Interfaith cooperation has never been more necessary than it is today. Women of different faiths and organizations gathered alongside a few male allies for an intense three-day meeting titled “Women, Faith and Climate Network: Scaling Radical Collaboration” from 2–4 March 2026 at Wilton Park, UK, which focused on radical collaboration and what it truly looks like in today’s world. 

Emi Hashimoto of SGI joined this meeting that explored next steps for the Women, Faith and Climate Network (WFCN), a group formed in 2025 to link women of diverse faiths and spiritualities around the world with the goal of accelerating climate solutions within their local communities. SGI has been part of the Steering Committee that has guided the WFCN in the first year of its existence. 

Hashimoto commented, “Gone are the days when meeting spaces are simply places to congratulate one another on the good work already being done. This gathering was different. It created space for raw honesty about what is missing, what is not working and how faith communities see their role as part of the solution in an increasingly complex and challenging world.”

Participants agreed that their strength lies in the fact that they are people of faith, and proud of that identity. While their traditions differ, the values that guide them—justice, compassion and responsibility—point them toward the same goal of climate justice.

As Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and co-founder of Project Dandelion observed, the meeting was taking place at a time of unprecedented global challenges. Yet, the crises we face are not in competition with one another. Climate change does not compete with conflict, inequality or displacement. They are interconnected realities that communities around the world experience simultaneously. This reality felt especially immediate, as the war in the Middle East began as many participants were traveling to the UK.

Many people are exhausted by the weight of overlapping challenges. Participants were able to acknowledge that fatigue openly—to share grief, frustration and the determination to keep working together despite it. They also agreed that for collaboration to be truly radical, it must also be courageous. Robinson emphasized the need to take risks in addressing gender inequality, racial bias and structural barriers. Courage, she noted, is strengthened when it is shared. That means engaging in different conversations, rejecting tokenism and recognizing that the call to act is ultimately a moral one that must be answered collectively.

Another clear message emerged: Collaboration must move beyond symbolic inclusion. One participant shared a Tongan analogy of the traditional woven mats that serve as sacred space where no one stands above another, and every voice carries equal weight. The mat is a space of equality, respect, care and shared responsibility. But for it to fulfill its purpose, the mat must be spread wider. It must extend beyond faith communities and welcome those who have historically been excluded. They should not be invited merely to sit at the edges to provide stories we listen to, but should be part of shaping and hosting the conversation as well.

This is particularly important for women, especially those who are experiencing the severe and immediate consequences of climate change. Too often, their voices are absent from decision-making spaces. In Tonga, as in other parts of the world, women are already leading in many ways, carrying emotional, spiritual and community responsibilities, yet they often do so without adequate recognition or protection.

Preparedness and collaboration are not only about building networks or exchanging ideas. They are based on relationships that require sitting with communities, listening deeply and, in order to build trust, remaining engaged long after meetings end and participants return home. If faith communities are serious about responding to the urgency of the climate crisis and the many social challenges intertwined with it, then expanding the mat is essential.

The gathering concluded with strong commitments and practical discussions on how the network can foster and deepen more collaboration across faith traditions, organizations and regions. Participants recognized that the current moment is marked by apathy and mental exhaustion. Yet it is precisely at such moments that courage and collective action become most necessary. Radical collaboration is not easy, but it may be one of the most powerful tools we can draw on to face the challenges ahead.