Conference on Religious Freedom Starts in Kyiv
Today the 15th International Religious Studies Conference started in Kyiv. As always, it is devoted to issues of religious freedom and this year focus is on religious freedom and democracy: old and new challenges. The organizer is the Department of Religious Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine together with some Ukrainian and international partners.
More than 100 scholars from 13 countries participated – from Vladivostok (Russia) to Utah (USA).
The Coordinator of the Council of the CIS and Baltic Countries for Theoretical and Practical Religious Studies Lyudmyla Fylypovych explains that the conference is dedicated to the issue of religious freedom: correlation between religious freedom and how different denominations perceive it; democracy and religious freedom; globalization and the state of different religions, international law; religious freedom and its implications.
“Even now many people in the world suffer because of their religious views and this is the concern of scholars engaged in religious studies. We need solidarity to overcome totalitarianism in society,” she said. “It’s also important that our Russian colleagues take part for in Russia the question of religious freedom is at stake.”
The director of the International Center for Law and Religious Studies of the USA Professor Cole Durham stressed the importance of religious freedom and tolerance. He also presented a book on religious freedom in 45 countries, including Ukraine.
The conference will last for three days and besides plenary sessions and work in sections, the participants will have the opportunity to visit different churches in Kyiv.
