The 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) was held 1-3 October 2017 at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Some 100 Delegates to the 2017 Symposium were invited to discuss the conference theme — "Religion and Religious Freedom in a Changing World" — including such sub-themes as Religion and Security, Religion and Pluralism, and Religion and the Rule of Law.
Session reports of presentations are available here, and recordings from the event are available at this link. (See recordings from Symposium 2016 here.)
The 2017 Symposium opened Sunday evening, October 1, with keynote addresses by Ján Figeľ, the European Commission's Special Envoy for promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union, and András Sajó, Hungarian scholar and former Judge and Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights.
Each year since 1994, ICLRS has hosted a symposium devoted to the discussion of law and religion... more
The recordings of the 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, Religion and Religious Freedom in a Changing World, held in October of 2017 are now available to view here.
The keynote session and all plenary sessions are available in 12 different languages. All breakout sessions are available in English and may be available in other languages as well. To select other languages other than English, select the English icon next to Presentation/Photo Albums in the upper right corner of the screen, and select the desired language from the drop down menu. Only recordings available in the language selected have a watch icon available. Or select from the following quick... more
Left: Ján Figeľ Right: András Sajó
by Melissa Hartman, BYU Law Student and Symposium Volunteer
Two distinguished Keynote speakers addressed participants from around the world assembled for the opening session of the 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium. In addition to an address by Ján Figeľ, Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief Outside the European Union, those assembled at the J. Reuben Clark Law School and participants via webcast, were privileged to hear from András Sajó, Former Judge and Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights.
The opening session commenced with the Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Brett G. Sharffs welcoming attendees and inviting them to reflect on the role religion can play in building peace, stability, and harmony or alternatively contributing to disunity and violence. BYU President Kevin J. Worthen, and Dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Gordon Smith, then also welcomed... more
In May 2016 Ján Figeľ was nominated by the European Commission as the first Special Envoy for promotion of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) outside the European Union. Formerly European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture, Mr. Figeľ has also held other positions such as State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was the Chief Negotiator for Slovakia's accession into the EU. He joined the Christian Democratic Movement party in 1990 and was elected in 1992 as an MP to the National Council of the Slovak Republic, serving on its Foreign Affairs Committee and becoming a member of Slovakia's delegation to the Council of Europe. In 1998 he was appointed State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was also the representative of the Slovak government... more
András Sajó was elected Judge on the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Hungary in February 2008. He was Vice-President of Section from 1 January 2015 to 31 July 2015, President of Section from 1 August 2015, and Vice-President of the Court from November 2015 until his retirement from the Court the end of January 2017. Judge Sajó received his law degree at the ELTE Law School of Budapest in 1972, after which he held various research fellow positions at the Institute for State and Law, Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He received the PhD and Habilitation at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1977 and 1982; he was founder and spokesperson of the Hungarian League... more
Every year a talented group of BYU Law Students devotes countless volunteer hours to the success of the International Law and Religion Symposium. Under the direction of Center Associate Director Elizabeth Clark, Committee Members do everything from coordinating the complicated master schedule of all events, including the schedules of numerous delegates, to coordinating transportation of the delegates to and from the airport and various venues, and many important tasks in between. Preparation starts weeks in advance and, beginning with the arrival of the first delegate... more