Speaker of the PABiH House of Representatives, Dr Denis Zvizdić, Addresses Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue in Rome

"The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH), Dr Denis Zvizdić, is participating in the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue entitled "Parliamentarians in Dialogue with Religion and Belief: Strengthening Trust and Embracing Hope for Our Common Future," held in Rome from 19 to 21 June.

The conference was organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of the Republic of Italy, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between parliamentarians and religious leaders in the fight against intolerance, discrimination and violence based on religion or belief.

In his address during the general debate, Speaker Zvizdić highlighted the significance of Sarajevo and Rome as cities that symbolise spirituality and historical dialogue among civilisations. He emphasised that Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a country rich in religious and cultural diversity, can serve as a positive example of coexistence among different faiths and peoples.

He particularly stressed the importance of confronting the dark chapters of history, recalling the genocide in Srebrenica, where over eight thousand people were killed solely because of their faith. He warned of the dangers of instrumentalising religion for political purposes and underlined that parliaments must therefore be drivers of dialogue, tolerance, and legislative protection of fundamental rights.

Speaking about positive practices, he referred to the International Conference held in Sarajevo in February 2024, during which the Sarajevo Declaration was adopted – a document that affirms coexistence as an active process of building a shared life based on mutual respect.

Speaker Zvizdić also commended the work of the IPU and its contribution to the promotion of freedom of religion through key documents such as the Marrakesh Communiqué, the Manama Declaration, and the IPU Strategy 2022–2026, which confirm that dialogue is a powerful tool in combating intolerance, not a sign of weakness.

In conclusion, he presented concrete proposals for strengthening trust and hope for common future:

• organising national and international forums that include parliamentary representatives, religious communities, civil society, and youth;
• adopting laws that protect freedom of religion and combat hate speech, particularly in the digital space;
• establishing dedicated parliamentary bodies for interfaith dialogue within the IPU.

He emphasised that parliamentarians and religious leaders, as representatives of millions of people around the world, share a common responsibility to work towards building fairer, more inclusive and safer societies." (Statement issued by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Denis Zvizdić)