As delivered

Please accept my apologies for joining you late today. It is a rather busy day, in a rather busy week. I would like to extend my warm thanks to the Republic of San Marino and the Council on International Law and Politics for hosting this very timely seminar. Perhaps there are few periods in Europe’s history when one would not declare the topic of religious freedom timely: it is a motif running through much of our continent’s past, including many of its upheavals. Certainly these days freedom of religion is a pertinent issue, as our societies continue to grow steadily more diverse, and with identity politics seemingly on the rise.

You have heard from the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mr Guido Raimondi, who explained the extremely important role of the Court’s case law in helping states navigate questions of religious freedom. The case law provides an invaluable legal compass to national authorities. As President Raimondi said, cases concerning Article 9 are often of the most intimate, personal nature, while simultaneously affecting the good of society as a whole. And in Europe we must strive always to strike the right balance between political secularism on the one hand and, the right of individuals to freely practice their beliefs, on the other. I use the word ‘balance’ very deliberately. Tip too far either way – whereby states either suffocate religious expression or else marginalise people of certain faiths or none – and you find that democracy and liberty have paid a heavy price.

I would like to commend the organisers for their choice of themes.

Today, guaranteeing religious freedom among migrant communities and within educational settings are two very real challenges for Council of Europe member states. I believe that others have spoken about the themes so, at this late stage in the opening, I would simply like to offer a supplementary thought on each.

On migration: we need to talk about Islamophobia. Openly and explicitly.

The Council of Europe has long worked to protect the rights of all faiths and denominations, as well as of agnostics and atheists. We do not privilege any over the other, and I certainly do not mean to suggest that Muslims are the only group being targeted for their beliefs. There are many in other communities, for example the Jewish community, who equally feel that their religious freedom is being threatened by a climate of growing intolerance in Europe. I single out Islam, however, because right now it is Muslims often bearing the brunt of the populist politicking witnessed in numerous member states.

This has been exacerbated by the refugee crisis and the arrival of many migrants and refugees from Syria and other Arab nations. And it worries me that, even in this House, there are some who still feel uncomfortable even using the word Islamophobia.

The fact is that Islamophobia is a distinct and growing European problem, requiring a collective European response. In his recently published report on the state of democracy and human rights in member states, the Secretary General speaks of anti-Muslim hate speech on social networks reaching unprecedented levels, with the vilification of Muslims becoming part of the mainstream discourse in some countries. He has thus called on our governments to commit, when they meet in Nicosia in a few weeks, to initiating a series of new, Europe-wide projects to help combat xenophobia and discrimination “with a particular focus on Islamophobia”.

Once the Ministers give their backing to the principle, these projects can be designed in detail, drawing on the findings and judgments of the Court, the European Committee for Social Rights and ECRI, as well as the work of the Intercultural Cities Network. The idea is to deliver these projects in co-operation with civil society, equality bodies and national human rights institutions. This seminar could very usefully feed ideas into their precise shape.

Second, on education: we need to talk about fake news. It is absolutely right that, in meetings such as this one, we think about how our education systems can support religious freedom and how faith can be appropriately expressed in schools and universities. In addition, however, I suggest we expand our view of education, also considering  the other places that young people get their information and form their opinions.

For many, it’s online, where we have seen fake news rampantly exploit and misrepresent religious views and groups.

Like the fake story that ISIS leaders called on American Muslims to back Hilary Clinton, threatening Trump supporters as “infidels” – a story which went viral last year. Or that the Pope endorsed Donald Trump – reportedly the most popular fake news piece in the three months leading up the American election. Such stories warp young perceptions of religion. They lay the foundations for stereotypes and prejudice, whether its associating ordinary Muslim citizens with terrorists, or confusing young people about the role and views of the Vatican.

Given the rise in fake news, it becomes especially important that schools are places in which young people can learn the truth about different belief systems.

Our flagship initiative to help educators teach democratic culture helps achieve this. And we also need to mobilise around the shared challenge of minimising misinformation on the internet. Otherwise our teachers are in danger of having to spend much of their time correcting untruths spread online. Again, the Secretary General has highlighted this problem in his report.

We will now be stepping up our work with journalists to promote responsible journalism, as well as working with the internet companies to look for ways to help counter fake news. We may not automatically think of fake news when we come to discuss religious freedom and young people’s education but, in my view, there is an important link. And, in Europe in particular, we must always remember the danger to freedom of religion whenever myths and propaganda can be mass produced.

With these two observations I hope I have added to what has already been said. With that, I wish you the best for the meeting.