The launch of the second edition of the Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief

02-05-2023

Manama, May 02 (BNA): The work of the second edition of the Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief kicked off today, which is being held in cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union, with the participation of elite policy and decision makers in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union, and representatives of civil society. The conference aims to consolidate the foundations of an organized dialogue to deepen the common understanding of freedom of religions and beliefs, and to promote human cooperation on the principles of pluralism and diversity to enhance respect for freedom of religions and beliefs at the regional and global levels, within the framework of "political dialogue, cooperation and enhanced communication between the European Union and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council." The conference seeks to form a constructive dialogue on freedom of religion and belief, present models and lessons learned from the Bahraini experience and the European experience, towards the development and implementation of this basic human right, and discuss the challenges in a world in which the hatred fueled by extremists prevails in societies, and their exploitation of digital media to enhance polarization, in a world in which there are monotheistic religions and more than 4,000 other religions and philosophies. The conference discusses strengthening Bahraini-European relations on issues of freedom of religion and belief at the regional and international levels, and enhancing respect for this human right. This is the second edition of the Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief "Broadening the Horizon" that was held in Manama in May-June 2022, and a joint statement was issued aimed at strengthening building bridges of cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union in the field of promoting freedom of religion or belief, in a way that supports the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in delivering its civilized message to the world as a leading model in the field of respect for freedoms and rights, and it also embodies Bahrain's keenness to promote Existing cooperation and partnership with all parties of the international community, as well as activating the role of civil society, in order to contribute to spreading inclusive human values, promoting a culture of peace, coexistence and tolerance, and supporting regional and international efforts to consolidate the values of moderation and rejection of hatred, violence and extremism. The conference, organized by the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence and the “This is Bahrain” association, and lasting for three days, seeks to come up with a common vision for a better understanding of the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the European Union and their views on freedom of religion and belief. The holding of this great event in the Kingdom of Bahrain is dedicated to the prestige and good reputation that the Kingdom of Bahrain has gained under the visions of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the great King of the country, may God preserve and preserve him, as a leading global model for societies based on religious, civilizational and cultural diversity and pluralism, and its unique experience in the field of protecting religious freedoms and respecting religious, intellectual and cultural diversity within the framework of the principles of the constitution and the rule of law, which provides the participants in the conference an ideal environment to establish a meaningful dialogue And building on how to reach common visions to enhance coexistence and mutual respect in societies coming from different historical, religious and philosophical backgrounds.