Latvia files a declaration of intervention in the proceedings under Article 63 of the Statute
THE HAGUE, 22 July 2022. Genocide – On 21 July 2022, the Republic of Latvia, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation).
Pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute, whenever the construction of a convention to which States other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, each of these States has the right to intervene in the proceedings. In this case, the construction given by the judgment of the Court will be equally binding upon them.
To avail itself of the right of intervention conferred by Article 63 of the Statute, Latvia relies on its status as a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”). It states that “[a]s a Party to the Genocide Convention, Latvia has a direct interest in the construction that might be placed upon that treaty in the Court’s decision in the [proceedings”, indicating that it “wishes to intervene in order to make submissions on [the] construction of the Genocide Convention on issues relating to merits as well as jurisdiction”.
In accordance with Article 83 of the Rules of Court, Ukraine and the Russian Federation have been invited to furnish written observations on Latvia’s declaration of intervention.
Latvia’s declaration of intervention will soon be available on the Court’s website.
The history of the proceedings can be found in press releases Nos. 2022/4, 2022/6, 2022/7 and 2022/11, available on the Court’s website.
Note. The Court’s press releases are prepared by its Registry for information purposes only and do not constitute official documents.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role. first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.
In a heartfelt address to the people of Sri Lanka and the international community, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, condemned Friday morning’s attack on the “beloved” citizens of Sri Lanka, in which security forces raided the main anti-government protest camp in the capital.
The Cardinal explains that the unarmed youth, even after having announced that they were preparing to leave the site, were attacked by an “unprovoked” group of policemen and army soldiers.
Some were injured and others were arrested, noted the Cardinal, stressing his desire to “completely condemn this high-handed action of the president”.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had been in power for less than 24 hours at the time of the attack, winning 134 votes in parliament, after former prime minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa was ousted.
“This is very sad”, stated the Cardinal, “because the president became president only on the vote of the parliamentarians, and because he came saying that he would protect the constitution”. Instead, continued the cardinal, “he has acted against the basic right of the people to protest, which is a democratic right, which was exercised non violently by the youth”.
The president’s attack on this youth is completely contradictory to what he publicly announced and to what his duty as president of the country is, continued the Cardinal.
He added that the parliament does not represent the majority of the people and that the president is trying to “dictate terms and force himself on the people with the use of thuggery and oppression is unacceptable”.
Responsibility for any consequences
“We hold the president responsible”, continued the Cardinal, “for any future disaster that might come as a result of his actions”.
Cardinal Ranjith then went to note that amongst those injured during Friday’s attack were members of both local and foreign media. He went on to condemn these attacks, too, and “, especially on those who came from overseas”, warning of the discredit Sri Lanka will receive as a result of one person’s actions.
A suffering nation
He then turned his focus to the suffering people of the nation, who with unemployment and a lack of basic necessities to live with dignity protested this reality, peacefully, and demanded change, only to be attacked.
“It is the responsibility of the President to look into this attack”, stated the Cardinal, demanding that an inquiry be opened and that those guilty be held responsible.
Turning then to the international community, Cardinal Ranjith asked that should the government fail to open an inquiry, members of human rights organisations do so instead. “To attack the very same people whose protests lead to this change is like kicking the ladder after one reaches the top”, concluded the cardinal, adding “we wish to condemn that very firmly and call upon him not to act in that high-handed fashion hereafter”.
From the Amazon to the Andes and the snowy depths of Patagonia, extreme weather and climate change are causing mega-drought, extreme rainfall, deforestation and glacier melt across the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, according to a UN report published on Friday.
“The report shows that hydrometeorological hazards, including droughts, heatwaves, cold waves, tropical cyclones and floods, have unfortunately led to the loss of hundreds of lives, severe damages to crop production and infrastructure and human displacement,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
Worsening climate change…[has] stalled decades of progress – ECLAC
Climate change is threatening vital systems in the region, which are already approaching critical conditions, potentially causing irreversible damage.
The report revealed that since the 1980s, glaciers in the tropical Andes have lost 30 per cent or more of their area – with a negative mass balance trend during the 1990-2020 monitoring period.
In Peru, some have lost more than 50 per cent of their area.
Glacier retreat and corresponding ice-mass loss increases the risk of water scarcity for people in the Andes, and its ecosystems.
