“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” – Nelson Mandela

While the UN and other international organizations have affirmed the principle of religious freedom as a human right for more than half a century, journalists and human rights groups simultaneously report on the atrocities of global persecution of minority faiths. This suggests government and private actors infringe on religious beliefs and practices around the world. Yet, religion and faith also have a strong influence on shaping human rights policies, both in the United States and abroad. With the transition to a new presidential administration, paired with President Biden's public expression of his personal Catholic faith, policy experts stand waiting to see how the Biden administration takes up the precarious issue of religion and foreign policy.

Join our virtual panel with renowned experts to discuss the interplay between human rights and faith, and how Catholicism and other religions influences human rights principles.

Keynote
Thomas Farr, President, Religious Freedom Institute 

Panelists
Olivia Enos, The Heritage Foundation
Drew Christiansen, S.J., The Berkley Center at Georgetown University

Sponsors
This event is presented by the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University and is co-sponsored by Catholic Studies and the History Department.