FORB and the European Union

The annual ISFORB international conference at ETF Leuven brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines, as well as practitioners working in the field of Freedom of Religion or Belief, in a warm atmosphere. The 2026 ISFORB conference will center on the theme “FORB and the European Union.”

The EU’s commitment to FORB is firmly anchored in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of FORB. In recent years, however, FORB has become an increasingly salient and contested field in politics and academia, putting to the test the EU’s self‑understanding as a human‑rights actor in its internal and external policies. This is exemplified by the vacancy of the EU Special Envoy for FORB since late 2024. At the same time, some European countries are renewing their commitments to FORB, yet often with an emphasis on the protection of Christian symbols and institutions and embedded in populist or nationalist agendas. The conference seeks to examine these and related developments, and to critically assess the depth and durability of the commitment to FORB of the EU and its member states.

The conference will focus on a variety of subthemes, including but not limited to:

• FORB in EU law and its relationship to Council of Europe and ECtHR standards;
• Church–state relations and their influence on EU and member state FORB policies;
• (Non)religious communities and advocacy organizations challenging the EU on FORB;
• Religious pluralization, public space, and symbolic conflicts in EU member states;
• FORB in relation to EU foreign, development, and neighbourhood policies;
• Discourses on “Christian Europe” and “traditional values” in EU and national politics.

You can find the program here!

Keynote speakers

The following keynote speakers have confirmed at this time:

Prof. Dr. Steven van Hecke, Director of the Public Governance Institute (KU Leuven)

Dr. Renate Uitz, Senior Research Fellow at the Central European University (Budapest)

Dr. Ján Figel, former EU Special Envoy for FORB, former European Commissioner

Mr. Bert-Jan Ruissen, MEP, Co-Chair of the EP Intergroup for the Freedom of Religion, Belief and Conscience

Dr. Katharina von Schnurbein, EC Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

Rev. Frank Dieter Fischbach, General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches

Other researchers join this conversation and present papers on each of these sections or related topics. Academically interested practitioners are also warmly invited to participate in the conference.

Practical Information and Registration

Location
The conference will take place at ETF Leuven, St. Jansbergsesteenweg 95-97, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. We welcome you with coffee on Thursday from 9:00 and the program starts at 10:00. The program ends on Friday at 16:15.

Conference fee
Because socializing, peer discussion and networking are key aims of this conference, regular participation in the conference includes two lunches and several coffee breaks. The regular fee for this inclusive participation is € 135. PhD students and ETF alumni can participate with a reduced fee of € 80. ETF Leuven MA students can participate for free (excluding meals). Participation in the conference dinner costs € 45.

Accommodation
Leuven has a broad variety of hotels in different price categories. You can find more information here.

Registration
Registration closes on 21 April.