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UK SECTION |
The AEJ is active across the continent
of Europe. Please visit its website, www.aej.org,
and check AEJ Newsletters
for information about what it is doing for its members |
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Council of Europe
meeting on the role of media in the debate on religious issues By
Firdevs Robinson, CNBC-e London Correspondent, Consultant and Media Trainer |
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On 28-29
November 2011, I represented the AEJ in a two-day conference organised by the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Luxembourg. The meeting had a long
title: “Media, Beliefs and Religions: the 2011 Council of Europe
Exchange on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue.” Following
on from the 2010 Ohrid Exchange (in Macedonia), representatives from major
religions, civil society delegates, journalists and a handful of humanists
and atheists gathered together in Neumünster Abbey to discuss "the
role of the media in fostering intercultural dialogue, tolerance and mutual
understanding: freedom of expression of the media and respect towards
cultural and religious diversity." Opening
speeches were delivered by CoE Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and
the Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn. Later,
during a joint press-conference, Jagland and Asselborn presented the report “Living
Together – Combining Diversity and Freedom in 21st Century
Europe” by the Group
of Eminent Persons. One of
the most informative presentations was by Frédérique Ast of the
French Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities Commission (HALDE). She
examined cases brought to the European Court of Human Rights and how clashes
between the principles of freedom of speech and freedom of belief were
resolved. While
the Council representatives repeatedly underlined that respect for religious
beliefs should not restrict open debate on religious matters, representatives
of religions frequently argued for maintaining limitations on free speech in
order to avoid offence. Some were strongly critical of the media. In three
separate workshops I attended, there were long discussions on how religious
and non-religious beliefs are expressed in the media, how religious women
were portrayed and what role the media should play in fostering intercultural
dialogue, tolerance and understanding. I
expressed unease about the CoE wanting to give a mission to the media to
encourage dialogue among religions. I said the media had to inform the public
debate, but it was not the media's responsibility to promote religion. I also
raised the issue of Rafiq Tagi, the Azerbaijani journalist, who had had a
fatwa issued against him by an Iranian religious leader. Mr Tagi was killed only days before
the Luxembourg meeting, prompting me to invite the discussion group to
comment on the threats faced by journalists writing and commenting on
religion. At the
closing session, doubts about giving journalists the job of promoting
religion and the need for further protection for journalists against attacks
by religious groups were clearly mentioned. As
always, the best part of the event was the informal opportunity it provided
to meet and speak with a diverse group of participants which included some
prominent journalists from countries where the AEJ is present. Firdevs Robinson is a member of the
AEJ’s UK Section |
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