CESNUR 2024: Scholars Unite In Bordeaux To Combat Religious Intolerance In Japan
At the 2024 CESNUR Conference in Bordeaux and a subsequent Paris press conference, scholars and advocates highlighted the alarming persecution of minority religions in Japan, calling for global support to combat governmental and media biases against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU).
CESNUR Conference and Paris Press Conference Bordeaux CESNUR Conference (June 12th-14th): Held at Bordeaux Montaigne University, the 2024 CESNUR Conference focused on “The Contribution of Minority Religions to Society.”
Organised by the Center for Studies of New Religions (CESNUR) and co-sponsored by the International Society for the Study of New Religions, the event drew around 120 scholars and representatives from various religious groups.
A key session addressed the issues surrounding the Unification Church in Japan, including the ongoing persecution and legal battles faced by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) and its members.
Speakers highlighted the misuse of deprogramming tactics, media bias, and governmental overreach in Japan.
Dr. Balcomb, President of FFWPU Europe and FFWPU-UK Director, concluded by questioning the impact of Japan’s declining population and the consequences of its anti-UC campaign, which fuels religious and racial prejudice against young international families. He stressed the broader moral decline in democracies and the critical need to support religious minorities as a voice of conscience in society.
The audience was deeply moved by the testimonies and the call for greater support for religious freedom.
Paris Press Conference (June 15th): At the UPF France headquarters, a press conference featured testimonies from the Japanese delegation on the Japanese government’s actions against the FFWPU. Attendees included journalists, a lawyer, and peace ambassadors.
Presentations by Reverend Tanaka, Lawyer Nakayama, and Moriko H. recounted the persecution in Japan. The conference emphasised the need for international awareness and advocacy, particularly mobilising women’s organisations to protest the unjust treatment of the WFWP’s Jamoo School in Senegal by the Japanese government.
