Washington, DC - The Secretary’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs, the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See -- in partnership with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and Caritas Internationalis -- are hosting a workshop to strengthen faith-based engagement in combating the emergence and spread of anti-microbial resistance (AMR). The workshop will take place December 12-15 in Rome, Italy.

The workshop will serve as a forum in which faith-based organizations, including health associations, can identify and develop individual and collaborative actions to combat AMR. Religious organizations, which are often heavily involved in health promotion initiatives, are key stakeholders in mobilizing individual and community action, advancing social and medical practices in their local networks, and advocating for high-level support in addressing AMR.

Approximately 35 healthcare providers, medical practitioners, and related representatives from faith-based and international health organizations will participate. The workshop will highlight challenges and best practices facing the medical, education, communications, religious, and private sectors in combating AMR, and will provide a forum to share best practices and an opportunity for faith-based organizations to streamline their contributions to the global effort to counter AMR.

The United States is committed to working domestically and internationally to prevent, detect, and respond to infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria by implementing measures to mitigate the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistance and ensuring the continued availability of therapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infections.