News Desk
Rimini, August 26 – A strong appeal has been launched urging the European Union to swiftly appoint a new Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, following the expiration of the previous mandate months ago. The call came during the panel discussion “Builders of Dialogue, Religious Freedom, and Peace” held at the Rimini Meeting on Monday, organized by the Italian Roundtable on Religious Freedom or Belief.
Speaking at the event, Daniela Canclini, vice president of the Italian Roundtable, stressed the importance of ensuring that every government, including the EU, appoints an envoy capable of keeping religious freedom at the forefront of political agendas. “This role is essential to guarantee the centrality of this right in political decisions,” she said.
The urgency of the appointment was echoed by Davide Dionisi, Italy’s Special Envoy for the Promotion of Religious Freedom and the Protection of Religious Minorities Worldwide. Reviewing the work carried out in his first two years in office, Dionisi said he hoped national initiatives could pave the way for a stronger European framework. “Freedom of religion and belief is, and remains, the foundation for peace,” he noted, while acknowledging that EU efforts in this area have yet to gain momentum.
The panel brought together religious leaders, academics, and representatives of civil society to highlight how religious freedom not only constitutes a fundamental human right but also serves as a cornerstone for peace and social cohesion. Cardinal Jean-Marc Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers, underlined the complexity of protecting this right, stressing the need to affirm freedom of conscience and belief in today’s world.
Other speakers pointed to the biblical roots of freedom, the role of education in fostering peaceful coexistence, and the ongoing responsibility to safeguard human dignity. Don Massimo Carlino, a biblical scholar, linked the biblical Exodus to the foundation of true freedom, while Mauro Giacomazzi of the AVSI Foundation emphasized education as a key pathway to rediscovering shared humanity. Massimiliano Tubani of Aid to the Church in Need-Italy called for vigilance in ensuring respect for religious freedom even within Western societies.
Closing the event, Michele Brignone, director of the Oasis International Foundation, underlined that promoting religious freedom requires “intelligence and realism” alongside long-term investments in interreligious dialogue and relationship-building at the community level.