Protecting Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion: Ensuring a Future of Peace and Shared, Sacred Flourishing for All

Dr. Francis Kuria is secretary general of Religions for Peace International and its African affiliate, the African Council of Religious Leaders-Religions for Peace. He also serves as administrative chair of the international steering group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. This post is based on his keynote address at the ICLRS 32nd International Law and Religion Symposium, 6 October 2025.

Introduction

Now more than ever, we are confronted with internal divisions and heightened tensions, calling for a timely and necessary conversation on the protection of religious freedom. The tragic attack on 28 September on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, serves as a devastating reminder of the urgent need to persist in promoting religious freedom for all—a responsibility that we must not only address in theory but that requires our collective action on community, judicial, and legislative fronts.

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A Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace Inspired by the Bountiful Love of God

Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang, a pastor of Toraja Church in Indonesia, is chair of the advisory board of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia and one of the presidents of the World Council of Churches, representing Asian churches. The following post is based on her remarks during the panel “Religious Perspectives on Religious Freedom and Peace” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024.

Can we experience religious freedom and peace in these challenging times of our modern age? This is the question that is often raised, especially in the midst of war, escalating conflicts, and violence in the world today. These conflicts are rampant, not only in the relationship between or among countries but also between different communities within one country, which, more often than not, are triggered by our failure to respect the pluralistic backgrounds of our people in the communities or regions in which we live.

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Summary of Remarks: Welcome and Overview

W. Cole Durham, Jr., retired in August 2019 as Susa Young Gates University Professor of Law at Brigham Young University, is Founding Director of the BYU Law School’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies

The G20 has historically focused on global economic matters, growing out of the 2008 economic crisis. Since then, it has moved more toward the UN Sustainable Development goals, and in its annual meetings, the host country can choose the emphasis and theme of the meeting. The G20 Interfaith Forum has participated in the G20 process since 2014, contributing to a recognition that religious leaders and actors have a role to play in the formation and implementation of global policy. Religious voices must have an impact on policy at a global level. Around 80% of the world’s population is religiously affiliated in some way, so religious voices and actors play a very significant role in many aspects of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

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