MEP Maxette Pirbakas, at the European Parliemant, emphasizes the importance of religious tolerance and freedom in Europe, highlighting the need for dialogue and respect for minority rights. Photo credit: A.S. Pegasus Photo Creations // MEP Maxette Pirbakas - Living together in Peace 30 nov 2023
Brussels – On 30 November 2023, Maxette Pirbakas, MEP for Overseas France, welcomed participants to a conference on the protection of the rights of religious and spiritual minorities in Europe.
In her opening speech, MEP Maxette Pirbakas acknowledged Europe’s complex history when it comes to religion. She pointed out that religions have often been “engines or pretexts for savagery”, referring to the persecution of early Christians and the atrocities committed against Jews in the 20th century. At the same time, Pirbakas pointed out that it was in Europe that the ideas of religious tolerance and freedom were born. “Shadows and light: that’s Europe”, she summed up.
According to Pirbakas, Europe’s founding fathers attached particular importance to the issue of religious freedom from the outset. They made the protection of minority groups an essential part of Europe’s democratic culture.
According to Maxette Pirbakas, a balanced compromise embodies the EU’s global approach. By avoiding the adoption of an EU-wide religious statute and leaving it to the Member States to regulate worship, she believes that Europe has wisely avoided homogenising national points of view. It has left a margin of discretion to the Member States while ensuring that they do not use it to violate fundamental rights, in particular those of religious and spiritual minorities. “Confronting points of view and finding a point of balance” is Europe’s speciality, said MEP Pirbakas.
MEP Maxette Pirbakas, who organized the meeting, addressed leaders of religious minorities in Europe, at the European Parliament. Photo credit: 2023 www.bxl-media.com
Maxette Pirbakas concluded by recalling principles such as individual free will, the protection of minority rights and the fact that States should only restrict religion for demonstrable reasons of public order. She referred to the dangerous attempts to deal with the new “heretics” by trying to create new legislation that would endanger the precious freedom of thought and expression. The standard penal codes, if applied correctly, are more than sufficient to punish anyone who breaks the laws without having to examine the religious, spiritual or political background of the individuals, stating that “the current tools are sufficient if applied correctly“.
Encouraging continued dialogue, Pirbakas described debates on religion as “always passionate”. But she expressed the hope that the EU could remain an ally of all spiritual views by ensuring that Member States respect fundamental freedoms, to help Europe “live together in our differences and diversity”.
A few days ago, the Gucci family announced for sale their two villas in Rome, which are as opulent and luxurious as the famous models of the legendary fashion house, located in the most exclusive residential area of Rome.
Built by Aldo Gucci after he moved to Rome in the 1940s, these two villas are located just 10 minutes from the historic city center, in one of the most exclusive residential areas.
The main mansion was where the Gucci dynasty celebrated holidays and other special occasions, and the two villas are surrounded by a huge park and share a swimming pool. Their design, of course, draws inspiration from Italy, but also from English mansions, as Olwen Price, Gucci’s wife, was British – the English flavor can be seen in the columns and arched windows.
The larger villa has a games room, master bedroom with two bathrooms and wardrobe, and staff quarters. The smaller villa needs updating but would make a great guest house, according to Chiara Genarelli, real estate advisor for Forbes Global Properties.
The villas, which are sold within a single listing, are on the market for €15 million.
The cargo spacecraft was launched on Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Progress MS-25 cargo spacecraft, which was launched on Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, docked with the Poisk module of the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS), Roscosmos reported, as quoted by TASS.
The ship docked at the station in automatic mode, adds BTA. The process was controlled from Earth by specialists from the Mission Control Center, and from the ISS board by cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub and Konstantin Borisov.
“Progress MS-25” delivered 2,528 kg of cargo, including 515 kg of refueling fuel, 420 liters of potable water, 40 kg of compressed nitrogen in bottles, clothing, and about 1,553 kg of various equipment for medical control and sanitary needs. In addition, the ship delivered food to the Russian cosmonauts, including tangerines, oranges, lemons and grapefruits, as the Russian Research Institute of Food Concentrate Industry and Special Food Technologies previously reported.
“Progress MS-25” also brought New Year’s gifts to the station, which were prepared for the crew members by their relatives and friends, the psychological support service of the ISS crew reported. Gift bags also contain dragon keychains.
The ship also delivered a special complex “Incubator-3” and 48 eggs of Japanese quail, with the help of which it is planned to conduct the “Quail” experiment, as well as equipment for the “Quartz-M” experiment, which the cosmonauts will have to install during work session outside the ship.
