November 1, 2019 Washington, D.C. — The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) is pleased to announce that Todd Huizinga has joined RFI as its first Senior Fellow for Europe.

Huizinga is a former American diplomat who has served in multiple positions in Europe and in the State Department’s European Bureau. Currently, he is the President and Executive Director of the Center for Transatlantic Renewal. From 2013-2017, Huizinga was a Senior Research Fellow at the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Michigan). From 2014-2016, he was the Director of International Outreach for the Acton Institute. He is the author of The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe (Encounter Books, 2016).

“Since RFI’s inception we have recognized that having an active presence in Europe would be integral to our efforts to advance religious freedom globally, particularly in the diplomatic arena,” said RFI President Thomas Farr. “I have known Todd Huizinga since we were both junior diplomats. With his wealth of experience and expertise, he is the right person to put RFI’s work on the ground in Europe.”

Huizinga will also serve as a member of RFI’s International Religious Freedom Policy Action Team and contribute to initiatives related to RFI’s recently published report, Surveying the Landscape of International Religious Freedom. This report provides an overview of the measures that 18 countries and 5 multilateral bodies have undertaken to promote the freedom of religion over the last 20 years.

Although Europe still retains its rich religious and philosophical patrimony in important ways, modern Europe has become overwhelmingly irreligious in its dominant culture and has widely embraced militant secularism in its politics and law. RFI will seek to accomplish in Europe the same objectives it pursues elsewhere: broad acceptance of religious liberty as a fundamental human right, the cornerstone of a successful society, and a source of national and international security.

“RFI strives to produce and apply the best research available to convince key individuals in governments, civil society, religious communities, business, and the general public that religious freedom should be a priority for them,” remarked RFI Executive Vice President Eric Patterson. “We are delighted to have Todd Huizinga to lead these activities for us in Europe.”

Media Contact:
Jeremy P. Barker
media@religiousfreedominstitute.org
202-838-7734
www.religiousfreedominstitute.org

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The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) works to secure religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. RFI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C.