August 22nd – the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief marked by a webinar organised by the Coalition for Genocide Response. In May 2019, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution establishing the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief to be marked on 22 August. In recent years, violence based on religion or belief is an ever-growing problem surpassing the threshold of the legal definition of crimes against humanity, war crimes and even genocide. Speakers will discuss some of the recent most egregious atrocities based on religion or belief and consider the response which is needed.

August 22nd – the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief marked by a webinar organised by the Coalition for Genocide Response. In May 2019, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution establishing the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief to be marked on 22 August. In recent years, violence based on religion or belief is an ever-growing problem surpassing the threshold of the legal definition of crimes against humanity, war crimes and even genocide. Speakers will discuss some of the recent most egregious atrocities based on religion or belief and consider the response which is needed.

    David Alton explains the background to the webinar Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6QACc8s1zM&feature=youtu.be...

The Coalition for Genocide Response extend an invitation to a webinar marking: “The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (22 August)”. The Zoom webinar will be held on August 21st 2020 at 4 PM (BST). Details in this Post.

The Coalition for Genocide Response extend an invitation to a webinar marking: “The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (22 August)”. The Zoom webinar will be held on August 21st 2020 at 4 PM (BST). Details in this Post.

The Coalition for Genocide Response extend an invitation to a webinar marking: “The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (22 August)”. The Zoom webinar will be held on August 21st 2020 at 4 PM (BST). Details...

BBC brings the story of a detained – now disappeared – Uighur Muslim to the world – Merdan Ghappar says”Everyone was wearing a so-called ‘four-piece-suit’, a black head sack, handcuffs, leg shackles and an iron chain connecting the cuffs to the shackles……..He shouted fiercely at me, saying ‘If you remove your hood again, I will beat you to death’. And after that I dared not to talk.” Rowan Williams and Archbishop Angaelos, with many other Faith Leaders, speak out about Uighur persecution.

BBC brings the story of a detained - now disappeared - Uighur Muslim to the world - Merdan Ghappar explains that he was first kept in a police jail in Kucha: "I saw 50 to 60 people detained in a small room no bigger than 50 square metres, men on the right, women on...

Yet another site important to one religious faith has been sequestrated by political leaders of another faith. Today, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi presided over a religious ceremony to kick-start the construction of a Hindu temple on the site of a mosque whose destruction two decades ago sparked deadly riots across India. Meanwhile, the UK Government says it has raised the persecution of Christians with the  Government in India’s Haryana State and that “India’s strength, like that of the UK’s, is in its diversity and we trust the Government of India to address the concerns of people of all religions.”

Yet another site important to one religious faith has been sequestrated by political leaders of another faith. Last month saw Hagia Sophia in Istanbul appropriated by Turkey's Islamist President Erdogan. Today, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi  presided over...

Important responses to the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Read Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and Cardinal Charles Bo, who warns that in previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another’s sacred and holy buildings and sites has caused untold distress and bitterness and in our generation we should not be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history.He insists that Freedom of religion or belief is a foundational human right for everyone, of every faith and none; and recalls that in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while in China shrines have been destroyed, the Cross removed from places of worship, and even churches, like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing, demolished.

Important responses to the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Read Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and Cardinal Charles Bo, who warns that in previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another’s sacred and holy buildings and sites has caused untold distress and bitterness and in our generation we should not be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history.He insists that Freedom of religion or belief is a foundational human right for everyone, of every faith and none; and recalls that in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while in China shrines have been destroyed, the Cross removed from places of worship, and even churches, like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing, demolished.

Important responses to the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Read Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and Cardinal Charles Bo, who warns that in previous...

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is “deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief communities. This includes incidents of hate speech targeting minority religious and belief groups, as well as the rise in conspiracy theories that certain faiths or beliefs are to blame for coronavirus.”

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is “deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief communities. This includes incidents of hate speech targeting minority religious and belief groups, as well as the rise in conspiracy theories that certain faiths or beliefs are to blame for coronavirus.”

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is "deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief...

Government Responds to Islamic State  insurgency in northern Mozambique, reports of the displacement of 200,000 people, of wide-spread killings, and of the seizure of towns by IS in Cabo Delgado; an gives their assessment of reports of churches being burned down, and of Christians being attacked, in northern Mozambique. ACN Warns : “World turns its back as Mozambique crisis worsens”

Government Responds to Islamic State  insurgency in northern Mozambique, reports of the displacement of 200,000 people, of wide-spread killings, and of the seizure of towns by IS in Cabo Delgado; an gives their assessment of reports of churches being burned down, and of Christians being attacked, in northern Mozambique. ACN Warns : “World turns its back as Mozambique crisis worsens”

Government Responds to Islamic State  insurgency in northern Mozambique, reports of the displacement of 200,000 people, of wide-spread killings, and of the seizure of towns by IS in Cabo Delgado; an gives their...

Response from Government Minister on what he calls an “appalling attack on an 11 year old Christian boy from Lahore.” He says “We are urging the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan, and in accordance with international standards.”

Response from Government Minister on what he calls an “appalling attack on an 11 year old Christian boy from Lahore.” He says “We are urging the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan, and in accordance with international standards.”

Response from Government Minister on what he calls an "appalling attack on an 11 year old Christian boy from Lahore." He says "We are urging the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, as laid down in the Constitution of...

NIGERIA: ANOTHER WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN KADUNA STATE and reply from James Duddridge MP, UK Minister for Africa, about violence in Nigeria; the role of the International Criminal Court; and a commitment to study the recent report on Nigeria from the All Party Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Executioners wrongly believe that the world does not care what they are doing to innocent Nigerians.  “You that are working for infidel organisations, you are working to deliver their mandate but they do not care about your plight,”

NIGERIA: ANOTHER WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN KADUNA STATE and reply from James Duddridge MP, UK Minister for Africa, about violence in Nigeria; the role of the International Criminal Court; and a commitment to study the recent report on Nigeria from the All Party Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Executioners wrongly believe that the world does not care what they are doing to innocent Nigerians.  “You that are working for infidel organisations, you are working to deliver their mandate but they do not care about your plight,”

NIGERIA: ANOTHER WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN KADUNA STATE and reply from James Duddridge MP, UK Minister for Africa, about violence in Nigeria; the role of the International Criminal Court; and a commitment to study the recent report on Nigeria from the All Party...

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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