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External Event

How Society Cares for the Dead – A Matter of Freedom of Religion or Belief and Human Dignity

Dignified care for the dead is inextricably linked to respect for freedom of religion or belief. Religious communities provide spaces for mourning and remembrance, organise rituals such as funerals and memorial services, and offer patterns of interpretation that help to understand death and loss.

However, these central aspects of religious life are restricted or even deliberately violated in many parts of the world and in different contexts: Due to hatred against religious minorities and in the context of war and authoritarian rule, graves and cemeteries are desecrated or destroyed. Dead bodies are mistreated and the bereaved are left in the dark about the whereabouts of the mortal remains. At the same time, burial legislation is often designed in such a way that it is impossible for religious minorities to perform burial rituals in accordance with their religious beliefs. In the context of migration and displacement, there is often still a lack of awareness of the importance of caring for the dead in a manner that is sensitive to the religious beliefs of the deceased and their surviving relatives.

Event details:

The first part of the online conference will provide a systematic overview of challenges and violations of freedom of religion or belief in relation to death and the honouring of the deceased, presenting concrete examples from different countries (Iran, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, Italy an Germany). The focus will be on the far-reaching consequences of these challenges and violations for bereaved relatives, affected communities and society as a whole. The second part will discuss practical solutions.

The second part will discuss practical solutions.

Experts and political decision-makers will participate in the conference, including:

  • Prof. Dr. Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief,
  • Thomas Rachel, Member of the German Bundestag, Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion or Belief,
  • Lamya Kaddor, Member of the German Bundestag, Religious Affairs Officer of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the German Bundestag,
  • and other experts and representatives of affected communities and civil society organisations.

Please note that PaRD serves solely as an intermediary for information on this event and assumes no liability for the accuracy of the details provided. This event is not coordinated by PaRD. For further information or to register, please contact the organiser directly via the provided links. By clicking on these links, you may be redirected to third-party websites. PaRD is not responsible for their data protection practices; please consult the website's privacy policy for details.