“For many Andean cities, melting glaciers represent the loss of a significant source of freshwater currently used for domestic use, irrigation, and hydroelectric power,” said the WMO chief.
Deforestation and dangerous rain
According to the report, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest doubled from the 2009‑2018 average and reached its highest level since 2009.
WMO/Caio Graco
22-09-2021_WMO_Brazil.jpg Caption Rising temperatures mean more weather extremes, including intense rainfall as illustrated by this storm over Dutra highway in Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Some 22 per cent more forest area was lost last year, compared to the previous one – a blow for both the environment and climate change mitigation.
“In South America, the continued degradation of the Amazon rainforest is still being highlighted as a major concern for the region but also for global climate, considering the role of the forest in the carbon cycle,” said the top WMO official.
Meanwhile, record-breaking rainfall last year triggered floods and landslides that caused hundreds of fatalities, left tens of thousands of homes destroyed or damaged, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced.
Floods and landslides in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Minas Gerais alone led to an estimated loss of $ 3.1 billion.
Sea level rise
Regional sea levels rose at a faster rate than elsewhere in the world, notably along the Atlantic coast of South America south of the equator, and the subtropical North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
The rising sea contaminates freshwater aquifers, erodes shorelines, inundates low-lying areas, and increases the risks of storm surges, threatening coastal populations.
“Increasing sea-level rise and ocean warming are expected to continue to affect coastal livelihoods, tourism, health, food, energy, and water security, particularly in small islands and Central American countries,” Mr. Taalas warned.
Children search for scraps of wood to help their parents rebuild their house after it was destroyed by the strong winds of Hurricane Iota in Nicaragua.
Drought
In South America overall, drought conditions led to a 2.6 per cent decline during the 2020-2021 cereal harvest compared with the previous season, the report said.
And the so-called Central Chile Mega Drought, which has continued for 13 years, is the longest drought in the region in a thousand years.
Additionally, a multi-year drought in the Parana-La Plata Basin, the worst since 1944, is affecting central-southern Brazil and parts of Paraguay and Bolivia.
The agricultural damage it has caused, such as by reducing soybean and corn production, has affect global crop markets.
Progress against poverty stalled
“Worsening climate change…have not only impacted the biodiversity of the region, but have also stalled decades of progress against poverty, food insecurity and the reduction of inequality in the region,” said Mario Cimoli of Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
The report, which outlines how extreme weather will continue to adversely affect human health and natural ecosystems, can inform climate policy and decision-making.
“No matter how it is taken, action must be informed by science,” he underscored.
On the eve of President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Benin, the Brussels-based NGO “Human Rights Without Frontiers” urged the French President to demand the release of two famous opposition leaders, Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo, respectively sentenced to 20 years and 10 years in prison.
This month, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) has filed a report with the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Benin, in which the organisation outlined its concerns over human rights abuses in Benin, with particular regard to the continued detention of opposition figures Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo and the fact that they were not included in a list of 17 detainees due to be temporarily released after a 13 June 2022 meeting between President Patrice Talon and Thomas Boni Yayi, former President of Benin (2006-2016).
Reckya Madougou, from her Facebook account
The submission by HRWF included details about the case of Reckya Madougou who was sentenced at the end of 2021 to 20 years in prison for allegedly financing terrorism. She had been arrested in March 2021 accused of wiring thousands of dollars toa military officer for the purpose of killing unnamed authorities. Her candidacy had earlier been rejected by the electoral commission. HRWF went on to detail that Ms Madougou was the leader of the opposition party, Les Démocrates, and a presidential candidate. HRWF’s statement also described Ms Madougou’s civil society campaign — “Don’t touch my constitution” — that rallied against leaders seeking to extend their rule under the guise of constitutional reform. The movement spread across West Africa, gaining her a high profile.
RMTB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Joel Aivo – via Wikimedia Commons
The HRWF report to the UPR also gave details about the case of Joël Aivo and his December 2021 sentencing by the controversial Economic Crime and Terrorism Court (CRIET) to 10 years in prison for allegedly plotting against the state and laundering money.
HRWF explained in their submission that Mr Aivo is a law professor who challenged Talon in the 2021 election. He was held for eight months ahead of sentencing and pleaded not guilty to the charges of plotting against the state and money laundering.
