Uniting for Stronger Families: Interfaith Leaders Gather in Sierra Leone for Groundbreaking Conference

In a remarkable display of interfaith unity, Elder Kenneth Pambu, an Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, joined forces with government and religious leaders in Sierra Leone to host the Strengthening Families Conference. This annual international event brings together experts and performers from around the world to share innovative approaches to strengthening families and marriages. This year’s conference was particularly significant, as it was hosted by the country’s First Lady, Dr. Fatima Bio, a devoted Muslim, who warmly welcomed the representatives of the Church and expressed her delight in being part of this initiative.

The conference, held over two days in June, featured a diverse range of speakers and panelists, including President James Jarvis and Sister Christy Jarvis, mission leaders for the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission, as well as local stake presidents, President Julius Rowe and President Abibu Charles. By leveraging the collective impact of interfaith, traditional, educational, and government experts, the conference aimed to champion quality family and marriage supports, promoting a stronger, more united community. This groundbreaking event marks a significant step forward in promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation in Sierra Leone.

“The Strengthening Families Conference comes at a critical time for our nation,” she said. “Raising up strong children is not just the responsibility of the families but is a community responsibility. I pledge our every effort to make this conference successful.”

Dr. Fatima Bio, has expressed her enthusiastic support for the 2025 Strengthening Families Conference, an international event sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Noting that she and her husband, President Bio, a devout Christian, share a deep understanding of the importance of religious tolerance, she pledged to share information about the conference with him and work together to ensure its success. With her chief of staff, Sheik Salim Feika, leading the planning efforts, the First Lady’s priorities of women’s empowerment and child protection are set to take center stage at the conference, which promises to be a groundbreaking platform for promoting strong families and values in Sierra Leone.