CONSCIENCE & LIBERTY CONFERENCE 2026 «A New Era in Human Rights», Toledo 24-26 March 2026

The world is undergoing profound transformations that are altering the landscape of human rights, democracy, and international governance. Over the past decade—and particularly in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine and the Middle East—the global consensus on fundamental freedoms has been strained by the resurgence of conflicts, authoritarian regimes, the erosion of multilateral cooperation, and the rapid evolution of digital and artificial intelligence technologies. Among the rights increasingly affected is freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), a foundational principle of democratic societies and a barometer of the state of human rights.

From religious nationalism and identity politics to digital surveillance and coercive state practices, threats to FoRB are intensifying across continents. Legal protections are increasingly outpaced by new technologies, while populist movements and extreme secularism redefine the boundaries between religion and the state. Minority communities are scapegoated, belief-based practices restricted, and religious identity used as both a tool of repression and resistance.

These developments challenge not only individual freedoms but the very foundations of pluralism, dignity, and universal rights. As the Association Internationale pour la Défense de la Liberté Religieuse (AIDLR) prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026, it seeks to reflect on these transformations through an international conference.

The chosen venue, Toledo, Spain, known historically as a place of interreligious coexistence and exchange, is a fitting location to host this critical and timely gathering.