HRWF has been monitoring the backsliding that has been taking place around human rights in Benin since 2016. “We were especially dismayed to see that Reckya Madougou and Joël Aivo were not on the June 2022 list of 17 detainees to be temporarily released. Ms Madougou and Mr Aivo should be fully released immediately. The persecution and detention of opposition figures has no place in a democracy and we are concerned for the welfare of these two politicians. President Macron must use his visit to Benin to demand that President Patrice Talon release them,” Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers told The European Times.
Artist Silk Releases “It’s Hot” Dance Track By Infusing Positive Energy With Sound For The Goal of Effecting Emotion
LONDON, ENGLAND, UK, July 21, 2022 – Classically trained musician and artist Silk had a vision… Use her many talents and creativity to write and produce music that makes a positive impact on people. As a lifelong positive thinker, Silk fully understands music’s ability to influence our emotions and the effects it has on our energy. Harnessing the beautiful aspects of sound, and focusing on how to create positive energy with various combinations.
“It’s Hot”, Silk, artist
Silk explained; “The song is about what makes you happy personally- about you and what you find attractive and ‘what floats your boat’. Take in this song and experience it. Feel free to apply it to your own personal journey. For example, in the song “Favorite Things” by Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music, the focus is her favorite things. It’s the same thing here. What do you find hot? What makes you happy? What would you like to see happen more and more for yourself? This song is all about the listener and their preferences. Just listen to the song and imagine whatever you want to be actually is, but above all else, feel happy. The energy contained in “It’s Hot” and its lyrics will support you and what you are feeling when you listen. Give it a try.
“It’s Hot”, Silk, artist
“From my early childhood, I have always been able to transmute and convert negativity into positive. That’s just how I am wired. It happens automatically. Visualize a bunch of arrows being thrown at you. Can you convert those arrows into flowers? What I do is something like that. As those arrows theoretically come toward you, if you are able to change them into flowers, then what’s created in the atmosphere is flowers, and is something good and beautiful. That’s what happened here, but with sound, for the purpose of happiness.”
“It’s Hot”, Silk, artist
Silk penned the lyrics and music, as well as produced and had the video for “It’s Hot” filmed. To enhance the music track and turn up the sizzle that’s behind “It’s Hot”, Silk filmed her visuals in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to Silk, the meaning behind the first of her six new singles dropping in 2022 is simple; “Be happy and DANCE”. “It’s Hot” is light and the essence of dance. It’s easy to listen to and just be with the music. When you hear this track, you do not have to think too much, except to just be happy and feel light. Even if this song gives you a few seconds of happiness it’s done its job.
“Thunder God” is the next release coming from this modern day artist. Combining the essence and energy of nature with the power of sound is the next level creativity that will be dropping in the fall. Until then, the artist Silk hopes “It’s Hot” will surround you with positive energy, move you on the dance floor, and enable you to feel pure happiness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday reconvened the Monkeypox Emergency Committee to assess the public health implications of the evolving multi-country outbreak, as global cases passed 14,000, with six countries reporting their first cases last week.
The committee first met last month but decided against declaring it a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged his “acute” awareness that any decision regarding the possible determination involves “the consideration of many factors, with the ultimate goal of protecting public health”.
The committee has already helped “delineate the dynamics of this outbreak,” he said in his opening remarks to committee members and advisors.
“What matters is what you need to expect from this journey”
In the 3⃣rd episode, Harun explains how sharing stories about #monkeypox can empower other patients in their journey.
“As the outbreak develops, it’s important to assess the effectiveness of public health interventions in different settings, to better understand what works, and what doesn’t”.
Monkeypox, a rare viral disease, occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa, though it has been exported to other regions.
This year, more than 14,000 cases have been reported across 71 Member States, from all six WHO regions.
While the trend in some countries has declined, others are increasing. Some, with less access to diagnostics and vaccines, make the outbreak harder to track and stem.
Tedros revealed that six countries reported their first cases last week and that the vast majority continue to be among men who have sex with men.
“This transmission pattern represents both an opportunity to implement targeted public health interventions, and a challenge because in some countries, the communities affected face life-threatening discrimination,” he said.
He warned of “a very real concern” that men who have sex with men could be “stigmatized or blamed…making the outbreak much harder to track, and to stop”.
