Freedom of Religion and Belief

The past decade has seen a marked increase in violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), affecting groups across the globe. The trend is laid bare in the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, of Iraqi religious minorities (Yazidis and Shi’a Muslims), of Nigerian Christians and of the Uyghurs in northern China, to name just a few of the most egregious examples.

In response, Faiths Forum for London, in partnership with NMYC, ran a series of webinars raising awareness of these violations and how citizens might respond.

The webinars

1. Webinar on the Uyghur Muslims (19 November 2020). Our first webinar was on the situation of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China. It explored their internment, some of the first policy responses in the UK Parliament, and what UK citizens could do in response to the crisis.
2. The Uyghur Crisis: A Deeper Look (18 March 2021). This webinar deepened understanding of the developing situation in two ways. It looked at how policy discussions and responses had developed since November, and it explored what is being lost of Uyghur culture and how this cultural erasure is taking place.
3. The Current Status of FoRB Around the World: Challenges and Moving Forward (24 June 2021). This webinar covered the nature and implementation of FoRB as a human right, the major challenges and current state of FoRB around the world, and how citizens and policymakers can engage in FoRB interventions.