USCIRF Conversation on Ten Years after the Arab Spring: How has Religious Freedom Changed Across the Middle East?

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Ten Years after the Arab Spring:
How has Religious Freedom Changed Across the Middle East?

Wednesday, June 23, 2021
10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET
Virtual Event

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual event examining the long-term impact of the Arab Spring movement on religious freedom across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and assessing U.S. policy options.

Following a series of social and political uprisings that swept through several countries in the MENA region in late 2010 and early 2011, much of the initial optimism for change and greater freedom was overtaken by the reality of the resulting upheavals. In addition, the last decade has seen a proliferation of extremist groups that have used violence to target religious minority communities and individuals based on their religion or belief. Alongside the political disorder and rise in extremism, the discourse has fundamentally evolved, as many governments have incrementally shifted toward more openly discussing religious freedom concerns impacting their communities. The question remains, however, whether that discourse has translated into positive, meaningful change on the ground.

This event will examine these complicated dynamics, assess religious freedom today in comparison to a decade ago, and discuss how the United States government and others can support more wide-ranging and substantive reforms in the region.

Panelists

• Nadine Maenza, Chair, USCIRF
• Anurima Bhargava, Commissioner, USCIRF
• Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
• Mai El-Sadany, Legal and Judicial Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
• Philippe Nassif, Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Amnesty International USA

Moderator

• Kurt Werthmuller, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF