BRUSSELS, Nov. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
- AI-driven hate speech and discrimination are raising urgent concerns about human rights, religious freedom and social cohesion.
- Watch online and join the discussion from 15:00 to 17:00.
Dialogue between legislators and religious leaders has an important role to play in addressing the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence and ensuring its development is guided by ethical principles and respect for human dignity.
Driven by this conviction, the International Dialogue Centre - KAICIID will host ‘Re-writing the Code – Dialogue for Action in the Era of AI’ on 12 November at the European Parliament in Brussels, bringing together Members of the European Parliament, religious leaders, and experts in Artificial Intelligence and human rights.
The event, supported by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and hosted by MEP Lukas Mandl runs from 15:00 to 17:00, which runs from 15:00 to 17:00, will reinforce dialogue between European parliamentarians, religious leaders and communities, with AI experts on the implications of artificial intelligence for human rights, human dignity and social cohesion, setting out further areas of cooperation The session is held in the spirit of Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which provides for regular dialogue between the European institutions and religious and non-confessional organisations.
A digital space that now rewards division
Once seen as a meeting place for different cultures and beliefs, the digital space has become an arena where social media, amplified by Artificial Intelligence, rewards content that provokes anger and division. In a 2026 report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warned of widespread discrimination, incitement to hatred and violence against religious minorities, both online and offline.
Artificial Intelligence also poses other challenges, such as cyberattacks, surveillance and environmental impact, making collective action and dialogue between policymakers, experts and religious leaders all the more urgent. In this context, Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, calls for safeguarding human dignity in the age of AI, while the IPU’s Rome Communiqué, advocates countering hate speech and the responsible use of digital platforms and AI.
From community experience to proposals for the next two years
Drawing on the experiences of religious communities, experts and policymakers, the session seeks to identify concrete areas for action over the next two years. The discussion will examine how the AI Act, the Digital Services Act, the General Data Protection Regulation and parliamentary functions themselves can respond to emerging challenges, and how religious leaders and communities can complement policymaking by bringing the experiences and concerns of their communities into the debate.
Three reflections under discussion
The session will feature three key reflections. The first starts from the question “What is at stake, and what role can religious institutions and communities play?” and brings together Rabbi Harris Bor, lawyer, research fellow at the London School of Jewish Studies and chair of AI and Faith, and MEP Kristian Vigenin, S&D Group rapporteur for the AI Omnibus package.
The second focuses on the “impact of Artificial Intelligence on human rights, social cohesion and local realities”, and brings together speakers including Iverna McGowan of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The third seeks answers to the question “What can religious leaders, policymakers and experts concretely do over the next two years to ensure that AI governance respects human rights and dignity?”, in a panel bringing together representatives of religious communities, the technology sector and policymaking.
You can watch the session on the European Parliament channel here.
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About the International Dialogue Centre - KAICIID
Headquartered in Lisbon, the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) is a unique intergovernmental organization that promotes and employs interreligious dialogue to support conflict prevention and resolution, sustainable peace and social cohesion; to promote mutual respect and understanding among different religious and cultural groups; and to counteract the abuse of religion to justify oppression, violence and conflict.
Through its unique dual governance structure, comprising a Council of Parties made up of States and a Board of Directors made up of religious leaders, KAICIID brings together religious leaders, policymakers and experts to find common solutions to shared challenges.
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