The Caritas Internationalis Committees Chairs Forum has honoured Nigeria’s Michael Ibe with the prestigious award of “Most Outstanding Contributor Award”, in recognition of his innovations, strategic leadership, and transformative contributions to the Catholic Relief agency.
This award was one of the series of events when the Caritas Internationalis, the confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations operating worldwide, hosted its landmark Committees Chairs Forum 2024 in Rome, Italy recently.
The international conference gathered executive directors and senior leaders of Caritas member organizations alongside the Chairs of the five strategic committees charged with steering the implementation of the organization’s global strategic framework.
The Award confers on Ibe, who is the Co-Chair of the Humanitarian Committee, was of high-level distinction, reserved for the top 1% of leaders in the global humanitarian and development sector. This activity has advanced both humanitarian effectiveness and sustainable development pointing specifically to Ibe’s development of Caritas Internationalis’ framework for psychosocial support which was used in the humanitarian support offered to the victims of the conflict in Gaza in partnership with Caritas Australia.
The aforementioned formed the parameters used in nominating and electing Michael. In presenting the award, the Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis praised Mr Ibe as “a catalyst for innovation in the humanitarian sphere, whose vision and leadership have elevated Caritas’ capacity to serve communities in need across continents.”
Michael, in his acceptance remarks, expressed gratitude for the recognition while dedicating the award to frontline workers who embody Caritas’ mission daily. “This award is not mine alone. It belongs to the thousands of Caritas staff and volunteers across the world who give their all in service to humanity. My role has simply been to ensure that their sacrifices are amplified through innovative approaches and collective strategies that honor human dignity,” he said.
As Co-Chair of the Humanitarian Committee, Ibe has been instrumental in guiding Caritas’ global humanitarian response, from crisis preparedness and rapid emergency deployments to long-term resilience building in fragile contexts. His leadership has positioned Caritas Internationalis at the forefront of global humanitarian discourse, ensuring that the organization continues to respond with both compassion and effectiveness.
The international conference gathered executive directors and senior leaders of Caritas member organizations alongside the Chairs of the five strategic committees charged with steering the implementation of the organization’s global strategic framework.
The committees include; Caritas Identity Committee, Humanitarian Committee, Integral Human Development Committee, Institutional Development Committee, and Communication and Fundraising Committee. They collectively oversee the direction and effectiveness of more than 30,000 Caritas staff worldwide, shaping programs that impact millions of lives across diverse humanitarian and development contexts.
The forum provided a platform for dialogue on critical issues shaping the future of Caritas’ global mission. Among the key discussions were: Effectiveness and Measurement of Committee Work under which participants emphasized the need for measurable impact indicators to ensure that Caritas’ interventions in humanitarian response, development, and advocacy reflect tangible change in the lives of vulnerable populations.
On the importance of Fraternal Cooperation, leaders underscored that Caritas’ strength lies in its global solidarity, rooted in the principle of fraternity and shared mission. The forum called for stronger inter-committee collaboration to maximize resources and influence.
On the Cohesive Working Structures, Delegates stressed the need to harmonize committee processes, ensuring alignment across regions and thematic areas to achieve greater synergy and consistency in program delivery.
On Youth Participation in Caritas Internationalis, a recurring theme was the urgency of engaging young people more intentionally, not only as beneficiaries but as active contributors to decision-making, leadership, and innovation within the Caritas network.
The Committees Chairs Forum 2024 concluded with renewed commitments to strengthen fraternal cooperation, reinforce measurement systems for impact, build cohesive global structures, and elevate youth participation. For many, however, the highlight was seeing leaders like Michael recognised for their exemplary service , a clear reminder of the transformative power of vision, innovation, and solidarity in shaping a more just and peaceful world.
