25th Anniversary Commemoration of 1981 UN Declaration on Religion or Belief

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Link to UN Declaration: http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/religion.htm

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25th Anniversary Commemoration - 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of
Intolerance & Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2006

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
The 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Intolerance and Discrimination
Based on Religion or Belief reaches the 25th anniversary of its adoption on
25 November 2006. The Declaration remains pivotal to taking forward freedom
of religion or belief internationally. 25 years on, it remains the only
international human rights instrument exclusively focused on the matter of
religion or belief.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
Religion or Belief is the only UN mechanism (instead of international
mechanism) exclusively focused on the matter of religion or belief. The 1981
Declaration is central to the legal framework in which she operates.

25th Anniversary
The event to be held In Prague, on 25th November 2006, represents the
official, international commemoration of the adoption of the United Nations
1981 Declaration on the Elimination of Intolerance and Discrimination Based
on Religion or Belief. The event has been endorsed by the UN Special
Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and the Netherlands Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

In her report to the UN General Assembly last year (A/60/399), the Special
Rapporteur drew attention to an important anniversary in 2006, the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the 1981 Declaration on the
Elimination of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief on
25 November 2006. "The Special Rapporteur continues to encourage governments
and non-governmental organisations to take advantage of this occasion to
organize events that will highlight the importance of promoting freedom of
religion or belief and challenge the rising tide of intolerance. Indeed, the
Special Rapporteur is aware that many such events will be taking place in
the next few months and sees this as an important reminder to us all of the
governmental consensus that led to the adoption of this important
Declaration."

International Commemoration
The international commemoration of this anniversary is being held on
Saturday 25 November 2006 in Prague, Czech Republic. This event has been
funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is being attended
by the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Mehr Khan Williams,
the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, representatives
of the Netherlands and other governments, experts, representatives of
religions and beliefs, and other members of civil society. The day's program
will include workshops on key thematic areas that continue to challenge the
realisation of the Declaration's norms the world over: Protection of
Religion or Belief vis-à-vis Freedom of Expression, Change of Religion or
Belief - Enabling the Environment, Protection of Religion or Belief - Who
benefits?, and Propagation of Religion or Belief. The afternoon program
consists of lectures by key dignitaries and experts on freedom of religion
or belief. The evening of the ceremonial event will remember the continued
violations of freedom of religion or belief, look forward to an artistic
reflection on a world in which this freedom may be widely enjoyed, hear the
speech of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and
reaffirm the norms protected in the Declaration.

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Received on Mon Oct 2 15:33:50 2006