Religion and Belief Systems Philosophies Arts and Architecture Literature Asia 14001700

What is religion and conventionalities?

Conventionalities is a state of the heed when we consider something true even though we are not 100% certain or able to prove it. Everybody has beliefs about life and the world they experience. Mutually supportive beliefs may form belief systems, which may exist religious, philosophical or ideological.
Religions are conventionalities systems that chronicle humanity to spirituality. The following definition from Wikipedia provides a adept overview of the many dimensions of faith:
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ideals, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. […] Many religions accept organised behaviours, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural), and/or scriptures. The do of a faith may besides include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, betrothed services, meditation, music, art, trip the light fantastic, public service, or other aspects of human culture. However, in that location are examples of religions for which some or many of these aspects of structure, conventionalities, or practices are absent-minded.^one

Beliefs in the spiritual dimension of life have existed since time immemorial. Many man societies have left us historical prove of their systems of belief, whether information technology was worship of the sun, of gods and goddesses, knowledge of good and evil or of the sacred. Stonehenge, the Bamiyan Buddhas, the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Uluru at Alice Springs, the Bahá'í Gardens of Haifa, Fujiyama, the sacred mount of Japan, Kaaba in Saudi Arabia or the Aureate Temple in Amritsar all bear attestation to the human experience of spirituality, which may be an objective reality or a result of the human yearning for an explanation of the meaning of life and our role in the world.
In the simplest sense, religion describes "the human relationship of human beings to what they regard equally holy, sacred, spiritual or divine".^two Information technology is usually accompanied past a set of organised practices which foster a community of people who share that faith. As discussed in a higher place, belief is a broader terms and it also includes "commitments which deny a dimension of existence beyond this globe".ⁱⁱⁱ

Religions and other belief systems in our environment have an influence on our identity, regardless of whether we consider ourselves religious or spiritual or non. At the same time, other parts of our identity, our history, our approach to other religions and groups considered "dissimilar" will influence how we translate that religion or belief organization.

Question: What religions are practised in your country?

Religions and related social and cultural structures accept played an of import part in homo history. Equally mental structures, they influence the way we perceive the world around united states and the values we accept or reject. As social structures, they provide a supporting network and a sense of belonging. In many cases, religions have become the ground of ability structures and accept become intertwined with it. History, remote and contempo, is full of examples of "theocratic" states, be they Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or other. The separation between country and faith is still recent and only partly practical: in that location are official state religions in Europe and de facto land religions. In most cases this does not pose a particular problem as long as it is tempered by values of tolerance.

Statistics on religion or belief adherents can never exist very accurate, because the dynamic nature of this pattern every bit well as the fact that many people among us live in contexts where freedom of religion and conventionalities is not enjoyed. The statistics below are, therefore, intended to exemplify the diversity of the global picture. The figures indicate the estimated number of adherents of the largest religions⁴:

African Traditional and Diasporic:	100 one thousand thousand
Baha'i:	7 million
Buddhism:	376 million
Cao Dai:	4 million
Chinese traditional organized religion:	394 1000000
Christianity:	2.one billion
Hinduism:	900 one thousand thousand
Islam:	1.v billion
Jainism:	4.2 million
Judaism:	14 one thousand thousand
Neo-Paganism:	1 million
Primal-ethnic (tribal religionists, ethnic religionists, or animists):	300 million
Rastafarianism:	600 thousand
Shinto:	four meg
Sikhism:	23 milllion
Spiritism:	15 1000000
Tenrikyo:	2 1000000
Unitarian-Universalism:	800 one thousand
Zoroastrianism:	2.6 one thousand thousand

The number of secular, non-religious, doubter and atheists is estimated at one.1 billion.

Question: Which religions are missing in this list?

Different religions and beliefs have long existed in the European region as well. In some historical periods, Europe has provided refuge to persecuted religious groups and allowed a diverseness of religions and beliefs to flourish. At other times, however, European countries have fallen prey to fanaticism and been engrossed in "religious wars", such as the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 that led to the slaughter of i-third of the continent's population.
The misuse, or corruption, of religious arguments has led to the justification of painful conflicts and wars, persecutions and intolerance. Regardless of how we understand these historical legacies, a broad range of religions and beliefs be in Europe and they take and proceed to have an impact on our societies. In this way, religion and belief are important factors to consider in relation to young people and youth work considering, directly or indirectly, they have an bear on on young people's identity and sense of belonging.

