News March 2000 | International Religious Liberty Association

Historic Religious Liberty Conference in Cameroon
Yaounde, Cameroon ... [ANN]

The first religious liberty conference to be held in the ethnically and religiously divided country of Cameroon took place in the capital city Yaounde on March 9-11. Sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the conference dealt with methods of promoting religious harmony in pluralistic societies and was attended by more than 80 delegates from other central African countries including Chad, Burundi, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Guinea and Gabon.

"This historic meeting in Cameroon took place against the background of recent religious riots in nearby Nigeria in which more than 1,000 people were killed as a result of religious intolerance," says Jean Emmanuel Nlo Nlo, who played a central role in organizing the conference.

"Our primary goal with this conference, and other similar religious liberty meetings around the world, is to help create conditions in which personal freedom of belief and religious tolerance can flourish," adds keynote conference speaker, Dr. John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the World Church.

The conference, which was called "Religious Liberty in a Pluralistic Society in the New Millenium," attracted extensive media attention as well as praise from local politicians, say meeting participants. According to Graz, one of the most significant outcomes of the conference was the commitment of delegates to begin religious liberty association chapters in their own countries.

Emmanuel Boma, Adventist Church president in the Central Africa region pledged the commitment of the Adventist Church "to both supporting the work of the International Religious Liberty Association and to contributing to better understanding and peace among the people in our own countries." [Jean Emmanuel Nlo Nlo /ANN Staff]

IRLA Conference of Experts Adopts Document on Responsible Proselytism

Around the world, proselytism is a major religious freedom issue. In some nations, one who proselytes and/or one who becomes a proselyte may be executed. In other countries, non-established or minority religions or belief systems, for whom proselytism is a fundamental principle, may become the targets of various forms of persecution.

Whether they rise from government or religion or both, such reactions violate international norms of freedom of religion or belief-chiefly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They must not go unchallenged. Sad to say, however, that action against proselytism may be brought on by irresponsible methods employed by proselyting movements.

These concerns became the basis for the International Religious Liberty Association Conference of Experts’ lengthy study of proselytism and, ultimately, the adoption of a consensus document. The IRLA Conference of Experts convened in May 1999 (San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain) and in January 2000 (Las Navas del Marques, Spain). Committees of the conference met at other times in Madrid, in Bracknell, England, and in Silver Spring, Maryland. Conference participants from Africa, Europe, North America, and South America included academics, ecclesiastics, governmental officials, and representatives from the United Nations. Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant), Islam, and Judaism were represented. Goodwill pervaded. The Conference of Experts was committed to preserving the freedom to witness to faith and the parallel freedom to adopt a religion or to change.

Bert B. Beach, President (2000) John Graz, Secretary General Richard Lee Fenn, Deputy Secretary General

© 2004 International Religious Liberty Association