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The International Religious Freedom Act at 25

A Look at Its Legacies and the Future Implications for Global Peace and Security

Date: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 / Time: 9:30am - 11:00am EDT

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The 25th anniversary of the landmark International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) presents an opportunity to reflect on the United States’ strong bipartisan consensus around the centrality of religious freedom to ensuring peace and stability around the world.

USIP hosted a discussion on how the IRFA helped create a U.S. mandate for promoting international religious freedom, the successes and lessons of its implementation across multiple administrations, and the mission’s ongoing relevance to global peace and security.

Speakers

Lise Grande, welcoming remarks 
President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Frank Wolf, keynote remarks 
Former U.S. Representative from Virgina

Don Nickles, keynote remarks
Former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma

Katrina Lantos Swett, keynote remarks 
Former Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Rashad Hussain, keynote remarks
U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Panelists

Robert Seiple
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

John Hanford 
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Suzan Johnson Cook
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

David Saperstein
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Sam Brownback
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Palwasha Kakar, moderator
Interim Director, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S. Institute of Peace 

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