Freedom of faith or belief in human rights instruments

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and faith; this right includes liberty to alter his organized religion or belief, and liberty, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in educational activity, practice, worship and observance.
Universal Proclamation of Homo Rights, Article xviii

This was later confirmed in the International Covenant on Ceremonious and Political Rights too as in several regional binding human rights documents, such as the African Charter on Human being and People'south Rights (Article 8) or the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Commodity ix).
The United nations Human Rights Committee emphasises that this freedom is "far-reaching and profound", that information technology "encompasses freedom of thought on all matters, personal confidence and the commitment to religion or belief, whether manifested individually or in community with others", that the liberty for conscience should be equal to that for religion and belief and that protection is for "theistic, non-theistic and atheistic behavior, as well as the right not to profess whatever religion or belief".^v Accordingly, any serious belief or confidence – whether a person is Sikh, against hunting, pacifist, Mormon, vegan or ideologically driven by activism against climate change – can be protected within this correct.

This freedom in international law was historically focused on the religious freedom of minority communities. Today, laws securing freedom of organized religion and belief are no longer focused on the demand to maintain the condition quo in order not to undermine regional security, merely spotlight a number of concerns including non-discrimination, equality and dignity. Championing this liberty has societal as well as individualist rationales, assuasive people the telescopic to (openly) seek, (vigorously) discuss and (freely) uphold the beliefs that they cull, alone or along with others. Achieving an enabling surroundings for this liberty requires not only non-interference on the grounds of organized religion or belief by the state but positive measures to be taken to reach and maintain such an environment in society at large. In practice, this should include, for example, the possibility to make available places of worship or to provide moral and religious education.

Question: Are you a member of any religious community? How did y'all get involved?

As with all other human rights, this freedom does non "trump" other freedoms and information technology sometimes finds itself in tension with other human rights, such as liberty of opinion and expression and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sex activity or sexual orientation. This is reflected for example in the manner Article 9 of the European Convention on Homo rights is structured: at that place is an absolute protection of the right to religious conventionalities, conscience and thought, simply the manifestations only enjoy a qualified protection in and so far as they practice not violate other human rights.

European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Article ix
1.  Everyone has the right to freedom of idea, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to modify his religion or conventionalities, and liberty,
either alone or in customs with others and in public or individual, to manifest his religion or conventionalities, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2.  Freedom to manifest one's organized religion or behavior shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic
society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public gild, health or morals, or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Freedom of religion and conventionalities – including freedom to change religion – is essential to all of usa, in our search for meaning, our full development, our identity and our expression every bit members of a community or communities. Whether we have a firm religion or conventionalities, whether nosotros are undecided, or fifty-fifty if we do non really care much for religion or conventionalities, this freedom matters to people and the societies they build.

^{Are at that place any communities in your country that do not enjoy the same level of liberty of organized religion and belief equally others?}

Challenges to and violations of the freedom of organized religion or belief

Throughout religious history, many religious and societal features accept been embedded in the environment where a detail religion was practised, and they are reflected in civilization and politics. Many pieces of literature, poetry, art and music, dress codes and ways of organising life together have been fatigued from religions. Religion has made a potent imprint on culture, which can exist seen, for example, on holy days, at feasts, in spousal relationship ceremonies, burying practices, pilgrimages, the wearing of religious symbols (e.g. jewellery or dress codes), or in physical alterations to the body, such every bit male circumcision.
The influence of religions may become fifty-fifty stronger when nations adopt a state organized religion or religious ideology. In such situations, religion and religious arguments may go confused with the political, economic or social reasoning.

The extent to which freedom of thought, conscience and organized religion allow distinctive practices of a community of believers to diverge from those of the rest of the society is often debated within the human rights customs. Examples of this include attitudes towards women in religious leadership positions, traditional ceremonies involving children, laws surrounding wedlock, divorce or burial, prohibition on the delineation of divine beings or other religious figures, and then on.

