Religious Freedom Events & Opportunities – 2025 Calendar - Faith & Freedom News

A Comprehensive Calendar of International Religious Freedom Conferences and Initiatives

Religious freedom scholars, advocates, and policymakers have several significant events to look forward to in the coming months. From academic conferences to policy discussions, these gatherings provide essential forums for advancing understanding and protection of religious liberty worldwide. Let’s explore these upcoming opportunities chronologically, beginning with the most immediate events.

Today: History of Interreligious Coexistence in Argentina (April 24, 2025)

Today marks an important virtual event organized by the Consejo Argentino para la Libertad Religiosa (CALIR), focusing on the rich history of interreligious coexistence in Argentina. This online gathering offers an accessible opportunity to learn about Argentina’s unique religious landscape and how different faith communities have navigated shared social spaces throughout the country’s history.

The virtual format makes this event particularly accessible for international participants interested in comparative religious freedom studies, offering insights from a Latin American perspective that can inform global religious liberty discussions.

Judaism and Pluralism in the Context of Global Diversity (April 29, 2025)

Just five days from now, Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs will host a significant discussion on Judaism and pluralism. Taking place in Washington, DC, this event will examine how Jewish traditions engage with religious diversity in our increasingly interconnected world.

The discussion will likely explore both theological and practical dimensions of pluralism, offering valuable insights for scholars, religious leaders, and policy experts interested in fostering interreligious understanding. The Berkley Center has a strong reputation for bringing together diverse voices to address complex questions at the intersection of religion and public life.

4th Annual Freedom of Religion Roundtable (May 1, 2025)

The beginning of May brings the 4th Annual Freedom of Religion Roundtable in Kennesaw, Georgia. Scheduled for 6:30 PM Eastern Time, this panel discussion focuses on supporting religious liberty and human dignity. The roundtable format encourages dynamic conversation between experts, allowing for nuanced exploration of current challenges and opportunities in religious freedom advocacy.

For attendees in the southeastern United States, this event provides a valuable opportunity to engage with religious liberty issues from multiple perspectives in an interactive setting that welcomes audience participation.

Governance in Nigeria: Foundation for Securing Freedom of Religion or Belief (May 5, 2025)

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will host an important event focusing specifically on Nigeria on May 5th in Washington, DC. This gathering will examine how governance structures impact religious freedom in Africa’s most populous nation, which has faced significant religious tensions and violence in recent years.

USCIRF events typically bring together policy experts, religious freedom advocates, and government officials, making this an important opportunity for those interested in the intersection of governance, security, and religious liberty. The focus on Nigeria reflects growing international concern about religious persecution in various regions of the country.

Call for Applications: ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief (Deadline: May 5, 2025)

The same day marks an important deadline for professionals in the field. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is accepting applications for its Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief through May 5th. This prestigious appointment offers qualified experts the opportunity to contribute directly to the OSCE’s work protecting and promoting religious freedom across Europe and Central Asia.

For academics, legal experts, and religious freedom practitioners, this represents a significant opportunity to shape policy and practice at the international level. The OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security makes this panel particularly influential in addressing religious freedom challenges across the region.

Call for Proposals: Intermediate Actors and Religious Accommodations (Deadline: May 15, 2025)

The International Journal for Religious Freedom has issued a call for proposals on “Intermediate Actors and Religious Accommodations,” with abstracts due by May 15th. This scholarly opportunity invites researchers to explore how institutions positioned between individuals and the state—such as schools, hospitals, and businesses—navigate religious accommodation issues.

This publication opportunity allows scholars to contribute to the growing literature on practical religious freedom implementation in diverse organizational contexts. The focus on intermediate actors reflects the journal’s interest in exploring religious liberty beyond traditional state-citizen relationships.

Morocco Conference (May 18-21, 2025)

The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies will host its annual conference in Morocco from May 18-21. This multi-day gathering brings together scholars, religious leaders, and policy experts from across Africa and beyond to discuss religious freedom developments on the continent.

The conference location in Morocco—a nation with its own distinctive approach to religious pluralism—provides an appropriate setting for discussions about religious coexistence in diverse societies. For anyone interested in religious freedom developments in Africa, this event represents one of the year’s most significant gatherings.

11th Annual Law & Religious Freedom Conference (May 29, 2025)

The University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School will host its 11th Annual Law & Religious Freedom Conference on May 29th. This hybrid event allows both in-person and virtual participation, making it accessible to a broad audience of legal scholars, practitioners, and students interested in religious liberty jurisprudence.

The conference’s focus on legal dimensions of religious freedom makes it particularly valuable for those interested in constitutional protections, legislative developments, and court decisions affecting religious practice and belief. The hybrid format demonstrates the organizers’ commitment to making these important discussions widely available.

Religious Freedom Annual Review: Religion, Peace, & Human Flourishing (June 17, 2025)

Looking further ahead, Brigham Young University’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) will host its Religious Freedom Annual Review on June 17th in Provo, Utah. The theme—”Religion, Peace, & Human Flourishing: Understanding the Whys of Religious Freedom”—suggests a focus on the fundamental purposes and benefits of religious liberty protections.

This annual event typically attracts leading scholars, advocates, and policymakers from around the world, making it one of the most comprehensive gatherings in the religious freedom field. The focus on understanding “the whys” of religious freedom indicates an interest in exploring both theoretical foundations and practical benefits of robust religious liberty protections.

EVENT, 17 June 2025: Religious Freedom Annual Review: Religion, Peace, & Human Flourishing: Understanding the Whys of Religious Freedom (Provo, UT, USA) (International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)

HYBRID EVENT, 29 May 2025: 11th Annual Law & Religious Freedom Conference (Kansas City, MO, USA) (University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School)

EVENT, 18-21 May 2025: Morocco Conference (The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS, abstracts due 15 May 2025: Intermediate Actors and Religious Accommodations (International Journal for Religious Freedom)

EVENT, 5 May 2025: Governance in Nigeria: Foundation for Securing Freedom of Religion or Belief (Washington, DC, USA) (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, deadline 5 May 2025: Join ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)

EVENT, 1 May 2025 (6:30PM ET): 4th Annual Freedom of Religion Roundtable (Kennesaw, GA, USA) (A panel discussion in support of religious liberty and human dignity)

EVENT, 29 April 2025: Judaism and Pluralism in the Context of Global Diversity (Washington, DC, USA) (Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 24 April 2025: History of Interreligious Coexistence in Argentina (Consejo Argentino para la Libertad Religiosa (CALIR))

The Growing Global Conversation on Religious Freedom

This impressive lineup of events demonstrates the increasing global attention being paid to religious freedom issues. From academic conferences to policy discussions and publication opportunities, these gatherings reflect diverse approaches to understanding and protecting freedom of religion or belief worldwide.

For scholars, advocates, practitioners, and policymakers in this field, these events offer valuable opportunities to share research, build networks, and collaborate on addressing religious freedom challenges. Whether participating virtually or in person, engaging with these forums can significantly enhance one’s understanding of the complex religious liberty landscape in today’s pluralistic world.

As religious freedom continues to face challenges globally, these spaces for constructive dialogue and collaborative problem-solving become increasingly vital for advancing this fundamental human right in diverse cultural, legal, and political contexts.