“The real goal behind it is to look at rights and responsibilities that connect to freedom of expression when we talk to religion. It coincides well with welcoming and inclusive communities, so it’s really trying to bring together these different viewpoints . . .”
Source/Credit: Lethbridge Herald
By J.W. Schnarr | September 23, 2015
It was an opportunity for local residents to learn more about other religious (and non-religious) cultures Tuesday night during a panel discussion on freedom of expression and respect for religious sanctities held at the University of Lethbridge.
The sixth annual World Religions Conference was held through the Canadian Coalition of Canadian Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination (CMARD), in partnership with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada, and the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union, and was an opportunity to discuss respect for religious sanctities in fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment. This is the first time this event has been held in Lethbridge.
“The real goal behind it is to look at rights and responsibilities that connect to freedom of expression when we talk to religion,” said Roy Pogorzelski, inclusion consultant with the City of Lethbridge.
“It coincides well with welcoming and inclusive communities, so it’s really trying to bring together these different viewpoints in an understanding of inclusion in our communities.”
The event featured a panel of people representing four different viewpoints, including Blackfoot spirituality, secular humanism, Christianity, and Islam. The panel was moderated, and each panellist had an opportunity to speak about their spirituality. There was also an opportunity for questions from those in attendance.
In January, CMARD hosted a panel called “Muslims Next Door” that featured a panel of Muslim community members who talked about what it’s like to live in Lethbridge.
“Our mandate at CMARD is to promote welcoming and inclusive communities,” Pogorzelski said. “One of the ways we do that, aside from the events and the action items we put on, is having opportunities for educational dialogue. I think that continuing these events, that promote inclusion, and that provide education to people, bring people forward as we move toward being a welcoming and inclusive community.”
“We’re such a growing community, and a lot of different cultures are coming into Lethbridge at the moment,” he added. “It’s important to continue to have opportunities that are barrier-free, that are free events, and are educational and just out there for the community. So I think it’s an important partnership with the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union and with groups that want to put out this information.”
Pogorzelski said while the events themselves are important, the true significance lies with providing a space for people to share their culture, backgrounds, and way of life with each other.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to come and just enjoy a night of information, and to have an opportunity to learn something new,” he said.
Read original post here: UK: World Religions Conference brings religions together
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