Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes at the Ministerial on Religious Freedoms in Washington, DC.
The 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom will build on the themes of the Potomac Declaration and Plan of Action released last year. The 2019 Ministerial had a robust agenda with more topical breakout sessions, to encourage greater interaction among the increased number of attendees and panelists.
LGBT folks who attended the Ministerial were pleasantly surprised about the more supportive atmosphere here compared to last year. The panelist from Norway mentioned LGBT rights in her address which didn’t happen last year. There was also a much larger group of open LGBT folks, about 20 compared to 3 last year. The representative from Outright handed out rainbow lanyards so we were very visible.
On Day One (July 16), there were several main sessions to discuss: Building Blocks for Advancing Religious Freedom, Emerging Trends in Religious Freedom and Religious Freedom in Development and Humanitarian Assistance.
On Day Two (July 17), each of these three topics had its own separate track at the Ministerial.
The three tracks were as follows (Brent attended Track 3)
Three clergy from Metropolitan Community Churches at the Ministerial on Religious Freedom Conference. Rev Jim Merritt Rev Pat Bumgardner & Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes.
1. Building Blocks for Advancing Religious Freedom: Track 1 explored the foundation elements that ensure Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Breakout session topics included subjects such as challenges facing religious minorities, best practices in religious freedom advocacy, governments’ role in advancing FoRB, and combatting anti-Semitism.
Brent with Maria Sjödin from Outright
2. Emerging Trends in Religious Freedom: Track 2 explored emerging trends that help foster the growth of FoRB. Breakout session topics included subjects such as atrocity prevention, interfaith tolerance education to combat extremism, religious freedom and national security, religious freedom and economic prosperity, religious freedom and technology, media/reporting on religious freedom issues, and women’s rights and FoRB.
3. Religious Freedom in Development and Humanitarian Assistance. Track 3 was led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Breakout topics explored the intersection of religious communities, faith leaders, and faith based organizations and the development community.
Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum July 17, 2019 -
“Religious Liberty” or Discrimination?
“Unalienable” Rights and the Fragmentation of Human Rights
co-hosted by Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Campaign
Panelists:
· Amanda Klasing from Human Rights Watch
· Robin Maril from the Human Rights Campaign
· Preston Mitchum from Advocates for Youth and
· Philippe Nassif from Amnesty International.
· Ryan Thoreson from Human Rights Watch will moderate.
The freedom of religion and belief is a core human right. But it is increasingly being misused to restrict or deny human rights to vulnerable groups. The passage of draconian religious laws, the use of religion to restrict sexual and reproductive rights, and efforts to distinguish some rights as uniquely “unalienable” threaten to fragment a human rights framework that protects and promotes the rights of all. In this panel, human rights experts examined various areas in different regions of the world where the freedom of religion and belief has been used in a rights-restrictive way – particularly for women, LGBT people, and religious minorities – and discussed how the freedom of religion can and should be harmonized with other rights to which people are entitled.
Closing Ceremony July 18, 2019
Brent and a supportive attendee at the Washington DC conference.
Location: National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), co-hosted by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the NMAAHC.