“It is through the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular its Articles 8 and 9, that the Council of Europe works to safeguard freedom of religion and human rights, especially in the context of migration”, said Nawel Rafik Elmrini (France, SOC), Vice-Chair of the Congress Current Affairs Committee and Thematic Rapporteur on Diversity, at the high-level seminar on “Freedom of religion in Europe: achievements and perspectives” held in Strasbourg on 28 April 2017 by the Permanent Delegation of San Marino to the Council of Europe. Noting that politicians can sometimes give into dangerous excesses in connection with the migration crisis, she underlined local and regional authorities’ duty to resist such temptations and use their leadership role for establishing dialogue. She presented the toolkit developed by the Congress to encourage the implementation of intercultural and interfaith activities at the local level and to fight against growing radicalisation leading to the rise in violent extremism or sectarian attitudes. This requires teaching about religions, mutual awareness of the various players and the promotion of gender equality, as well as religious neutrality, non-discrimination and exchanges between migrants and host societies. “It is an approach based on reasonable accommodation which would allow for the broadest expression of religious sentiments provided that such expression does not conflict with other fundamental rights that we value and promote through this toolkit,” she said in conclusion.
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