Treating monkeypox
One of the most powerful tools against monkeypox is information, the WHO chief affirmed.
“The more information people at risk of Monkeypox have, the more they are able to protect themselves,” Tedros said. “Unfortunately, the information shared with WHO by countries in West and Central Africa is still very scant”.
The inability to characterize the epidemiological situation in those regions represents a “substantial challenge” to designing interventions which can control the historically neglected disease.
The UN health agency is working closely with affected communities in all its regions and as the outbreak evolves, has called for increased, “targeted and focused” access to all counter measures for the most affected populations.
Meanwhile, it is validating, procuring and shipping tests to multiple countries and continues to provide support for expanded access to effective diagnostics.
The committee will discuss the latest evidence and conditions through Thursday, and announce its decision in the coming days.
“A war of attrition” in which ” it is incumbent upon the international community to keep the hope of dialogue, the hope of negotiation alive”: this is how Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, defines the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In an interview with America magazine’s correspondent, Gerard O’Connell, the Vatican prelate recalls his recent visit to Ukraine in May: ”What I think I learned – said – was the resilience of the people, their determination, their courage. But also I learned about the degree of suffering” there, highlighted by “the great loss of life and by the growing concerns that the war will continue.
For this reason, Archbishop Gallagher underlines the role of the Holy See in calling for negotiations and for the “restoration of peace” “without ignoring the violence and the conflict”. He adds there has been “no explicit invitation” to the Holy See by Russia to mediate, though the two States have maintained contacts ”through the Apostolic Nuncio in Moscow”. Archbishop Gallagher remarks that the position of the Holy See “is appreciated” by Russia, that, however, hasn’t gone a “step further” asking for a possible mediation, as there was no explicit invitation for the Pope to go to Moscow.
Archbishop Gallagher goes on to recall the Holy See’s support for “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, reiterating that: “It’s up to the Ukrainians to negotiate with others, with the Russians, obviously, in particular”. Based on this “principle”, he says, the Holy See “would not recognize a unilateral declaration of independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions”.
The Pope’s visit to Ukraine
Regarding hopes for a papal visit to Kyiv in August, Archbishop Gallagher remarks that the Pope “has made great progress in his mobility” which has been hindered by his knee problem, and, therefore, may want to start looking into this matter “seriously” in the next month, after his trip to Canada from 24-29 July.
In any case, he says, Pope Francis “wants to and feels he should go to Ukraine”, despite the lack of an invitation from Moscow. “The two things are not linked”. It might be a good thing if they were linked. But I think the Pope’s main priority at this moment is to make the visit to Ukraine, meet with the Ukrainian authorities, meet with the Ukrainian people and with the Ukrainian Catholic Church”, the Vatican representative concluded
Extreme heat in western Europe is causing devastating wildfires in France and Spain, unprecedented drought in Italy and Portugal, and the United Kingdom recorded its highest-ever temperature of just over 40 degrees Celsius during Tuesday, at London’s Heathrow airport.
With temperatures expected to remain above normal until the middle of next week, the World Metrological Organization (WMO) warned that heatwaves will occur more and more frequently, into the 2060s.
The pattern is linked to the observed warming of the planet that can be attributed to human activity, raising serious concerns for the planet’s future, the UN weather agency said.
“We are expecting to see major impacts on agriculture. During the previous heatwaves in Europe, we lost big parts of harvest. And under the current situation -we are already having the global food crisis because of the war in Ukraine – this heatwave is going to have a further negative impact on agricultural activities”, warned Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the WMO at a press conference to launch the latest extreme weather findings, in Geneva.
In several countries, some economic sectors – including tourism that has only begun to fully recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic – are suffering as a result.
Further warming inevitable
“The negative trend in climate will continue at least until the 2060s, independent of our success in climate mitigation”, Mr. Taalas added.
“We have already lost the game concerning the melting of glaciers. We expect that the melting of glaciers will continue for the coming hundreds of years or even coming thousands of years…Sea level rise will continue for the same period”.
Mr. Taalas reflected growing concerns over extreme weather patterns, in his sartorial selection on Tuesday, he told journalists, choosing to wear short sleeves and a red and blue tie, in recognition of the increasing number of red alerts flashing up across Europe.
WMO briefed journalists that the European heatwave may not end, until the middle of next week.
