The “Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom” conference will take place in Warsaw from July 14 to 16. Participants from across the world are expected to attend.
The event will be held “in close cooperation with the United States,” according to the Polish foreign ministry.
“Building on the successes of the 2018 and 2019 ministerials hosted by the United States, the 2020 ministerial will allow countries to share different approaches, debate varying perspectives in the spirit of coherence and complementarity, and address challenges threatening the freedom of religion or belief,” the Polish foreign ministry has said in a statement.
It added that participants “will address a range of critical issues, such as improving the lives of persecuted and discriminated communities, empowering individuals to affect change, and promoting inclusive dialogue to mobilize action and increase awareness regarding the scale of persecution against religion or belief worldwide.”
Polish FM urges 'protection of vulnerable groups'
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz on Wednesday in Washington took part in the launch of the International Religious Freedom Alliance, "a network of like-minded countries fully committed to advancing freedom of religion or belief around the world."
In his address at the event, he said that "protection of vulnerable groups remains among the priorities of Polish foreign policy," according to the foreign ministry in Warsaw.
He also told the gathering, hosted by US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, that "freedom of religion or belief is currently one of the most threatened and at the same time most neglected freedoms."
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz and US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: gov.pl
Poland’s Czaputowicz last summer chaired a United Nations debate in New York on religious freedom. The debate was one of the highlights of Poland’s turn at the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in August.
The Polish foreign ministry said at the time that "governments have a special responsibility to protect and promote religious diversity" in the face of an "unprecedented rise in the number of acts of religious violence."
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Photo: PAP/Wojciech Olkuśnik
Poland last year spearheaded a United Nations initiative to condemn acts of violence based on religion.
The UN General Assembly at a session in New York in May unanimously adopted a resolution designating August 22 as international day to commemorate victims of violence based on religion.
Poland's top diplomat was quoted as saying at the time that “the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which is commonly referred to as the right to freedom of religion or belief, is a universal right of every human being and the cornerstone of many other rights.”
'Safe shelter for people of different faiths'
Speaking at the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom conference in Washington in July, Poland’s Czaputowicz said that historically Poland has always been a country of religious freedom and tolerance.
"For centuries, Poland has provided safe shelter for people of different faiths: Greek Catholics, Russian Orthodox, Protestants, Jews and Muslim Tatars," Czaputowicz said at the time, as quoted by public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
He added that freedom of religion was among fundamental values for Poland.
(gs/pk)
Source: gov.pl, state.gov