The International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB), an international group established in Oxford, England, in June 2014, bringing together some 100 parliamentarians from around the world representing more than 50 countries, has a challenging and innovative goal exist: the promotion of an international network of parliamentarians from different jurisdictions and religions seeking to defend Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, which focuses on religious freedom. And in order to continue the mission work of planning, the group met in Berlin, Germany, this week, whose program started on 12 and ended today (14), for training conferences and symposium on the protection and promotion of religious freedom, which took place at the German Federal Parliament, the Bundestag, with support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and the German parties Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU).
In addition to parliamentarians, the agendas together major international leaders, such as German Prime Minister Angela Merkel and academic authorities from around the world. Below are two video with audio in German with a summary of these days:
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IPPFoRB Latin America:
In specific action for about 1 year in Latin America, aimed at expanding regional activities, in Lima, Peru, between 2 and 3 December 2015, the group held its first meeting and official the creation of IPPFoRB Latin America in order to discuss ideas and strategies a focused work to religious tolerance dialogue and support to refugees coming from Middle Eastern countries that have good relations with Latin America and also to combat the so-called symbolic violence that it is a local characteristic of violations of religious freedom in Latin American countries where the attacks do not always manifest themselves visibly, being often in the symbolic field and bring consequences as damaging as actual violence, seen most clearly in the Middle East and North Africa.
With about 30 parliamentarians, the IPPFoRB in Latin America has support legal members of the Federación Inter Americana de Juristas Cristianos (FIAJC), chaired by Uziel Santana, also secretary of IPPFoRB, and has representation in 15 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Uruguay.
Also present on the agenda in Berlin, assisted by the President of ANAJURE, the group has announced completion of:
• Regional agenda between 18 and 19 November this year in Montevideo, Uruguay;
• Participation in Higher Studies Course in 2017 at Oxford University and conference in the House of Lords of the British Parliament, in order to meet the need for training and technical training of parliamentarians from Latin America; and,
• Regional meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2017, parallel to the bi-annual meeting of the Federation of Jurists Interameircana Cristianos (FIAJC).
Further strengthening the role of Latin America in defense of religious freedom, through its Chancellor, Dr David Charles Gomes, the Mackenzie University was also represented in Germany and reaffirmed its support for actions IPPFoRB Latin America and funding for projects ANAJURE, which is an institutional partner.
Proposal of Actions IPPFoRB in Latin America:
Throughout the meetings and plans discussed with the parliamentary IPPFoRB Latin America, the group has developed some activities it still aims to develop, such as:
• Creation of a Committee for Regional Leadership: a congressman of the Southern Cone, Andean America and Central America.
• Regional Leadership Committee represented in the Global Leadership Committee by a congressman who speaks Portuguese and Spanish.
• Establishment of a Regional Office to serve as a regional administrative base IPPFoRB Latin America. This office will be headed by the Secretary of IPPFoRB Latin America to serve the interests of the group of Latin American parliamentarians.
• Creation in each country in Latin America of a national group IPPFoRB as it exists in Brazil.
• Conducting a regional meeting each year and meeting planning Leadership Committee when necessary.
• Press publication, notes and letters in the most serious cases of violation.
• Diplomatic rapprochement with the ambassadors.
• Monitoring of national and international public authorities and social freedom and academic religious movements.
IPPFoRB Brazil:
Released on March 17, 2015 in the Brazilian National Congress under the leadership of Congressman Leonardo Quintão and legal support of the National Association of Evangelicals Jurists (ANAJURE), the largest country in Latin America also has a local action of IPPFoRB. With a strong arm working in the humanitarian area, the group also has the support of the wax 200 parliamentary members of the Brazilian Parliamentary Front for Refugees and Humanitarian Aid (FPMRAH), which is also chaired by Leonardo Quintão.
Within the local dialogue fomentation, the group has mediated meetings between officials of major religious denominations in Brazil, denominational educational institutions and also of mission agencies, including meetings with the current President of Brazil Michel Temer, who recently took its mandate in the country amid a serious political crisis, to ensure that the agenda of religious freedom is not forgotten by Brazilian political leaders on other crises facing the country.
On behalf of ANAJURE, FIAJC and secretariat of IPPFoRB Latin America, Dr. Uziel Santana said: “I reaffirm our commitment with the lawyers from across Latin America and also with the religious leaders and denominational educational institutions to support and supporting actions the IPPFoRB because we believe in its mission.”
Also present in Germany, Leonardo Quintão said:. “We are grateful for the ever-present partner with ANAJURE and remain struggling in the Brazilian National Congress for the cause of refugees and religious freedom We know from past experience of other IPPFoRB agendas and know the value of such diplomatic actions and dialogue in conflict mediation. we believe we can achieve positive results both on local issues in Latin America and in countries that are major focus of our concerns about freedom of religion and human rights like Sudan, Eritrea, Pakistan, Syria and Iraq, is working for the reception of refugees or direct emergency and humanitarian action.”
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For more information:
Dr. Uriel Santana – Secretary of IPPFoRB Latin America – [email protected] +5579988197868
