The International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) board of experts met in Spain May 17 to 21 to develop a strategy for freedom of religion in education.  Their recommendations will be considered at a United Nations-sponsored conference to be held in Madrid, Spain, in November this year.

The board of experts brought together religious freedom professionals and educators from a wide range of backgrounds and countries, reports John Graz, IRLA secretary general. “We were able to make much progress in defining the role of religious education especially as it relates to concepts of religious freedom and human rights. Such preparatory meetings are essential to produce a clear framework for the development of educational curricula in which freedom of conscience and respect for human rights can be developed.”

The board of experts meeting was held in Caceres at the invitation of the University of Extremadura with the participation of the department of religious affairs, Spanish Ministry of Justice, with several academic and official representatives also present.

The U.N. 2001 Madrid International Consultative Conference on School Education in Relation to Freedom of Religion and Belief, Tolerance and Non-discrimination is the most significant U.N. conference to address such concepts, says Graz. The Caceres meeting was designed to provide direct input into the conference, and an 18-point recommendation document was voted by the board of experts.

The recommendations include re-affirmation of the right to receive religious education, the importance of limiting state intervention according to international norms, and the respect for freedom of conscience and religious convictions in state-directed education.

The IRLA was established in 1893 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is an independent organization that exists to promote the universal principle of religious liberty around the world. Members of IRLA represent a broad spectrum of faith and civil rights organizations.