“Communication helps to overcome prejudices, prevent negative stereotypes and build –or re-build– trust in societies,” Mr. Bielefeldt said, announcing a Regional Conference on ‘Broadening Cross-Boundary Communications’, to be held in Cyprus from 7 to 8 October 2015.
“Violence committed in the name of religion can be prevented through cross-boundary communications,” stressed the human rights expert, who has been cooperating closely with the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process in promoting interreligious dialogues on the whole island.
Mr. Bielefeldt has in the previous two years taken part in the Interreligious Roundtable on Human Rights in Cyprus that brought together the religious leaders on the island. The cooperation among the religious leaders has led to consistent progress in the realization of freedom of religion or belief on the whole island.
“Building upon the encouraging outcome of the Cyprus Interreligious roundtable, the two-day Regional Conference aims to reach out to different actors of the MENA region, and to facilitate an exchange of their experiences in their experiences in interreligious or interfaith dialogues,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Read more on the website of the United Nations Office of the High Comissioner for Human Rights.