Ukrainians take part in US-led three-day ministerial conference on the promotion of freedom of religion

The unprecedented three-day ministerial conference on the promotion of freedom of religion was held in Washington, D.C. with the participation of civic activists and religious leaders.

The event was held in July 24-26 at the initiative of US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, according to the Institute of Religious Freedom.

A high-level meeting of government and civil society representatives from around the world became a site for many testimonies of the brutal nature of religious persecution around the world and ended with historic multilateral commitments to make more efforts to stop them.

About 400 representatives of civil society and religious leaders gathered in the US Department of State during the first two days. Among them were delegates from Ukraine.

On the last day of the conference, foreign ministers and other high-ranking officials from more than 80 countries met. Many of these government officials have promised to launch new initiatives aimed at expanding freedom of religion in their countries.

US Vice President Mike Pence appealed to delegates and announced the United States' commitment to new programs and funding for the victims of genocide as a result of religious persecution. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that a similar ministerial conference will take place next year.

At the end of the meeting, the US Secretary of State announced the Potomac Declaration, which proclaims the content of the basic principles and values ​​of religious freedom, as well as the Potomac Plan of Action, which details how these principles can be applied.

As a result, according to RFI, the ministerial conference has become a powerful testimony to the growing tragedy of global religious persecution, which leads to terrible human suffering, the extermination of families, the destabilization of society and the threat to overall security. Experts emphasized that the promotion of religious freedom in foreign policy could reduce persecution, increase security and stability, support women's rights, preserve national culture and promote economic prosperity.

In the annual report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that Russia was responsible for religious crimes in Donbas and in Crimea in connection with the actual control of these occupied territories.

As reported by the IRS, the occupation authorities of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions uncontrolled by Ukraine continue religious persecution. In particular, the occupational administrations controlled by Russia require religious organizations to undergo a re-registration procedure, threatening to confiscate church property. Some religious communities have already suffered arbitrary searches, robbery or complete closure of temples and prayer houses.