Unfortunately, in today’s polarised society religious freedom and freedom of faith is increasingly under attack. It strongly impairs the basic human right of religious freedom. In the worst cases this is being manifested into the hatred of others and even violent and deadly attacks on the public and on places of worship.
Never before have the issues of religion and security been so interlinked and connected. Therefore, new efforts in the field of integration and measures to avoid misusing and politicising religion as a tool of hate and prejudice are needed. Such measures are required in order to facilitate moderate practices of religion, whilst at the same time guaranteeing security and religious freedom for all communities, as specified in the European Union’s 2000 Charter of Fundamental Rights and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR. Convinced that religious freedom and the security of religious communities is meaningless without the freedom to practice moderate religious life which complies with European regulations and values, IFFSE wants to build a common approach and dialogue at eye level between religions, society, politics and science on this subject.