In such contexts, the man rights bodies would criticise harmful practices, regardless of whether they were traditionally condoned by particular cultures, nations or religions. Such criticism is not an attack on culture, nationality or faith but an effort to strike a balance between the right to ane'southward religions and belief and other man rights, since several of these practices can result in serious human rights abuse. Harmful traditional practices include female person genital mutilation, son-preference (which tin manifest itself in sex activity-selective ballgame, declining to care for newborn girls, discrimination in pedagogy in favour of sons, discrimination in diet), arranged or forced marriages, marriage of children, dowry-related crimes and crimes justified by "honour", exclusion or limitation of some rights of not-adherents to a more than powerful religious group in a given community, segregation according to religious lines, and so on. Such practices unduly affect women and children: invoking tradition is used to justify bigotry on the basis of gender and historic period. Furthermore, in several cases, situations which, from a human rights perspective, are a violation of human dignity, remain unrecognised, taboo and unpunished. Few of these practices are based on religious precepts; the fact that they are deeply anchored in civilisation and tradition practice non make catastrophe them any easier. Changes have to come through legislative change, education and empowerment.
Throughout history, religions take played a crucial role in imposing limitations on human action in social club to protect the physical and psychological integrity or dignity of other people. Yet, even though religious philosophies have contributed to the development of a conscience of man rights and dignity, the homo rights related to religion and belief are no more exempt from the tensions and contradictions that are present in human rights instruments, than are other rights. As seen in the case of harmful traditional practices, sometimes convictions or behavior are used to justify outright concrete harm with severe health consequences.

Question: Are there religious practices in your community/ies that you lot consider harmful?

Discrimination and intolerance
on grounds of religion or belief

Religious intolerance can exist observed at unlike levels: amongst adherents of the same organized religion (intra-religious intolerance); between ane religion or religious attitude and another, manifesting itself in diverse forms of conflicts betwixt persons and groups of persons (inter-religious intolerance); in the form of confrontational atheism or confrontational theism, which are intolerant of gratis choice and practice of other religions or conventionalities commitments; or in the course of anti-secularism. Religious intolerance is often confused with xenophobia and other forms of bigotry; sometimes it is also used to justify bigotry.
Most human being rights violations related to freedom of religion and belief are also related to liberty from discrimination. Discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief is contrary to human rights but it is notwithstanding experienced daily by many people across Europe. The fact that religion and belief are often confused with culture, nationality and ethnicity makes information technology more than complicated simply also more painful on an individual level: you lot may be discriminated against on the grounds of religious affiliation even if you happen non to believe in the religion you lot are associated with.

Bigotry and intolerance impact negatively on society equally a whole, and peculiarly on young people who feel it. Such effects include:

• Depression self-esteem
• Self-segregation
• Internalised oppression
• Disengagement from school activities
• Non-fulfilment of their potential
• Attraction to tearing extremist ideologies
• School drib-out
• Wellness problems / low^vi

Religious intolerance is also used to feed hatred in, and to contribute to, armed conflicts, not then much considering it is the cause of conflict only because religious belonging is used to describe dividing lines, as armed conflicts in the Balkans and Caucasus demonstrate. The consequences of international terrorism and the "wars on terrorism" have been especially devastating in Europe and across, notably considering religious intolerance becomes mixed with xenophobia and racism.
No single social group, religion or customs has the monopoly of discrimination. Even though the levels of protection of the freedom of faith and conventionalities vary significantly across the member states of the Council of Europe, religious intolerance and discrimination affects everyone in Europe.

Intolerance and bigotry
against Muslims (Islamophobia)

Of particular concern in several European countries is the rise of Islamophobia, the fear and hatred of Islam, resulting in discrimination confronting Muslims or people associated with Islam. Islam is the most widespread religion in Europe after Christianity and the bulk religion in various fellow member states of the Council of Europe. The hostility towards Islam equally a organized religion and to Muslim people, particularly post-obit the "wars on terror", has revealed deep-rooted prejudices confronting Muslims in many European societies. With the perception of the faith of Islam as being associated only with terrorism and extremism, Islamophobia has contributed to negative views of Islam and Muslims, wrongly generalising militant religious extremism and ultra-conservatism onto all Muslim countries and Muslim people. This intolerance and stereotyped view of Islam has manifested itself in a number of ways, ranging from verbal or written abuse of Muslim people, bigotry at schools and workplaces, and psychological harassment or pressure level, to outright violent attacks on mosques and individuals, especially women who wear headscarves.⁷ In this context, mass-media has played a role, offering at times representations of Muslim people which were distorted, if not outright stereotyped and defamatory.
Like other victims of discrimination grounded on religious affiliation, discrimination against Muslims may overlap with other forms of bigotry and xenophobia, such equally anti-immigrant sentiments, racism and sexism.

