The persecution must stop against members of religious communities, minorities and, in general, against citizens doing no more than defending their political rights

107. Stresses in particular the importance of engaging in a constructive dialogue with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on this issue; calls on the Council and the Commission to pay special attention to implementing the right to freedom of religion or belief in candidate and ENP countries, especially in the light of the Arab Spring; expresses its profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance and discrimination in various countries; strongly condemns all acts of violence against Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other religious communities ...[+++], as well as all forms of discrimination and intolerance based on religion and belief against religious people, apostates and non-believers; stresses once again that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a fundamental human right ; recognises the growing need in a number of countries for conflict transformation and reconciliatory efforts, including inter-faith dialogue at various levels, and urges the EU and VP/HR Ashton to address discriminatory and inflammatory content, e.g. in the media, and the issue of obstacles to the free profession of faith in its/her dialogues with third countries in the context of EU initiatives on human rights; considers that in third countries where religious minorities are faced with violations of their rights, such problems cannot be solved by protecting and isolating them ‘from’ the surrounding societies and thus creating ‘parallel societies’; urges the EEAS and the EU Member States, in the light of recent events in countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and Indonesia, to put in place concrete actions to help prevent the emergence of a cycle of violence;

It is important that our response to this challenge be based, in particular, on the trust that has been successfully built up in all Member States in the past years, both among religious communities and between politicians and religious communities.

(c) workers officiating at religious ceremonies in churches and religious communities.

It can nevertheless be used as shorthand to refer to a range of organisations which include: the labour-market players (i.e. trade unions and employers federations - the "social partners" [7]); organisations representing social and economic players, which are not social partners in the strict sense of the term (for instance, consumer organisations); NGOs (non-governmental organisations), which bring people together in a common cause, such as environmental organisations, human rights organisations, charitable organisations, educational and training organisations, etc.; CBOs (community-based organisations), i.e. organisations set up wit ...[+++]hin society at grassroots level which pursue member-oriented objectives, e.g. youth organisations, family associations and all organisations through which citizens participate in local and municipal life; and religious communities. [8]

It can nevertheless be used as a shorthand to refer to a range of organisations which include: the labour-market players (i.e. trade unions and employers federations - the "social partners"); organisations representing social and economic players, which are not social partners in the strict sense of the term (for instance, consumer organisations); NGOs (non-governmental organisations) which bring people together in a common cause, such as environmental organisations, human rights organisations,, charitable organisations, educational and training organisations, etc.; CBOs (community-based organisations, i.e. organisations set up within ...[+++] society at grassroots level which pursue member-oriented objectives), e.g. youth organisations, family associations and all organisations through which citizens participate in local and municipal life; religious communities.