Illustrative Photo by Suzy Hazelwood: https://www.pexels.com/photo/orange-fruit-on-white-ceramic-saucer-1295567/
What kind of Europe are we heading for? And, more specifically, where are the Churches andChurch movements heading in the current climate of growing uncertainty? The shrinking of the Churches is certainly a very painful loss. But every loss can create more space and more freedom to encounter God.
French writer Charles Péguy described the “little sister hope” that carries with it faith and love in a childlike impetuosity. It opens up new horizons and leads us to say “and yet”, taking us into unknown territory.
What does this mean for the Churches? The days of cathedrals seem to be over. Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is on fire… but Christian life is dying out. However, the charisms of Christian movements can open new paths. It was during the Second World War, for example, that several movements were born, like a baptism of fire.
The fate of societies depends on “creative minorities”.
Joseph Ratzinger, future pope Benedict XVI, has recognised the relevance of this notion since 1970. From its very beginnings, Christianity has been a minority, a minority of a unique kind. A renewed awareness of this characteristic fact of its identity holds great promise for the future.
Questions of gender and authoritarian politics, for example, exclude, divide, and polarise. Reciprocity born of the recognition of charisms and a friendship centred on Christ are the two essential counterpoisons.
Regarding reciprocity, Helmut Nicklas, one of the fathers of Together for Europe, wrote: “It is only when we really succeed in receiving our own experience of God, our charisms and our gifts in a new and more profound way from others that our network will really have a future!”
And, on the importance of friendship, the philosopher Anne Applebaum noted: “We must choose our allies and friends with the greatest care because it is only with them that it is possible to resist authoritarianism and polarisation. In short, we must form new alliances.
The hidden face of Christ on the road to Emmaus
In Christ, the walls of hatred and separation have been torn down. The story of Emmaus makes us understand this: on their journey, the two disciples are deeply wounded and divided, but through the presence of Christ who joins them, a new present is born. Together, we are called to be bearers of this “Emmaus skill” that brings reconciliation.
The Slovakian Mária Špesová, from the European Network of Communities, has also meditated on the disciples of Emmaus. Recently, she met some young people who had mocked Christians, claiming that they were mistaken.
The experience of the Emmaus disciples gives her hope. Jesus hid his face to bring their hearts to the light and fill them with love. She hopes that these teenagers will have the same experience: discovering the hidden face of Jesus. And that face shows through our own!
Ruxandra Lambru, a Romanian Orthodox and member of the Focolare Movement, feels the divisions in Europe when it comes to the pandemic, vaccines against the Coronavirus and the state of Israel. Where is the Europe of solidarity when the arguments exclude the values we hold dear, and when we deny the existence of others or demonise them?
The road to Emmaus showed her that it is essential to live the faith in small communities: it is together that we go to the Lord.
Influencing social and political life through Christian values
According to Valerian Grupp, a member of the Young Men’s Christian Association, only a quarter of the population of Germany will belong to the Catholic and Protestant Churches in 2060. Already today, the “big Church” no longer exists; less than half the population belongs to it, and common convictions are disappearing.
But Europe needs our faith. We need to win it back by meeting people and inviting them to enter into a relationship with God. The current situation of the Churches is reminiscent of that of the first disciples of Jesus, with their “mobile Churches”.
As for Kostas Mygdalis, adviser to the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, an Orthodox movement that brings together parliamentarians from 25 countries, he notes that certain political circles are mystifying the history of Europe by trying to erase the heritage of Christian faith. For example, the 336 pages of a book published by the Council of Europe on the values of Europe nowhere mention Christian values!
Yet our duty as Christians is to speak out and have an impact on society… even if the Churches sometimes view people involved in politics with suspicion.
Edouard Heger, former President, and Prime Minister of Slovakia, also calls on Christians to go out and speak out, with courage and love. Their vocation is to be people of reconciliation.
“I’ve come here with just one request, he says. We need you as politicians. We also need Christians in politics: they bring peace, and they serve. Europe has Christian roots, but it needs to hear the Gospel because it no longer knows it”.
The call to courage and trust that I received from Timisoara is summed up in these words from Saint Paul: “We are ambassadors sent by Christ, and it is as if God himself were making his appeal through us: we beseech you, in the name of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5,20).
Photo: Young people in traditional dress from Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Germany, Slovakia, and Serbia, all present in Timisoara, reminded us that we are at the heart of Europe.
