RfP Europe at the OSCE/ODIHR Conference

Representatives of Religions for Peace Europe took part in the OSCE/ODIHR conference “Belief in CHANGE: Engaging Religious Actors to End Violence Against Women and Girls in the OSCE Region”, held in Warsaw, Poland on December 4-5, 2025. The conference focused on the role of religious actors in preventing and addressing violence against women and girls across the OSCE region.

This important international event brought together Assoc. Prof. Dr. Genti Kruja, President of Religions for Peace Europe; Imam Yahya Pallavicini, member of the European Council of Religious Leaders of Religions for Peace Europe; and Ms. Emina Frljak, member of the Religions for Peace Europe Board and the European Interfaith Youth Network of Religions for Peace. All three actively contributed to panels and thematic sessions throughout the conference.

On the first day, Ms. Emina Frljak moderated the panel “Scale of the Problem of VAWG and the Need for Partnerships”, highlighting the alarming extent of violence against women and girls and emphasizing the necessity of strong partnerships among international institutions, religious communities, and civil society.

On the second day, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Genti Kruja participated as a speaker in the panel “Social/Religious Identity as an Obstacle or Vehicle for Change” with the presentation “Religious Identity as a Transformative Force: Best Practices of Interfaith Cooperation.” In his intervention, he presented several best practices in interfaith dialogue and cooperation—also reflected in the latest OSCE/ODIHR report—including the contribution of Religions for Peace. He emphasized the crucial role that religious communities and interfaith councils play as promoters of change, peace, and the protection of women’s dignity worldwide.

Meanwhile, Imam Yahya Pallavicini spoke during the session “Connecting Religious Actors to Key Initiatives”, underscoring the importance of linking religious actors with key international initiatives and their vital role in building bridges of cooperation to prevent gender-based violence.

This conference marked an important step toward strengthening the engagement of international institutions and religious actors, while promoting a culture of peace, respect, and cooperation throughout the OSCE region. The participation of Religions for Peace Europe reaffirms the organization’s ongoing commitment to interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and the protection of the rights and dignity of women and girls.