Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 3rd Oct 2024 - The European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights co-organized and participated to the Faith and Freedom Summit IV, in Panama, in the Parliament of Latin America.
On September 24 and 25, the Parliament of Latin America hosted the fourth Faith and Freedom Summit, after the European Parliament hosted the first three summits. The Faith & Freedom Summit is an initiative that gathers high-level thought-leaders to highlight the importance of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).
The purpose of the initiative is to create a space where to exchange good practices to further protect FoRB for all, to highlight the importance of States respecting, protecting, defending, and promoting FoRB to fight inequality and thus help the construction of stable and strong democracies, to create awareness of FoRB violations and discrimination based on religious beliefs around the world, to assess areas that need to be improved regarding religious freedom protection worldwide, to develop a force of proposal to outline policies toward a greater respect of religious diversity and to further promote and engage participants with the motto of the Summit “Practicing what we preach.”
In Panama, the opening ceremony was made UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Dr Nazila Ghanea (who participated online), His Excellency Ruben Farje, Representative to Panama for the Organization of American States (OAS), His Excellency Juan Francisco Borrell Cal, Vice-minister of Government Republic of Panama, and Rev. Giselle Lima, Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable in Panama.
Then for two days, some forty speakers from Latin America, the USA and Europe took to the stage to cover several topics around freedom of religion or belief, including Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Religion or Belief, Mrs. Maureen Ferguson, Commissioner of USCIRF, Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, co-President of Religions for Peace, and many others. The panelists represented a wide variety of diplomats, politicians, religious scholars, journalists and representatives of many faiths, including indigenous spirituality, the Catholic Church, Evangelicals, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Say Saints, Judaism, Islam, Sikhs, Shiva Hindus, etc.
The President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, Mr. Ivan Arjona-Pelado, was the moderator of a panel dedicated to explore the role of diplomacy to achieve a greater FoRB in the world, presented the booklet www.whatisfreedomofreligion.org and stressed the need of an informed diplomacy and a strong advocacy for FoRB to increase the respect of this crucial human right in a world that sees restrictions to religious freedom in the rise. He was accompanied by several diplomats who themselves engage in advocacy for FoRB throughout their mission, and gave their expertise to the attendees.
Rev. Eric Roux, Vice-President of the same office, was a speaker in a panel tackling the media responsibility on the promotion and respect of FoRB, along with journalists, media executives, human rights advocates and scholars. He insisted on the important role of media to report accurately and with a deep knowledge of the religious sphere, to avoid stigmatization and mischaracterization of religious groups around the world.
The European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights is part of the Faith and Freedom Summit NGO coalition and a co-founder of the Summit.
Freedom of religion and belief is a core value and commitment for Scientologists, and is explicitly articulated in Scientology scriptures. Church ministers must study other religions and become familiar with them, but moreover, the code of a Scientologist contains a pledge “to support freedom of religion” for all. The Church of Scientology's commitment to religious freedom upholds the belief that true religious liberty includes the acceptance of others' right to either maintain their faith or choose a new one.
For Scientologists, true freedom cannot exist without responsibility. Therefore, the Church believes that religious institutions have both the right and the obligation to contribute positively to society. In fact, Mr. L. Ron Hubbard, the Founder of the Scientology religion, asserted that a reduction in religious influence signals a decline in the cultural standards of a civilization.
That is why the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights was very proud to co-organize this summit, and to participate to it, with the explicit purpose of advancing the cause of freedom of religion or belief for all, along with experts, policymakers, and people of faith from around the world.
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Organization: European Office Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights
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