Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom – Hungary to continue supporting Middle East Christians

The Hungarian government is continuing its policy of supporting Christian communities in the Middle East, the foreign minister said after attending a conference on religious freedom and the protection of religious communities organised by the US State Department in Washington, DC late on Thursday.

Speaking to MTI by phone, Péter Szijjártó said the annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom was attended by representatives from 80 nations, including 20 ministers. Szijjarto quoted US Vice-President Mike Pence as telling the conference that religious freedom was a top priority of the Trump administration.

Szijjártó also addressed the event, speaking about the importance of protecting Christian communities.

“The context cropping up in international public discourse that anti-Christianity is the last acceptable form of discrimination is unacceptable,” the minister said. “We reject this in the strongest terms.”

“We stand by our view that Christians have just as much right to religious freedom and a safe life as any other religious community in the world.”