PH Calls for Religious Tolerance at UN High-Level Panel Discussion
Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (rightmost) discusses the country’s advocacy on religious tolerance at a high-level panel discussion on “Freedom from Persecution” on the margins of the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York. The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the UN. (New York PM photo)
NEW YORK 19 October 2018 — The Philippines called for tolerance and acceptance of religious minorities during the high-level panel on “Freedom from Persecution: Christian Religious Minorities, Religious Pluralism in Danger,” convened by the Hungarian Permanent to the United Nations on the margins of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 28 September 2018.
“The Philippines has pioneered and taken the lead by a mile for religious tolerance. It has signed one compact after another. But there must be an end to agreements and a beginning of action. The violence of evil can only be defeated by the forces of good,” Philippine Permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said.
“Meanwhile the extinction of ancient Christian communities continues in the birthplace of Christianity; those which had the closest contact with its teachings and rites in their original purity. When Christianity is so diluted that it doesn’t feel Christian anymore, there will be no Christians left in the desolate places—from whom we might learn how far we strayed from the path trod by the Savior and His Apostles in their time upon this earth,” Ambassador Locsin said.
Six other high-profile panelists joined the discussion, namely Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Szijjarto, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Nikki R. Haley, Holy See Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, UN Undersecretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng, Lebanese Foreign affairs Ministry’s Political and Consular Affairs Director Ghady and Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S Fareed Mustafa Yasseen.
The high-level panel discussion aims to identify gaps in the protection and development efforts for Christian communities in the Middle East, share policy frameworks, specific programs and initiatives tailored to protect the human rights of minorities, and ensure their freedom of religion and belief as well as full inclusion in society.
Since 2004, the Philippines, in partnership with Pakistan, has sponsored an annual resolution on the “Promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace,” under the UN General Assembly’s culture of peace agenda.
The resolution aims to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue to achieve peace and stability and as the most promising course for realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and strengthen mechanisms and take appropriate action to promote constructive dialogue across cultural and religious divides. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph/ www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/