Joint EU–Bahrain Conference on Freedom of Religion & Belief: The Practice of Promoting Coexistence

📍 Steigenberger Wiltcher's, Av. Louise 71, 1050 Brussels
📅 Tuesday 28 – Wednesday 29 October 2025

 

Organised by the European External Action Service, the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), and the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance, the conference gathers senior officials, religious leaders, academics, business figures, and civil society to reflect jointly on a roadmap towards ensuring FoRB in today’s polarised world, in light of the current legal, cultural, and ethical challenges faced by our societies.

Through panels and breakout sessions, we aim to produce concrete recommendations and actionable outcomes.

Please register by 24 October 2025 via the online form above. Seats are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. A confirmation email will follow your registration.

We look forward to welcoming you in Brussels. 

 

AGENDA

Joint EU-Bahrain Conference
Freedom of Religion & Belief: The Practice of Promoting Coexistence –
Towards an EU-Bahrain roadmap

28 – 29 October 2025

Tuesday 28 October: Understanding what a “FoRB-friendly” society is – frameworks and practices. Perspectives from the EU and the Kingdom of Bahrain

Welcome, introduction and panel discussion

09:00-10:00

Welcome & Networking Coffee

  • Informal networking space for participants and contributors around warm drinks and pastries

10:00-10:45

Opening Remarks

  • Welcome address by H.E. Kajsa Ollongren – EU Special Representative for Human Rights
  • Welcome Address by H.E. Ali Alaradi – Deputy Chairman – King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance
  • Keynote Speech: “Lessons from a “FoRB-friendly” society: what have we done to make it happen?” by Prof. Saša Horvat, University of Rijeka (Croatia)

Facilitator:

Mr. Hugo MacPherson, EU Outreach Facility for the GCC

10:45-12:30

Panel: Safeguarding Freedom of Religion or Belief: A Toolbox for a Diverse World 

  • Tools contributing to securing the enjoyment of FoRB and related rights (education, regulatory framework prevention campaigns, inclusive society, prosperous economy)
  • Defining and combatting hate speech (international legal standards and approaches to combat hate speech, balancing with free speech)
  • Q&A Session

Panellists:

  • Dr. Nicola Censini, Coordinator of the Article 17 Secretariat, European Parliament (Brussels)
  • Prof. Dr. Elizabeta Kitanovic, Protestant Faculty of Theology (Belgium)
  • Ms. Hanna Veiler, President, European Union of Jewish Students (Belgium) 
  • H.E. Leena Habib Kassim, Member of Shura Council (Bahrain)
  • Mr. Daniel Haron Cohen, Member of the Council of Commissioners, National Institution for Human Rights (Bahrain)

Facilitator:

Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid AlKhalifa, Second Secretary, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Belgium and the EU (Brussels)

Information about the Breakout Sessions

12:30-14:00

Lunch

Breakout sessions - Strategies and Interventions

14:00-17:00

Parallel sessions including coffee break

Session 1: Combatting hate speech and hate crime

  • Topic: Building Resilient Communities: Strategies for Preventing Hate Speech and fighting against religious intolerance; polarisation and radicalisation
  • Panel Discussion: Grassroots Initiatives and Community-Led Interventions from EU and Bahrain; how Institutions can develop supportive legal and operational frameworks for relevant stakeholders
  • The protection of persons belonging to religious minorities
  • Q&A Session
  • Workshop: designing effective practices preventing the production of hate speech and exploring the concrete modalities of their transferability

Contributors:

  • Ms. Jelena Jovanovic, Coordinator of the EP Antiracism Intergroup (Brussels)
  • Mr. Avi Tawil, Director, European Jewish House (Belgium)
  • Dr. Badi Jaberi, Chairman of the board of directors, Baha’i Social Society (Bahrain)
  • H.E. Mohamed Yousif Al Maarafi, MP, Member of the Council of Representatives (Bahrain)
  • Mr. Andréas Hatzidiakos, ELIAMEP Research Fellow, EU Knowledge Hub (France)

Facilitator:

Mr. Stijn Ledegen, Project Officer, Defence Chaplaincy

 

Session 2: Education, Awareness and Cultural Diplomacy

  • Topic: successful examples of educating bodies/institutions as well as educational programmes and initiatives aimed at protecting/fostering FoRB effectively
  • Case Studies: Successful Educational Initiatives to Promote Respect and Inclusion; discerning how FoRB and related rights can be curtailed
  • Panel Discussion: how to change institutional practices to foster FoRB and related rights, including protecting from hateful and divisive content
  • Q&A Session
  • Workshop: identifying the key institutions, services, and processes that foster FoRB, as well as the essential components of training programmes, designed for their use, that caters for their strengthening

