Sharing thoughtful and productive discussions on the Freedom of Religion or Belief in practice

The Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is largely recognised as a universal right, encoded in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet the promotion of FoRB by governments and organisations often accompanies controversy and contentious politics. What does effective and inclusive FoRB look like in practice? How may the rights of religious minorities and individuals of conscience be protected and supported in concert?

The Faith & Belief Forum are hosting three interactive events to bring together civil society organisations, faith and belief groups, policy professionals, diplomats and academics to share thoughtful and productive discussions on FoRB in practice. Participants will hear presentations of case studies from different regions, join interactive discussions and share practical tools and advice. Learning from these dialogues will directly inform a brief practical report on Working Together to Promote FoRB in Practice.

Events will provide an opportunity for participants to:

• Reflect on challenges and sensitivities in FoRB practice and explore the potential of inclusive approaches,
• Share ideas and build stronger connections with other FoRB practitioners from different backgrounds, and
• Draw in voices and experiences traditionally under-represented within FoRB discussions;

Each event will be a 90-minute session (maximum 35 participants) hosted and facilitated on Zoom. Participants will receive a short paper in advance to spark discussion and reflection. During the roundtable, participants will hear from two or three case studies, and then join open discussions in small groups.

Participants are welcome to attend one or more events by registering on Eventbrite.

Tuesday, 9 February , 2.00-3.30pm GMT: “Religion and…”: Relating FoRB to other aspects of identity. How do issues of FoRB and FoRB violations intersect with gender, culture and other aspects of identity? How may addressing social exclusion and inequality improve FoRB outcomes for groups who face multiple types of discrimination?

Thursday, 25 February, 2.00-3.30pm GMT: “Religion or…”: Promoting FoRB for all at the local level. How may FoRB practice be linked to local concepts of living together and respect for others? How may both individual and community rights be promoted through FoRB programming? How may FoRB be promoted as good for the majority as well as for protection of minorities?

Tuesday, 9 March, 2.00-3.30pm GMT: FoRB in practice: Roadmap for working together. How may human rights activists, policy professionals and religion or belief groups from different backgrounds work together better? How may FoRB practitioners better implement inclusive dialogue and shared action? How can organisations engage effectively with institutions with power and vulnerable communities?

Register on Eventbrite

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan Smith – jonathan.smith@faithbeliefforum.org