An international ministerial conference on the topic of 'Religious Freedom in Democratic Societies' is being held in Cordoba, Spain in the context of the UN Alliance of Civilisations National Plan. The conference will be jointly hosted by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior.

The conference responds to a request by the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilisations, Dr. Jorge Sampaio, to implement the action plan agreed upon by the  Alliance of Civilisations and the European Commission. Expected participants include the foreign affairs ministers of the 27 EU Member States, Dr. Sampaio and around 30 experts.

The objective of this meeting is to serve as a platform for debate in order to analyse the current situation and the perspectives of freedom of religion and beliefs in democratic societies, as well as to present suggestions for enriching research into this subject.

The EU, its Member States and the Alliance of Civilizations are following with great interest the different interfaith dialogue initiatives that have been launched in recent years, and their potential contribution to mutual understanding and to finding common ground upon which to build more harmonious relations between individuals and communities

The Alliance of Civilizations, as a platform for dialogue and cooperation and a catalyst for concrete projects and initiatives, offers an ideal framework for bringing positions closer together and overcoming divisions based on religious and cultural differences. As an action-oriented initiative, it focuses its activities on four priority areas: education, youth, the media and migration.

Therefore, the Cordoba Conference is an exercise that aims to offer specific results that can be translated into initiatives and projects for action, related to, among other areas, education for diversity and transmitting intercultural competence.

The meeting, organised by the Spanish Presidency of the EU and the Alliance of Civilisations, has been attended by around 150 European experts, together with politicians, religious leaders and opinion makers. Cordoba has been the choice of venue because it is a city steeped in the traditions and symbolism of the three cultures (Christianity, Islam y Judaism).