The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres has praised the Human Fraternity Document at a meeting hosted by the US President on religious freedom at the United Nations. During Guterres’ speech he said, “It is totally unacceptable in the 21st century for people to face discrimination and intimidation for their beliefs. The full scope of their human rights is guaranteed, and States have an obligation to implement policies that ensure their identities are respected and that they feel fully part of the society as a whole.”

The Secretary-General also remarked on the Human Fraternity document saying, “Earlier this year, His Holiness Pope Francis, along with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, His Eminence Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, signed a moving testament for mutual respect. It stated that the diversity of religions is willed by the Creator.  “This divine wisdom,” they wrote, “is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derive.””

He concluded by saying, “We must reject those who falsely and maliciously invoke religion to build misconceptions, to fuel division, to spread fear and hatred – and we must be vigilant about attempts to instrumentalize religion and identity to restrict the full enjoyment of rights by others, and to perpetuate or justify inequalities.”