IPPFoRB Brings Global Delegation of Parliamentarians to the 2026 IRF Summit

IPPFoRB Delegation at IRF Summit, 2026.

Washington, D.C., February 2026 — The International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB) brought a diverse delegation of 15 parliamentarians from Brazil, Bolivia, Nigeria, Zambia, Sweden, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Malaysia to the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF Summit) in Washington, D.C.

A Dedicated Parliamentarian Track

IPPFoRB led a specialized Parliamentarian Track parallel to the main IRF Summit sessions, providing an exclusive space for Members of Parliament to engage directly with:

  • Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)

  • Government officials

  • NGOs

  • Leading FoRB experts

This track strengthened cross‑regional collaboration and advanced policy-focused learning among legislators.

IPPFoRB’s international delegation of 15 parliamentarians at the IRF Summit 2026, Washington, D.C.

IPPFoRB’s international delegation of 15 parliamentarians at the IRF Summit 2026, Washington, D.C.

High-Level Diplomatic Engagements

The program featured several key institutional meetings, including:

  • U.S. State Department, with a focused dialogue alongside
    Hon. Mark Walker, Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom

  • U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

  • Freedom House

  • National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

  • International Republican Institute (IRI)

  • National Democratic Institute (NDI)

These conversations strengthened international coordination on democratic resilience and FoRB.

Strengthening Parliamentary Expertise on FoRB

A central component of the program was capacity building. Parliamentarians participated in a session led by:

  • Knox Thames — international human rights lawyer, Senior Fellow at Pepperdine University, and former U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities.

  • Aykan Erdemir — Senior Director at the Anti‑Defamation League, former Member of the Turkish Parliament, advisory board member of the FoRB Women’s Alliance, and founding IPPFoRB Steering Group member

Their session explored the role of legislators in shaping FoRB policy, oversight mechanisms, and cross-border collaboration.

Fernanda San Martin, Director of IPPFoRB, joins Knox Thames and Aykan Erdemir lead a parliamentary capacity‑building session on FoRB at the IRF Summit 2026.

Women’s Rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief

Reinforcing IPPFoRB’s long-term strategic priority on women’s rights and FoRB, parliamentarians engaged in a session led by:

  • Prof. Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB

  • Manira Alva, global gender equality and leadership strategist

The session examined the critical intersection between women’s rights and FoRB, an area frequently misunderstood yet central to inclusive human rights protections.

Fernanda San Marin joins as Prof. Nazila Ghanea and Manira Alva as they lead discussion on the intersection of Women’s Rights and FoRB.

Capitol Hill Engagement

The program concluded with a guided tour of Capitol Hill and a meeting with the House Democracy Partnership, focusing on parliamentary strengthening and democratic best practices.

IPPFoRB delegation meets the House Democracy Partnership at Capitol Hill during the IRF Summit.

IPPFoRB