Every five years, Arigatou International holds a Forum of its Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) initiative. The 5^th Forum will take place on 9, 10 and 11 May 2017 in Panama City, Panama. Four-hundred religious leaders, members of diverse faith communities, leaders of faith-based organizations, United Nations officials, and representatives of international and grassroots organizations from around the world have confirmed their participation at the Forum. A pre-Forum bringing together 60 children will take place on 6, 7, and 8 May. The theme for the 5^th Forum is: “Ending Violence Against Children: Faith Communities in Action.”

The GNRC 5^th Forum will build on the work that GNRC members from diverse faith traditions have been doing since the year 2000, working for and with children, to build a better world for children. Working locally, nationally, and globally, GNRC members have addressed several of the key challenges facing children, prioritizing areas such as child rights, education, poverty, and violence. The 5^th Forum will focus specifically on solutions for the challenges presented by various forms of violence against children, broken down into three sub-themes. These are: “Protecting Children from Violent Extremism, Gang Violence and Organized Crime”; “Nurturing Spirituality and Ending Violence in Child Upbringing”; and “Ending Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children.” The role of faith communities in addressing these challenges—especially through interreligious cooperation—will be the main focus of the Forum.
 
In bringing faith communities together to address violence against children, the Forum also aims to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG16.2 focusing on ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, torture and all forms of violence against children.