On 26-28 October, the Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) and the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo held concluding two full-day seminars for the first cohorts of the joint certified international course, Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for All. 

Ms. Jennie Holck-Clausen, a senior advisor at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo awarded up to 40 participants with certificates for the successful completion of the course. 

Representatives from a wide range of geographical regions of Georgia, civil servants, social workers, teachers, civil society, including human rights organizations, grassroots community centers, religious communities and media completed the course. 

The course was launched on Sep 28, 2023 and consisted of four online modules and the final workshops in a physical space. The seminars were facilitated and led by the experts from the TDI, University of Oxford and the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo. 

Seminars covered different topics: the right to freedom of religion of belief for all, its theoretical foundations, international standards and mechanisms for its protection and advocacy, domestic legislation, State policy and practice related to FoRB in Georgia, the intersection of FoRB with other rights, different models for State and religion, concepts of religious freedom within different faiths and religions, history of religious tolerance in Georgia and beyond, the ways of protection and the advocacy of FoRB in different professional and duty capacities. 

This is the first certified course in Georgia fully focused on FoRB and its relation to other rights. TDI and NCHR at the University of Oslo plan to continue this cooperation and the initiative for future participants of diverse backgrounds. The next cohorts will be invited to take part in early 2024. 

The course was conducted with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Norway under the initiative: LEAD „Leadership, Equality, Advocacy, Democracy” and in partnership with the Oslo Coalition for freedom of Religion or Belief at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo, with the support of Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.