Summary of Remarks: “Religious Freedom and Its Impact on Minority Religions”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband is a Member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The organizers of the G20 Interfaith Forum invited Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to discuss religious freedom and its impact on minority religions In his remarks in front of global religious leaders he spoke of the beginnings of the Church—itself once a minority. From its humble 19th-century start in New York and its turbulent times in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, the Church is now a worldwide faith of nearly 17 million members.

“When religion is given the freedom to flourish, believers everywhere perform simple and sometimes heroic acts of service,” Elder Rasband said. “We stand shoulder to shoulder in service with many of you.”

Elder Rasband outlined the service the Church has done with others during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 alone, he said, service included contributions to COVAX to provide nearly 1.5 billion COVID-19 vaccines, 26 million meals given to the hungry, and 294 service projects for refugees in 50 countries.

(more…)

Continue Reading Summary of Remarks: “Religious Freedom and Its Impact on Minority Religions”

Remarks on Session Theme: Religious Commitments to Global Sustainable Development Focusing on Child Hunger, Water, and Sanitation

Sharon Eubank is Director, Latter-day Saint Charities; first counselor, General Relief Society Presidency, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I thank our impressive Italian hosts for the organization of this year’s conference and am very pleased to join these distinguished speakers today. I attended the first G-20 Interfaith forum in 2014 and have seen it grown in attention and impact over the last 9 years. My name is Sharon Eubank and I’m the president of Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The 17 Sustainable Development goals were originally determined by a coalition of world leaders to focus the conversation on 17 agreed-upon priorities. 3 of the goals correspond to the topic of today’s session: children, hunger, water/sanitation. However, the topic of sustainable development often gets overshadowed by emergency aid.

(more…)

Continue Reading Remarks on Session Theme: Religious Commitments to Global Sustainable Development Focusing on Child Hunger, Water, and Sanitation

Our “Kairos” Moment: The G20 and the Challenge of Immunizing the World

Brett G. ScharffsBrett G. Scharffs is Rex E. Lee Chair, Professor of Law, and Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

This post is adapted from a presentation at the G20 Interfaith Forum held in Bologna, Italy on September 13, 2021. The Panel, “A ‘Kairos’ Moment: Accountability to Address Inequalities” was co-chaired by Stefano Fassino, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University. The other speakers were Rajeev Bhargava, Director of the Parekh Institute of Indian Thought at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in New Delhi; Arntraud Hartman, Professor of Development Economics, SAIS Europe John Hopkins University in Bologna; Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA Network; and Jonatas Machado, Faculty of Law at the University of Coimbra.

I’m grateful for the framing of today’s discussion, a “Kairos” moment addressing inequalities. As Stefano Fassina explained, Kairos is a Greek term that refers to a unique and unusual opportunity. Our Kairos moment is shaped by the coronavirus crisis. And I believe it is a unique opportunity as illustrated by Professor Katherine Marshall’s framing this with the assignment she gave her students at Georgetown University. She asked them to write a letter to their grandchildren describing what they experienced and how they responded to the pandemic.

(more…)

Continue Reading Our “Kairos” Moment: The G20 and the Challenge of Immunizing the World