At the 2025 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in Dublin, Executive Director Sr. Mary Cecilia Draru, LSMIG, PhD, of the African Sisters Education Collaborative delivered a powerful reminder: inclusion does not come at the cost of identity.
During the panel “Threats to Civil Society – Religious Education,” Sr. Draru emphasized the importance of identity in any shared space. “Without my identity, I have nothing to offer,” she said. Her message was clear, true pluralism must make space for each person’s background and beliefs. It must allow everyone to belong while honoring what we share.
Her comments brought a personal dimension to the theme of the discussion: political authority, civil society, and religious freedom. Panelists explored how governments and institutions can either uphold or restrict religious expression, and how faith-based organizations and civil society are key in defending these freedoms.
The session was chaired by education law expert Prof. Nicole Stelle Garnett (Notre Dame Law School) and included Prof. Michael Helfand (Pepperdine) and Ignasi Grau Callizo (OIDEL), offering legal and global perspectives. But Sr. Draru’s thoughts stood out as a call to ensure that real inclusion must make room for identity.
Sr. Draru was asked to participate in this year's summit after being awarded the 2024 Notre Dame Award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education.
