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• UN Ambassador Visits Bermuda for Religious Freedom Conference
• Religious Liberty Conference Affirms UN Role in Safeguarding Freedoms

UN Ambassador Visits Bermuda for Religious Freedom Conference
March15, 2001. Hamilton, Bermuda…

Ambassador Reed (R) with Dr. Gallagher

United Nations Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed visited Bermuda March 15 to participate in a major religious freedom conference jointly sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Ambassador Reed is the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), a post he has held for the past four years, and is the president of the Staff-Management Coordination Committee, the highest internal body of the UN.

Ambassador Reed pointed to the essential importance of the UN in international relations. "The need for acceptance, tolerance, understanding and education is glaringly apparent," he commented.

In the arena of human rights and religious freedom, the UN plays a unique role and makes vital contributions: "The United Nations is the only machinery we have for collective cooperation among all nations. It is the only worldwide institution for furthering development. It is the only universal mechanism for protecting human rights and basic freedoms. The United Nations is the only shared framework for strengthening international law. In other words, the United Nations is not one of the luxuries of international life," the Ambassador added.

Ambassador Reed concluded: "Since its inception, the United Nations' primary mission has been to advocate universal values: freedom, justice and the peaceful resolution of disputes; social progress and better standards of living; equality, tolerance and dignity."

The Conference was inaugurated by the Hon. Jennifer Smith, premier of Bermuda, who said that "We, the people of Bermuda, lend our support to your efforts over this week. We are honoured to play a small part in providing you with a venue for your discussions. If I may quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, that tireless and inspirational architect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 'The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities. You, here, today, at this time and in this place are the representatives of all our citizens and all our communities."

"We are glad to be able to work together with the UN in this important area," says Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, UN Liaison Director for the Adventist Church. "It is appropriate that Ambassador Reed should speak on 'Globalization, the United Nations, and Our World,' addressing issues that are of major significance to everyone around the world. We truly live in a global village in which we all depend on each other, and in matters of tolerance, understanding, and religious freedom we see greater and greater needs."

The Conference is sponsored by the International Religious Liberty Association with support from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, including the Bermuda Conference under the leadership of Dr. Samuel Bulgin.

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Religious Liberty Conference Affirms UN Role in Safeguarding Freedoms
March 16, 2001. Hamilton, Bermuda...

Premier of Bermuda, the Hon. Jennifer Smith, meets with Dr. Gallagher

A Conference on Religious Liberty joint-sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church has affirmed the importance of the United Nations in promoting and safeguarding freedoms around the world.

The concluding declaration states that "We recognize the value of the United Nations and its affiliated organizations in working to guarantee that all the citizens of the world enjoy the freedom contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the freedom of religion and belief."

The Conference was addressed by UN Ambassador Joseph Reed and the Premier of Bermuda, the Hon. Jennifer Smith.

Held in Hamilton, Bermuda from March 14 to 16, the Conference brought together 120 delegates from many different nations under the theme, "Religious Freedom: An Answer to Discrimination and Intolerance."

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