Editorial
By Basil A. Coronakis
Faith has been the driving force for the humankind since the very beginning of its existence. It is intrinsically related to Religion, which implies freedom of Religion cannot exist without freedom of Faith, and vice-versa.
Faith liberates from fear and inspires people to hope.
Hope is what gives people the strength to overcome difficulties, from confronting illness to tackling all kinds of calamities.
In all of humanities search for what separates humans from animals, it is indeed faith that divides humankind from other living creatures.
Faith is an eternal, standard value of reference in an ever-turning world.
It is a human need to believe and it is imperative that civilized societies secure peoples’ rights in this respect, thus guaranteeing them the ability to hope, which ultimately means freedom of religion.
Mairead McGuinness
First Vice President of the European Parliament.Ján Figel
Special Envoy for Promotion of Freedom of Religion outside the EU appointed by the European Commission.Neva Sadikoglu-Novaky
Co-Chair of the Freedom of Religion or Belief Roundtable. She has been working in the EU since 2009 and she is a fellow at the London-based Localis Think Tank.Still looking for freedom 30 years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall
Eric Roux
Current Vice-President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights and a well-known International Activist for Freedom of Religion and Belief. He has authored several books and articles on that topic. He is also currently serving as President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom.Luisa Ragher
Head of Human Rights Division , European External Action Service (E.E.A.S.).Speeches of leaders on Faith and Religious Freedom
Pope Francis
The Head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople. Spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.Federica Mogherini
Former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Former Vice-President of the European Commission.EU guidelines guarantee freedom of religion or belief and protect individuals
Massimo Introvigne
Sociologist and Editor-in-chief of “Bitter Winter”, a daily magazine on Religious Liberty in China.Bloodstained Toy Horses: Slave Labor of Prisoners of Conscience in China
Rosita Šorytė
President of the International Observatory of Religious Liberty of Refugees (ORLIR).Refugees Escaping Religious Persecution in China: What Would Europe Do?
Guy Bucumi
Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the Université de Sherbrooke. Researcher at the Research Chair in Law, Religion and Secularism of the Université de Sherbrooke.Willy Fautré
Director of Human Rights without Frontiers International.Russia: Over a hundred believers of several faiths behind bars
Hans Noot
Director of Gerard Noodt Foundation for Freedom of Religion or Belief.Aaron Rhodes
Former Executive Director of the International Helsinki Federation of Human Rights 1993-2007. He is President of the Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe and the author of The Debasement of Human Rights (Encounter Books, 2018).Reverend Bill Swing
President of United Religions Initiative - Ex Episcopal Bishop of California.Robin Sclafani
Director of CEJI, a Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe.Martin Weightman
Director of All Faiths Network.The Place of Interfaith in Religious Freedom and Human Rights
Bernadette Rigal-Cellard
Professor of North American Studies at Bordeaux Montaigne University in France. She directs the Masters “Religions and Societies” and the Centre for Canadian Studies. She is a specialist in contemporary North American religions (including Mormonism and Amerindian Catholicism), their international locations and inculturation processes.Brian J. Grim, Ph.D.
President of Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.Bashy Quraishy
Secretary General of the European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion (EMISCO). Member of the Advisory Council of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) in Brussels.Leonid Sevastianov
President of the World Council of Russian Old Believers.The World Union of Old believers as a model for the Church State relationship
Valeriu Ghiletchi
Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Ex President of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) (Ex) Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.Fréderic-Jerôme Pansier
Professor of law at University of Paris 1.Petar Gramatikov
Trustee of the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative.The Role of Religion in Society from the Orthodox perspective
Giulio Ercolessi
President of the European Humanist Federation.Secularism, a principle fostering social cohesion, peace and freedom
Rev. Dr William A. McComish
Former Dean of Geneva Cathedral / President of the Association of Geneva Spiritual Appeal.Rabbi Michael Shevack
Founder of the Alliance for Enlightened Judaism. Board Member of Israeli Palestinian Confederation.Archbishop Thomas Schirrmacher
Director of International Institute for Religious Freedom- Associate Secretary General for Theological Concerns of World Evangelical Alliance. President of International Society for Human Rights.Three negative Developments endangering Freedom of Religion and Belief