Religious Freedom principles, advocacy and communication process workshops-ATTALAKI عودة إلى الفرص

Introduction of Attalaki:

Attalaki organization was founded in 2016 by young Tunisians belonging to different religious minorities who possess a vast knowledge of the field in which they work and a network of knowledge allowing the organization to collaborate in the implementation of the organization’s activities. Today, they are considered the main organization in Tunisia working on the theme of freedom of religion and belief and a key player in defending the rights of religious minorities and making their voices heard, in addition to reinforcing interfaith dialogue and building understandings in order to establish a common ground for peaceful coexistence.  The aforementioned is concretized through multiple partnerships which enabled its activities to cover all the governorates of Tunisia and to diversify the nature of these activities including national and international advocacy campaigns, conferences and round tables, artistic creation mainly audiovisual as well as workshops and training. These activities have affected multiple target groups including political, religious, and government decision-makers with more focus on persecuted religious minorities.

Ambassadors for Religious Freedom project:

Religious freedom stands as an essential human right, but its advancement faces significant challenges in societies where religious tolerance is not widespread. Societal rejection, hate speech, and populism all hinder the progress of religious freedom. To tackle this issue, effective advocacy and communication play crucial roles in mitigating the intensity of opposition and promoting the acceptance of religious pluralism. Therefore, it is imperative to support and strengthen advocacy efforts, encouraging advocates to champion religious freedom.

In partnership with the National Democratic Institute, Attalaki is aiming to develop the communication skills of religious freedom advocates and enhance their understanding of the principles and strategies of advocacy. The “Ambassadors of Religious Freedom” project aims to equip advocates with effective communication techniques. This initiative seeks to empower advocates with comprehensive advocacy knowledge, enabling them to effectively disseminate the principles of religious freedom throughout society.

Religious Freedom principles, advocacy and communication process workshops:

Three workshops will be planned and executed three times in different locations with different participants. Three major regions will be impacted by this, the capital, the northwest, the coast as well as in the South, each training will be in one region. The same topic will be covered for the same workshops which is “Religious Freedom principles, advocacy and communication process”, the same content will be shared with all participants from the different regions, slightly changes might occur due to cultural and social differences. 

The first round of workshops will be in October, the second in January and the third in April.

• Increased knowledge on fundamental principles of religious freedom
• Increased knowledge on Advocacy and communication process
• Transformed knowledge into tangible contents (articles, videos, pictures…)

The expected outcomes of the training program include ambassadors developing a comprehensive understanding of religious freedom, including key concepts and the local legal framework. They are also expected to identify and define instances of oppression at both the local and national levels. This knowledge will enable them to formulate a systematic advocacy plan and begin implementing it. Additionally, the ambassadors are expected to enhance their online presence to maximize their impact within the community.

Overall, the training program serves as a crucial initial step in establishing religious freedom ambassadors, equipping them with effective communication skills, a comprehensive understanding of advocacy, and the ability to propagate the principles of religious freedom effectively throughout Tunisian society.