IBRD 2016: Spread the Word | Campaign for Free Expression

Note: this is the third in a series of five posts leading up to, and marking, International Blasphemy Rights Day on September 30.

As we lead up to International Blasphemy Rights Day (IBRD) on Friday, we’ve been sharing resources from the Campaign for Free Expression aimed at helping to inform you about the nature of blasphemy laws, as well as their terrible impact in societies around the world. Now that you know more about it, it’s time to tell everyone else.

Despite the widespread use of blasphemy laws in countries around the world, and despite the ongoing crisis of blasphemy-related violence, the issue remains under the radar for post people. But there are several simple ways that you can help to change that, using the tools you have right in front of you, or holding in your hand right now. Here are three:

Submit a letter to the editor in your local or national newspaper. Research the guidelines for submission, write a brief note about IBRD and why it’s important, and submit! If you can, try to submit your letter in plenty of time for the newspaper’s most read issue: Sunday.
Post about IBRD on your social media accounts and/or blog. Use your Facebook or Twitter account, or your blog, to write about IBRD and what others need to know. Retweet and share CFI’s tweets and posts, and use the hashtag #DefendDissent. Use the images and memes from the Campaign for Free Expression website, and the information you’ve learned. And most importantly, talk about why it matters to you.
Organize an event or arrange a public display. Connect with your local community organizations, or look for a public space such as a library, and seek out a speaker or put together a display educating others about blasphemy laws and their impact. You’ll reach people who have never thought about the issue in their lives, and spur vital new discussions.

Learn more about how to get involved in International Blasphemy Rights Day and advocate for free expression on the Take Action page of the Campaign for Free Expression. And make sure to come back here tomorrow for more.

The Campaign for Free Expression is an initiative of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) to focus the public's attention and efforts on one of the most basic and foundational human rights: the freedom to express yourself. We hope you join us.