Since late September, the Amazon faces one of its most relentless droughts in recorded history. Disturbing images from Brazil’s Amazonas state show hundreds of river dolphins and countless fish dead on the riverbanks after water temperatures last month shot from 82 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
As temperatures climb, Indigenous peoples and local communities across the Central and Western Amazon—namely regions in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru—are watching their rivers disappear at unprecedented rates.
Given the region’s dependence on waterways for transportation, the severely low river levels are disrupting the transportation of essential goods, with numerous communities struggling to access food and water. Regional health departments have warned that it is also becoming increasingly difficult to bring emergency medical assistance to many Amazonian communities.
The hot and dry conditions have also spurred wildfire across the region. Since the start of 2023, more than 11.8 million acres (18,000 sq mi) of Brazil’s Amazon have been consumed by fire, an area twice the size of Maryland. In Manaus, the capital of Amazonas in Brazil and a city of two million people, doctors have reported an increase in respiratory issues due to persistent smoke from fires, especially among children and the elderly.
Distant cities have also been impacted. In Ecuador, where normally 90% of power is generated by hydroelectric power plants, the Amazon drought has obliged the government to import energy from Colombia in order to prevent widespread power outages. “The river that flows from the Amazon, where our power plants are located, has decreased so much that hydroelectric generation was reduced to 60% on some days,” explained Fernando Santos Alvite, Ecuador’s Minister of Energy.
Though wet seasons vary throughout the Amazon, rain isn’t anticipated in most affected regions until late November or early December.
EL NIÑO, DEFORESTATION, AND FIRE: A DANGEROUS COMBINATION
Scientists emphasize that while the extreme drought is influenced by El Niño, deforestation over the years has worsened the situation. Additionally, wildfires linked to slash-and-burn practices favored by cattle ranchers and soybean producers are pushing the region beyond its limit.
Ane Alencar, Director of Science at the Institute for Amazonian Environmental Research (IPAM), explains, “The smoke from the fires affects the rain in several ways. When you cut down native forest, you’re removing trees that release water vapor into the atmosphere, directly reducing rainfall.”
Research has shown that this degenerative process could be pushing us closer to a “tipping point” in the Amazon, with hotter and longer dry seasons potentially triggering a mass die-off of trees. A study published last year in Nature Climate Change posits that we are just decades away from vast portions of the Amazon rainforest collapsing and becoming savannah–which, in turn, would produce a devastating effect on ecosystems around the globe.
This drought is not an isolated natural disaster. It’s a symptom of global climate changes and the local impacts of deforestation. Tackling these challenges necessitates coordinated action on local, national, and global levels.
The Brazilian government has created a task force and Peru has declared a regional emergency, but very few communities in the region have seen any coordinated effort to mitigate the impacts of the drought. Meanwhile, analysts worry that remote and isolated Indigenous communities will suffer more than most.
Indigenous peoples stand at the frontlines of climate change, despite contributing the least to greenhouse gas emissions. Now, more than ever, international solidarity and support for the affected communities are essential.
Brussels, Belgium – “Hence the need today for this kind of debate, which enables a religious minority to find a clean, respectful space in which to express their religion responsibly and transparently, within a democratic framework,” affirmed Lahcen Hammouch in an address last week to the European Parliament. The journalist and living together in peace activist gave remarks on November 30th as part of a conference on safeguarding the rights of spiritual minorities.
Organized by French MEP Maxette Pirbakas, the working meeting convened diverse religious groups to discuss experiences in Europe. In his speech, Hammouch, CEO of the Brussels-based outlet Bruxelles Media, drew on an upbringing that nurtured interfaith bonds. Growing up in Morocco, “we’ve lived together with the Jewish community since we were children,” he recalled. Yet upon immigrating to Belgium at 18, Hammouch encountered unfamiliar racism and divisions.
In the wake of “terrorist attacks in Europe by radical Islamist extremists”, dialogue has become more urgent, Hammouch argued. “Hence the need today for everyone – Black, White, Blue, Yellow, Green – to talk to each other,” he emphasized, even where full agreement proves impossible. His work centres on facilitating such conversations through media platforms, seminars and “apéros of diversity” involving diverse philosophies and religious organizations.
While acknowledging that the Muslim community faces prejudice, Hammouch distinguished the religion’s spiritual core from the political ideology of Islamism. His forthcoming book explores this complex landscape. “There is of course an Islam of peace, a traditional Islam, an Islam of values,” he wrote. “And then there is an Islamism which carries a political project.”
