Description

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN PLURALISTIC SOCIETIES:

 Collective Responsibility in Countering Discrimination, Hate, and Intolerance

10 February 2026, Tuesday | 11:00 AM EST | ZOOM

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World Interfaith Harmony Week offers an important global moment to reflect on peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and shared values across religious and belief traditions. Across the world, societies are increasingly confronted by religious intolerance, discrimination, hate speech, and identity-based polarization. These challenges affect entire communities and undermine social cohesion and peace.

While journalists and writers play an important role in shaping public narratives, the responsibility to protect religious freedom and combat hatred rests with society as a whole. Families, faith communities, educators, policymakers, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens all shape attitudes and behaviors through daily interactions and public discourse.

Convened by the JWF, this panel discussion aims to uphold religious freedom and foster interfaith understanding while countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, which is a collective responsibility requiring empathy, dialogue, and ethical engagement from all members of society.

Objectives:

• Promote societal understanding of religious freedom as a cornerstone of peaceful coexistence.
• Examine how discrimination, hatred, and intolerance manifest at community and societal levels.
• Highlight the shared responsibility of all sectors of society in countering prejudice and hate.
• Encourage interfaith and intercultural dialogue as practical tools for social cohesion.
• Empower participants with ethical and values-based approaches to inclusion and respect.

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