6 recurring prejudices about Muslims

Yet:

Muslims are seen as all beingness much the same every bit each other, regardless of their nationality, social class and political outlook, and of whether they are observant in their beliefs and exercise.
All are motivated by religion: It is idea that the single almost important thing most Muslims, in all circumstances, is their religious faith. So, if Muslims engage in violence, for case, it is assumed that this is because their organized religion advocates violence.
Totally "other": Muslims are seen equally totally "other": they are seen as having few if whatever interests, needs or values in common with people who practice not have a Muslim groundwork.
Culturally and morally inferior: Muslims are seen as culturally and morally inferior and decumbent to being irrational and violent, intolerant in their handling of women, cynical towards world views unlike from their ain, and hostile and resentful towards "the Westward" for no proficient reason.
Threat: Muslims are seen as a security threat, in tacit or open sympathy with international terrorism and bent on the "Islamisation" of the countries where they live.
Co-operation is impossible: As a consequence of the previous five perceptions, information technology is claimed that there is no possibility of active partnership betwixt Muslims and people with different religious or cultural backgrounds.
Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Bigotry confronting Muslims, OSCE/ODIHR, Quango of Europe and UNESCO.

Anti-Christian sentiments (Christianophobia)

Christianophobia refers to every form of bigotry and intolerance against some or all Christians, the Christian religion, or the practice of Christianity. Similar other forms of bigotry based on religion, the perpetrators may be people from other religions – often the majority religions – as much equally secular institutions. Hostility against Christians manifests itself in attacks against places of worship, exact abuse and, particularly in countries where Christians are a minority, restrictions on edifice and sometimes preserving churches or monasteries.
Particularly worrying is the rise in attacks confronting Christians in the Centre East. A recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly on this matter calls, amongst other things, for the demand to "raise awareness about the demand to gainsay all forms of religious fundamentalism and the manipulation of religious behavior for political reasons, which are so oft the cause of present day terrorism. Education and dialogue are two important tools that could contribute towards the prevention of such evils"⁸.

Question: Have you ever experienced whatever bias towards you considering of your religion or belief? How did you lot react?

Antisemitism

Antisemitism – hostility towards Jews as a religious or minority group often accompanied by social, economic, and political bigotry – is an instance of the combination of racism and religious discrimination. Fifty-fifty though the direct targets of antisemitism are Jewish people, the motivation for bigotry and violence is not necessarily based on Judaism as a organized religion but on Jews equally a people.
Reports from homo rights organisations regularly state an alarming ascent in the number of antisemitic attacks accompanied, in some countries, by the rise of openly antisemitic spoken language in the political arena. Events include attacks against Jewish schools, "while Jewish pupils were assaulted, harassed, and injured in growing numbers on their mode to and from school or in the classroom, including by their classmates. Educators report that the term "Jew" has get a popular swearword amid youngsters."^ix Rather than existence bars to extremist circles, Antisemitism is thus increasingly being mainstreamed.
In its Recommendation No. 9 on the fight against Antisemitism, adopted in 2004, the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance recommends, amongst others, fellow member states to ensure that criminal law penalises antisemitic acts such as:
public incitement to violence, hatred, discrimination, public insults, defamation and threats aimed at a person or a grouping of persons on the grounds of their actual or presumed Jewish identity or origin
the public expression, with an antisemitic aim, of an ideology which depreciates or denigrates a grouping of persons on the grounds of their Jewish identity or origin
the public denial, trivialisation, justification or condoning, of the Shoah and of crimes of genocide, crimes confronting humanity or state of war crimes committed against persons on the grounds of their Jewish identity or origin
the desecration and profanation, with an antisemitic aim, of Jewish property and monuments
the cosmos or the leadership of a group which promotes Antisemitism.

Religious intolerance and bigotry is not limited to Antisemitism, Christianophobia or Islamophobia. Among the many forms of discrimination is the non-recognition of some religions and the divergence of treatment between them. Religions and systems of conventionalities can thus be banned, persecuted or closely controlled considering of their alleged "sectarian" nature or their irrelevance on the grounds of being "insignificant".
Information technology is important to recall that freedom of faith and conventionalities includes the right to change faith and the correct not to attach to, or declare, a religion.

Question: What happens if y'all determine to adopt a religion different from your family and community?

