Delegates who attended the 22nd annual International Law and Religion Symposium at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA last week met with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the symposium concluded.
Among the 80 delegates from 39 different countries who attended the symposium were Hon Delilah Gore, Papua New Guinea’s Minister of Religion, Youth and Community Development; Hon Ming Leung Wai, Samoa’s Attorney General; Tim Wilson, Australian Human Rights Commissioner; Fr Brian Lucas, General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference; Professor Michael Quinlan, Dean of the University of Notre Dame (Australia) Law School; Sr Catherine Jones, Chair of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Committee on Interfaith Relations; Tony Walwal, First Secretary, Papua New Guinea’s Ministry of Religion, Youth and Community Development; and Jerry Ubasa, Second Secretary, Papua New Guinea’s Ministry of Commerce.
After the symposium concluded on Tuesday 6 October, delegates had lunch on Wednesday in Salt Lake City with members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as other Latter-day Saint leaders.
Delegates from the South Pacific had the opportunity to meet members of the Pacific Area Presidency of the Church, Elder Kevin W. Pearson and Elder S. Gifford Nielsen.
“The symposium provided an extraordinary opportunity for our honoured guests to interact with government, academic and religious leaders from across the Pacific and around the world,” Elder Pearson said.
“We were grateful to host each of them and to introduce them to the Church and have them attend General Conference. It was a wonderful event enjoyed by all.”
The International Law and Religion Symposium was organised by the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School.
The aim of the annual symposium is to bring together lawmakers, policy advisers, scholars, legal professionals, faith leaders and others who have an interest in law and religion.
Presentations and discussions focus on identifying best practices from around the world with respect to supporting religious freedom within various legal and social contexts.
Read more about the International Law and Religion Symposium here and here.