[ALBSA-Info] Fwd: Belgrade Declaration on the Role of Religious Communities and on Religious Freedoms in a Democratic Society

[Agron Alibali]

Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 22:39:45 +0100
Subject: Belgrade Declaration on the Role of Religious Communities and
on Religious Freedoms in a Democratic Society

From: Jasna Murgel <jasna.murgel at uni-mb.si>

In the name of Professor Dr. Silvo Devetak, the Chairman of the ISCOMET - 
International Scientific Conference Minorities for the Europe of Tomorrow 
(an NGO enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe) we are 
sending you the
BELGRADE DECLARATION ON THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND ON RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOMS IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY adopted at the Round Table "Contribution 
of Religious Communities in the FR Yugoslavia to Reconciliation, Respect of 
Diversity, Democracy, Human Rights Protection of Minorities, Co-operation 
and Stability in South Eastern Europe", which was held in Belgrade on 14-15 
December 2001.
We would like to kindly ask you to distribute the Belgrade Declaration to 
the members of your network.
Thank you very much in advance.
Sincerely,
Jasna Murgel
-----------------------------------------
Jasna Murgel, M.A.
Researcher
ECERS - European Centre for Ethnic, Regional and Sociological Studies of 
the University of Maribor
Krekova 2
2000 Maribor
Slovenia
Tel.: + 386 2 23 55 373
Fax: + 386 2 23 55 372
jasna.murgel at uni-mb.si

____________

Mednarodna znanstvena konferenca manjšine za jutrišnjo Evropo. MNO s 
konzultativnim statusom pri Svetu Evrope
International Scientific Conference Minorities for Europe of Tomorrow. NGO 
enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe
Naslov / Address:
  Heroja Tomsica 4, Si-2000 Maribor, Slovenia Tel.:+386.2.25 00 440 in / 
and+386.2.23.55.370 Fax:+386.2.23.55.372
E-mail: ISCOMET at siol.net in / and jasmina.klojcnik at uni-mb.si

ISCOMET Network for Democracy, Human Rights and Protection of Persons 
belonging to Ethnic and Religious Minorities
  in South Eastern Europe

Project "Maribor Initiative"
Contribution of Religious Communities to Reconciliation, Respect of 
Diversity, Democracy, Human Rights Protection
of Minorities, Co-operation and Stability in South Eastern Europe



BELGRADE DECLARATION
ON THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS
IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

1. Within the ISCOMET Network for Democracy, Human Rights and Protection of 
Persons Belonging to Ethnic and Religious Minorities in South Eastern 
Europe (SEE), the first Round Table was held on 14-15 December 2001 in 
Belgrade in the framework of the Project "Maribor Initiative". The 
objective of this Project is to encourage the contribution of religious 
communities to reconciliation, respect of diversity, democracy, human 
rights, protection of minorities, co-operation and stability in SEE. This 
Round Table represents a continuation of the ISCOMET meetings held on 
Pohorje (Slovenia) in December 1994, in Rogaška Slatina (Slovenia) in 
September 1997, Niška Banja (FR Yugoslavia) in November 2000, and Bled 
(Slovenia) in February 2001.

The Round Table was attended by more than seventy representatives of 
religious communities and theologians of Jewish and Islamic religious 
communities and Christian Churches (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant 
and Evangelical), non-governmental organisations, state administration and 
scientists from the FR Yugoslavia and other South East European States, as 
well as by the representatives of the European Union, Ambassador Dr. 
Michael Weninger, and the Conference of European Churches, Rev. Rüdiger 
Noll. Messages and good wishes to the participants of the Round Table were 
expressed by His Holiness, the Serbian Patriarch Pavle; His Eminence, 
Cardinal Vinko Puljiæ, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Sarajevo and 
President of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina; Reisu-l-Ulema 
of the Islamic Community of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dr. Mustafa Ceriæ; His 
Excellency, Dr. Josip Bozaniæ, Archbishop of Zagreb and President of the 
Croatian Episcopal Conference; and His Excellency, Dr. Franc Rode, 
Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ljubljana, President of the Slovenian 
Episcopal Conference. In the working sessions, the participants were 
further addressed by Muarem effendi Zukorliæ, Mufti of the Islamic 
Community of Sandžak, and His Excellency, Stanislav Hoèevar, Archbishop and 
Metropolitan of Belgrade, President of the Episcopal Conference in the FR 
Yugoslavia.

