Human Rights Round Table Focuses on Tolerance and Respect
Church of Scientology of Rome works with civic and religious leaders to promote freedom of thought, religion and conscience
The Church of Scientology of Rome hosted a religious freedom round table in December, “Integration and Cooperation: Tolerance, Respect of Religious Belief and Defense of Human Rights.”
The three-hour program focused on human dignity and the historic background of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
World War II, with its atrocities against entire religious and ethnic groups, inspired the creation of a human rights document to prevent such abuse from occurring again. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights began with these words: “…recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”
Article 2 of the Declaration further asserts:
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property birth or other status.”
And Article 18 states:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”
Yet, 65 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, violations of basic human rights still abound, which is what this forum addressed.
The round table featured a panel of civic and religious leaders, who spoke of the state of human rights and tolerance in the world.
Panelists expressed the importance of tolerance in today’s complex societies; of integration versus the right of immigrants to retain their beliefs and customs; of promoting interfaith relations and the role of religion in bridging differences; and the need for religious leaders to work together to mediate conflicts.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Church of Scientology of Rome presented the brochure Scientology: How We Help—United for Human Rights, Making Human Rights a Global Reality and the Church’s work to bring about reform through promoting human rights awareness and education.
The program was held in the seminar room of the Church of Scientology of Rome. Dedicated in October 2009, the Church is an Ideal Scientology Organization, with facilities configured to service Scientologists in their ascent to spiritual freedom and as a home for the entire community—a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift citizens of all denominations.
Scientologists on five continents engage in collaborative efforts with government agencies and nongovernmental organizations to bring about broad-scale awareness and implementation of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world’s premier human rights document.
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,” and the Scientology religion is based on the principles of human rights. The Code of a Scientologist calls on all members of the religion to dedicate themselves “to support true humanitarian endeavors in the fields of human rights.”