RFI to Highlight Religious Freedom Challenges in the West at Berlin Ministerial

Washington, D.C. – The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) is organizing an important side event titled, “FoRB and Tolerance for Tradition: The Challenge for the Pluralistic West,” on the margins of the Berlin Ministerial of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. The event, scheduled for October 9, 2024, will address the growing threats to religious freedom in Europe and North America, particularly for those adhering to orthodox religious views on marriage, sexuality, family, and human nature.

RFI President David Trimble emphasized the critical need for religious freedom protections to cover both public and private expressions of belief, regardless of ideological stance. “Religious freedom must protect the exercise of both aspects of religion, regardless of whether the underlying convictions are characterized as conservative, progressive, or somewhere in between. But it cannot be that religious freedom ends where traditional views on sex, marriage, human nature, and human dignity begin,” he said.

The event will explore how Western societies, while legally safeguarding religious freedom, often pressure individuals and communities to conform to cultural norms that conflict with their religious convictions. This pressure has led to instances of cultural intimidation and legal challenges for those upholding traditional values, such as the belief in marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The side event will take place from 4:00 to 5:30 PM CEST at the Embassy of Hungary in Berlin, and will feature an esteemed panel of speakers, including:

• Dr. José Luis Bazán, Legal Adviser, COMECE
• Márk Aurél Érszegi, Special Advisor for Religion and Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hungary
• Anja Hoffmann, Executive Director, OIDAC Europe
• Todd Huizinga, Senior Fellow for Europe, RFI
• Dr. Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism
• Marcela Szymanski, Head of International Advocacy, Aid to the Church in Need
• David Trimble, President, RFI
• Eugene Yapp, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Malaysia

The Religious Freedom Institute is a non-profit organization committed to securing religious freedom for all.