International Religious Freedom Conference Opens In Kyiv

The participants will discuss problems of the formation of judicial, social and cultural mechanisms that would harmonize the expansion of religious freedoms and human rights with effective protection of the national and religious identities of people and societies. Among the participants of the conference are national deputies of Ukraine, religious officials and activists, public figures, scholars, international experts and representatives of the mass media. They will discuss the problems of legislative influence on the freedom of religious organizations in Ukraine, the preservation of national, cultural and religious identity, relations between Christian and non-Christian traditions, the current development of ecumenism, ethical, political and legal aspects of proselytism and freedom of religion, and dialogue between cultures and religious traditions as a condition for peace and accord in society. The conference, which will finish on 23 October 2002, is organized by the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Spirituality, the National Committee on Religious Matters, the Department of Religious Studies at the Institute of Philosophy named after H. Skovoroda at the National Academy of Arts and Sciences of Ukraine, the International Academy of the Freedom of Religion and Religious Convictions, the International Center of Law and Religious Studies of Brigham Young University, the Center of Religious Information and Freedom at the Ukrainian Association of Religious Studies Scholars.