Summary of the previous meeting in the danish forum for freedom of religion or belief
Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief, 21 November 2024
The 11th meeting of
the Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief took place on 21 November, 2024,
at Eigtveds Pakhus, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The theme of the
meeting was the role of FoRB in conflict transformation in Africa.
Special Representative
for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), Karen Grønlund Rogne, welcomed the
Forum after which State Secretary for Development Policy, Lotte Machon, gave
introductory remarks in which she reflected on the recent report by the United
Nations Special Rapporteur on FoRB, on peace and FoRB, as well as the work to
promote dialogue and FoRB through the Danish development cooperation.
With an academic
perspective to inform the meeting, Dr. Jason Klocek, Assistant Professor in
Politics and International relations at the University of Nottingham, presented
recent research on the connection between FoRB, conflicts and peace. Among
other topics, Dr. Klocek focused on political violence, the complexities of
FoRB promotion and restrictions, and the effectiveness of religious
peacebuilding.
Thereafter, Rev. Dr.
Johnson Mbillah (online from Ghana) from the Programme for Christian-Muslim
Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) talked about the work of PROCMURA. Rev. Dr.
Mbillah shared his experiences working with FoRB in conflict transformation in
Africa, and reflected on sustainable solutions to intra- and interreligious
challenges to uphold religious freedom and peaceful coexistence.
Mr. Kristian
Kirkegaard Edinger (online), Danish Ambassador to Burkina Faso and Niger, provided
a snapshot of the current situation in Burkina Faso, focusing on the role of
FoRB in the multifaceted conflicts taking place in the country.
After the
presentations Filip Buff Pedersen, Center for Church-Based Development (CKU),
moderated a conversation between the three speakers. They discussed the role of
identity and engagement in FoRB promotion and interreligious dialogues, as well
as the complexities related to the politicisation of FoRB.
The meeting allowed
participants to widen their knowledge about the intersections of FoRB, conflict
and peace, and facilitated informed group discussions where participants
reflected on their insights and ideas about best practices in the area.