Brazilian Seminars to disseminate knowledge on Secular Space

Just before the Pope arrived in Brazil, in May 2007, the Rio Grande
do Sul Judges Association (AJURIS), with the Medical Anthropology
Research Center of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
(NUPACS/UFRGS), organized a series of three events on Religious
Freedom and Lay Liberties, in an international partnership with the
Colégio Mexiquense and the Red Iberoamericana por las Libertades
Laicas. The events, headed by judge and anthropologist Roberto
Arriada Lorea, were supported by a number of diverse Brazilian
institutions and associations.

The events brought together magistracy, organized social movements
and the scientific academy, who debated in the School of Magistracy
(Porto Alegre ), the Brazilian Bar Association (Rio de Janeiro) and
the Education Faculty of the São Paulo University, USP (São Paulo ).

The goal of the seminars was to widely disseminate knowledge on lay
liberties. Researchers from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and
Peru debated themes such as the relationships between States and
churches; the religious presence in Armed Forces; religious
education in public schools; sexual rights, public policy and lay
liberties; international treaties with the Holy See. A book shall be
published soon, with some of the papers discussed during the three
events.

In 2008, the Red Libertades Laicas - Brazil will organize another
series of events in Brasília and Recife , Brazil . More information
on the Red Iberoamericana por las Libertades Laicas and on the
seminars as other events can be found at www.libertadeslaicas.org.mx
or by e-mail, with r.lorea gmail.com