“Religious discrimination has no face, no class or color, no race or ethnicity. We have to work with governments, international organizations, and other partners to encourage religious freedom and tackle related challenges,” said Nigel Coke, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director of the Jamaica Union Conference, during a recent summit hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kingston, Jamaica.

The January 30 summit gathered representatives from diverse faiths, academia, corporations, government, and non-government organizations to discuss the challenges people of various faiths face. Under the theme “Fostering Unity: Respecting Beliefs,” it was organized to promote policy advocacy, offer networking opportunities, and develop actionable strategies to combat religious discrimination and intolerance in Jamaica.

At the same time, the faith community in Jamaica called employers, educational institutions, politicians, and other stakeholders to respect and accommodate their citizens’ religious beliefs in practice, not just in policy.

Freedom for All

According to Coke, a collaborative approach to finding solutions is essential.

“Some public and private sector employees and high school and college students face challenges because of classes, exams, and coursework scheduled on days of worship and the restrictions on hairstyles linked to religious observance,” he shared.

Coke, who has organized seminars and workshops for more than 14 years to promote, protect, and educate church members and the public about religious liberty, explained that the Adventist Church believes in freedom for all.

“Adventists believe in the freedom of all religions and denominations, including Hinduism, Islam, Mormonism, and Roman Catholicism. The suppression of one religion’s freedom threatens the freedom of all. We believe everyone can worship whomever, whenever, wherever, and however they wish.”

The Example of Jamaica

Coke also used the opportunity to thank successive Jamaican governments for upholding the tenets of the constitution regarding religious freedom. “Without this freedom, churches in Jamaica could not operate various schools, hospitals, and clinics and carry out humanitarian work,” he added.

Nelu Burcea, associate director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty at the Seventh-day Adventist world headquarters, praised the fact that a public discussion on religious freedom can be accommodated in Jamaica and includes participation from the government and NGOs.

“Jamaica is one of the few countries that deeply values this freedom and works to accommodate all faiths based on respect for each other. . . . Religious freedom is not just a theological issue, but has profound societal implications. It affirms the dignity of every individual, creating a society where people are free to live according to their beliefs without fear of persecution,” he said.

Alvin Bailey, vice president of the National Religious Liberty Association, agreed. “A country that facilitates this kind of dialogue speaks to inclusivity, tolerance, and a recognition that there is a God that rules in the affairs of men,” he noted.

According to Stacey Mitchell, chair of the Jamaica Council for Interfaith Fellowship and a member of the Baha’i community, the summit demonstrated “the importance of open dialogue that bridges divides, dispels misconceptions, and encourages understanding.” She added her desire to “create a Jamaica where everyone feels that religious liberty is not just an ideal but a lived reality.”

Also representing the faith community was the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches chair Michael Smith. “We have still not gotten it right with religious freedom,” Smith said. “We have still not reached the point where we respect the religious freedom of others. We are not where we want to be now, but thank God, we are not where we were, and this summit is an example of how we are moving forward.”

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.