From July 24-26, U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will host the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. The Ministerial will convene government officials, representatives of international organizations, religious leaders, rights advocates, and members of civil society organizations from around the world to discuss challenges to religious freedom, identify concrete means to address persecution and discrimination against religious groups, and promote greater respect for religious freedom for all.
On July 24, U.S. government representatives, philanthropies, private sector organizations, and civil society organizations working to promote religious freedom will discuss best practices for accessing donor resources and for enhancing civic initiatives through collaboration with the private sector. Senior U.S. government officials will share U.S. policy priorities and solicit civil society representatives’ views on the religious freedom situation around the world.
On July 25, members of civil society groups, including religious leaders and survivors of religious persecution, will convene to tell their stories, share their expertise, and build partnerships to enhance religious freedom.
On July 26, government and international organization representatives will discuss global challenges to religious freedom, develop collaborative solutions to these challenges, and make new commitments regarding the promotion of religious freedom.
