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Ufuk Dialogue: Disaster Risk and Safety Expert, Thompson Honoured as Special Guest for 9th International Conference on Love and Tolerance in Lagos | Blissful Affairs Online
In a move that signals a crucial push for national redemption, prominent peace and safety Risk professional, Pastor John E. Thompson has been formally invited to serve as a Special Guest at the 9th International Conference on Love and Tolerance, scheduled for December 1st, 2025. This invitation comes at a pivotal moment, as Nigeria grapples with its recent designation by the United States as a “Country of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom – a designation highlighting the very crises of “Christian genocide” and jihadist terrorism the conference seeks to address.
The invitation from the non-governmental organization Ufuk Dialogue tasks Thompson with lending his voice to the conference’s urgent theme: “Bridging Divides: Building Trust in a Polarized World” while emphasizing that “The 9th edition seeks to build on this legacy, with your presence as a Special Guest serving as both an inspiration to participants and a demonstration of your commitment to advancing peace, dialogue, and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.”
For Thompson, this is a continuation of a mission he has championed for years. He famously anchored the 2021 edition at the “Interfaith International Conference on Religious Extremism and Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria” where he issued a stark and prophetic warning: “The Unity of Nigeria is Negotiable. PLEASE LET’S DO IT NOW.”
Reflecting on the deteriorating situation since then, Pastor Thompson, in an interview with journalists in Lagos recently, connected his past work to the present crisis. “Before the world shut down in 2020, on February 22nd, we were already sounding the alarm,” he stated.
“That pre-lockdown conference was a beacon of hope and a testament to what we can achieve through dialogue. The message then, as it is now, was about radical inclusion and understanding. To see this mission continue and to be invited back to contribute is both an honour and a call to action. The work of bridging our societal divides is more critical than ever”, referencing the UN-supported International Conference on Love and Tolerance he anchored, which assembled global Christian leaders, Islamic scholars, and human rights activists.
“That gathering was built on a single, powerful idea: ‘Reserve in your heart a seat for everyone,’ Thompson recalled. “Today, that seat is being violently vacated. The U.S. designation is not just a label; it is a grim testament to the lived reality of countless Nigerians who face persecution and violence based on their faith. Our national fabric is tearing, and the time for dialogue is not just opportune – it is a last resort against further fragmentation” he concluded.
This edition of the conference, organized by Ufuk Dialogue, aims to serve as a critical platform for rebuilding the trust eroded by sectarian violence and extremism. By bringing together civil society and government bodies in Abuja, Jos, and Lagos, the event seeks to forge actionable pathways to peace.
“Inviting a voice like Thompson’s is essential,”
“We are deeply honoured to invite Pastor Thompson to this year’s conference,” said a representative from Ufuk Dialogue, Mr. Quadri Ridwan. “His past contributions and enduring message of unity perfectly align with our goal of fostering a national platform for dialogue and inclusivity.”
“He understands that the theoretical pursuit of peace must now confront the hard realities of a nation in distress. His past message that ‘Nigeria’s unity is negotiable’ was a call to conscious, constructive dialogue before forces of destruction make that negotiation impossible.”
This year’s Lagos edition of the 9th International Conference on Love and Tolerance is scheduled to hold at DPODIUM International Event Centre in Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos.
