VATICAN - Archbishop Migliore at the UN: religious freedom includes the full respect and promotion not only of the fundamental freedom of conscience, but also the expression and practice of religion by every person without restrictions

New York (Agenzia Fides) - “The United Nations’ specific and primary responsibility vis-à-vis religion is to debate, elucidate and help States to fully ensure, at all levels, the implementation of the right to religious freedom as affirmed in the relevant UN documents which include full respect for and promotion not only of the fundamental freedom of conscience but also of the expression and practice of everybody’s religion, without restriction.” This is what Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the UN, in an address on November 10, at the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly, on item 49: “Culture of Peace.”
Archbishop Migliore recalled that “the question of religion and the contribution of religions to peace and development have resurfaced in the United Nations in recent years because they have become urgent and inevitable in the opinion of the world.” While at the beginning of the industrial revolution, religion was considered the “opium of the people,” in the context of globalization, it is now considered the “vitamin of the poor.” He then highlighted that religions have one aim, which is to serve the spiritual and transcendent dimension of human nature: they tend as well to raise the human spirit, protect life, empower the weak, translate ideals into action, purify institutions, contribute to resolving economic and non-economic inequalities, permit people to attain a fuller realization of their natural potential, and resolve situations of conflict through reconciliation...
The Permanent Observer to the Holy See did not forget to mention the manipulations of the religion in history, by some leaders, such as the fact that ideological and nationalist movements took advantage of religious differences to support their own cause. Interreligious or interfaith dialogue aiming at investigating the theological and spiritual foundations of different religions in view of mutual understanding and cooperation is becoming more and more an imperative, a conviction and an effective endeavor among many religions, Archbishop Migliore said, recalling how the Catholic Church, some forty years ago, with the promulgation of the conciliar document Nostra Aetate, began working in this regards and today, many Christian denominations and other religions are engaged in dialogue, which is supported by the Holy See with many initiatives.
Recent social and political events have renewed the engagement of the United Nations to integrate its reflection and action on affirming a culture of respect with a specific concern for interreligious understanding, Archbishop Migliore continued, as he concluded his speech by highlighting the fact that United Nations' ultimate goal and achievement in pursuing interreligious understanding and cooperation is to be able “to engage States as well as all segments of human society to recognize, respect and promote the dignity and rights of every person and each community in the world.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 11/11/2009)