Webinar Episode 11: Africa and Middle East Perspectives

This webinar invites perspectives on freedom of religion in the pandemic from experts in Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa. 

Webinar Summary

Khalid Hajji begins with reflections from Morocco about the response of the Muslim community to the crisis. He highlights the positive role religion has played in coping with uncertainty that is evident throughout the African continent. He is followed by Ahmed Salisu Garba who discusses COVID-19’s impact on religious life in Nigeria. He describes difficulties faced between divided religious communities as well as a need for greater government support to weather the challenge of the crisis. Luka David Mosoma then provides perspectives on the topic from South Africa. He focuses on religious communities and how the measures taken in his country underscore the reciprocal responsibilities between government and religion. Panelists close the webinar answering questions about ways that Islam has used its religious history to address crises, the effects of the Israel annexation of the West Bank, the compliance of Christian churches in Africa to the pandemic guidelines, and the long-term impact of the crisis on interreligious relations.

Panelists

• Prof. Khalid Hajji, Faculty of Humanities, Mohammed 1st University, Oujda, Morocco
• Dr. Ahmed Salisu Garba, Dean, Faculty of Law, Bauchi State University, Nigeria
• Prof. Luka David Mosoma, Chairperson, Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, South Africa

Chair

• Prof. Rosalind I. J. Hackett, PhD, Chancellor’s Professor, Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Tennessee