Press Release — For Immediate Release
Montreal, August 31, 2023 – Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) makes the new Executive Summary of its Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023 available to its benefactors and supporters. ACN Canada also takes this opportunity to announce that Red Wednesday 2023 will take place on Wednesday, November 15 and invites both religious and non-religious organizations to save the date for this global event. (Photo of the cover: Icon of 21 Coptic Martyrs beheaded by the Islamic State (IS) on February 15, 2015.)
“Religious discrimination and persecution are on the rise all around the world,” says with concern Marie-Claude Lalonde, national director of ACN Canada. “We are making a PDF version of our latest Executive Summary available as of today. It is an invaluable tool for anyone wanting a quick overview of the state of religious freedom and the challenges it is facing.”
‘Cancel culture’ in the West, the tightening of authoritarian regimes in Asia, and the destabilization caused by terrorist groups and militias in many African countries are the main aggravating factors that have continued to gain momentum since the last report was published in 2021,” explains Ms. Lalonde. “The main work of Aid to the Church in Need is one of pastoral support to the poor and persecuted Church around the world. However, soon after the founding of our charity, ACN made it part of its mission to raise awareness on the increasingly difficult situation of the Churches behind the Iron Curtain. Since then, we have continued to inform and call for respect of the fundamental right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as outlined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Download the Executive Summary of ACN RFR 2023:
https://bit.ly/RFR-2023
Red Wednesday: get ready!
Wednesday, November 15 is Red Wednesday in Canada. Many buildings will be lit up in red, and parishes, schools, religious communities, sanctuaries, and civil society organizations wishing to participate in this international awareness initiative are encouraged to mark their calendars. For more information or to share the details of your planned activity with us, please contact Ms. Valérie Vulcain, annual campaign coordinator, at vv@acn-canada.org or by calling 1-800-585-6333 ext. 227. In Montreal, a Mass will be held at Mary Queen of the World Cathedral at 5 p.m. to mark the occasion.
