A conference on “Religion, Society, State” will open in Tallinn this afternoon in the context of Estonia’s six-month presidency of the EU Council. The two-day event will be an opportunity to exchange views on the protection of religious freedom and on relations between governments and religious associations. Sponsoring the conference, alongside the Estonian Ministry of the Interior, are the University of Tartu, the European Consortium for Church and State Research, the Conference of European Churches, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), and the Estonian Council of Churches. The representatives of these institutions will kick-start the debate which will focus on the “Autonomy of religious associations in Europe” from the perspective of both the European Court of Human Rights and of the Churches. This will be followed by a discussion on the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. Tomorrow, participants will address “extremism”, “fundamentalism” and “radicalization”. They will look into the cases presented by France (Religions-State relations), Estonia (religion and education), and Ukraine (religious freedom), and into how legislation and policies can tackle radicalization and extremism and affect religious freedom. An interfaith panel discussion will then address the key theme of the meeting, also focusing on the problem of “incitement to hatred” and finally on the “different forms of dialogue” religions are engaged in as partners. More information at: https://www.eu2017.ee/