Seventh-day Adventist leaders meeting in the capital of Ecuador are proposing the formation of a new religious liberty association, believed to be a first for the Andean nation.

“This is a vital necessity,” comments Pastor Leonel Lozano, Adventist Church president in Ecuador. “While religious freedom is guaranteed in the [Ecuadorian] constitution, there are still many inequalities in the way religious groups are treated. We need a well-organized association that will take up the cause of religious freedom for all members of society.”

Participating in the Jan. 27 initial consultations was Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, deputy secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association. He agrees with the assessment, adding, “We can bring to the country the expertise developed in the international community. We are here to help the development of a better atmosphere toward religious freedom and human rights.”

In the first stages of the new association, the planning group will be led by Dr. Winsther Miranda, an attorney and the legal advisor to the Adventist Church in Ecuador.