IARF Day
IARF (Foundation) Day, May 25th 2012
@Angelo ITI, Hindupur (Andhra Pradesh, India)
The program was organised by RFYN-Hindupur, with Mr. Mohanlal and Br. M.Sengole invited as guests along with students from Angelo ITI & nearby schools.
The students performed many cultural programs, and Br. Albert Xaviour presented a PowerPoint about the history of IARF & its activities in India today.
Finally, Sounderya of RFYN-Hindupur thanked all.
Training on UN Human Rights mechanisms
First IARF Annual Training on UN Human Rights mechanisms
Geneva, 26th-27th May 2012
Facilitators: Mandat International (the UN welcome centre in Geneva); the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies.
More than 30 participants from 10 countries were involved in the course. Under the guidance of Morse C. Flores, IARF’s main representative at UN, and Ursula Siegfried of Mandat International, on the first day they took part in several highly informative sessions on the subjects of International law and the UN system and its Human Rights mechanisms. A focus was put on its ‘special procedures’, highlighting the work of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, whose assistant Chian Yew Lim led one of the sessions.
On the second day, the subject shifted to the practicalities of lobbying at the UN. A video link was established with Joshua Coper, seasoned lobbyist, who shared some of his tips & tricks. His performance was well-matched, live, by that of Megumi Kabahashi of ITD 4rth world.
Great weather urged the group outside for a picnic session that introduced lobbying strategies in a more structured setting. Groups then split up to discuss advocacy strategies. The result was put on flipover sheets and very professionally presented in a plenary.
The two-day course ended with certificates being issued to the participants.
During the following days the participants were given the opportunity to watch UN work in progress. Universal Periodic Review sessions were attended, and several meetings with UN representatives took place.
Wytske Dijkstra
IARF-SACC interfaith activities 2011-12
Please download this presentation on the non-project activities in our South Asia region from 2011 to date (May 2012).
IARF-SACC interfaith activities 2011-12 (presentation, .ppsx format)
RFYN Madurai meets US Chapter tour
18th May 2012
Madurai, India
An encounter of the young adults of RFYN from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, with a group of graduate students from the University of South Carolina, led by Prof. Hal French, chair of the US Chapter.
Report: US Chapter student tour meets RFYN Madurai (PDF illustrated, 4 pages)
London Conference on plight of Sabian Mandaeans of Iraq
26th April 2012
House of Lords, London
IARF was contacted on 20 March 2012 by Dr Layla Alroomi, the spokesperson of the Mandaean Human Rights Group (MHRG), with a request to attend a conference regarding:
The plight of the Sabian Mandaeans of Iraq as a Religious, Ethnic and Linguistic minority …getting more serious. Since 2003 this small community has been exposed to a hate campaign by extremists. These continued acts of violence have forced 85% of these indigenous people of Iraqto leave mainly to neighbouring countries. Moreover due to the recent critical developments in Syria, the situation of the Mandaean refugees is getting very worrying with regard to their safety and survival.
Pejman Khojasteh from our British Chapter represented IARF at this conference, giving a presentation on the assistance that IARF can provide in terms of our consultative status with the UN’s ECOSOC.
- Report on 2012 Conference on Sabian Mandaeans (PDF, 2 pages)
- Mandaeans tell their stories (8-minute video)
- Mandaean human rights in Iraq (website of Mandaean Associations Union)
- Mandaean Human Rights Group (MHRG) Annual Report 2011 (PDF, 58 pages)
EME 2012 conference – forms
EME region conference 2012 – Trifold flyer (PDF, 2 pages)
EME region conference 2012 – Updated Programme Information (4 July) (PDF, 2 pages)
EME region conference 2012 – Registration Form (PDF, 1 page)
Council member addresses Bektashi Sufi symposium, Albania
Council member & Chair of our Europe & Middle East region, Rev. Drs. Wytske Dijkstra, was invited to attend & address on behalf of IARF a symposium of the Bektashi Sufi Order in Tirana, Albania, in commemoration of their late leader Haji Reshat Bardhi Dedebaba (1935–2011).
The audience included the Prime Minister of Albania and other government ministers, civil servants, and representatives of religious denominations from several countries, also Babas and Dervishes of the Bektashi community.
Rev. Drs. Dijkstra spoke on the memory of Dede Reshad Bardi, religious freedom, human rights, and the guiding principles of IARF.
US Chapter Conference 2012
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).
Photos (link to US chapter site)
Opening Ceremony performance by college group Cocktails
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Day 2011 – Thirunelveli
@ Thiruvalluvar College, Thirunelveli, Tamilnadu,
Please visit the photo set on Flickr.
Human Rights Day 2011 in Chennai
@Shri Krishnaswamy College for Women, Chennai
Please visit the photo set on Flickr.