This report was originally published in Udfordringen.
On October 28, Copenhagen became the gathering point for more than 120 participants from 29 countries who met for the hybrid conference: “Freedom of Religion or Belief in Practice: Insights for Impact”.
This week, CKU (Center for Church-Based Development), together with their Norwegian sister organization Digni, hosted the conference Freedom of Religion or Belief in Practice: Insights for Impact, which marked the launch of a new report of the same name. The report offers insights into the past five years of projects that protect and promote the right to freedom of religion or belief, supported by the Danish and Norwegian governments through CKU and Digni. It also compiles recommendations and best practices for future use.
At the conference, three of the consultants behind the report – Indira Aslanova, Shabnam Moallem and Shiva K. Dhunganga – presented their key findings and conclusions. They highlighted, among other things, the strpng trust that characterizes the collaboration between Danish and Norwegian organizations and their partners in the south. They also shared examples of best practices within the field of freedom of religion or belief. Among these were CKU-supported Musalaha, which works for reconciliation between Jews, Christians and Muslims in Israel and Palestine, and LEADS, which educates children and youth to become role models promoting tolerance and empathy across religious divides previously marked by conflict, hatred, and prejudice.
“The report shows that in both Norway and Denmark, there are civil society actors with strong partnerships making a real difference for freedom of religion or belief – even in some of the world’s most challenging contexts. This evidence should call for increased funding for this under-prioritized right in Danish and Norwegian foreign and development policy”, said Senior Advisor Ann-Christina Gamillscheg.
The conference also featured contributions from Denmark’s special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nathalia Feinberg, and Daniel Cloney from the UN Special Rapporteur’s Office on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Both emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive overview of FoRB efforts in the Nordic region and praised the report for its thoroughness and practical value.
We will take the report with us in our work and use it wherever we can,” said Nathalia Feinberg, who went on to commend CKU and Digni for their serious approach to professional learning and quality assurance.
The conference marked the culmination of a year of intensive work and was therefore also a day of celebration for CKU Senior Advisor and project lead Ann-Christina Gamillscheg and her colleague at Digni, Lisa Winther. They expressed their satisfaction with the outcome and praised the consultants, member organisations, and partners for their strong commitment and contributions.
“It has been exciting to follow the consultants’ work. Now we must translate their findings and recommendations into a concrete tool that can strengthen future efforts in freedom of religion or belief,” concluded Ann-Christina Gamillscheg.
