Message from Switzerlands’s Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Ambassador Markus Leitner on fifth July 2022 to the Worldwide Ministerial on Freedom of Faith or Perception (FoRB Ministerial) hosted by the International and Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace of the UK.
Full message (authentic transcript by The European Occasions):
Ministers, Excellencies, women and gents.
Switzerland thanks the UK for convening and internet hosting this necessary convention.
The peaceable coexistence of and respect between completely different non secular, linguistic and cultural teams are core values of Switzerland.
As a multicultural and multilingual society, Switzerland is especially dedicated to selling inclusive societies based mostly on respect for variations and the safety of minorities contributing to a rustic’s stability and well-being.
My nation stays satisfied that nobody ought to be discriminated, deprived or handled in a different way based mostly on their faith or the best way to specific their perception.
Freedom of thought, conscience, faith or perception for all is firmly established within the Swiss Structure and types an integral a part of the Swiss worldwide human rights coverage.
Critical violations of freedom of faith, violence, persecution, discrimination, domination and hatred towards non secular, linguistic and cultural minorities proceed to happen internationally and pose a risk to democracies and sturdy peace.
Switzerland is especially involved concerning the rising variety of hate crimes and violent assaults on discriminatory motives offline and on-line.
Racism and hate speech are spreading immediately, principally via Web and social media, fueled throughout the COVID pandemic, and conspiracy theories, particularly anti-Semitic ones, are proliferating.
The promotion and safety of the correct to freedom of thought, conscience, faith and or perception can be a key ingredient of Switzerland’s worldwide peace-building insurance policies.
Social and political exclusions are a part of society and lead both to resignation or violence, each of that are detrimental to the event of lasting peace and safety.
There’s a robust correlation between inequality, much less financial growth, extra political instability, and elevated violence.
The political participation of spiritual or perception communities on the premise of the precept of citizenship is, subsequently, a mandatory precondition for a peaceable decision of conflicts. Switzerland addresses violations towards ethnic and spiritual minorities on the bilateral and multilateral ranges and encourages a mutual understanding via dialogue.
We’re satisfied that it’s primarily via expertise and data and thru contacts and dialogue in on a regular basis conditions that the coexistence of various cultures and religions may be profitable.
Each citizen can and should contribute to non-discrimination.
Lastly, it’s as much as policymakers to offer ample circumstances in an effort to successfully and sustainably fight all types and manifestations of discrimination.
