By Marianna Richardson
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On February 4, 2026, the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN) convened its HumanKind: Global Faith Forum in Washington, D.C., immediately following the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit. Rooted in the conviction that people of different beliefs can nevertheless agree on the fundamental dignity and value of every human being, the conference challenged participants to seek the common good together—choosing curiosity over cynicism, and openness over judgment. This blog is Part 1 of a three-part series covering the HumanKind conference, and focuses on the work of Nikki Roberts and the Inspire initiative.
Nikki Roberts and Inspire
Nikki Roberts opened the session by reflecting on the distinctive power of multifaith women’s leadership and the ways in which women model peace, trust, and unity for the next generation. Through the Inspire initiative—an outgrowth of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network—Roberts brings women of different faiths together to build authentic relationships grounded in compassion and a shared commitment to the common good.
Women as Early Teachers of Peace
Central to Roberts’ remarks was the observation that children learn how to relate to “the other” long before they understand doctrine or ideology. They watch how the adults around them treat people who are different from themselves. When women model friendship, respect, and peaceful coexistence across religious lines, they shape how the next generation will live. Roberts argued that this makes women not merely participants in interfaith work, but among its most formative agents.
Women, she suggested, bring particular gifts to this work: emotional attentiveness, deep listening, and a relational intuition that creates spaces where people feel genuinely seen and heard. In those conditions, meaningful dialogue naturally deepens into friendship—and friendship, over time, becomes the foundation for lasting peace.
The Inspire Retreat
In December 2025, Roberts gathered multifaith women from twelve U.S. cities for a 43-hour retreat in Fort Worth, Texas. Participants were intentionally seated across lines of faith, fostering honest conversation and shared experience from the first hours of the gathering. Rather than organizing sessions around abstract theological questions, the retreat created the conditions for real relationship—and planted seeds of friendship that women carried back into their home communities.
“Inspire is not about uniformity but unity—women staying true to their convictions while working together for peace.”
Voices from the Panel
Roberts was joined by three women who had participated in the retreat, each offering her own perspective on what the experience had meant.
Terra, a Muslim educator, explained that she joined Inspire because of her own interfaith upbringing and her belief that women are uniquely positioned to teach tolerance and love in the home. She hopes the initiative will help equip the next generation with the confidence to engage across faith lines.
Katie, who is Jewish, described arriving at the retreat with some nervousness, and leaving with what she called “new sisters.” She valued the intentional structure that made honest exploration of both differences and common ground possible.
Doreen, a Christian, described a moment of quiet connection with a grieving Muslim woman during the retreat. In that shared sorrow, she said, perceived differences dissolved and gave way to something more fundamental: a recognition of shared humanity.
A Vision for Expansion
Roberts affirmed that women are natural activators—people who turn dialogue into action. Her vision for Inspire extends well beyond its current cities. She hopes to expand the initiative across the United States and eventually internationally, so that women everywhere can play their part in modeling a more peaceful and trusting world for those who come after them.
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Marianna Richardson is the Director of Communications for the G20 Interfaith Forum. She is also an adjunct professor at the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University.