Freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of association are interdependent, interrelated and mutually reinforcing. They are enshrined in articles 18, 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Interreligious Dialogue supports Human Rights and its Responsibilities by respecting the dignity of all human beings regardless of their religious, ethnical and cultural background, by creating safe spaces for individuals and communities to practice their right to express their own views, as well as committing to the responsibility to listen to other perspectives. By using the Interreligious Dialogue, one mutually from one another as well as to retrieve the common values across religions. Interreligious Dialogue allows us to address together and with all human beings of goodwill the many challenges of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief the world is facing today.

The world today is witnessing continuing acts of intolerance and violence based on religion or belief against individuals, including against persons belonging to religious communities and religious minorities around the world, and the number and intensity of such incidents, which are often of a criminal nature and may have international characteristics, are increasing. It is for that reason that in 2019, the General Assembly adopted the resolution A/RES/73/296, titled “International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief” strongly condemning continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.

Hosting renown religious and community actors at the panel, the audience will engage in interactive discussion the connection between Dialogue and Freedom of Religion and Belief, the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights, including the human rights of persons belonging to religious minorities, including their right to exercise their religion or belief freely.