ROUNDTABLE OPERATIONAL NORMS

The Roundtable for the Defense of Religious Freedom was formed in Brazil in late 2021 as an informal, non-notarized, non-partisan and non-denominational movement.
Any entities interested in defending freedom of religious practice may join the Round Table. Associates are called participants. These participants may be associations, institutes, religious entities and federations of religious entities.
The Roundtable meetings will provide a forum in which all participants will be able to express their views freely, without fear that their opinions or manifestations will be disclosed. There is a commitment by all participants to keep the discussions and manifestations expressed in the meetings confidential. In these meetings, the rules of “Chatham House” will be observed, which, inter alia, deals with the confidentiality of sources.
The main external action of the Roundtable will have the nature of “advocacy”, understood as defense, promotion and stimulus to the defense of religious freedom.
Participants can use the Roundtable meetings to inform everyone about facts and initiatives concerning religious freedom, exchange opinions and propose joint actions. The actions may have the support of some, most or all of the participants. In any case, they will be developed on behalf of the participating entities and not, in principle, on behalf of the Roundtable.
The Roundtable may send letters to governmental entities, political parties, media bodies and other agencies that interest it, to inform them of its creation and its role in the defense of religious freedom.
The Roundtable may produce reports and send letters to the aforementioned agencies to defend their principles, expose its points of view on issues of a generic nature and of a religious nature. It will also be able to speak out publicly on international or foreign issues whenever religious freedom is being threatened.
The Roundtable will be attentive to possible violations of constitutional provisions and other laws that guarantee religious freedom, pronouncing itself when any initiatives by the Government, non-governmental agencies or individuals contradict these provisions in Brazil and abroad.
Although this Roundtable has the autonomy to act in accordance with the principles it has established, its activities are inspired by the general rules of the International Roundtables and its performance is similar to their performance.
The Roundtable will maintain exchanges with the International Roundtables and will regularly participate in their activities. Eventually, the Roundtable will submit domestic issues regarding religious freedom to the International Roundtables.
The concept of religious freedom that will guide the Roundtable’s activities encompasses the freedom to express, to spread one’s faith, to make religious proselytism and to hold religious services.
The Roundtable will maintain relations with government agencies that deal with the issues of religious freedom, seeking to influence decisions on the topic taken within the scope of the Three Branches of government at the federal, state and municipal levels.