The European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) are pleased to invite you to a side-event on Armed Forces and Freedom of Religion or Belief on Thursday, 14 September 2017, from 8h15 to 9h45 in Warsaw.
The side-event will take place in the framework of the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Europe’s largest annual human rights and democracy conference.
OSCE participating States have committed themselves to ensure freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief for all and to prohibit discrimination on any ground, including religion or belief. These principles are enshrined in major international human rights instruments. Notwithstanding this, the right to freedom of religion or belief remains under significant pressure in the OSCE region. In the armed forces, the expression of an inalienable right such as freedom of religion or belief is often confronted with the limits imposed on its manifestation by military service.
The side event will aim at sharing experiences and good practices in the OSCE region. It will encourage discussion on the right to freedom of religion or belief in the armed forces, exploring how states regulate freedom of religion or belief in the military context.
Moderator: Caroline Henrion, Policy Manager, EUROMIL
Speakers: Dr Ewa Sapiezynska, Human Rights Officer, ODIHR, Sgt Ahmed Dhalai, Assistant to the Islamic Religious Advisor, Ministry of Defence, UK, Dr Dirck Ackermann, Office of the Protestant Chaplaincy, German Armed Forces, Col Erwin Kamp, Head of the Humanist Chaplaincy Service, Dutch Armed Forces, Ida Helene Henriksen, Humanist Chaplain, Norwegian Armed Forces (TBC) and Miguel Lopez, United Association of Spanish Military (AUME).
The language of the meeting will be English. Breakfast and refreshments will be provided.
Participants wishing to attend the meeting are requested to register online at http://meetings.odihr.pl not later than 12:00 p.m. (CET), Monday, 4 September 2017.
