An audience with Pope Leo XIV

Earlier this month in Rome we hosted a special closed-door session at the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue. Organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliament of Italy, the conference brought together religious leaders from 16 different faiths and delegates from 59 parliaments worldwide.

It was a great opportunity for us to share with politicians the recommendations from our latest Wilton Park dialogue with religious leaders on their role and responsibility in times of conflict.

In Rome we heard how ethical, strong and responsible leadership is needed more than ever before. How it’s time to stand up against the dominant narrative of dehumanisation and polarisation that underpins current conflict. How there’s now a shared strategic opportunity for faith actors and parliamentarians to work together to foster a new narrative which promotes hope, trust and healing – preparing the way for peace.

Our dialogue built on Pope Leo XIV’s call in his inaugural mass for all women and men of goodwill to build a new world where peace reigns.

In this Jubilee Year of reset and renewal in the Catholic Church, Pope Leo received at the Vatican all those who attended the IPU’s Conference. Speaking the next day in St Peter’s Square he called for an end to the tragedy of war, for ‘diplomacy to silence weapons’ reminding those who gathered that ‘war doesn’t solve problems. Instead, it amplifies them. It causes deep wounds in people’s history, that takes generations to heal.’

How to promote intergenerational healing is next on our dialogue agenda. Let us know if you have expertise to share.

Read Alison Hilliard’s blog on her audience with Pope Leo XIV following the interfaith dialogue.

Harriet Harman at Wilton Park

We were delighted to host Baroness Harriet Harman at Wilton Park this month in her new role as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and look forward to welcoming her at future events.

The new UK Industrial Strategy

Earlier this year we hosted an event with the Department of Business and Trade, feeding into the UK’s new Industrial Strategy. The dialogue brought together leading thinkers, foreign government officials and members of industry to build a trusted network of experts.

The new strategy outlines a ten-year plan to support businesses and grow the economy. We’re proud our dialogue has helped shape the UK’s plans for growth.

Upcoming events

Towards Demographic Dividends in Africa: action and investments

The population in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is projected to rise from 1.2 billion today to around 2.1 billion by 2050, comprising more than 20% of the world’s population, and with more than half under age 25. By 2040, Africa will have the largest population of under 25’s in the world. These demographic trends have profound implications for the continent and globally.

Planning and investment in policies to accompany the demographic shifts must be led by governments and the private sector, and supported by external partners. Building on the Heads of States Human Capital Summit held by the World Bank in Tanzania in 2023, this event is an opportunity to have a focused discussion among regional government representatives and other experts in a discreet setting, on how to leverage these demographic trends to be a source of sustainable economic growth and development for the region.

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Sussex Growth Forum

This event brings together stakeholders from across Sussex to discuss the region’s global potential and relationships.

Representatives from national and local government, MPs, business, higher education and cultural organisations across Sussex will discuss how to meaningfully connect the needs and aspirations of local communities to international opportunities at a time of significant local, national and global change.

If you are a Sussex business and would like to participate, contact us.

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Recent events

Food systems and power: towards collective action for systemic change

Wilton Park, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and EIT Food, recently hosted a roundtable on food systems transformation.

This high-level dialogue brought together experts from government, civil society, academia and business to address how entrenched power dynamics hinder progress toward sustainable food systems.

Participants developed actionable strategies for a new multi-partner Food & Power Initiative, aimed at creating resilient, equitable food systems at a time when over 700 million people face hunger globally.

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The good, the bad and the actionable: a Global Partnership initiative to counter and leverage WMD Relevant Technologies

Rapid technological advances are re-shaping the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) non-proliferation landscape, posing new challenges and significant opportunities to effectively mitigate evolving threats.

Emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT) – including artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, unmanned aerial systems, and gene editing – have the potential to accelerate and exacerbate WMD threats. At the same time, EDTs and other WMD Relevant Technologies (WMD-RT) may offer threat reduction and non-proliferation solutions.

While the threats and opportunities posed by WMD-RT have long been recognised, little has been done to date to develop effective programmatic responses. In this context, as 2025 President of the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction(GP), Canada is leading a sustained process to identify WMD Relevant Technologies that either support WMD non-proliferation and counter-terrorism efforts or present threats that the GP can counter.

This invitation-only conference brought together leading experts and innovators from G7/GP nations, academia, and the private sector with the aim of identifying WMD-RT that either present threats that can be countered or have the potential to support WMD non-proliferation and counter-terrorism efforts.

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Global Wind Energy Council Summit on the geopolitics of the energy transition in a multipolar world

In partnership with the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the European Climate Foundation and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.

Energy is both a key driver and a strategic battleground in today’s great power politics, shaping the geopolitical interests and power projection capabilities of major powers. At the same time, the tectonic shifts transforming the geopolitical landscape are profoundly impacting the pace and spread of the energy transition. The Summit tackled three core questions underpinning this evolving relationship:

• What geopolitical factors are driving the expansion of renewable energy, and how do they contrast with the forces pushing for a return to fossil fuels?
• What countries form part of the growing cohort of ‘middle’ or ‘emerging’ powers poised to benefit from taking a leading role in the energy transition?
• How can wind energy be entrenched as a cornerstone of energy security and a strategic asset in today’s great power politics?

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