State prosecutors in Tomsk seek to ban the Russian translation of the Bhagavad Gita, contending it is an extremist religious text that should be on a blacklist that includes Hitler’s Mein Kampf. http://wwrn.org/articles/36643/      

  During the period in which Obama has been in office, we have indeed witnessed an assault on religious freedom unprecedented in recent history. http://wwrn.org/articles/36976/    

  Muslim women in Australia’s most populous state will have to remove their face-veils to have their signatures officially witnessed under new stricter identity check laws. Those who refuse would not have their document authenticated and could also face a fine of $220. http://wwrn.org/articles/36980/

“The role of youth in the progress of Afghanistan” Work by Afghan members of our youth network (‘RFYN’)  submitted for:    High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on Youth @ UN Headquarters, New York25-26 July 2011 RFYN contribution to UN High-Level Meeting (PDF, 3 pages) Illustrated article “The role of youth in the progress of Afghanistan” […]

  This year’s  IARF-US conference was held February 3-5, 2012 at Hilton Head, South Carolina, at the Hilton Oceanfront Resort, in connection with the UN-sponsored World Interfaith Harmony Week (theme: “Faith, Interfaith, and Freedom”). For reportback, see the relevant Chapter Newsletter (PDF). Sri Kota’s conference notes Photos (link to US chapter site) Opening Ceremony performance by college group Cocktails  

  A new chapter has been founded in Nepal. Formed in May 2003, the chapter has already held an inauguration ceremony (attended by 125 people) and sponsored both an art and essay competition at two secondary schools. In October 2003, the chapter sponsored four half-day programmes in western Nepal (Terai region) that examined the situations […]

May 2009 from the Report (PDF, 2 pages): In May the second phase of the HRE program in Kerala began enthusiastically, with a new India Chapter branch opening after a program at the Adivasi & Dalit House Settlement Colony at Kurumthar in Pathanamthitta district.   [nggallery id=18]      

  9 – 10 July 2005 St. Ann’s College for Women, Malkapuram, Vishakhapatnam. Organized by local member group, Bala Vikas Foundation for Peace & Harmony (BVFPH).   Report (PDF, 4 pages)

Some recent coverage of the rise of Boko Haram in northern Nigeria:   Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Lurid Picture of Nigeria’s Muslims in Newsweek (13 Feb 2012) Nigeria names former soldier as suspect in the Christmas Day church bombing (15 Feb 2012) Islamist sect has support in Nigerian government – president Plus: Written statement submitted by the Jubilee Campaign to […]