Washington summit to reaffirm international commitments to promote religious freedom for all

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it would host what is presumed will be "the largest religious freedom event ever held in the world" in Washington D.C. next week, to highlight the problem of religious persecution, discrimination, and to ensure greater respect for freedom of religion or belief globally.

A broad range of stakeholders, including some dozens if government ministers, international organization representatives, and up to 1000 civil society and religious community representatives will unite to reaffirm international commitments to promote religious freedom for all, U.S. ambassador for religious freedom, Sam Brownback, told reporters on Thursday, July 11.

When asked by TURAN's Washington correspondent about the role of civil society groups who work on behalf of faith communities globally, Brownback pointed out that the first two days of the upcoming summit, known as Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, are for civil society and religious actors together, and the final day is for governments.

"Politics and government is often downstream from faith and religious communities. In other words, the faith and religious communities really help form the thoughts and philosophies for a country and a society. Well, if we can get the religious groups together to stand for each other"s religious freedom, we hope that can affect downstream politics and government to stand for it as well. And we want to see this happen rapidly and we want to see it happen everywhere. It"s everybody"s right all the time, no matter where they are in the world," Brownback added, during a conference call organized by the Washington Foreign Press Center.

It wasn't immediately clear however, whether Azerbaijani officials and civil soceity groups are expected to attend the upcoming Washington event.

According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Azerbaijan systematically violates the freedom of religion or belief.

In its recent recommendations for how the U.S. government can safeguard religious freedom in the region, the USCIRF suggested some steps that could increase awareness and understanding of minority groups, such as stronger relationships between American diplomats and human rights activists, who work on behalf of smaller faith groups.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.