Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief

In 2018, the Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) was established in connection with the Danish Government’s initiative for Freedom of Religion or Belief. The aim of the Forum for FoRB is to gather relevant Danish actors from all faith-based and secular civil society backgrounds in Denmark, including academia, religious institutions, and others who wish to engage in and discuss the Danish efforts on freedom of religion or belief abroad.

Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief, 20 May 2025

The 12th meeting of the Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief took place on 20 May 2025, at Eigtveds Pakhus, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting explored the intersections between FoRB and digital technology.

Special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), Nathalia Feinberg, welcomed the Forum after which Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs, Vibeke Pasternak Jørgensen, gave introductory remarks in which she reflected on the complex connections between digital technology and human rights in a rapidly changing world order.

Thereafter, Ben Greenacre, Senior Legal Adviser, provided a presentation outlining some of the ways in which digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) can challenge and even threaten the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, as well as how a lack of access and transparency can hinder human rights defenders from addressing these issues.

The Forum welcomed two speakers to join online and present their practices with projects working with technology and FoRB.

Firstly, Mike Gabriel, Head of Religious Liberty Commission at the National Christian Evangelical Alliance in Sri Lanka, demonstrated how digital tools and platforms are used to promote FoRB in Sri Lanka. This was exemplified with the virtual Museum of Religious Freedom, FoRB e-learning platforms, and online mapping of FoRB violations.

Secondly, Nicoletta Michael, Head of the Development Department at SAT-7, talked about how satellite broadcasting and digital platforms can be used to advance FoRB in the Middle East and North Africa, demonstrated through a project using communications for development to strengthen work on the intersections of FoRB and gender equality.

At last, there was a discussion where meeting participants had the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers. The meeting allowed participants to widen their knowledge about the challenges, obstacles, and opportunities existing at the intersection of FoRB and digital technology, which is an increasingly evolving issue on the human rights agenda.