In the context of the conference titled “How can interreligious engagement help to re-invigorate the European democracies?” held in Berlin, Germany, on Tuesday, 14 May 2024, COMECE emphasised the positive role of religion, including interreligious dialogue, in strengthening the values that are foundational to democracy.
COMECE General Secretary Fr. Barrios Prieto participating in the conference “How can interreligious engagement help to re-invigorate the European democracies?”. (Photo: SIR/COMECE)
Speaking at the event, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), remarked: “The Council of Europe and the European Union should engage more structurally with religious communities, not only during times of democratic backsliding, polarisation, and instrumentalisation of religion. Religions can offer, in these post-secular and post-true times, deep roots to the values that are the foundation of democracy, like the dignity of the human person, solidarity, respect for the other.”
The conference was organised by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development under the auspices of Liechtenstein’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.