OSMTH UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL 2686

OSMTH INITIATIVE leads to UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION

On 14th June 2023, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2686, which urges the international community to condemn hate speech and extremism and to promote tolerance and freedom of religion or belief.

Resolution 2686 has been a joint effort by the United Kingdom, as the proposer of the Resolution, and the United Arab Emirates, as the president nation of the Security Council for the June 2023 Meeting.

As the UK Ambassador at the United Nations, James Kariuki, explained in his speech to the Security Council, the United Kingdom’s proposal of UN Security Council Resolution 2686 was prompted by Recommendation 20 of the July 2019 Report of the Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review of UK Foreign Ministry Support for Persecuted Christians. Recommendation 20 was quoted directly from the Submission that OSMTH made to the Review in June 2019. Information on OSMTH’s original Submission can be found via this link:

OSMTH Recommendations to Review on Persecuted Christians

OSMTH is particularly glad to know that Resolution 2686 is the first UN Security Council Resolution to directly address the persecution of religious minorities and other minority groups that find themselves in conflict setings.

OSMTH is also greatly encouraged to see that Resolution 2686 addresses key topics, beyond the specifics of our Order’s original Submission to the Independent Review, including:

• interfaith dialogue;

• the involvement of religious leaders in conflict resolutin;

• facilitation of peacebuilding;

• the promotion of the rights of women;

• respect for cultural heritage; and

• protection of religious sites;

all of which are advocacy policy topics of particular interest to OSMTH.

The full text of UN Security Council Resolution 2686 can be found via this link:

Resolution 2686.pdf (securitycouncilreport.org)

The UN Press Release on Resolution 2686 can be found via this link:

Security Council Resolution 2686 (2023) | UN Press