Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 5th Dec 2024 – Last November 29, 2024, at the Church of Scientology of Spain, located just meters from the National Parliament in Madrid, the 11th edition of the Religious Freedom Awards, was held.
This event, organized each year by the Foundation for the Improvement (Foundation MEJORA) of Life, Culture and Society (a Scientology foundation recognized by the United Nations), brought together academics, activists, and human rights defenders in an event that highlighted freedom of thought, religion and belief as a fundamental pillar of democracy and peaceful coexistence.
The winners of this edition were Ana Isabel Planet, Santiago Canamares and Fernando Amerigo-Cuervo. The event was attended by many personalities in the field of religious freedom, such as Daniel Pelayo (Deputy Director General of Religious Freedom of the Spain Ministry of Presidency), Gustavo Suarez Pertierra (former Minister of Education, Minister of Defense and Director of Religious Affairs at different times and current President of UNICEF Spain), Ana Fernandez Coronado, Luis Morente of the Federation of Buddhist Communities, among others.
A tribute in difficult times
The event was opened by Isabel Ayuso-Puente, Secretary General of the Fundacion Mejora, who highlighted the importance of these awards in an international and European context and the need to improve the application of the same by the states.
As it could not be otherwise, she also had words to remember and raise awareness about the recent tragedies in Valencia. Ayuso-Puente highlighted the solidarity shown by volunteers from various religions, including Scientology volunteer ministers, who have volunteered and coordinated more than 18,000 hours of service in the recovery efforts. “Solidarity and collaboration have shown that, in the face of adversity, we can all work together without differences,” she said in her emotional speech.
The president of the Foundation, Ivan Arjona-Pelado, who also represents Scientology before the EU and the United Nations, and who was elected president of the NGO Committee on Religious Freedom of UN Geneva last September, presented a special surprise: a publishing project funded by the Coexistence Project Foundation (of the Ministry of Presidency), which distributes a book compiling the works of the winners in the last 10 years to university libraries and which was coordinated by Arjona himself and by the Full Professor of Constitutional Law, Professor Alejandro Torres. According to Arjona-Pelado, “spreading knowledge about religious freedom is crucial to building a future of respect and tolerance”.
The award winners: a tireless defense of fundamental rights
Ana Planet Contreras
Full Professor of Sociology of Islam at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Ana Planet was awarded for her academic and research work on the rights of Muslim communities in Spain and the impact this work has on other minority faiths.
During her speech, Planet recalled key moments in her career, such as her research in Melilla and Ceuta and her work in the development of the legislative framework for religious pluralism in Spain. “Plurality and religious freedom do not endanger the cohesion and identity of European societies; on the contrary, they strengthen them,” she said.
Planet highlighted the impact of the 1980 Constitutional Law on Religious Freedom and called on the new generations to maintain the political consensus that allowed historic advances in fundamental rights. “Today, more than ever, we must combat hate speech and reinforce democratic values based on pluralism and equality,” she concluded.
Santiago Canamares Arribas
Full Professor of State Ecclesiastical Law at the Complutense University of Madrid, Santiago Canamares focused his speech on the current challenges facing religious freedom in the West. He analyzed cases in which religious beliefs are relegated to the private sphere and situations of labor discrimination, such as the use of the Islamic veil or conscientious objection in matters such as abortion and euthanasia.
“Religious freedom allows us to live according to our convictions and values, but it remains necessary to defend it even in democratic societies,” he said.
Cañamares also highlighted the role of European courts in promoting inclusive solutions, stressing that “religious freedom is a crucial human right that must be protected against any discrimination or arbitrariness.”
Fernando Amerigo-Cuervo Arango
A recognized expert in Ecclesiastical Law and Full Professor, as well as a prominent member of the Spanish Society of Religious Sciences, Fernando Amerigo-Cuervo gave a moving speech in which he linked human dignity with fundamental rights. “Freedom of conscience is an essential value in the construction of plural, tolerant and inclusive societies,” he said. He also warned about the risks posed by discourses of intolerance and xenophobia in modern democracies.
The professor thanked both his students and teachers, and paid tribute to historical figures such as Erasmus of Rotterdam, Voltaire and Rene Cassin, and contemporary ones such as Dionisio Llamazares, recalling that the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity are fundamental to overcome today’s challenges. “We are children of a tradition that defends human dignity as a pillar of our societies,” he concluded.
Special Recognition to L. Ron Hubbard
The event also included a tribute to L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, for his contribution to the defense of human rights. This recognition, promoted by attorney Arroyo, was received by Jetmira Cremonesi, representative of L. Ron Hubbard‘s personal office in Europe.
Following the award, Arjona-Pelado noted that Mr. Hubbard’s legacy inspires Scientology members to fight injustice and promote universal values such as justice and tolerance “no matter who or what is put in front of them.”
The 11th edition of the Religious Freedom Awards underlined that the defense of religious freedom is essential to ensure inclusive and democratic societies. In the words of Fernando Amerigo-Cuervo, “beliefs sustain us as human beings and freedom of conscience is essential to build a just society”. This event not only recognized outstanding figures, but also reaffirmed the collective commitment to equality, human dignity and peaceful coexistence.
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