The president of the republic said on Thursday that he hoped religious dialogue would be further deepened, leaving no one behind, and associated freedom of religion with social cohesion and political stability.
This message by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was published this Thursday on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet on the occasion of the National Day of Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue established by resolution of the Assembly of the Republic in 2019.
In this note, the head of state begins by noting that “celebrating religious freedom is equivalent to celebrating democracy and the defense of human rights”, and also “building bridges between different states, peoples and civilizations”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is a practicing Catholic, emphasizes that when he was president of the republic “he insisted on starting his two terms with a celebration with all religious denominations”.
Earlier, he recalled that as a constituent member he approved the 1976 constitution, “which enshrined freedom of religion as a fundamental right, with a strengthened legal regime, proper to the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens”, pointing out that this is a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“In a world where multilateralism has not always been able to persevere and where we are faced with emerging threats and challenges, it is increasingly relevant to be aware of the relationship that exists between the free exercise of human rights in democratic countries (including freedom of religion or belief) and social cohesion and political stability on the other,” he said.
The President of the Republic also emphasizes the “important role that interfaith and intercultural dialogue can play in promoting peace at the global level”.
As for Portugal, the head of state mentions that “it is usually regarded as one of the most tolerant countries in terms of religious freedom and this should be a source of pride for all Portuguese” and “it has been chosen to host several international institutions that aim to promote dialogue between religions and cultures”.
“And we were honored to have former President Jorge Sampaio as High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, exercising innovative and visionary leadership, enabling us to renew hope for a better world. May this hope never be lost and may we continue to deepen the dialogue with all communities, without leaving anyone behind,” he added.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “wish everyone a happy day of religious freedom and interfaith dialogue on June 22”.
Source: DN
