07 January 2025
ICCS Inter-Sessional Event Report
The ICCS Inter-Sessional Event, titled ‘Inspiring Cohesive and Resilient Societies,’ was designed to maintain momentum between the larger International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS). This gathering, held on 24 to 26 September 2024, brought together 100 religious and community practitioners, academics, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. The Inter-Sessional Event aimed to deepen our understanding of social cohesion challenges, share best practices, and develop potential solutions. Delegates participated in a series of lectures, panel discussions, skills workshops, breakout sessions, and networking and community engagement opportunities. In particular, the community engagement component of the Inter-Sessional Event showcased different aspects of the social cohesion ecosystem in Singapore.
The event was organised thematically with the first day providing the broad contextual issues impacting social cohesion. The second day aimed to help delegates understand the social cohesion landscape from various perspectives by exploring the different causes of societal division. Delegates also worked in breakout groups to identify emerging issues that may impact community dynamics. While the second day focused on the concept of ‘divide,’ the third day emphasised ‘unity.’ The last day was dedicated to generating actionable solutions for social cohesion issues. The event concluded with a reflective session, inviting delegates to contribute ideas for the upcoming ICCS Conference in 2025.
This event report is organised as follows: First, a summary of the main plenary segments for each day is presented. Then, an overview of the skills workshops and summaries of the discussions conducted during the breakout sessions are presented.
The ICCS Inter-Sessional Event, titled ‘Inspiring Cohesive and Resilient Societies,’ was designed to maintain momentum between the larger International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS). This gathering, held on 24 to 26 September 2024, brought together 100 religious and community practitioners, academics, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. The Inter-Sessional Event aimed to deepen our understanding of social cohesion challenges, share best practices, and develop potential solutions. Delegates participated in a series of lectures, panel discussions, skills workshops, breakout sessions, and networking and community engagement opportunities. In particular, the community engagement component of the Inter-Sessional Event showcased different aspects of the social cohesion ecosystem in Singapore.
The event was organised thematically with the first day providing the broad contextual issues impacting social cohesion. The second day aimed to help delegates understand the social cohesion landscape from various perspectives by exploring the different causes of societal division. Delegates also worked in breakout groups to identify emerging issues that may impact community dynamics. While the second day focused on the concept of ‘divide,’ the third day emphasised ‘unity.’ The last day was dedicated to generating actionable solutions for social cohesion issues. The event concluded with a reflective session, inviting delegates to contribute ideas for the upcoming ICCS Conference in 2025.
This event report is organised as follows: First, a summary of the main plenary segments for each day is presented. Then, an overview of the skills workshops and summaries of the discussions conducted during the breakout sessions are presented.
