This past weekend, FIACONA was proud to be represented at two crucial events across New York City, standing shoulder to shoulder with activists, faith leaders, and civil society members in the ongoing fight against religious nationalism and the persecution of religious minorities. On Friday, September 20, at 2 PM, the Annual United Nations General Assembly provided the backdrop for an Interfaith Press Conference at 777 United Nations Plaza, titled “The Scourge of Religious Nationalisms”.

Watch the press conference here.  

The Religious Nationalism Project (TRNP) is a collaborative effort to amplify multiple voices to raise awareness of the harm caused to democracy building by religious nationalisms.

Speakers included The Rev. Peter Cook, Executive Director NY State Council of Churches. The Rev. Neal Christie, Executive Director FIACONA; Rabbi Barat Ellman, Board Member Rabbis for Ceasefire; The Rev. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director Interfaith Center of NY;  Imam Saffet Catovic, Director UN Office Justice for All; Sahar Alsahlani, Board Member CAIR-NY; Nikhil Arur, organizer Hindus for Human Rights; The Rev. Dr. Gideon Jebamani, Board Member FIACONA and Board Member NY State Council of Churches.

Here are a few excepts from speakers related to FIACONA.

The Reverend Peter Cook, Board Member FIACONA, Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches and principal with The Religious Nationalisms Project.

“We address the scourge of religious nationalism as heads of state come to New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly.  We gather with people from several faith traditions and sectors of civil society to condemn the gross distortion of religions and cultures by governments and politicians who can adopt a dominant religion to advance supremacist and nationalist policy agendas in the United States and across the globe….