As many as 100 representatives of institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, international organisations, academia, civil society and religious communities gathered in Sarajevo on 8 and 9 September for the international conference “Racism, Religion and Belief: Challenges and Perspectives”, dedicated to examining the complex intersections between racism, religion and belief and identifying effective responses to discrimination, hatred and intolerance.
The conference was organised by the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsperson of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Over two days, participants explored how racism, religious intolerance and discrimination based on belief manifest themselves in different social and institutional contexts, and how they intersect with identity, power and structural inequalities. Discussions addressed domestic and European legal and institutional frameworks, racial and religious discrimination, hate speech, stigmatisation and dehumanisation, as well as the impact of these phenomena on individuals, religious or belief communities and society as a whole.
Discussions also focused on the standards and case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), including principles relevant to racial and religious discrimination, indirect discrimination and domestic obligations to effectively investigate violence potentially motivated by racism or intolerance.
The conference provided a platform to discuss practical and institutional responses, including the role of equality bodies, public institutions, civil society, religious communities and local actors in preventing and addressing racism and intolerance. Particular attention was given to the importance of dialogue, inclusive policies and co-operation in strengthening mutual understanding, equality and social cohesion.
The conference was financed through the European Union and Council of Europe joint actions “Towards an Equal, Inclusive and Tolerant Bosnia and Herzegovina” and “Promoting Equality and Combating Racism and Intolerance in the Western Balkans”, implemented under the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye III”; the Council of Europe project “Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Fostering Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina”; and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.