SAFEGUARDING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AROUND THE WORLD
Pepperdine’s dedication to protecting religious freedom—a core value of the University—was demonstrated by a new partnership and a series of innovative global events. In September 2024 Pepperdine and the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) entered into a formal partnership grounded in their shared resolve to defend and advance religious freedom in the United States and around the world. Together, our institutions will collaborate on research, develop innovative programs, and lead training initiatives designed to promote religious liberty.
One effort of the partnership came to fruition in June, when dignitaries and leaders from across the world gathered for the inaugural International Religious Freedom Summit Africa—a significant milestone in international efforts to advance religious liberty. Organized jointly by Pepperdine and RFI and hosted by the Global Peace Foundation, the three-day summit convened conversations that included legal innovation and interreligious collaboration and the essential role of African values in building a future rooted in peace, dignity, and shared humanity.
Centering on a shared mission to safeguard religious freedom worldwide, the summit’s theme, “Africa Together: A Continental Call to Religious Freedom,” highlighted the urgent need for unity across the African continent. With a rapidly growing population and a recent rise in violence, Africa has become a pivotal region for the global religious freedom movement, underscoring the importance of ongoing collaboration and engagement.
Also in June, the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law hosted the fourth annual Nootbaar Fellows Conference, held in conjunction with the inaugural State of Religious Freedom Conference at the University’s Château d’Hauteville campus in Switzerland. This distinguished gathering brought together leading legal scholars, practitioners, judges, and thought leaders from around the world to explore timely issues at the intersection of law, religious liberty, and public life. Centered on the question, “How can we and should we protect religious liberty?” participants engaged in thoughtful, comparative discussions on the legal, cultural, and societal dimensions of religious freedom across transatlantic contexts. Jointly organized by the Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service and the Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics, the event marked the first in a forthcoming series of international conferences on religious liberty at the Ken Starr Institute.
Pepperdine’s collaboration with RFI continued in July with the inaugural Swiss Statesmanship and Religious Freedom seminar, also held at the Château d’Hauteville. Graduate students from 16 countries participated in interactive case studies and guided simulations led by global leaders specializing in the advancement of religious liberty. Built on the principles of engaged learning, this high-impact, student-focused program deepened participants’ understanding of the value of religious freedom and our essential role in protecting human dignity and fostering human flourishing.
