Theme “Combatting Hate”
Event: This year’s theme, “Combatting Hate”, addresses one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Hate — in its many forms such as racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia — continues to divide communities and threaten peace. The conference will explore how faith, dialogue, and understanding can help build a more compassionate and unified society.
Nearly 800 delegates including academia, representatives from local, provincial, and national governments as well as associates of various faith organizations are expected to gather for Canada’s largest and longest running multi-faith conference – 43rd World Religions Conference (WRC).
The conference is organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Canada with the partnership of the Martin Luther University and other local academic institutions, Local municipalities of Waterloo Region, the Waterloo Regional Police Services and several other faith groups. It aims to explore the teachings and practices of different religious and philosophical traditions, with the hope that such mutual exploration will encourage better understanding and promote harmonious coexistence among the members of the society.
Scholars representing Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Indigenous, Sikhism, Christianity and Humanism will present their perspectives on combatting Hate and participate in a Q/A session from the audience. Faith groups will present recitations from their Holy Scriptures and hymn presentations and set up displays.
Local, provincial and national leaders are expected to bring greetings of Canada’s virtues of multi-culturalism, tolerance, acceptance of diverse faiths and humanity being above all at the opening ceremony of the conference. Following is a brief description of the moderator and speaker’s lineup from different faith and philosophical traditions:
Moderator: Mary Lou – Waterloo
City of Waterloo Councillor, community leader, and entrepreneur dedicated to building an inclusive city. Founder of The Wonderful Women’s Club, empowering women and newcomers. Recipient of Volunteer Waterloo Region’s Outstanding Leadership Award (2019)
Representing Judaism: Jay Judkowitz – Waterloo
President of Temple Shalom, active in interfaith and anti-hate initiatives across Waterloo Region. Immigrated to Canada nine years ago and passionately promotes peace, tolerance, and Canada’s inclusive values.
Representing Hinduism: Dr. Shiv D. Talwar – Waterloo
Author and scholar dedicated to healing humanity through spiritual understanding. His books explore unity among religions, bridging ancient wisdom and modern science. Teaches graduate courses on Neurobiology of Transformation.
Representing Islam: Imam Farhan Iqbal – Mississauga
Scholar, author, and Director of Communications for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. Former Imam of Baitul Islam Mosque. Hosts programs on MTA International and Islamic radio, promoting faith through dialogue and education.
Representing Buddhism: Dr. Mitra Barua – Waterloo
Assistant Professor of Asian Studies and Buddhist Scholar in Residence at Martin Luther University College. Author of Seeding Buddhism with Multiculturalism (2019), focusing on Buddhist thought and interreligious dialogue.
Representing Indigenous: Clarence Cachagee – Kitchener
Founder of Crow Shield Lodge offering land-based healing. A Sixties Scoop survivor, community leader, and author of North Wind Man, inspiring reconciliation through healing, spirituality, and cultural renewal.
Representing Sikhism: Upkar Singh – Brampton
Researcher and teacher of Sikh philosophy and history. Advocates for interfaith understanding and stronger communities through reflection, collaboration, and dialogue rooted in Sikh teachings and universal respect.
Representing Christianity: Father Toby Collins – Kitchener
Pastor of St. Mary’s Church, inspired by the Resurrectionist community. Dedicated to social justice, community outreach, and initiatives like Tiny Homes for the homeless, promoting hope and compassion.
Representing Humanism: Sassan Sanei – Waterloo
Humanist officiant, engineer, and philosopher dedicated to reason and compassion. Serves on Humanist Canada’s Board, performing inclusive ceremonies and promoting ethical living through science and empathy.
Admission for the general public to the event is free, which includes parking, refreshments and dinner, however seating is limited. The entire conference will also be streamed live at the conference website. Please visit www.worldreligionsconference.org to find more information.
When: Sunday, November 23, 2025 from 12:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Where: Prestigious Lazaridis Auditorium, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario
Additional Details: www.WorldReligionsConference.org
