(Prague, Czech Republic — November 11-13, 2025) From November 11 to 13, 2025, Prague hosted the 2025 High-Level International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance Conference, one of the most significant global gatherings dedicated to advancing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). The conference was convened by the Government of the Czech Republic in partnership with the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), also known as the Article 18 Alliance. It brought together government ministers, senior diplomats, parliamentarians, faith leaders, civil society organizations, academics, and youth representatives from across regions and religious traditions.
The 2025 ministerial marked an important milestone as it coincided with the fifth anniversary of the IRFBA. This anniversary served both as a moment of reflection on progress achieved since the Alliance’s founding and as a platform for renewed international coordination in response to the worsening global environment for religious freedom. Over the course of three days, participants engaged in high-level plenary sessions, ministerial dialogues, thematic panels, side events, cultural commemorations, and dedicated youth programming. Throughout the conference, FoRB was consistently framed as a foundational human right and a cornerstone of democratic societies, particularly in a global context increasingly shaped by authoritarian governance, armed conflict, technological surveillance, and transnational repression.
High-level participants and speakers included President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback and Czech Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights and Chair of the Article 18 Alliance, Robert Řehák. Their participation underscored the strong political commitment behind the conference and the continued leadership of the Czech Republic in advancing international efforts to defend freedom of religion or belief. Senior officials repeatedly emphasized the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement, accountability mechanisms, and close cooperation with civil society in responding to religious persecution worldwide.
Discussions across the program explored FoRB in relation to democratic resilience, interreligious dialogue, women’s rights, civic space, education, migration, and emerging technologies. Speakers consistently underscored that violations of freedom of religion or belief rarely occur in isolation. Rather, they are closely connected to broader patterns of repression, including restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The Prague ministerial reinforced a shared understanding that defending FoRB is inseparable from defending human dignity, pluralism, and the rule of law.
The conference also incorporated regional perspectives that examined how freedom of religion or belief shapes diverse societies, strengthens democratic values, and supports post-conflict recovery. Within this framework, a dedicated session titled “Resilience and Religious Freedom in Ukraine” focused on the struggle of individuals and religious communities affected by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Speakers highlighted the resilience of faith communities amid displacement, destruction, and violence, and discussed the critical role that religious freedom plays in preserving social cohesion and rebuilding trust during and after conflict.
A special tribute was also held in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a religious leader of Tibetan Buddhism. This tribute recognized his lifelong commitment to nonviolence, compassion, and human dignity, and served as a symbolic reminder of the moral foundations underpinning FoRB advocacy. The recognition resonated strongly with participants, particularly in light of ongoing repression of Tibetan religious identity and culture, and reinforced the universal values shared across religious and philosophical traditions.
ChinaAid’s Participation and Youth Engagement
On November 11, Anita Chang, ChinaAid’s Director of Global Missions participated in the conference as a youth representative, contributing to the Youth Panel on Freedom of Religion or Belief. ChinaAid’s participation was grounded in decades of documentation, advocacy, and survivor-centered work related to religious persecution in China. Through its engagement, ChinaAid sought to amplify survivor voices and to draw attention to emerging trends that threaten religious freedom both within national borders and across them.
ChinaAid delivered two presentations during the youth programming. The first, titled “Faith on the Run: Repression of Religious Persecution Survivors in Countries of Asylum,” examined the growing phenomenon of transnational repression targeting survivors after they flee their countries of origin. The presentation distinguished between direct forms of repression, including surveillance, monitoring, harassment, intimidation, and threats, and indirect forms such as self-censorship, psychological pressure, fear of retaliation against family members, and the infiltration and division of diaspora communities.
Drawing on case studies related to China, the presentation demonstrated how authoritarian regimes extend their reach far beyond their own borders. These practices undermine the safety and freedom of religious refugees even within democratic societies that are meant to offer protection. The presentation emphasized the need for host governments, international institutions, and civil society to better recognize transnational repression as a serious and growing threat to freedom of religion or belief.
The second presentation, “Communism’s War on Religious Identities,” analyzed the ideological and structural mechanisms through which communist authoritarian systems seek to suppress religion. Using China as a central case study, the presentation addressed state-enforced atheism, pervasive digital and physical surveillance, and centralized authoritarian governance. It also examined the broader communal and psychological impacts of repression, including ostracization, alienation, fear, complacency, and the deliberate cultivation of suspicion within communities. Together, the two presentations highlighted how repression operates not only through formal state institutions but also through social control and psychological manipulation.
In addition to speaking on the youth panel, ChinaAid also chaired and moderated a session titled “Breaking New Ground: Expanding FoRB Education Across Cultures.” This session brought together practitioners, educators, and civil society actors to discuss innovative approaches to FoRB education across diverse cultural, political, and religious contexts. Panelists emphasized contextual sensitivity, youth engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, while reaffirming the universality of freedom of religion or belief as a fundamental human right. Education was highlighted as a long-term strategy for resilience, the prevention of persecution, and the cultivation of pluralistic societies.
“Faces of Freedom” Recognition
A notable moment at the Prague conference was the recognition of individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in advancing religious freedom. ChinaAid Founder and President Bob Fu was highlighted as one of the “Faces of Freedom,” an initiative honoring survivors and advocates of religious persecution. His story was featured as part of a visual exhibition emphasizing the human faces behind FoRB advocacy.
The exhibition traced Bob Fu’s journey from religious persecution in China to international advocacy, underscoring both the personal cost of repression and the enduring role of survivors in shaping global human rights efforts. This recognition reinforced a central message of the conference, namely that effective FoRB advocacy is rooted in lived experience and sustained by those who have endured persecution firsthand.
Broader Significance of the Prague Ministerial
Throughout the conference, participants emphasized that protecting freedom of religion or belief is essential to democratic governance, social cohesion, and peace. Particular attention was given to the rise of authoritarianism, information warfare, and transnational repression, as well as the urgent need for governments to work closely with civil society. Side events and informal discussions created space for survivors, youth leaders, and grassroots organizations to engage directly with policymakers, fostering dialogue and collaboration.
The Prague ministerial reaffirmed international commitment to defending FoRB through diplomacy, education, accountability, and partnership with civil society. It also highlighted the importance of centering survivor voices and youth leadership in shaping future FoRB strategies. ChinaAid’s contributions through panel participation, session moderation, and the recognition of its founder brought sustained attention to the realities of religious repression in China and the growing challenge of transnational repression, reinforcing the urgency of coordinated global action.
