image by Dominican Union/IAD

Thousands of Seventh-day Adventist gathered during the church's Religious Liberty Association congress to take a stand and promote religious liberty among latin american countries.

5 May 2009, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...ANN Staff

image by Courtesy PARL

Adventist world church director for Public Affairs and Religious Liberty John Graz speaks at the first Festival of Religious Freedom in Latin America, where broadening freedoms of religion are encouraging religious liberty proponents.

Religious liberty proponents from 13 Latin American countries met in Santo Domingo last week to discuss historical and current religious freedom trends in the region.

The April 28 to 30 International Religious Liberty Association congress preceded the Inter-American region's first Festival of Religious Freedom on May 2, which drew some 13,000 people to the city's sports arena.

John Graz, director of the Seventh-day Adventist world church's department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, applauded the Dominican Republic for valuing freedom of religion.

In a region with a historically dominant religion, Catholicism, regional Adventist president Israel Leito said working to ensure everyone's right to worship freely is vital. "We need to support the person suffering for his religion," he said. "It might be happening to him today but to me tomorrow."

Religious liberty scholars and activists are expected to meet again in Peru this summer for the first World Festival of Religious Freedom.