Civil Society Program Brings IRF Roundtable to Berlin to Build Religious Freedom and Social Cohesion through Inclusion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Berlin, Germany – October 12, 2024 – How Freedom of Religion or Belief Can Help Prevent the Misuse of Religion and Build Social Cohesion and Resilience, a powerful civil society program in connection with the 2024 International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), concluded successfully this week. Convened by IRF Secretariat, Templeton Religion Trust (TRT), and Love Your Neighbor Community (LYNC), the two-day event took place at the prestigious Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin, from October 8-9, 2024. This gathering brought together key leaders from civil society, faith communities, governments, and other stakeholders to discuss how FoRB for all is a vital element in the process of building social cohesion, peace, and prosperity.
The purpose and focus of the event were three-fold:
Bring majority world voices into the global conversation about FoRB, understanding them as they understand themselves—from their viewpoints.
Explore together what the majority world is interested in most: the nexus of FoRB & extremism (especially fighting terrorism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia).
Highlight inclusive new approaches that can help to prevent extremism and develop more strategic synergies through common partners.
The event succeeded in building greater thought leadership, a stronger community of collaborative practice, and an emerging culture of philanthropy around this key issue. The program opened with two featured sessions on the afternoon of October 8: October 9 featured the Daylong Program was chaired by Greg Mitchell, Founder and CEO of IRF Secretariat, which featured several substantive sessions and discussions:
An Academic Session, co-chaired by Professor Jocelyne Cesari and Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, that served to “launch” the Global Academic Council that is supported by IRF Secretariat. The Council is developing a robust agenda of original research that will inform better public laws and policies related to FoRB.
A meeting of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable “Live from Berlin,” co-chaired by Greg Mitchell and Nadine Maenza of IRF Secretariat. The Roundtable has been meeting regularly for 14 years now and has heard from more than 1,200 leaders of civil society, faith communities, and governments from over 60 countries.
October 9 featured the Daylong Program was chaired by Greg Mitchell, Founder and CEO of IRF Secretariat, which featured several substantive sessions and discussions:
Opening Session: Opening remarks were delivered by leaders of the three co-conveners: Christopher Stewart, Chief Grants Officer of TRT; Nadine Maenza, President of IRF Secretariat; and Wade Kusack, Founder and CEO of LYNC. VIP Keynote Remarks were delivered by Czech Ambassador Robert Rehak, Chair of the Article 18 Alliance, a coalition of 43 countries committed to advancing FoRB for all; Fernanda San Martín Carrasco, Director of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB), a global network of more than 300 parliamentarians from 90 different countries; and key voices from the majority world, including Jose Ramos MP (Panama), Godfred Seidu Jasaw MP(Ghana), John Azumha, Ph.D (Ghana), Dr. Uriel Simonsohn (Israel) and Sheikh Al Mahfoudh bin Bayyah of the Alliance of Virtue and Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace. Dr. Chris Seiple and Dr. Dennis Hoover of LYNC concluded the session with detailed remarks that effectively framed the discussions that followed.
Eurasia Panel Discussions on FoRB, Security, and Building Social Cohesion & Resilience: Moderated by Wade Kusack of LYNC with contributions from government officials, national faith leaders, and local religious leaders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Moldova. These discussions were followed by a presentation on Eurasian Women of Faith Engagement by Halina Kusack of LYNC.
Eurasian government officials included:
Mr. Azamat Danakhmentov, Chief Expert of the Law Implementation Practice, Department of the Committee on Religious Affairs, Kazakhstan
Mr. Dilshod Mamatkulov, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Religious Affairs, Uzbekistan
Mr. Zaza Vashakmadze, Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Georgia
Mr. Ion Groza, Member of Parliament, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Committee, Moldova
National Faith Leaders included:
Imam Bijigit Qoshiev, Grand Mufti Advisor, Muslim Spiritual Board, Kazakhstan
Imam Shovkat Khamdamov, Spiritual Muslim Administration, Uzbekistan
Guram Imerishvili, Christian Youth Movement, Georgia
Valeriu Giletchi, President of the European Christian Political Movement, Moldova
Local Faith Leaders included:
Imam Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev, Kazakhstan
Rev. Arman Arenbayev, Kazakhstan
Imam Shovkat Khamdamov, Spiritual Muslim Administration, Uzbekistan
Rev. Oleg Vorojtsov, Uzbekistan
MENA Region Panel Discussion on FoRB, Security, and Building Social Cohesion & Resilience: Moderated by Suzanne Grishman of Mercury One with contributions from government officials and civil society leaders from Northern Iraq and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, including Mayor Isaam Bahnam Matti of Hamdaniya (Qaraqosh), Mirza Dinnayi, Founder of the House of Coexistence Sinjar, and Brikene Krasniqi from Hardwired Global Program Manager. This discussion highlighted the tremendous work that is being done to educate youth and build inclusive societies and governments in these countries.
Concluding Session on "What Needs to Be Done": The concluding session, led by Greg Mitchell and Nadine Maenza of IRF Secretariat, focused on actionable steps moving forward, including the need for academic, corporate, and media initiatives that will increase the impact of collaborative efforts. These presentations were made by the co-chairs of the Global Academic, Corporate, and Media Councils that are supported by IRF Secretariat. Other ideas were then solicited from the audience and Dr. Paul Murray of Global Peace Foundation and IRF Secretariat led a discussion on the need to integrate such initiatives and ideas into regional strategies to build religious freedom and social cohesion from the ground up—in multi-faith, inclusive, equal citizenship fashion.
Documentary Film Screening - A special highlight of the program was the screening of the award-winning film, Amen, Amen, Amen: A Story for Our Times, which explores the historical journey of the Torah (from Israel to Brooklyn to the United Arab Emirates) and its profound significance in fostering mutual respect, coexistence, and religious pluralism. Directed and produced by Tom Gallagher of the Religion Media Foundation, the film prompted a reflective discussion, led by Rachel Miner with the filmmaker and Sheikh Al Mahfoudh bin Bayyah of the Alliance of Virtue and Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace on the values of interfaith collaboration and peacebuilding.
The program was followed by a FoRB Impact Awards Dinner.
Builder of Social Cohesion & Resilience Award recipients:
Fernanda San Martin Carrasco is the Director of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFORB). Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Fernanda has been a Member of Parliament since 2015.
John Azumah, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Sanneh Institute in Ghana. John is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and an associate professor of World Christianity and Islam.
The FoRB Corporate Leadership Award was presented to Eva Witesman, the Director of the Ballard Center for Social Impact at the BYU Marriott School for Business. She also teaches in the Master of Public Administration and Master of Business Administration programs.
Faith Institutional Leaders Award recipients:
Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Kazakhstan
Muslim Board of Uzbekistan
Supporters: This impactful event was made possible by the generous support of Mercury One, Bellwether International, Global Peace Foundation, Global Christian Relief, the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs & Human Rights, and the Alliance of Virtue.
For more information on this event and the ongoing initiatives of the IRF Secretariat, please visit IRF Secretariat's official website.
All media inquiries and press communications for the IRF Roundtable are managed and facilitated by the IRF Secretariat.
For further information, please contact:
Kaylee Fisher
kfisher@irfsecretariat.org
