2003 News Archives

Religious Freedom a Priority for Muslim Imam

Silver Spring, MD, USA… [IRLA news]. “Either you are for religious liberty and human rights, or you are not,” said Imam Ilgar Allahverdiyev, president of the International Religious Liberty Association’s (IRLA) affiliate organization in Azerbaijan, during his visit to the IRLA headquarters office on June 24, 2003....READ MORE

Russian Delegation Visits Adventist Headquarters As Part of Study Tour

SILVER SPRING, MD, USA . As part of the Open World Program, a delegation of some 35 Russian civil and government leaders visited the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventists Church on June 25, 2003, to learn and share ideas in church-state issues....READ MORE

Bulgarian Ambassador Affirms Religious Freedom at IRLA Headquarters

Silver Spring, MD, USA… The Bulgarian Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Elena Borislava Poptodorova, affirmed the importance of religious freedom at the headquarters of the International Religious Liberty Association....READ MORE

Azerbaijani Religious Liberty Advocate Addresses OSCE Conference

Vienna, Austria… The representative of the Religious Liberty Association of Azerbaijan spoke out at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference, giving six recommendations for implementation by governments and international organizations....READ MORE

Religious Liberty Dinner Held on Capitol Hill

April 7, 2003 Silver Spring, MD, USA ...[IRLA news]."Religious freedom is woven into the heart of what makes us Americans," said John Hanford, United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, in his opening address at the Religious Freedom Awards Dinner on April 2....READ MORE

Responses to Terrorism Dominate Religious Freedom Debate

Leuven, Belgium. How nations should respond to terrorism dominated the debate at the latest Experts meeting of the International Religious Liberty Association. ...READ MORE

Top-level Conference Calls for Respect of Religious Freedom in Fight Against Terrorism

Vienna, Austria… Main speakers at the international conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief stressed the importance of respecting religious freedom while fighting terrorism. ...READ MORE

Chile: Worship Law an Example for Latin America

Santiago, Chile… “The Religious Liberty Law in Chile is an example for the other countries of Latin America,” declared Spanish attorney and University of Madrid professor Rosa Maria Martinez de Codes....READ MORE

IRLA Secretary-General Addresses Church State Experts at Laval University

QUEBEC, CANADA... "If all religious institutions dedicated to the service of people had to stop their services for a month, there would be disaster worldwide," said Dr. John Graz, secretary-general for the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA), in his September 26 remarks to Church State relations at Laval University in Quebec, Canada....READ MORE

Indonesia: Religious Liberty Leaders Report Progress in Ambon

December 16, 2003. "It is not right that Christians and Muslims are killing each other in Ambon," said Dr. H. Marasabessy, a Muslim and the state religion minister for the Maluku region of Indonesia, during a meeting with two Adventist church leaders. "After all, we worship the same God."...READ MORE