Responses to fundamentalism, extremism, and sectarian violence have proved inadequate, limited mainly to security measures alone or to seeking peace through interfaith dialogue. A deeper and more comprehensive response is required to address these complex problems.

EWI is developing a project, “Making the world safe for diversity,” which will help create this comprehensive approach with two closely related initiatives:

First: The Faith and Diplomacy Task Force. EWI will propose that the U.S. government establish a distinguished group of international political and religious leaders to form a task force whose authority, expertise, and influence can be brought to be bear on the prevention, resolution, and transformation of religiously-based conflicts around the world. On the one hand, this task force could be an advisory council to world leaders, as was once proposed for the U.N. Security Council. On the other hand, it could engage in special initiatives involving global problems with a religious dimension.

Second: A Global Declaration of Faiths and Freedom of Conscience. EWI is drafting a charter on civility for the emerging Global Public Square. Designed to accompany and provide unreserved support for the Universal declaration of Human Rights (Paris, 1948), and in particular Article 18 on freedom of conscience, it will set out the rights and responsibilities that allow each faith to be true to its beliefs, and yet enable all faiths to live peacefully with each other.

This Global Declaration will provide urgent support for the Universal Declaration in two important ways. On the one hand, it will combat the continuing abuse and violation of human rights by delineating more fully the significance of the rights of freedom of conscience and religious liberty set out in Article 18 of the Universal declaration. On the other hand, it will counter the dangerous movements toward “alternative forms of human rights” that are either designed or have the effect of undermining the universality of the Universal Declaration.

If adopted by sufficiently influential global leadership, we hope that, like the Universal Declaration, the Charter would be a beacon expressing the highest human aspirations for justice and freedom, a benchmark empowering assessment of where countries are in their search for justice and peace, and a blueprint enabling countries to implement such rights and responsibilities in their legal provisions and in their cultural education.