His Work Will Live On
His work will live on
There will be an empty seat when the international religious freedom community comes together in Punta Cana this April for the 7th World Congress. My friend, Professor Abdelfattah Amor, will not be with us and his absence will be felt by many, many people who knew and admired him.
When Professor Amor died last December, tributes poured in from around the world. He was lauded as a “staunch defender of human rights” and a “prominent diplomat and jurist” who played a key role in exposing religious repression around the world. News articles noted his serve to the United Nations as Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and his most recent role investigating corruption in his home country of Tunisia.
I knew Professor Amor as a man of tremendous integrity, intellect and courage, and I felt privileged to call him “friend.”
I received the news of his unexpected death just a few short weeks after I’d spent time with him in Geneva. He’d heard that I was visiting and he generously made time in his busy schedule. I was pleased to be able to introduce him to Dr. Ganoune Diop, my new associate for the United Nations, and we spent an interesting and pleasant time together.
I first met Professor Amor in London in 1995, during a symposium on religious freedom organized by the universities of Exeter and Emory. He was the keynote speaker and I was attending along with my colleagues Dr. Bert Beach and Dr. Gianfranco Rossi. As fellow French-speakers, it was natural that we should spend time together. Our friendship grew and he accepted my invitations to be the keynote speaker the IRLA’s 4th and 5th World Congress in Rio and in Manila.
In Manila, I remember asking him, "Professor Amor, what are the most important qualities that an Ambassador of Religious Freedom should possess?"
He looked at me, thought for a time, then replied, "Respect, integrity, honesty, and perseverance."
I have never forgotten his answer. These qualities were central to Professor Amor’s tremendous strength and impact as a voice for religious freedom. He was respected because he respected others. He had a great credibility because he was honest and because integrity was his way of living. And he succeeded in his mission of United Nations Special Rapporteur, over a long period of time, because he also possessed perseverance.
For many years, Professor Amor spoke for the persecuted of the world and defended their rights in the court of the powerful. He made a difference at the United Nations and his memory will be long live as an example of excellence and sincerity. Some people have asked, "Can someone be a devout Muslim and also be a sincere defender of religious freedom?" My answer is always, “Of course!” for Professor Amor was both.
When I met with him late last year, I asked him about his projects for 2012. He answered, "I’ll spend my time with my wife and my family." After a life of serve to others, he was looking forward to precious time with those closest to him. I feel a tremendous sense of sadness that he and his family will not enjoy this time together.
I’ll never forget his face and his eyes as he asked me about our mutual friends from the IRLA, “…and Beach, what is he doing?” And then a long list of names followed: “De la Herra, Martinez de Codes, Jeremy Gunn, Cole Durham, Rossi, Seiple ...” And he said, "You know, I miss you all." He saw all of us, together, as a team who, with him, had committed ourselves to defend freedom of belief.
As the date of the 7th IRLA World Congress approaches, I feel certain that Professor Amor will be present with us, in our thoughts and in our hearts. And for the many people around the world whose rights he defended, passionately and ably, his work will live on.
--John Graz, Secretary General, International Religious Liberty Association