Despite the growing and widespread manifestations of religious intolerance, it is important to bear in listen that religion and human rights are perfectly compatible and that only a human rights framework tin can secure freedom of religion and belief for all.
The history of Europe is, indeed, full of examples of violence and barbarity in the name of religion. These acts have been and are beingness committed by men and women, not commanded by religious precepts, only by people.
Fortunately, the history and the reality of our world is besides a living evidence of the optimism of religious diverseness: no single order is mono-religious and no single system of idea has e'er prevailed, even under the most extreme forms of totalitarianism. Furthermore, the examples of people accepting each other despite religious deviation, and ofttimes united in multifariousness, are many more than those of intolerance.

The work of the Council of Europe

The Quango of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue "Living Together equally Equals in Dignity" (2008) recognises that a range of religious and secular conceptions of life take enriched the cultural heritage of Europe and notes the importance of inter-religious, intra-religious and other dialogue for the promotion of understanding between different cultures. It as well emphasises that the Council of Europe "would remain neutral towards the various religions whilst defending the liberty of thought, conscience and religion, the rights and duties of all citizens, and the respective autonomy of state and religions".¹⁰
Promoting religious tolerance and inter-faith dialogue is also 1 of the priorities of the Council of Europe'southward youth policy. A number of events organised under the All Different – All Equal entrada in 2007-2008 developed recommendations and action plans for promoting inter-religious dialogue in European youth work, including the Istanbul Youth Declaration on Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Work¹², and the Kazan Activeness Plan¹³. All of these documents stress the crucial role of immature people and youth organisations in contributing to the change towards religious tolerance.

The sphere of education may exist a platform for tensions of human rights related to faith and belief, as in cases where the educational content has been criticised as limiting the freedom of religion and belief, or in cases where religious symbols used by schools or by students have resulted in conflicts. At the same fourth dimension, educational activity is as well 1 of the most important spheres of life where stereotypes and prejudices can exist counteracted. In this spirit, ODIHR, the Council of Europe and UNESCO published the Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination confronting Muslims.^fourteen This certificate is intended to support teachers, teacher trainers, pedagogy policy experts as well equally non-governmental organisations agile in the field of non-formal educational activity in their work against Islamophobia.

Religion and belief at the European Court of Homo Rights

Folgerø and others v. Norway (2007)

Parents successfully appealed to the courtroom in Strasbourg to avert mandatory religious classes of one particular denomination of Christianity. The court found that the state was in violation of Commodity 2 of Protocol no. 1, which reads, "No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to educational activity and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such instruction and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions".

Lautsi 5. Italia (2011)
Ms Lautsi's children attended a state school where all the classrooms had a crucifix on the wall, which she considered reverse to the principle of secularism past which she wished to bring up her children. She complained earlier the Court that this was in breach of Article nine (freedom of thought, censor and religion) and of Article 2 of Protocol No. i (right to education).
The Court establish no violation; it held in particular that the question of religious symbols in classrooms was, in principle, a affair falling within the margin of appreciation of the country, provided that decisions in that area did not lead to a form of indoctrination and at that place was nil to suggest that the regime were intolerant of pupils who believed in other religions, were non-believers or who held not-religious philosophical convictions.

Ercep five. Turkey (2011)
This case concerned the refusal past the applicant, a Jehovah's Witness and conscientious objector, to perform military service for reasons of conscience and his successive convictions for that reason.
The Courtroom institute a violation of Commodity 9 and a violation of Article 6 (right to a off-white trial). It
invited Turkey to enact legislation apropos conscientious objectors and to introduce an alternative grade of service.

The Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities also protects religion as an element of the identity of minorities, "The Parties undertake to promote the weather necessary for persons belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their civilisation, and to preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion, language, traditions and cultural heritage" (Commodity five) and prohibits forced assimilation.

Youth work and organized religion and belief

Religion is an effect that many young people deal with in their daily lives at home, in public, at work or at schoolhouse. Youth piece of work tin help to make religious differences a factor of cultural enrichment for young people instead of beingness a source of confrontation, specially through the lenses of mutual agreement, tolerance and acceptance of difference.

Whether working at a local, regional or international level, youth workers demand to be aware of the potential part and influence of faith and belief on the process of whatever given activeness, also as on the planned objectives of the activity. Accepting diversity is a good starting point; building on diversity as a source of strength is an splendid way to continue. A growing number of youth organisations are actively working in the field of inter-religious dialogue, promoting a dialogue between equals, and existence self-critical of their own religious traditions, with the aim of increasing understanding.

