John Taylor
International Association for Religious Freedom

The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), founded in 1900, and drawing membership from adherents of a wide range of world religions, is committed to promote the upholding of religious freedom as a fundamental human right and believes that development and implementation of preventive strategies against intolerance and discrimination are important strategies and responsibilities for governments, schools, religious communities, and individuals. As such, IARF has a special interest in the study prepared under the guidance of the UN's special rapporteur on the question of religious intolerance. The study itself took its departure from a questionnaire sent by the special rapporteur in 1994 to governments. The questionnaire inquired about policies and practices for religious education in primary and secondary schools. The resulting document, "The role of religious education in the pursuit of tolerance and non-discrimination," together with the Madrid Conference on this and other themes, present timely challenges which are compatible with IARF's 2001-2007 Strategic Plan.

It is no accident that the program priorities for IARF have been worked out in a similar timeframe to the preparation for the Madrid Conference. Certain issues such as the preventive role of religious education against intolerance and discrimination are not new, but they have gained new prominence as they have been chosen as the theme to mark the 20th anniversary in November 2001 of the UN 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

The study provides an important definition of the meaning of religious education:

"Religious education should be conceived as a tool to transmit knowledge and values pertaining to all religious trends, in an inclusive way, so that individuals realize their being part of the same community and learn to create their own identity in harmony with identities different from their own. As such, religious education radically differs from catechism or theology, defined as the formal study of the nature of God and of the foundations of religious belief, and contributes to the wider framework of education as defined in international standards."

The history and present strategic plans of IARF are grounded in liberal, nondogmatic traditions and in commitments to promote tolerance and non-discrimination which exist in many religious and non-religious cultures. This understanding of the role of IARF accords closely with the belief of the special rapporteur "that prevention can be ensured mainly through the establishment of a culture of tolerance, notably through education, which could make a decisive contribution to the promotion of human rights values and particularly attitudes and behaviours which reflect tolerance and non-discrimination - hence the role of schools." His emphasis on values, attitudes and behaviours must apply within the school, in society, and within religious communities themselves.

The results of the UN questionnaire indicated that political policies and social practices related to religious education vary widely from situations where religious education is provided in state schools on a compulsory or optional basis to situations where religious education is limited to a confessional syllabus. A considerable role has been played historically, and still today, in many parts of the world by religious communities themselves in providing religious education in both state and private schools. International prescriptions have permitted instruction in subjects such as history of religions and ethics if it is given in a "neutral and objective way" and also require "exemptions or alternatives" where instruction in a particular religion or belief is provided.

The booklet which IARF has produced for the Madrid Conference, which reviews religious education programs around the globe, reflects this diversity of approach as governments and citizens struggle to uphold their own traditions in the context of an emerging global culture. The differences in historical, scriptural, social, artistic and liturgical traditions call for different approaches, but that is seen as a potential advantage since, as noted in the report, "recognition of diversity in human experience and expression is a fundamental starting point for promoting respect for human rights and responsibilities."

The section in the UN's report on "The Content and Style of Education in the field of Religion and Conviction which can Enhance Tolerance" is especially interesting in the value that it places on children's own experiences and the curiosity of young people about human diversity, especially in multi-cultural societies. This emphasis on the need for young people to make their own discoveries and choices can be a pointed challenge to the IARF strategy to promote networks of young people who share visions and develop leadership across different continents and cultures.

The absence of such leadership and education often leads to the dangers of ignorance, not only about important parts of one's own culture, but also about those of one's neighbours. A lack of religious education is not only due to atheistic restrictions, but also to the desire to safeguard pupils against the misuse by religious communities of religious education for purposes of proselytism or exclusivism. While fears that religious education could be used for propaganda or proselytism do exist, there are safeguards in place in most countries and these should not, in turn, be used to restrict fundamental freedoms.1

While IARF much applauds the UN special rapporteur's efforts to focus on prevention, M. Gianfranco Rossi, representative of IARF to the UN at Geneva, reiterated the importance of tolerance and freedom being exemplified by actions in school and at home. He has suggested that the final document out of the Madrid Conference make more explicit reference to the need for schools to guarantee and protect the freedom of religion. In particular, he referred to the need to respect parental convictions and to protect children who are themselves from religious minorities. Rossi has pointed to the frustration and sense of exclusion still felt in some places by religious minorities.

Although the UN's report may reflect a general commitment by governments to promote tolerance and non-discrimination, it may fall to ordinary citizens and nongovernmental organizations to show sympathy and solidarity with those who fall victim to intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. In its Strategic Plan, IARF hopes to identify situations of victimization in 5 to 10 countries and to offer practical help, not least in terms of preventive strategies whereby minorities may remove some causes of misunderstanding or where majorities better respect international and national standards and, very often, their own religious principles. The plans for IARF to provide informational and educational resources might well include the giving of publicity to religious education materials or syllabi which help to overcome injustices and exclusions. The expected recommendations from the Madrid Conference could have an important place in such a strategy of communication.

END NOTES
1 It is in the interest of promoting responsible religious practices that the IARF has undertaken an effort to develop a Voluntary Code of Conduct for religious communities and groups. Adherence to good practice can reinforce the educational work for tolerance.

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