Nineteen representatives of the European Union’s leading religions gathered in Brussels on Tuesday to exchange views on the Europan Union’s future during the 10th High Level meeting of religious leaders.
The President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and Vice-President of the EU Parliament Laszlo Surjan hosted the high level meeting.
Representatives from the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Mormon world discussed social developments within and outside the EU, as well as what roles religion may play in the EU's development.
Barroso, who spoke at a press conference after the meeting said: “Freedom of religion and belief is a universal human right that needs to be protected everywhere and for everyone.”
President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy stated that religious values “shape” the EU and are the framework of a “common home”.
“Over the last years our common home has been in the centre of a heavy storm,” said Van Rompuy, referring to the attack in a Jewish museum in Brussels on May 24th.
The participants also accepted a joint declaration regarding Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, a Sudanese Christian, who was sentenced to death for her Christian faith last year.
The presidents of EU institutions and religious leaders "underline Sudan's international obligation to protect the freedom of religion and belief and unanimously call upon the responsible Sudanese authorities and appeal courts to revoke this inhumane verdict and release Mrs Meriam with the utmost urgency," the declaration said.
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