July 23, 2025
By Dadi Darmadi | Photo: Festival of Faith 2021
In a world that often feels divided, Dr. Azza Karam is a voice of hope, bringing people together through her deep understanding of faith, human rights, and peacebuilding. This July, she’ll share her wisdom at the International Conference on Human Fraternity in Jakarta, hosted by Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) and Abu Dhabi’s Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF) on July 29–30, 2025.
The event, launching the Indonesian Institute of Human Fraternity, is all about sparking conversations that bridge borders and build a kinder, more connected world. Azza, speaking on the “Rights and Social Justice” panel, is ready to inspire with her lifelong passion for fairness and unity.
A Life Shaped by Connection
Azza’s story starts in Egypt, where she grew up in a conservative Muslim family. Her childhood wasn’t just rooted in one place—her dad’s work as a diplomat took her to India and beyond, opening her eyes to different cultures and faiths. A Hindu nanny’s gentle practices left a lasting mark, planting the seed for her love of interfaith work. With a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam and degrees in development and economics, Azza has spent her life blending big ideas with real-world impact.
She’s done incredible things, like spending nearly 20 years at the United Nations, where she kicked off the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development, bringing together over 600 faith-based groups. She also led the charge on the Arab Human Development Reports, shining a light on voices from the Middle East. As the first woman and Muslim to serve as Secretary General of Religions for Peace (2019–2023), she built bridges across 90 countries, pushing for peace and women’s leadership.
Azza’s no stranger to big ideas that change lives. She’s a big supporter of the Document on Human Fraternity, signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb. She’s called it “a gift to the world,” and at the 2021 G20 Interfaith Forum, she shared how it inspires her work to bring people together.
Bringing Heart to Jakarta
At the Jakarta conference, Azza will join Fernand de Varennes, a UN expert on minority issues, and Irina Kunina from the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre to talk about “Rights and Social Justice.” She’ll share ideas on how to build a fairer world, especially for those who are often overlooked, like women and minorities. Her work with Lead Integrity, her women-led consultancy, shows she’s all about empowering people to tackle tough issues together.
Azza’s been doing incredible things—creating spaces where people from different walks of life find common ground. At Religions for Peace, she started the Multi-Religious Humanitarian Fund, helping communities in 30 countries. She’s also stood up to challenges in male-dominated spaces, proving that diversity makes us stronger. Her 2020 “Women, Faith and Diplomacy” event highlighted how women can lead the way in building peace, and she might touch on that in Jakarta, too.
The conference’s convenor, Ridwan al-Makassary, PhD puts it perfectly: “This conference aims to ground the Human Fraternity framework, which is often seen as abstract and under-discussed in academic and policy circles. That’s why having leading scholars like Azza Karam is key to making this concept relevant in a polarized world, offering a framework to tackle issues like migration, poverty, conflict, climate change, and social injustice.” Azza’s presence will help make these big ideas feel real and urgent, showing how human fraternity can address the world’s toughest challenges.
To Build a Better World
The Jakarta conference, born from a 2024 agreement between UIII and HCHF, is a chance to put human fraternity—the idea that we’re all part of one big human family—into action. With sessions on migration, media, climate change, and justice, it’s right up Azza’s alley. Her work has always been about connecting the dots between faith, fairness, and action, whether she’s teaching at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam or advising the UN.
When Azza takes the stage, expect her to speak from the heart. She’s not just about big ideas—she’s about making them real. Whether it’s fighting for equality or bringing faiths together, she believes we can face global challenges by leaning on our shared humanity. Her time at the UN and Religions for Peace shows she knows how to turn talk into results.
As Jakarta gears up for this big event, Azza Karam’s presence is a perfect fit for a conference about hope and unity. She’s spent her life showing that even in tough times, we can find ways to connect and lift each other up. In Jakarta, she’ll remind everyone that human fraternity isn’t just a dream—it’s a path to a better, more peaceful world.
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
