Washington D.C., May 29, 2018 / 15:33 pm
The U.S. government will host its first-ever Ministerial Meeting to Advance Religious Freedom this summer, newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced May 29.
"Religious freedom was vital to America's beginning. Defending it is critical to our future," Pompeo said at the announcement, which coincided with the release of the State Department's annual report on the state of international religious freedom in 200 countries and territories.
"Our Founders understood religious freedom not as the state's creation, but as the gift of God to every person and a fundamental right for a flourishing society. We're committed to promoting religious freedom around the world, both now and in the future," he continued.
The ministerial meeting of government and religious leaders, rights advocates, and civil society leaders will take place in Washington on July 25-26. It will be the first ministerial that Pompeo will host as Secretary of State, which he said is "very intentional."