Air pollution
The heatwave also acts as a kind of atmospheric lid, WHO explained, trapping pollutants, and degrading air quality, with adverse health consequences, particularly for vulnerable people such as the elderly. In the major 2003 heatwave in Europe, some 70,000 people died.
“Climate change is affecting our health in many ways, not only by heatwaves which are having direct consequences” but also other areas of essential healthcare, such as rising levels of disease, alerted Maria Neira, Director for public and environmental health at WHO.
She explained that reliable access to food and water is at stake, as with agricultural production levels at risk”, and there will be water scarcity for sure”.
She said that 99% of the global population is breathing air that does not meet the health standards set by WHO, hugely impacting chronic respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Ambition is key
“The best solution to this will be, again, being very ambitious on tackling the causes of this global warming.
“We have been alerting for a long time that climate change is affecting very much human health”, she emphasized, which will also impact the struggle to reach net zero carbon emissions, and the crucial transition to clean, renewable sources of energy.
More deaths among the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions are feared due to the ongoing heatwave in the weeks ahead, and subsequent challenges to health systems, to keep up with rising demand.
Despite being “rich with human and natural resources and enormous untapped economic and social potential,” General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid told the high-level The Africa We Want dialogue that the continent “still faces challenges” in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Africa has undergone a dramatic transformation since the end of the colonial era, with many countries struggling post-independence to secure socio-economic development, peace and security.
“Africa today is a region that has adopted and pursued a transformational agenda towards sustainable development, and is chartering a path towards prosperity, unity, peace, and integration,” said the senior UN official.
Noting its commitments throughout the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Agenda 2063, and the SDGs, he said, “we are moving in the right direction, but we still need to do more”.
Challenges
Against the 2021 targets of Agenda 2063, Africa as a whole is only 51 per cent on track, according to a report issued in February.
While facing world challenges, such as climate change, COVID-19, rising fuel prices, and inequality, Africa has shown underlying vulnerabilities.
“Yet, progress remains possible,” Mr. Shahid affirmed, underscoring the importance of investing in people.
Ambition required
Describing Africa’s sustainable development as a “priority” for the UN and international community, he said collective action had often fallen short on delivery.
The Assembly President urged everyone to recommit to sustainable development on the continent, assess where action is lacking, foster progress, and fulfil existing commitments while generating new ones “that reflect our ever-changing world”.
“With resolve, continued commitment, perseverance and support from the international community and the UN system,” The Africa We Want could become a reality, he concluded.
Turn triple crises into an opportunity
Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, his deputy, Amina Mohammed confirmed that the UN shares the AU’s vision of a continent shaped by its own narrative, informed by its own citizens, and representing a dynamic force on the world stage.
However, the pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine have placed at risk previous development gains.
She outlined measures to tackle these challenges, maintaining that Africa’s goals are still within reach.
To get there however, mindsets must change and the triple crisis must be turned into an opportunity.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed addresses the High-level Dialogue on
Silver lining
Collen Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and co-organizer of the session, called it “both timely and relevant”.
He advocated for “collective action and international solidarity to address the looming threat of food insecurity and famine…[and] the impacts of the Ukraine war on energy and the economy”.
“The silver lining here is that there is an unprecedented opportunity for Africa to step up to these challenges, speed up its industrialization and economic diversification, and integrate itself further upstream in global supply chains through increased value addition at source,” spelled out the ECOSOC chief.
Support the agendas
For the first time in a generation, Africa has displayed the “collective decisive measures and leadership” required, to take its destiny in its own hands, he continued.
“As we are drawing nearer to the end of Agenda 2063’s First 10-Year Implementation Plan 2013-2023, this is the right moment to have this forward-looking dialogue”.
The “mutually reinforcing and complementary” agendas bear testimony to the new narrative on Africa’s development
“I urge African Member States to accelerate implementation of both agendas, and to continue to show leadership, political will and vision as we move towards the target deadline of 2030 and beyond,” said Mr. Kelapile.
Financing Africa’s Development
Noting that external financing, such as Official Development Assistance (ODA), has “consistently fallen short of commitments,” he described domestic resources as “key” to development financing.
The question is how to “create and preserve the policy space needed” to reform and transform Africa’s “still untapped potential”.
