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News

President Aliyev Highlights Azerbaijan’s Religious Harmony in Letter to Pope Francis

Baku, December 24 (AZERTAC) – President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has underscored the significant role of the Christian community in Azerbaijani society in a letter to Pope Francis on the occasion of Christmas. “The Christian community holds a distinctive place in modern Azerbaijani society. Our Christian citizens, who have settled in Azerbaijan and lived here […]

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Book

Knox Thames Discusses His Book, “Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom”

Notre Dame Law School’s Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies hosted a lecture by Knox Thames, an international human rights lawyer, on his new book, “Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom,” published by the University of Notre Dame Press. Building off his extensive experience, Thames offered strategies […]

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News Report

US Ambassador Donald Blome Reaffirms Commitment to Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Economic Growth During Karachi Visit

KARACHI: U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome concluded a two-day visit to Karachi on Wednesday, during which he emphasized Washington’s dedication to promoting religious freedoms, civil rights, and economic collaboration. His visit included meetings with key government officials, business leaders, and human rights advocates, reflecting the United States’ broader commitment to advancing shared values and […]

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News Report

Faith-Based Organizations Celebrate Appointment of UK’s New FoRB Envoy

Labour MP David Smith Appointed UK Special Envoy for Religious Freedom The UK government has named Labour MP David Smith as its new Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), a move welcomed by faith-based organizations as a significant step in addressing global religious persecution. Smith, the MP for North Northumberland and a […]

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Special Report

Free to Believe? The Intensifying Intolerance Toward Christians in the West – 2024 Edition

Intolerance toward Christians appears to be on the rise in the West. One very dangerous symptom of this upward trend is government officials and entities targeting Christian churches, organizations, and individuals for prosecution or punishment based on their religious beliefs. Family Research Council analyzed open-source documents, reports, and media outlets to identify religious freedom violations […]

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News Report

Churches seek pathways to just peace in times of war

Photo: CEC/Łukasz Troc Press Release No: 20/2416 December 2024Brussels About 80 participants, including representatives from Ukrainian and other European churches, met in Warsaw from 9 to 11 December for the European Consultation on Just Peace, organised by the Conference of European Churches (CEC). The event explored theological, ethical, and practical aspects of just peace amid […]

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News

European Parliament Re-establishes Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Brussels, Belgium – The European Parliament has taken a significant step to protect religious freedom by re-establishing the Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief. This bipartisan initiative, co-chaired by Bert-Jan Ruissen (SGP, ECR) and Miriam Lexmann (EPP), aims to address the growing global threat to religious freedom. The re-establishment of the intergroup comes at […]

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Opinion

A Pluralistic Approach to Religious Freedom

A Call for a More Inclusive Understanding In today’s complex world, religious freedom remains a vital but often contested issue. While the right to freedom of religion or belief is enshrined in international law, its practical implementation varies widely across different countries and cultures. Dr. Jaclyn Neo, an associate professor at the National University of […]

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News

MRM Launches to Empower Religious Minorities in Pakistan, says Pervez Rafique

Lahore: In a significant development for Pakistan’s religious minorities, the Minorities Rights Movement (MRM) has officially launched, with the aim of empowering and protecting minority rights across the nation. Pervez Rafique, former Member of the Punjab Assembly and Central President of the MRM, shared the organization’s mission and vision in an exclusive interview with Gospel […]

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News Report

Church Leaders Express ‘Hope’ That Syrian Regime Will Respect Christians

   By Madalaine Elhabbal for CNA The historic city of Aleppo, Syria. / Credits: STEPANOV ILYA/Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2024 / 17:50 pm (CNA). Catholic Church leaders in the U.S., Rome, and the Middle East have expressed cautious “hope” that the new regime in Syria will respect Christian communities after a lightning offensive this […]