throughout the week reflected the summit’s theme of “Ubuntu in Action.” Ubuntu is an African philosophy that means “I am because we are.” Their comments emphasized the need for self-reliance.

Elder Adeyinka Ojediran of the Africa West Area Presidency joined six others on an August 11 panel discussing financial sustainability, debt action, and climate finance — some of Africa’s most urgent priorities. Like Elder Mutombo, he underlined the importance of change from within.

“It is said that doctrine well understood will change behavior more than behavioral science will do,” said Elder Ojediran, a native of Nigeria. He then posed a question for the audience to consider: “What do we do in our interaction and engagement that can change people from within [so] their actions have positive impact externally that will give us the world God wants us to have?”

Later in the session, Elder Ojediran noted the importance of accountability for government leaders.

“Can we appeal to the conscience of policymakers [so] they can see people as God’s children and ask themselves how accountable they are to our creator in the policies and things they do that will impact the vulnerable?” he asked.

Also on August 11, Elder Denelson Silva of the Church’s Africa South Area Presidency joined a panel focused on fighting hunger. The Brazil native provided a glimpse into the Church’s global efforts to strengthen childhood nutrition. He noted the importance of the work to relieve hunger and provide clean water and community gardens. He also emphasized self-reliance.

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“I believe hunger can be overcome when we extend our hand. But our hand does not need to be there forever,” Elder Silva said. “As children of God, we have the divine potential to do for ourselves what nobody can do. Because only [I] know my needs. And because I know my needs and I trust in God, I can make all the difference in my own life. And by learning that, I can make a difference in the life of my family and my community and my posterity.”

Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella (another Brazil native) of the Church’s Middle East / Africa North Area Presidency shared thoughts in a panel about religious freedom. He emphasized the responsibility religions have to serve their communities.

“Regardless of where we are, we should be engaged in [our] host country,” Elder Parrella said. “We should be involved in the humanitarian and emergency aid and projects that will help people become self-reliant. We need to be involved in the community and promote the well-being of the community.”

One example of this, he said, is how the Church of Jesus Christ supports the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Family.

“Everything that we are discussing institutionally starts at home with parents, teaching and setting the example to our children,” Elder Parrella said. “It boils down to: We teach correct principles, they govern themselves. But we set the example of how we treat others and we lead with respect and love for others.”

Two days later, Elder Vaiangina Sikahema of the Africa South Area Presidency joined a panel focused on helping on the most vulnerable people in communities. Elder Sikahema, an immigrant to the U.S. who later played in the National Football League, shared lessons he learned as a young boy in Tonga when family was poor and benefited from the Church’s help.

“Our Church impressed upon my parents that we were to contribute to our own self-reliance,” Elder Sikahema said. “Even as little money as they made, the Church asked us to pay tithes. Because we received food orders from the bishop’s storehouse, my parents insisted that we kids go every Saturday to the bishop’s storehouse and work and clean and stock shelves and sweep and mop. You know what that did for us? It gave us dignity. It taught us as children that we were to work for whatever it was we were given.”

In a separate panel that same day, Elder Isaac K. Morrison of the Africa West Area Presidency spoke about how local voices can help communities endure difficulties.

The Ghana native said it is essential to build strong relationships of trust before disasters strike. He stressed the need for a culture of preparedness for emergencies. And he said it is important to let those affected by disasters play a role in community healing. He learned the latter lesson years ago after he and his wife lost a baby.

“It was very difficult for us,” Elder Morrison said. “Do you know what helped us? Many members from our community and many members from our faith writing to us or coming to visit us and telling us about their own story. That brought so much comfort and solace and healing to us.”

He continued, “The natural inclination is, ‘Oh, this person went through so much. Let’s shelter him. Let’s save him. Let’s protect him.’ But if we can let them tell their story — ‘This is what happened to me, this is what I did’ — they become part of the solution. It helps in the healing process.”

Elder Morrison’s concluding comments reflect the larger spirit and goal of the IF20 gathering.

“The Savior taught, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,’” he said. “Once we share resources together, once we share ideas together, we become a strong peace community.”