Religious Freedom Under Global Threat, Canadian Ambassador Says Calling the freedom to worship “a core human right … that is under increasing threat around the world,” Andrew P. W. Bennett, Canada’s new Ambassador of Religious Freedom, pledged his nation’s support for those believers, worldwide, whose rights are in danger in comments delivered to an audience of religious liberty advocates on April 18. Address By Ambassador Bennett At Religious Liberty Dinner It gives me great pleasure to be here today as Canada’s first Ambassador of Religious Freedom. I want to thank the organizers for giving me this opportunity to talk about why religious freedom matters to Canada; to talk about how our new Office of Religious Freedom will tackle restrictions of this freedom; and how we plan to promote religious freedom as part of our principled foreign policy. Friendship and Religious Freedom in Southern Mexico A large-scale festival of religious liberty here in the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas underscores how freedom of conscience continues to improve in this region with a history of persecution against some religions. President Obama Hosts Easter Prayer Breakfast More than 130 religious leaders -- including Dwayne Leslie, director of legislative affairs for the Seventh-day Adventist church -- joined U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on April 5 for an Easter Prayer Breakfast at the White House. Canada’s First Ambassador to the Office of Religious Freedom On February 19, 2013, Canada’s Prime Minister announced the appointment of Canada’s first Ambassador for Religious Freedom.