The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a "culture of peace and tolerance to protect religious sites," which was proposed by Saudi Arabia, which plans to organize a global conference to support this goal.
According to Agence France-Presse, the text urges the international community to double its efforts to encourage global dialogue on promoting, at all levels, a culture of tolerance and peace based on respect for human rights and the diversity of religions and beliefs. Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, stated that "religious sites are facilities for peace, representing the history and social fabric of individuals," adding, "it is painful to see these religious sites threatened or destroyed, whether they are Islamic mosques, Christian churches, Jewish temples, Hindu temples, or Sikh temples," condemning any attacks on them.
The text includes an article affirming that "freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly, and freedom of association are all interrelated and closely connected and enhance one another." In its non-binding resolution, the UN condemns "all acts of violence, threats, destruction, and insult or endangerment of religious sites." It also condemns "any act aimed at destroying or forcibly altering any religious site."
Notably, the Saudi initiative received support from around thirty countries, including Egypt, the UAE, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, and Venezuela, while the European Union and the United States confirmed their approval of the Saudi text after making amendments during the negotiations.
