October 1998

Dear IRLA Board Members,

As I was writing this letter, I received a telephone call from Dr. Rosa Maria Martinez, Assistant Director of the Department of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Justice of Spain. She asked me to give a briefing during the Congress of Toledo organized by her department. It is an important meeting with representatives of the three religions of the books of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Thanks to Maria and Professor de la Hera, IRLA will be represented in Toledo.

Now I would like to share with you a few things about these last few months:

1. Visit of the Syrian Christian Leaders

    

   During the first two weeks of July, we welcomed a delegation from Syria. Among them were Metropolitan Ibrahim who is a well known Christian leader. Dr. Bert Beach guided the group to several places in America: Loma Linda, CA; Washington, DC; Andrews University, Michigan. Such visits improve relations between Christians and reinforces the concept of religious freedom.

    

   
   
   
2. Intolerance in Europe

    

   Invited by the Helsinki Commission of the US Congress, I attended a briefing at the beginning of August. The theme was "Intolerance in Europe" and the main speaker was Professor Introvigne from Rome. Intolerance towards religious minorities is growing in western Europe, especially in Austria, France, and Belgium. Germany and Switzerland tend to be more moderate than before and more serious in their investigations. One bill voted by the French Senate is on compulsory schooling which is openly "anti-sect." The Senate Commission report on this bill would be read by all who believe in religious freedom. If this bill is voted, many religious groups and families will have problems. An anti-sect administration is now existing in France—Belgium is following in a similar way.

    

   
   
   
3. Oslo’s Conference

    

   The Oslo Conference on Religious Freedom August 12-15 was very successful. IRLA had six representatives and two co-presidents there. Our vice-president Bishop Gunnar Staalsett was on the front line and Professor Amor gave great speeches. We had good times with all of them. Bert gave the response to the Chinese report and made good suggestions for the final document. He was involved in the writing of the Oslo Recommendation. I gave a report in a workshop of the sects, and had the opportunity to talk with the French Ambassador. Mitchell Tyner, Reinder Bruinsma, Maurice Verfaillie, and Gianfranco Rossi, attended the conference also. Professor Cardoso represented South America and Robert Sobel, Brazil. It was a great opportunity to meet people and increase our network of friends.

    

   
   
   
4. Bucharest

    

   Dr. Negrei, advisor to President Constantinescu invited Bert and me to attend the big conference on Peace and Religion in Bucharest August 30-September 1. Many religions were represented. It was a great conference and also a fabulous opportunity to meet authorities and religious leaders. State Secretary Anghelescu invited me to speak about the new law in Romania. I shook hands with the Patriarch of Romania, talked with Cardinal Etchegaray, US Deputy Ambassador in the Holy See, Israel’s Ambassador, and many others. I returned to Washington September 6 after a visit to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, where I saw Dr. Rossi. On October 12, we had the pleasure of welcoming a member of the House of Representatives of Romania, Martian Dan. We talked about the religious freedom issue in Romania.
   

    

5. Welcome to Buenos Aires and a New Chapter is Born

    

   Professor Emilio Cardoso, Director General of the National Register of Religions, waited with me at the airport with the IRLA leaders of our Argentinian Chapter. I was given VIP treatment. The evening of Wednesday, October 23, Professor Cardoso invited me to give a lecture on "Religious Freedom in the World." The Director of Religious Affairs chaired the meeting which was held at the Hebraica University Bar Ilan. Professor Dr. Leon Bernstein-Hahn, director of the university was very supportive. On Thursday the 24th, we went to the Adventist University of La Plata and officially started the Argentinian Chapter of IRLA and the Institute of Religious Freedom. It was a great time with Dr. Posse, Professor Cardoso, Dr. Alberro and Dr. Schutz. Dr. Kairos was my translator. All of them are very supportive of religious liberty. Our IRLA South American director, Siloé de Almeida was there also. Friday morning I had the privilege of shaking hands with Dr. Carlos Menem, the President of Argentina.

    

   
   
   
6. IRLA Board of Directors Meeting. On October 28, I flew to Iguazu Foz in Brazil to attend the Annual Council and to organize our IRLA Board of Directors meetings. You will receive the minutes. Both meetings were good and we showed the video on religious freedom for the first time. During these meetings we heard reports from all over the world. We studied the situation in India where Christians are under pressure from extremists, and Cape Verde where

    

   Adventists have been arrested and one tortured. The project of an international congress in New Delhi was voted and received strong support. It will be held December 10-15, 1999. Please reserve these dates.

    

   
   
   
7. Visitors who came earlier this month included a delegation of the Cuban Minister of Public Health, Third Secretary of Cuban Interests Section here in DC, the Director, International Relations for the Ministry of Public Health, and the Advisor to the Minister.

    

John Graz
Secretary-General