Taking into consideration differences of conventionalities and practice inside the group, earlier and during the action, can contribute to a better atmosphere in the group from the starting time. Knowing nigh some of the rituals and practices of different religions can be very useful and important for the good functioning and success of youth events. Consideration of dietary laws, places and times for prayer, the religious calendar and daily practices of unlike religious groups (east.1000. the Sabbath, Friday prayers, Ramadan, Dominicus celebrations, holidays) might help the organisers of youth activities provide a respectful and peaceful atmosphere likewise as avoid issues of travel and of timing and efficiency of activities. The particularities of the place of the activity and the expectations of the hosting surround are equally important, in order to evidence respect for the needs of the grouping participants.
A degree of sensitivity towards religious multifariousness inside the group would create a sure positive and motivating mental attitude and curiosity towards the religious practices and behavior of others. This might too help to promote mutual respect and understanding, while helping to overcome any strong prejudices related to religious beliefs and practices.

Question: What importance does religious tolerance have in your work with young people?

In that location is a large corporeality of youth work that is faith-based, and there are many organized religion-based youth organisations. The Council of Europe'due south youth sector works closely with a diversity of international youth organisations that are faith-based and encourages co-performance among them. Written report sessions and preparation activities at the European Youth Centre regularly include organisations such as:

• Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe
• European Brotherhood of YMCAs
• European Baha'i Youth Council
• European Fellowship of Christian Youth
• European Marriage of Jewish Students
• Forum of European Muslim Youth and Pupil Organisations
• International Federation of Catholic Youth Organisations
• International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth Europe
• International Young Catholic Students – International Movement of Catholic Students
• Islamic Briefing Youth Forum for Dialogue and Co-operation
• Pax Christi Youth Forum
• Syndesmos – Globe Fellowship of Orthodox Youth
• Syriac Universal Alliance
• The European Young Women's Christian Association
• World Student Christian Federation

Some of these organisations got together inside the framework of the European Youth Forum and constituted the Faith-Based Group of youth organisations in order to acquire about each other, promote diversity and fight discrimination and hatred. Integrated by the European Peer Training Organisation, the Eu of Jewish Students, the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe, the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations, the International Federation of Catholic Youth Organisations, the International Movement of Catholic Students, Pax Christi International and the World Student Christian Federation, the Practiced Group produced, in 2008, a Tool Kit on inter-religious dialogue in youth piece of work – Living Faiths Together. The Tool Kit, published by the European Youth Forum, provides information almost monotheistic religions and proposes several methodologies and activities to understand and de-construct prejudices and stereotypes related to religion and to promote inter-religious dialogue. The tool kit may be downloaded from the Cyberspace site of the European Youth Forum (www.youthforum.org) or from the site of the co-operating organisations.

Endnotes

ane http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organized religion (accessed on 9 July 2012)
2  Organized religion (2007) Encyclopædia Britannica at: www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063138
iii LindaWoodhead, with Rebecca Catto: "Religion or belief": Identifying issues and priorities. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009, p. iii: world wide web.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_48__religion_or_belief.pdf
iv Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents: world wide web.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html
5 General Comment 22 of the UN Homo Rights Committee on Commodity 18 of the ICCPR
half-dozen OSCE/ODIHR, Council of Europe, UNESCO, Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination confronting Muslims, 2011
seven FAIR (Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism), available at: www.fairuk.org/introduction.htm
viii Recommendation 1957 (2011)  of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe "Violence against Christians in the Eye East"
9 OSCE-ODIHR and Yad Vashem, Addressing Anti-Semitism: Why and How? A Guide for Educators, 2007
10 Council of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue "Living together as equals in dignity", Launched by the Council of Europe Ministers of Foreign Affairs at their 118th Ministerial Session (Strasbourg, 7 May 2008), p. 23, bachelor at: www.coe.int/t/dg4/intercultural/Source/Pub_White_Paper/White%20Paper_final_revised_EN.pdf Run across also San Marino Declaration of 2007
xi www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/edc/Source/Pdf/Coordinators/2006_14_CDED_ReligiousDiversity.pdf
12 "Istanbul Youth Declaration on Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Piece of work", Symposium Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Piece of work, Istanbul, Turkey, 27-31 March 2007: www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Documents/2008_Istanbul_Declaration_en.pdf
xiii "Kazan Action Plan", International Youth Forum "Intercultural Dialogue and its Religious Dimension", Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, xxx November  – 4 Dec 2008: www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Documents/2008_Kazan_Action_Plan_en.pdf
xiv Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, OSCE/ODIHR, Council of Europe, UNESCO, 2011: www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/edc/resource

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Source: https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/religion-and-belief