EU-voorzitter Spanje organiseert topconferentie vrijheid van geloofovertuiging en religieus radicalisme (en)

The Spanish Justice Minister, Francisco Caamaño, and the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations, Jorge Sampaio, are taking part in a high-level meeting in Cordoba on Monday which will tackle religious freedom and the prevention of religious radicalism.

The meeting, organised by the Spanish Presidency of the EU and the Alliance of Civilisations, will be attended by around 150 European experts, together with politicians, religious leaders and opinion makers.

The objective of this meeting is to serve as a platform for debate in order to analyse the current situation and the perspectives of freedom of religion and beliefs in democratic societies, as well as to present suggestions for enriching research into this subject.

Also scheduled to attend are the Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Diego López Garrido; the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain, Jacobo Israel Garzón; the advisor to Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Hadi Adanali; the French academic and expert in Islamic Studies, Olivier Roy, and Tariq Ramadan, from the Euro-Muslim Network.

Cordoba is the choice of venue because it is a city steeped in the traditions and symbolism of the three cultures (Christianity, Islam y Judaism).

The Alliance of Civilisations is a United Nations initiative, co-sponsored by Turkey and Spain, whose objective is to work towards overcoming existing rifts in international society that are connected to religious and cultural differences. .

This initiative is concerned with eradicating prejudices and errors of perception and creating a world-wide movement which, reflecting the wishes of the majority of the population, rejects extremism in any society.