Efforts to Promote Religious Freedom and Peaceful Coexistence in Bahrain

Alsadig Khalafalla is a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence and currently serves as an advisor for strategic affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The following post is based on his remarks during the panel “Religious Perspectives on Religious Freedom and Peace” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024.

Bahrain, a small island nation in the Arabian Gulf, has been a focal point for discussions surrounding religious freedom and peace, stemming from its diverse religious landscape. Bahrain is a Sunni Muslim country with a significant Shia population, but it is also home to various religious minorities, including Christians, Jews, Hindus, and members of other faiths. This diversity in Bahrain has shaped the discourse on religious freedom, often reflecting the broader political and social dynamics at play in the region. Historically, Bahrain has been characterized by its tolerance toward different religions. The Bahraini Constitution guarantees freedom of worship, allowing various religious communities to practice their faith openly. Houses of worship belonging to numerous faiths can be found across the country, symbolizing the degree of open society.

(more…)

Continue Reading Efforts to Promote Religious Freedom and Peaceful Coexistence in Bahrain

Religious Freedom and Peacemaking

Knox Thames is a senior fellow at Pepperdine University and a senior visiting expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace. The following post comprises his remarks during a panel on “Understanding Religious Freedom: Why Does It Matter?” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024. Portions of his remarks were drawn from his book Ending Persecution: Charting the Global Path to Religious Freedom (Notre Dame Press 2024).

Introduction

There can be no durable peace without religious freedom. There may be the cold peace of a cessation of hostilities. However, lasting peace will not come until people can live together, recognizing the rights of their neighbors to pursue truth as their conscience leads without fear of discrimination or violence.

(more…)

Continue Reading Religious Freedom and Peacemaking

Religions’ Roles in Peacebuilding in The Gambia

His Excellency Ambassador Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah is Ambassador of The Republic of The Gambia to the Swiss Confederation and is a permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the World Trade Organization, and other international organizations at Geneva. The following is an edited summary of his remarks at the ICLRS 29th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 4 October 2022.

The Gambia Post-2017: Vision with Action

The Gambia places a high priority on the promotion and protection of human rights. Our constitution and supporting legislation reflect that, as do ongoing legislative and criminal justice reforms that began in 2017. The year 2017 is an important one for The Gambia, which was held hostage for 22 years under a dictatorship. The country’s human rights credentials were unimpeachable prior to those 22 years. Since 2017, when the people of The Gambia decided to vote out the 22-year dictatorship, the country has embarked on restoring what it was known for: being the true hub of human dignity and human rights, peace, and security in West Africa, and an example for the African continent. We strive to ensure that our citizens can exercise their civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights effectively, regardless of their ethnicity, race, place of origin, political opinion, gender, and importantly, their religion. Accordingly, the government’s vision of putting in place solid mechanisms in 2017 to promote and protect human rights in The Gambia has borne fruits, although the work towards its sustainability continues. This reminds me of words invoked by the late former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela: “Action without vision is only passing time. Vision without action is merely daydreaming. But vision with action can change the world.”[1]

(more…)

Continue Reading Religions’ Roles in Peacebuilding in The Gambia