More than 100 religious leaders, scholars, and government officials gathered in Moscow to celebrate 10 years of the Russian chapter of the International Religious Liberty Association.
More than 100 religious leaders, scholars, and government officials gathered in Moscow to celebrate 10 years of the Russian chapter of the International Religious Liberty Association. Organized by Victory Krushenitsky, secretary-general for the Russian chapter, the conference was held Nov. 26 to 27 at Moscow’s Institute of Europe.
“It was impressive to see leaders of most religions in Russia present, such as the Orthodox, Baptists, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, and Muslims, all in favor of religious freedom,” says Dr. John Graz, director for Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Adventist world church and secretary-general for the IRLA. “The IRLA Euro-Asia chapter has done outstanding work in 10 years for peace and understanding between religions in Euro-Asia.”
Topics discussed by government representatives were the new amendment to Russia’s religion law and education in the Russian public school system.
While many government leaders in the Russian Federation have a better understanding of religious freedom now than they did 10 years ago, religious minorities still experience discrimination in various towns and cities. Participants and panel speakers all agreed to the importance of promoting religious freedom in the various faith communities that they work with. Several members of the IRLA board serve on the Russian Presidential Commission on religions, and they will continue to work with government officials to promote religious freedom for all its citizens.
The IRLA, organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1893, is a non-sectarian association that works to promote and disseminate principles of religious liberty for all people worldwide.