“As African policymakers, we have a critical role to play in implementing and advocating for reforms that will strengthen Africa’s institutions and governance mechanisms, which will in turn improve its tax and revenue collection capacity and rationalize the expenditures in a transparent and accountable way”.
Vulnerable to climate change
He pointed out that while Africa has only contributed around 3.8 per cent to global carbon emissions, it is extremely vulnerable to global warming manifested through extreme weather, heatwaves, droughts, crop failures and hunger.
It also leads to further pressures in accessing resources, which result in vicious cycles of conflict on the continent and negative spill over to the rest of the world.
Dubbed the “African COP,” the next UN climate conference, COP27, set for Egypt in November is “a critical opportunity to address this imbalance,” said Mr. Kelapile.
It will provide opportunities to invest in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, efficient low-carbon transportation, digital transformations and climate resilient crops to break Africa’s dependence on food imports.
Empowering women and youth
Noting that by investing in human capital, every African can “earn a fair income, live a healthy life, and contribute to society,” he encouraged the participants to “harness its demographic dividend” and empower the region’s youth and women.
Investing in women and youth will “put the continent on track to realize the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, as well as the aspirations and targets espoused in Agenda 2063,” said Mr. Kelapile.
In closing, he welcomed initiatives of the AU, UN, international and regional financial institutions and others to scale up their support for transformative change in Africa.
On 5 and 6 July, a Ministerial on FoRB took place in London with participation of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists, and many others.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDON, July 21, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — On 5 and 6 July, an International Ministerial on Freedom of Religion or Belief occurred in London, hosted by the UK government. The conference brought together governments, parliamentarians, faith and belief representatives and NGOs, to discuss how a global action on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for everyone could be increased.
About 500 delegates were invited to participate, all of them being known actors in the field of FoRB, for this 2-day conference which was held at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre. It was the first in-person International Ministerial Conference on this topic since 2019 (the US held the two first ministerial conferences in 2018 and 2019).
The purpose of the conference, coordinated by MP Fiona Bruce, UK Special Envoy on FoRB, and the FCDO team, was to identify what is working in different countries as regards FoRB, explore where and how we can apply new lessons and approaches and inspire the next generation to champion and defend FoRB for everyone all around the world.
Examples of discrimination, persecution and even sometimes genocide based on religion or belief was shared and discussed, and participating governments pledged to act strongly to put an end to violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief all over the world. Civil society and faith-based organizations were associated with the process, and it was duly recognized that only equal cooperation between civil society and governments could bring about a real change in the field of FoRB.
For the Vice-President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, Rev. Eric Roux, who was invited as a delegate: “FoRB is a crucial human right. Often, the state of FoRB in a country tells everything about the respect of other human rights in that same country. Unfortunately, it’s a right which is endangered nowadays in so many parts of the world, would it be through discrimination, persecution or worst, that there is a strong need to build alliances of people of goodwill to defend it and make it a reality on Earth. There is a lot to go. That is why it is of the utmost importance to bring people together on this issue and the fact that the UK government decided to host this event is to be highly commended. It has been an important step towards the establishment of freedom of religion or belief for everyone, everywhere.”
A day after the conference, the UK government organized a meeting with some relevant stakeholders, for a “Strategic Discussion on Next Steps”, to cover scene-setting reflections and practical steps after the Ministerial, where Ivan Arjona, President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, had the chance to exchange views and make proposals with other stakeholders.
The strategic discussion on the next steps meeting, counted among the respondents Mervyn Thomas (Chair of the UK FoRB Forum), Lord Alton of Liverpool (Vice-Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on International FoRB), Greg Mitchell (Chair of the US International Religious Freedom Roundtable Secretariat), Nadine Maenza (former Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom), Jos Douma (Netherlands Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief), Sam Brownback (former US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom), Chris Seiple from the Institute of Global Engagement, and Jim Shannon (Co-Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on International FoRB). Other subjects discussed were “Civil Society, Parliamentarians and Academics”, “FoRB and the Media” and “Funding FoRB”.
The Church of Scientology has been championing FoRB for decades, and this right is enshrined in its Credo since 1953. Also, the “Code of a Scientologist”, written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, requires Scientologist to support freedom of religion for all. The European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights is specifically tasked with this issue and works tirelessly to make it a reality in Europe and abroad, working shoulder to shoulder with many other like-minded organizations.
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