The UK has a unique opportunity when it hosts the Freedom of Religion or Belief Ministerial Conference this July. Here’s why it’s important and how you can be a part of it.
In November, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will host the next ministerial on freedom of religion or belief on 5-6 July.
Perhaps the simplest way to understand this event is to think of COP26, the climate change conference - where key leaders come from around the world to discuss one issue, with the aim of working together more effectively.
As with COP26, NGOs like CSW have a key role to play. As specialists in freedom of religion or belief we will be hosting fringe events, providing briefings and reports, and some of us may also be invited into the main discussions.
As Chair of the UK FoRB Forum, CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas CMG is a key member of the team raising awareness of the Ministerial, so we took the opportunity to ask him some questions.
Why is this Ministerial important?
The summit comes at a key moment for communities of faith and belief around the world, with refugees fleeing Afghanistan and Ethiopia/Eritrea, China introducing even wider restrictions on religious life, and communities in Nigeria under attack in a manner which may indicate an emerging genocide.
These are global issues that need global solutions. Itʼs only when those in power get round the table, and with input from NGOs and activists, that leaders can formulate a coordinated response in a way that drives action.
Have there been Ministerials before?
This is the third in-person Ministerial, and the first outside the US, so it’s a huge opportunity for the UK. Weʼre so encouraged that governments are waking up to the importance and urgency of religious freedom for all.
I’m also encouraged that the UK Church is responding to the call to speak up for people of all faiths and beliefs – in February this year the Church of England General Synod made a commitment to stand up for everyone who faces injustice because of their beliefs. As the Bishop of Truro noted in his Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, only when everyone can enjoy true freedom of religion or belief is every community safe.
How can we be a part of this?
As well as the summit itself, Fiona Bruce MP (the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief) is spearheading a set of 100 fringe events around the Ministerial. These events are for everyone, to increase understanding and encourage action. For example, the Bishop of Truro and I are hosting three online events aimed at church leaders entitled, ‘Why Christians Should Speak Up For People of Other Faiths’. We need your help to invite others to these events, and raise awareness of the Ministerial. Let’s seize this opportunity with both hands, play our part and trust God for fruit – millions suffering for their beliefs are hoping and praying for meaningful action.
Get involved
Find out more about our online events with the Bishop of Truro, and invite your church leader, at csw.org.uk/events