Swiss Conference to Address Global Poverty and Christian Social Responsibility

The 17th annual StopArmut Conference is scheduled for October 31, 2026, at the Zwinglihaus in Basel, Switzerland. Organized by the campaign group StopArmut, the event aims to gather leaders from churches, academia, politics, and civil society to discuss the theme, “Poor World – What Next? How global poverty shapes us and how we can stand against it together.”

The conference seeks to address the ongoing challenge of extreme poverty, noting that approximately 826 million people currently live on less than $3 a day. This gathering occurs as international development goals face pressure from global conflicts, natural disasters, and reductions in aid funding. Featured speaker Christoph Hochuli, a member of the Evangelical People's Party, expressed concern that chronic poverty receives significantly less media attention than acute natural disasters.

The daylong program will feature practical lectures, a trade fair for anti-poverty organizations, and a performance by the Surprise Street Choir. Organizers intend for the event to foster networking and explore the role of Christian social responsibility in meeting global development targets.