A look back at the Caux Forum 2019

The red thread running through this year’s Caux Forum was ‘trustbuilding’. Nearly 800 people from 96 nationalities came to contribute, inspire, connect and become better equipped changemakers – employing common values, silent reflection and personal storysharing to transcend the challenges of difference.

There was innovation: the Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate Change was launched in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and the first Tools for Changemakers session took place. Established programmes focusing on vital issues continued - see reports and video excerpts below. Towards an Inclusive Peace concluded. Over the last three years it has considered the roots, solutions and prevention of violent extremism, with invaluable input and leadership from the Caux Scholars Program.

This year’s Forum was shorter than previous years and had fewer participants overall. But the quality of experience, the depth of connection and the passion to drive change was strong throughout. It was also a more sustainable event, as IofC Switzerland offset the carbon footprint of the 2019 Caux Forum by planting 2,000 rubber trees in Meghalaya, India.

There are many to thank for the hours of preparation and performance: speakers, participants, staff, interpreters, other contributors, and especially the organizing teams too - chasing speakers, visas and tickets, seeking funding, readying interpreters, translating programmes etc. Most of this work was generously volunteered – a truly global team effort.

Next year the Caux Forum will provide further opportunities for the IofC network to use the Caux Conference Centre to strengthen international actions. In the meantime, efforts are already underway in collaboration with IofC International to link participants with IofC teams and programmes on the ground.