Regional Conference on Contemporary Issues of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), Yerevan  

Director of the Office of the RTCYPP was one of the International experts invited to address the 2019 Regional Conference on Contemporary Issues of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) held by The Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Yerevan on May 24. 

The conference provided a platform for key stakeholders from the Caucasus to discuss the situation and developments of FoRB from different perspectives. Insightful discussions were held during the conference within the sessions on Global Challenges in the field of FoRB, Interreligious dialogue as a tool for conflict transformation, issues of Education and conflicting rights. 

The Conference was attended by international experts on FoRB from the UN and the OSCE, representatives of international organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and groups, government representatives and civil society members from both countries. 

Prime Minister of Armenia was present at the opening and addressed the conference alongside the Head of the UN Representation, the Dutch Ambassador and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom Of Religion or Belief (via video link). 
The conference was supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Armenia and Georgia.

Iftar at Hala Sultan Tekke

On the evening of 8 May, participants from the RTCYPP Faith for Rights Network and RTCYPP Language Classes joined the Office of RTCYPP for a visit to Hala Sultan Tekke to participate in an Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast during Ramadan) and express best wishes for a peaceful and blessed Ramadan which started a few days ago.

The fast, lasting from dawn to sunset, was broken with dates and juice when the sun set over the beautiful Salt Lake. The Imam of Hala Sultan Tekke warmly welcomed all present and everyone shared a delicious meal together. Empathy for the less fortunate, generosity and charity are some of the values encouraged during the Ramadan period. It is customary for mosques to enact this by providing food and a social space every night after sunset.

Getting to know one another , sharing the respective traditions with each other are part of the activities supported by the religious leaders of Cyprus and coordinated by the Office of RTCYPP in order to nurture respect and build trust among the different faith communities in the island.

“We are grateful for the welcome at Hala Sultan Tekke and to everyone in the visiting group for their participation as well as the deep respect shown for each other.” said Salpy Eskidjian, director of the Office of RTCYPP. “Learning, understanding and respecting one another’s traditions is a fundamental element for peaceful coexistence and reconciliation.”

The evening was documented by a Canadian film crew exploring the role of religion among other aspects of Cypriot society.

#KnowYourNeighbour #RespectOneAnother #Faith4Rights

Statement on #Faith4Rights at Global Summit on Religion, Peace and Security

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet addressed the role of religious leaders and communities in her statement on Faith for Rights at the Global Summit on Religion, Peace and Security on 29 April, 2019.

“The ‘Faith for Rights’ framework includes a commitment not to tolerate exclusionary interpretations, which instrumentalize religions, beliefs or their followers for electoral purposes or political gains… The 18 commitments [of the Faith for Rights initiative] have been translated into Greek and Turkish in the context of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, to be used in human rights education projects across the island.”

Read the full statement here: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24531&LangID=E

Or watch the video via this link: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomReligion/Pages/FaithForRights.aspx