2. Participants expressed their satisfaction and appreciation to ISCOMET 
for enabling their joint participation in the work of the round table, 
which was held at the time of searching for the ways of affirmation and 
deepening of democracy in the FR Yugoslavia. They stressed that the 
spiritual renewal of the society is one of the major elements of this 
democratic process. Churches and religious communities can contribute 
individually, and through mutual ecumenical cooperation and joint 
activities, to this renewal. Cooperation of all people of good will, both 
believers and non-believers, in searching for the new means of realisation 
of this objective, developed on the basis of the respect of difference of 
opinion, should create new models of relationships not only in the FRY, but 
in SEE as a whole.

  3. Efficient implementation of religious education in public schools, as 
well as the forthcoming Religious Freedoms Act, will be crucial elements of 
the democratic society renewal in the FRY. Bearing in mind that the 
introduction of religious education is being realised in a 
multi-confessional and a multi-ethnic society, the theoretical and 
practical experience achieved through its implementation could serve as an 
example for the solution of similar problems in the region. Efficiency of 
this programme will depend not only on institutional and legislative 
framework, but also on its social recognition.

4. Of special importance is the fact that the aforementioned and other 
experiences were made possible through the successful cooperation between 
religious communities themselves, on the one hand, and between those 
communities and the state, on the other. An efficient dialogue regarding 
the relationships of the Churches and religious communities with the state, 
as well as regarding religious freedoms, should also be an integral part of 
the process of democratic society. The further openness of the Serbian 
Orthodox Church, as the majority Church, for cooperation and dialogue, will 
also in the future be a prerequisite for the creation of democracy, human 
rights system, including religious freedoms and rights and protection of 
religious minorities in the FR Yugoslavia.

5. Churches and religious communities should have the right to publicly 
express their opinions as to the ethical and social, or even political 
questions, but they should not act as instruments of political parties.

6. One of the main preconditions of religious freedoms is the legal 
separation between the state and religious communities, as well as their 
positive relationship and cooperation. Religious communities should have 
equal rights and should be treated equally in all social spheres. In a 
multi-religious society, special attention should be devoted to freedoms 
and rights of ethnic and religious minorities and to the status of new 
religious movements, in order to assure equality and respect of the 
non-discrimination principle.

7. With regard to their cultural and historical character, religious 
communities have the right to realise their presence in mass media, while 
the state should not legally limit the possibilities for setting up their 
television and radio stations and other public media.

8. The participants of the Round Table set out different aspects of the 
realisation of religious freedoms and of the status of religious 
communities; on which the public and experts dialogue should be carried out 
further, and the adequate solutions should be found in the spirit of 
respecting the difference of opinion and mutual tolerance:
§       preservation of tradition, religious and ethnic diversity in modern 
society which is based on the social mobility of population
§       searching for adequate models of religious education that would 
take into account religious diversity, and education of the expert 
pedagogical cadre
§       presence and assistance of religious communities in public 
institutions  hospitals, prisons and military institutions; trade, import, 
export and distribution of religious literature; unimpeded administration 
of religious institutions and selection of religious officials without 
interference of the state; reasonable adjustment of the working process to 
the course of religious holidays and sacred rituals
§       strengthening the mutual understanding through dialogue and round 
tables, in mass media, and especially on television, between the 
representatives of different religions;
§       regulation of the social, humanitarian and philanthropic activities 
of religious communities (voluntary work, collecting aid, establishing 
endowments, etc.);
§       appropriate tax- and other regulations that would ease the 
financial situation and activities of religious communities;
§       the return of the nationalised property or compensation of the 
churches and religious communities in defined time limits.

9. The participants expressed their support for the continuation of 
co-operation between the states and religious communities in SEE, 
especially on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, in the spirit of the 
“Maribor Initiative”. In particular, the co-operation in the following 
fields was emphasized:
§       realisation of religious freedoms and rights in the context of 
restructuring and development of democracy and plural society;
§       co-operation of religious educational institutions (seminars, 
exchange of teachers and students, of literature, etc.);
§       religious activity (preaching, rituals, prayers, education) of 
religious communities directed towards mutual respect and appreciation of 
the positive qualities of others;
§       social field  especially protection of workers deprived under the 
conditions of brutal introduction of the principles of market economy;
§       teaching history on all levels of education, with the aim of 
educating for mutual respect and understanding without pretensions that the 
current generations should rectify injustices of the past;
§       development of religious education and representation of religious 
communities in the fields of culture, education and media;
§       status of minority religious communities and new religious 
movements in the new democratic societies in SEE.

10. The participants expressed their firm belief that, in a long-term 
perspective, only those churches and religious communities in SEE will be 
affirmed, which respect freedoms of people in a plural society and deepen 
the spirit of reconciliation, co-operation and stability of their followers 
and other citizens.


Belgrade, 15 December 2001




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