G20 Interfaith Forum Convenes in Salt Lake City, Draws Global Faith Leaders to Discuss Policy

The 2026 G20 Interfaith Forum met in Salt Lake City, Utah, from October 15 to 17, drawing international faith leaders, scholars, and policymakers to discuss the intersection of religious values and global public policy. The event was organized under the theme Resilient Hope, Shared Future.

The opening ceremony was held at the Historic Tabernacle at Temple Square on October 15. His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, delivered the opening keynote address. The forum concluded on October 17 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Archbishop Gabriele Caccia were among the featured speakers. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints addressed the role of faith as a moral compass in the age of artificial intelligence.

A significant portion of the forum focused on peacemaking, featuring discussions with Utah Governor Spencer Cox, former South Carolina Governor David Beasley, and Martin Luther King III. The session was titled Peacemaking through Disagreeing Better.

Thematic sessions covered the food crisis, health and mental health, education, care for creation, and religious freedom. Representatives from Muslim, Hindu, Orthodox Christian, and Jewish traditions participated alongside Christian leaders.

The forum serves as a platform for religious and civil society leaders to contribute faith-informed perspectives to the G20 process. A preliminary policy forum was held earlier in the year at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., to develop the core policy documents that guided the Salt Lake City discussions.

The G20 summit itself is scheduled for Miami in December 2026.