Contributors:

  • Dr. Maryana Hnyp, Vice-President, European Network of Religions and Beliefs (Brussels)
  • Mr. Abdassamad El-Yazidi, Chair of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany; Board Member of Eulema; Member of the Jewish-Muslim Leadership Council; Co-Chair of the Abraham Forum (Germany)
  • Ms. Ludmila Malai, EU Project Manager, Intercultural Dialogue Platform (Brussels)
  • Ms. Anne Grady, Cultural Heritage Expert, Secretariat of the Committee on Culture and Education, European Parliament (Brussels)
  • H.E. Dr. David Fernández Puyana, Permanent Observer of UPEACE
  • Dr. Fuad Mohammed Alansari, President of the University of Bahrain

Facilitator:

Ms. Rachel Forster, Policy Officer, Search For Common Ground (Brussels)

14:00-17:00

Parallel sessions including coffee break

Session 3: FoRB with Artificial Intelligence 

  • Topics: the challenges of educating to AI to preserve FoRB and Freedom of expression while fencing of hate speech and fake news; how AI can be harnessed to foster FoRB and related rights by public institutions, civil society and other relevant stakeholders
  • Showcase: Innovative Tech Solutions for promoting FoRB/Freedom of expression and combatting hate speech
  • Panel Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities in Using Technology to Combat Hate Speech and the spread of manufactured divisive information
  • Q&A Session
  • Workshop: identifying effective and transferable AI-powered tools and practices fostering FoRB and preventing the dissemination of hate speech and fake news

Contributors:

  • Prof. Dr. Pasquale Annicchino, University di Foggia (Italy)(Online)
  • Dr. Zahed Amanullah, Senior Fellow, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (London)
  • Ms. Tekla Emborg, EU AI Policy Researcher, Future of Life Institute (Brussels)
  • Ms. Adèle Féront, AI Integrity & Digital Safety Strategist; EMEA Policy Lead, Integrity Regulation Strategy, Meta (speaking in a personal capacity) (Brussel)
  • Mr. Yassine Elagdi, AI consultant, KHGC (Bahrain)

Facilitator:

Mr. Alessandro Benedetti, Representative of the Baha’i International Community Brussels Office (Brussels)

Wednesday 29 October: Innovation and Collaboration 

09:00-09:30

Welcome and registration of participants

09:30-10:00

Introduction to the day and feedback from the break-out sessions of Day 1

10:00-11:30

Panel: Freedom of Religion and Belief, Coexistence & Tolerance in the EU, the Gulf Region and Beyond

  • Panel Discussion: Identify avenues for promotion of FoRB in the EU, the Gulf and on the global stage
  • Q&A Session

Panellists:

  • Dr. Vincent Depaigne, EC Coordinator on Art. 17, EC DG JUST, Secretariat to EU Special Envoy for FoRB
  • Prof. Dr. Alberto Melloni, Chair of the EU Research Infrastructure RESILIENCE-RI; Secretary of Fscire; UNESCO Chair on Religious Pluralism and Peace, Sapienza, University of Rome (Italy)
  • Ms. Noora Almansoori, Director of Coexistence, KHGC (Bahrain)
  • Dr. Badi Jaberi, Chairman of the board of directors, Baha’i Social Society (Bahrain)
  • Mr. Mahendra Bhatia, General Secretary of the Thattai Hindu community and Shrinathji (Shri Krishna) Temple (Bahrain)

Facilitator:

Dr. Katrin Hatzinger, Director, Brussels Office of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) (Brussels)

11:30-12:00

Coffee break

12:00-12:30

Closing Ceremony

  • Recap of Key Insights and Recommendations from Conference Sessions
  • Presentation: key elements of the joint roadmap as emerging from the workshops
  • Vote of Thanks
  • Announcement of Future Initiatives and Partnerships

Panellists:

  • Anna-Maria Panagiotakopoulou, Head of Arabian Peninsula and Iraq Division (MENA.4), EEAS (Brussels)
  • H.E. Ali Alaradi, Deputy Chairman, King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance (Bahrain)

Facilitator:

Mr. Hugo MacPherson, EU Outreach Facility for the GCC

12:30

Light lunch and departure of participants

 

Note: The agenda is tentative and subject to change and can be adjusted based on the availability of speakers and the specific needs of the conference participants.