2025 – Davos Town Hall, Grosse Stube – Expressions of Hope – Building Bridges to Peace & Justice
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Advisory Board member of International Bridges to Justice
Opening words from Valérie Favre Accola, Governor of Davos
Pure Land Buddhist Shoukei Matsumoto
Imam Yahya Pallavicini
Pastor Hannah Thullen
Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz
Pastor Angela Williams
Tariq Al-Olaimy
2024 – Davos Town Hall, Grosse Stube – Reflections on Hope, Peace & Justice
Opening words from Philipp Wilhelm, Mayor of Davos
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and advisory board member of IBJ
Shoukei Matsumoto, Founder of Interbeing
Pastor Angela F. Williams, JD, M.Div, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way Worldwide
Jeronimo ‘Teku’ Calderon
Chief Rabbi David Rosen KSG, CBE, Special Interface Advisor of Abrahamic Family House
His excellency Sheikh Al Mafoudh Bin Bayyah, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace
With gratitude to Suresh Damodara for sponsoring and supporting this event
2023 – English Church – Vigil for Peace and Justice, a Bridge from Fear to Hope
Opening words from Philipp Wilhelm, Mayor of Davos
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Shoukei Matsumoto, Ancestorist
Pastor Hannah Thullen
Rabbi Jonatan Neril
Bani Dugal, UN Principal representative of the International Baha’i Community
2019 – Davos Town Hall, Grosse Stube – Unlocking Grace
Opening words from Tarzisius Caviezel, Mayor of Davos
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President and Executive Director, Center for the Study of Islam and the Middle East
Kim Samuel, Chair and President, Samuel Family Foundation. Director, The Samuel Group
Shiv Vikram Khemka, Vice-Chairman, SUN Group
2018 – Davos Town Hall, Grosse Stube – Dawn Vigil to Inspire Peace and Justice
Opening words from Tarzisius Caviezel, Mayor of Davos
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President and Executive Director, Center for the Study of Islam and the Middle East
Reverend Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi and President Conference of European Rabbis
2017 – Davos Town Hall, Grosse Stube – Launch of Davos Declaration
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT, Government of Rwanda
Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President of the Centre for the Study of Islam and the Middle East
Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches
Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Pakistan Minister of State for Information Technology & Telecommunication
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, President of the Zaytuna College
Swami Agnivesh, President Emeritus, World Council of Arya Samaj
2016 – Herz-Jesu Kirche – Dawn Interfaith Vigil
Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
Ayatollah Dr. Ahmad Iravani, President of Centre for the Study of Islam and the Middle East.
Bani Dugal, UN principal representative of the International Baha’i Community.
2015 – English Church – Sunrise Interfaith Peace Vigil to End Torture
The recognition that torture is inhuman and under no circumstances acceptable remains a universal belief across all religions. Religious differences are easily overcome in the face of immorality, which is why International Bridges to Justice once again united global and spiritual leaders from different faiths to continue our Interfaith movement. Representatives from different religions contributed by offering a prayer, chant or inspiring words in solidarity with our call to ensure the rights of all citizens. By uniting spiritual leaders, we aimed to ignite conversation, affirm our call to action, and maintain our commitment to the eradication of torture. We are proud to announce that we can look back on a beautiful, inspiring and successful Peace Vigil.
- Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
- Thabo Cecil Makgoba Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
- Rabbi David Rosen International Director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee (AJC)
- Bani Dugal UN principal representative of the International Baha’I Community Ayatollah
- Ahmad Iravani, President of Centre for the Study of Islam and the Middle East
- Ramya Krishnaswamy, Hindu singer and invoker
- Jim Wallis President and Founder of Sojourners
- Monk Shoukei Matsumoto managing Director of the Japan Fellowship of Buddhists
- Mathieu Ricard President and Co-Founder of Karuna-Shechen
2014 – English Church – Sunrise Interfaith Peace Vigil to End Torture
Rev. Karen Tse and Hilde Schwab brought together religious leaders from around the world in Davos during the World Economic Forum. Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic, Anglican, Jewish and many more faith groups were represented and spoke of the high need to end torture, now.
The leaders know it is possible to end torture now by empowering people at every level to work together. They believe in this mission of IBJ. This recognition is universal across all religions; religious differences are easily overcome in the face of something like torture. It’s a clear call from our most sacred sources to act now to end suffering and bring peace to the world; an imperative found in every holy tradition.
- Opening words from Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
- Cardinal, Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan
- Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin
- Ambassador, Dr Aref Ali Nayed
- Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
- Kimihiro Kitakawara, Vice-President of the Japan Buddhist Federation and Patriarch of Todaiji Temple
