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New York: Adventists Participate in Human Rights Dialogue
May 13, 2003

Dr. Jonathan Gallagher (far right) participates in Human Rights Dialogue

New York, NY [PARL news]. Representatives from the Seventh-day Adventist United Nations Liaison Office participated in a conference that explored how monotheistic faiths have contributed to a culture of human rights and freedom of conscience. The conference, organized by the UN non-governmental committee on religion or belief, took place in early May.

Encouraging attendees to have the "capacity to listen," Dr. J. Paul Martin, executive director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights for Columbia University, said that most people have superficial views of people's religions. He said, "In order to cultivate respect for each other's differences, we must have a deeper understanding about what other people believe. In the human rights work that we do, we must build ongoing relationships. By sustaining human engagement can we build trust," he said.

Danielle Celermajer, his colleague and program associate at Columbia University, added that in our communities we are constantly dealing with religious tensions. She noted "the rise of religion in the promotion of conflict," and that all believers "need to engage with the hateful and hostile parts of our own traditions. To accomplish what we want in religious freedom and human rights, we must work from within these various groups," she concluded.

Participants in the Human Rights Dialogue

Speaking on behalf of the Adventist Church, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, UN liaison director, affirmed the importance of religious liberty as a fundamental aspect of human rights, and said that "the international community needs to recognize that religious freedom is essential to a stable and harmonious society." Without such regard to freedom of conscience, any country would be destabilized and encourage intolerance and violence, he added.

The UN/NGO Committee on Religion or Belief was recognized by the UN Economic and Social Council in 1991. One of its goals is to support the UN special rapporteur's initiatives against intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief; and appeal to the UN Sub-Commission on the Prevention and Protection of Minorities and the UN Commission on Human Rights to take appropriate actions against intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. This Committee also helps in the development of an annual report on the worldwide situation of freedom of religion or belief.

Dr. Gallagher was elected as one of the bureau officers in March 2003, and he will be actively involved in planning the next few conferences to take place in New York City. [Viola Hughes]