By providing a forum for pluralistic exchange, Hammouch suggested, events like the conference organized by French MEP Pirbakas, enable transparent understanding between people of different backgrounds. Thanking the MEP for her efforts, he reiterated the need for a “respectful space” where religious minorities can voice their beliefs freely as integral members of European democracies.
On December 3, 1925, a treaty was signed between Germany and the Soviet Union at Rapallo, Italy, re-establishing diplomatic relations. This came only seven years after Germany’s defeat in WWI.
December 3, 1967 was the date of the first ever heart transplant operation, performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa. This medical breakthrough revolutionized treatment options for advanced heart disease.
In Malta on December 3, 1974, the pro-British prime minister Dom Mintoff resigned, signaling the end of Malta’s ties with the United Kingdom. This strengthened bonds between Malta and continental Europe instead.
The Communist government of Czechoslovakia ended on December 3rd, 1989, over a month after protests erupted challenging one-party rule. This marked the collapse of Communism across Eastern Europe towards liberal democracy.
A tragic mining accident took place on December 3, 2007 in Ukraine, causing a series of underground explosions that ultimately killed 101 miners. It highlighted continuing safety issues in Ukraine’s mining industry.
Famous Births on December 3rd
Some renowned personalities were born on this calendar day. Joseph Conrad, revered author of acclaimed novels like Heart of Darkness, was born on December 3, 1857. Iconic singer Ozzy Osbourne of the metal band Black Sabbath arrived on December 3, 1948. Acclaimed director Terrence Malick behind realistic dramas like The Thin Red Line entered the world on December 3, 1943.
Space Exploration History
December 3, 1973 commemorates the day NASA’s Pioneer 10 spacecraft made the first-ever close flyby of massive Jupiter after traversing the asteroid belt. Its detailed images constituted a milestone for interplanetary exploration.
Tragedy in Bhopal
In one of history’s worst industrial disasters, poisonous gas leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India on December 3, 1984. Over half a million people were exposed to the toxic fumes, ultimately causing over 15,000 casualties. The infamous Bhopal disaster highlighted corporate negligence and raised ethical concerns about rapid industrialization in developing countries.
A Victory for Disabled Rights
December 3, 1990 marks when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, a landmark civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination against disabled individuals. This groundbreaking law led to improved accessibility and opportunities for Americans with disabilities.
Illinois Joins the Union
On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state admitted to the United States. Its capital city Chicago would emerge as a major commercial and transportation hub over the 19th century.
Rabbi Avi Tawil, speaking at the European Parliament, working meeting "Fundamental Rights of Religious and Spiritual Minorities in European Union". Photo credit: 2023 www.bxl-media.com
Speaking passionately at the European Parliament last Thursday, Rabbi Avi Tawil drew urgent attention to the long history of anti-Semitic hate crimes targeting visibly Jewish children across the continent. He traced Judaism’s deep roots in Europe spanning millennia and appealed for unity and understanding between different religions to realize the promise of an inclusive European society.
“Today, especially after 7th October, but already for many, many, many years. Children in the streets of Europe if they choose, or their parents allow them, or just that they walk with the kippa in the streets or they come out of a Jewish school. And there is a great deal. These kids grow up with a trauma of insults and abuse. This is something common,” explained Tawil, director of the European Jewish Community Centre, a non-profit promoting Jewish culture.
MEP Maxette Pirbakas, who organized the meeting, addressed leaders of religious minorities in Europe, at the European Parliament. Photo credit: 2023 www.bxl-media.com
While stressing that fundamental rights belong to all communities, Tawil warned that Jewish Europeans are often still viewed as not fully European. “Jews across Europe paid full price and a very expensive price to have 2000 years or more of history in these lands,” he remarked, tracing Jewish contributions to shaping European civilization since ancient times.
Yet Tawil found reason for optimism in the very gathering where he spoke. The event at the European Parliament titled “Fundamental Rights of Religious and Spiritual Minorities in the EU” was organized by French MEP Maxette Pirbakas and brought together Catholic, Protestant, Muslim Baha’is, Scientologists, Hindus and other faith leaders.
Au @Europarl_FR, j'ai réuni des représentants de religions minoritaires pour débattre et enrichir nos réflexions sur la nécessaire protection par l'UE de toutes les formes de spiritualité au-delà des racourcis et des caricatures. Notre diversité doit être célébrée, non entravée. pic.twitter.com/yhzp30EUz3
“We were discussing and learning together and it made me very hopeful. These moments of sharing, these moments, these special moments that we can actually understand that we are all part of this European project,” Tawil commented.
