The Culture of Encounter Ideas Festival, April 6-11, 2025, at the University of St. Thomas, brings together community members, Minnesotans, global thinkers, students, and cultural enthusiasts to engage diverse perspectives, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and build leadership for the common public goods.

The Culture of Encounter Ideas Festival, held from April 6-11, 2025, at the University of St. Thomas, celebrates diverse ideas and fosters meaningful cross-cultural encounters, particularly across religious, nonreligious, and spiritual worldviews and ways of living. Drawing inspiration from Pope Francis’ concept of a culture of encounter - which emphasizes truly seeing, listening, and being present with others to build relationships that restore dignity and advance the common good - the festival highlights the transformative power of human connection.

The event will feature keynote speakers, thought leaders, workshops, interactive cultural exchanges, networking opportunities with global thinkers and creators, and cultural performances. Targeting students, cultural enthusiasts, innovators, educators, and global citizens, the festival aims to expand horizons, engage diverse perspectives, and participate in a global conversation while exploring Minnesota’s rich cultural and religious diversity.

Centrally coordinated by the Interfaith Fellows Program and the Minnesota Multifaith Network, the festival promotes dialogue, embraces diversity, builds leadership skills, and fosters understanding through its Scholar, Practitioner, and Leader themes, among others. An overarching goal is to educate and prepare interreligiously literate and responsible scholar-practitioner leaders who engage religious diversity to advance the common good across various sectors.