Some 150 people of faith, Members of Parliament, Senators and Ambassadors participated in the Third Annual Interfaith National Breakfast on November 22, 2011. The breakfast was organized under the leadership of Co-Chair’s David Sweet, Member of Parliament, and Rabbi Reuven Bulka of the All Party Interfaith Friendship Group (APIF).
This year the gathering focused on the theme of the “Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief”, signed 30 years ago, and a matter of renewed interest in the light of the Government`s plan to establish an Office of Religious Freedom.
MP Mario Silva, the keynote speaker, addressed those at the breakfast as “citizens of God’s earth”.
“Religious intolerance is unquestionably a major factor in global instability,“ he noted, raising a concern of importance in his talk. “Freedom of religion as outlined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights of 1948 also involves the freedom to leave or change one`s religion — in religious terms called apostasy. This does not, however, appear in the 1981 declaration. Due to pressure from dissenting states, UN treaties have used weaker language to define this right…”
Mr. Silva noted that as many as one billion people worldwide are the victims of discrimination, persecution and oppression linked to their religious beliefs. “Religious intolerance does not affect only those at whom it is directly aimed, it tears at the soul of all humanity”.
Speaking about the importance of courage, compassion, understanding and acceptance, he explained that the “United Nations Declaration defines… the need for a universal global effort to challenge the face of religious intolerance irrespective of the cost.” After all, Mr. Silva reminded everyone, the universal teachings of all religions call on us to love God and love all human beings.
MP David Sweet, chairing the breakfast, pointed out that religious freedom was central to other rights and freedoms, including rights of expression and assembly, and invited Susanne E. Tamás, Director of Government Relations for the Baha’i Community of Canadato explain the importance of the Declaration.
“It is not something we should take for granted,” said Ms. Tamas. “We must treasure it” for its contribution to the well-being of the community. “Canada [is at] the leading edge of combating intolerance and is able to draw on its diversity,” she noted, drawing attention to the fact that religion creates social capacity in all of us.