KAICIID joined representatives of Portugal’s religious communities, the Commission for Religious Freedom, and the Working Group for Interreligious Dialogue at the Palácio de Belém to mark the National Day of Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue celebrated on the 22 of June.

Hosted by the President of the Portuguese Republic, the ceremony also marked 25 years since the approval and entry into force of Portugal’s Religious Freedom Law. It brought together religious leaders and institutional representatives to reflect on the need to protect freedom of religion or belief and strengthen dialogue across communities.

For KAICIID, whose host country is Portugal, the commemoration carried particular meaning. It offered an opportunity to reaffirm the Centre’s commitment to interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a basis for social cohesion, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence.

KAICIID also contributed to the public conversation around the date with the Centre emphasizing a central message: religious freedom is not protected by law alone. It also depends on trust, education, religious literacy, prepared institutions and communities with the ability to engage with one another before tensions turn into crises.

This moment happens at a time when Portugal had been formally invite to join KAICIID’s Council of Parties, which reaffirms commitment of the Centre to working with partners in Portugal and around the world to promote dialogue, counter hate speech, and support inclusive societies where people of all religious and cultural backgrounds live together with dignity and respect.