In his view, defending rights for all spiritual minorities is essential for realizing the unifying promise of Europe. “If we have the same determination, we know what our values are, we know how we have to stand strong for each other, for each other’s freedoms, we can for sure make an impact,” he appealed in closing.
Tawil called for faith communities to come together in solidarity and bless Europe with “the determination to defend these important fundamental rights for every single person, every single citizen in this beautiful Europe.”
Willy Fautré, speaking at the European Parliament about how media often persecutes minority faiths. Photo credit: www.bxl-media.com
“The media, thriving on sensationalism rather than facts, seize on the cult issue as a good topic because that boosts the sales or the audience,” said Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, in a hard-hitting speech delivered last Thursday at the European Parliament.
Fautré ‘s remarks came during a working conference titled “Fundamental Rights of Religious and Spiritual Minorities in the EU,” held last November 30th by French MEP Maxette Pirbakas with leaders of different minority faith groups.
MEP Maxette Pirbakas, who organized the meeting, addressed leaders of religious minorities in Europe, at the European Parliament. Photo credit: 2023 www.bxl-media.com
Fautré accused European media outlets of being complicit in fostering religious intolerance that has led to discrimination, vandalism and even violence against minority faith groups, even against some global minorities like Scientology or Jehovah’s Witnesses, which have been repeatedly recognized as religious or belief communities by the European Court of Human Rights, OSCE and even the United Nations in their rulings or declarations.
While international bodies use neutral language when referring to religious groups, Fautré explained, media in Europe often categorize certain movements as “cults” or “sects”—terms carrying an inherent negative bias. This intolerant and artificial labelling is pushed by anti-religious people, who call themselves “anti-cultists,” including aggrieved former members, activists, and associations that want to exclude these minority religious groups from legal protection.
The media fans the flames, according to Fautré. “Unfounded accusations amplified by the media not only influence public opinion but reinforce stereotypes. They also shape the ideas of political decision-makers, and they may be officially endorsed by some democratic states and their institutions,” increasing thus the violations of fundamental rights based on religion, infringing freedom of thought.
As evidence, Fautré pointed to sensationalist coverage hyping a pitifully small anti-religious protest in the UK, as well as Belgian outlets spreading false allegations from a Belgian state institution report claiming abuse cover-ups among Jehovah’s Witnesses. In reality, a court recently condemned the report as unfounded and defamatory.
Such factually distorted reporting has real-world consequences, warned Fautré. “They send a signal of distrust, threat, and danger, and create a climate of suspicion, intolerance, hostility and hatred in society,” he said. Fautré connected this directly to incidents like the vandalization of Jehovah’s Witness buildings across Italy to the deadly shooting of seven of their worshippers in Germany.
In conclusion, Fautré issued demands for change, stating that European media must abide by ethical journalism standards when covering religious issues. He also called for training workshops to help reporters appropriately cover minority faiths without fueling public hostility against them. If no reforms are made, Europe risks being exposed as hypocritical for preaching tolerance abroad while allowing persecution in its own backyard.
Brussels – On Monday, members of the European Parliament will convene counterparts from EU member states to review rule of law safeguards across the bloc.
The gathering occurs as concerns mount over democratic backsliding in certain European countries. It will “discuss the state of the rule of law in the EU,” according to the parliament’s civil liberties committee, which is organizing the meeting.
Included on the agenda are presentations from Belgian, Danish, German, Greek, Irish, and Spanish lawmakers. European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders will also provide remarks via video message.
“The first session will focus on the Commission’s annual Rule of Law report assessing the situation across the EU, and the European Parliament’s analysis,” organizers outlined.
Sophie In ‘t Veld, the parliament’s rule of law monitoring group chair, will discuss recent developments. She serves as rapporteur on the Commission’s latest annual report on adherence to EU values.
Academic experts, Council of Europe officials, and transparency advocates will join the second panel discussion on anti-corruption efforts.
The gathering comes the same year rule of law conditionality took effect, allowing the suspension of EU funds over breaches of democratic principles and judicial independence. However, the mechanism’s deployment remains a politically sensitive matter.
Monday’s parliamentary summit will zero in on five countries for “specific evaluation,” according to documents. But organizers did not specify the member states under review.
With Budapest resisting EU calls for reform, and Poland accused of backsliding on judicial independence, the state of the rule of law promises to remain a complex, high-stakes balancing act for EU officials. This week’s “health check-in” meeting reflects intensifying efforts to safeguard democratic norms.
