We invite you to watch the recording of the RODM Online debate “Prevention violence based on religion or belief” organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Warsaw Institute and the Regional Centre for International Debate in Torun. The event took place on 21 August 2020.
The UN General Assembly adopted on May 28, 2019, a resolution establishing August 22 as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. Poland came out with this initiative, and an interregional group of countries participated in the preparation of its text. The General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, which was received very positively by the world public opinion and a number of international organizations which are trying to publicize the problem of persecution and to counteract such activities. Research published in international reports on religious freedom, compiled by organizations such as: Aid to the Church in Need, the American Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Open Doors, and the Pew Research Center confirm an unprecedented increase in violence against believers of almost every faith and religion on every continent – among which Christians experience the greatest persecution. Alas, the problem of persecution also applies to cultural beliefs and values.
The invited experts were:
– Rev. Fr. Prof. Piotr Roszak – professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń; Associate Professor at the University of Navarre, Pamplona
– Rev. Fr. Dr. Mariusz Boguszewski – director of Aid to the Church in Need office in Warsaw
– Dr. Mariusz Sulkowski – Assistant professor at the Department of Political Theory and Political Thought at the Institute of Political Science of the UKSW
The debate was moderated by dr hab. Piotr Wawrzyk – secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.
The whole event was led by dr. Jan Wiśniewski – coordinator of RODM Toruń.
The speakers spoke, inter alia, on interreligious, interfaith and intra-religious dialogue. They agreed that these are very important measures to increase awareness, reconciliation and tolerance, as well as to prevent conflict and reduce the escalation of violence. According to them, the state is responsible for creating the appropriate conditions for this dialogue. They also agreed that respect and non-discrimination as regards freedom to practice, teach or celebrate one’s religion or belief is one of the foundations of stable, democratic and peaceful societies.
During the debate, Deputy Minister Piotr Wawrzyk stated: “The topic of preventing violence based on religion or beliefs should be of special importance to us and has been constantly raised by Poland in the international debate for several years.”
