UK: Former Commonwealth Secretary-General to speak at religious freedom conference

Baroness Scotland with Fr Dominic Robinson, ACN (UK) Ecclesiastical Assistant (© ACN)

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

Baroness Patricia Scotland, former Secretary-General to the Commonwealth of Nations, is to give a keynote address at a landmark conference in London addressing increasing challenges to religious freedom around the world.

A panel discussion "Dare to Believe - Is Religious Freedom under growing threat around the world", a hybrid event, is taking place at 3pm on Sunday, 19th April 2026 at Farm Street Catholic Church, W1K 3AH.

Another keynote speaker at the event, organised by Farm Street Church in conjunction with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), is Professor Brian Grim, founding president of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation and a globally recognised expert on religious freedom.

People of different faith backgrounds - including those almost killed for their beliefs - will provide testimonies of persecution.

An address will also be given by Bishop Philip Mounstephen of Winchester, who produced the ground-breaking Bishop of Truro's Independent Review for the UK Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians.

The event follows the launch of ACN's global campaign calling for the full enforcement of the principles of religious freedom set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion".

Event chair Father Dominic Robinson, Farm Street parish priest, and ACN (UK) National Ecclesiastical Assistant, said: "Freedom to express religious belief is one of the basic human rights which is under daily attack in so many parts of the world.

"As a nation whose values of tolerance and mutual respect are enshrined in our laws, we can easily forget how people of faith are treated elsewhere. This is why this campaign to promote and protect Article 18 of the Universal Declaration is so vital to international peace and harmony and why educating ourselves in the issues surrounding this are so important. It is hoped that this event will help to serve this dire need."

Compèring the event will be ACN (UK) Ambassador Dr Karen Singarayer and there will be a talk by John Pontifex, the charity's head of press and public affairs, who for more than 20 years has researched religious freedom violations, especially against Christians, including on-the-ground fact finding in worst-affected countries.

Mr Pontifex said: "As a society, we urgently need a discussion in which we come together around the importance of religious freedom or belief and that's why our panel discussion - like the ACN Article 18 petition - is vital not just to Christians but to people of all faiths and none."

Audience members participating in the event will be invited to submit questions as part of an extended panel discussion.

•'Dare to believe: Is Religious Freedom under growing threat around the world?' takes place on Sunday, 19th April 2026 at Farm Street Catholic Church, 114 Mount Street, London W14 3AH. The event is from 3pm-5pm and concludes with refreshments. Entrance is free. To register for the event see: https://acnuk.org/events.

•To sign the ACN Article 18 petition visit: https://acnuk.org/article-18-petition-religious-freedom-human-right-not-privilege