Diplomats, Church officials, activists and aid organizers met at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome for a symposium on defending international religious freedom.
In his address, Cardinal Pietro Parolin presented the Holy See's seven essential elements for the protection of religious minorities, among them overcoming indifference and promoting dialogue.
CARD. PIETRO PAROLIN
Vatican Secretary of State
“This entails more than mere tolerance. It challenges us to reach out to others in mutual trust and understanding, and so, to build a unity that sees diversity not as a threat, but as a potential source of enrichment and growth.”
The event was organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to share insights and reflections on religious persecution worldwide, especially in the Middle East.
A Yazidi genocide survivor told her tragic story of ISIS captivity, and a Rohingya activist shared testimony of the horrors he has witnessed during missions in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
This symposium serves as a preparatory meeting for an upcoming, U.S.-led gathering. The first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom is scheduled to take place on July 25-26 in Washington, D.C. The encounter will join government and religious leaders, activists and civil officials from around the world.
