Summary of the conference “Religious freedom within the framework of interculturality” (2023)
From Tuesday 28 February to Thursday 2 March 2023, the conference "Religious freedom in the framework of interculturality”, organised by the OAR in collaboration with the Museum of Ethnology and World Cultures (MUEC), was held at different venues in the city. Representatives of religious communities and organisations, as well as academics and people involved in public administration were invited to take stock of the initiatives undertaken in recent years aimed at ensuring that these rights are fulfilled within the framework of intercultural Barcelona. The conference consisted of an opening lecture, and a series of round table working groups, guided tours and activities.
Religious pluralism has become an integral part of interculturality policies thanks to the new Barcelona Interculturality Plan (2021-2030) (Catalan). Beyond the commitment to making advances towards real and effective equality with regard to rights, the plan also implies recognition and respect for cultural diversity and religious pluralism as a structural dimension of society, one that must be taken into account and valued, as well as aiming to facilitate the creation of bonds, positive interaction, participation and intercultural dialogue on equal terms. The conference aimed to focus on this new framework of interculturality, applying it to the right to freedom of worship in the city of Barcelona.
The Museum of Ethnology and World Cultures (MUEC) and the OAR joined forces to organise the conference, in collaboration with Cementiris de Barcelona, Barcelona Cathedral and the Romanian Orthodox Church of Sant Jordi.
The conference, chaired by Mohamed El Amrani, began with a speech by Carlos Vicente, director of the MUEC, which provided the venue for the first day of the conference, and Khalid Ghali, commissioner for intercultural dialogue and religious pluralism. The day continued with a lecture by the dean of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at the University of Deusto, Eudardo Ruiz Vieytez, on the “Public management of religious diversity: challenges and proposals”. This talk provided a framework for the need to manage religious pluralism while respecting human rights. In his lecture, which you can see HERE (Spanish), he concluded that “the management of religious differences in our democratic societies is still inadequate, as there is an asymmetrical guarantee of religious freedoms, not only within the framework of legality, but above all because most of society thinks of it in this way, perceiving it as something natural”. In this situation, what are the shortcomings? According to Eduardo Ruiz, “there’s a lack of knowledge and recognition of religious diversity – what I mean here is that there is a tendency not to see the ‘other’ as being on an equal footing”. So what would be needed would be to “normalise religion and its management as an important social fact – simply as another social fact. Managing religious diversity as a policy based on citizenship and human rights, with a need for the involvement of all institutional spheres, as well of course as municipal and regional ones”. He closed his speech by affirming that “religious-based diversity constitutes a prime opportunity, one that we’re not currently taking advantage of – in fact we don’t even know how we might do so. Rather than thinking in terms of difficulties, challenges or obstacles, we need to consider opportunities, because a more diverse and inclusive society will be a better society, and consequently one that will be more competitive and more efficacious. These are messages that need to be communicated by the public authorities, not only because it’s the right thing to do, or because we need to respect human rights, but also because society as a whole will benefit”.
Immediately afterwards, the round table working groups began. The first was “THIRTY YEARS OF THE 1992 AGREEMENTS. SHARED DEMANDS”, moderated by Lola López, cultural anthropologist and expert in intercultural perspectives. The speakers were: Guillem Correa, secretary of the Evangelical Council of Catalonia (CEC); Jorge Burdman, head of the Department of Interreligious Dialogue of the Israeli Community of Barcelona (CIB); Glòria Puig, chair of the Catalan Coordinator of Buddhist Entities (CCEB); Albert Fages, coordinator of the Office for Non-Discrimination (OND), and Ariadna Solé Arraràs, acting coordinator of the Office of Religious Affairs.
This first round table clearly showed the unequal terms embedded in the Spanish legal framework with regard to different religious traditions. Lola López said that “the 1992 agreements were an extremely important milestone in the legal – and even public – recognition of religious pluralism in our country. The agreements were signed with the federations representing the Evangelical, Muslim and Jewish communities, and they cover both individual and collective rights”. However, it should be borne in mind that “despite this, these agreements only have the status of ordinary law; no regulations have ever been drafted to give them substance, nor has anything as important as a budget line been allocated to them, and many of the agreements have never actually been put into practice”. She went on to say that in these agreements “there are a number of religious traditions that are not included, for example Buddhism”. It is therefore a legal framework that establishes a basic form of inequality, and that in some respects is perhaps not fully in line with the current demands of religious communities and the realities of a city like Barcelona, which is much more diverse. This was made clear by Ariadna Solé, who explained that “the OAR tries to work within a framework that takes a neutral stance with regard to religious traditions, so that all can exercise their right to religious freedom on an equal footing; but it is true that there exists a legal framework that does in itself establish inequality. Although the OAR cannot intervene in a legal framework administered by the state, what it can do is provide support to make those rights effective”.
This was followed by the round table working group “FESTIVITIES, VISIBILITY AND SYMBOLIC RECOGNITION”, moderated by Avi Astor, associate lecturer at the Department of Sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and member of the research group Investigacions en Sociologia de la Religió (ISOR). The speakers were: Irene Muzás, rabbi of the Atid Jewish Community of Catalonia; Manuel Zamora Negrillo, director of the Diocesan Secretariat of Brotherhoods and Confraternities of the Archdiocese of Barcelona; Dvarka Dasa, co-president of the Iskcon Association, and Daniel Granados, cultural rights representative at Barcelona City Council.
Avi Astor began by saying that “Barcelona is unique within both Spain and Catalonia, because it’s one of the most secularised cities in the whole country, but at the same time expressions of religion on the streets are more visible here than anywhere else in Spain. Public space is complex; it has different dimensions, symbolic, physical and social, all of which influence the religious expression within it”. It is worth underlining “the importance of making communities visible in public space as a form of recognition and normalisation”. Some communities expressed a sense of insecurity about holding events on the street, despite the fact that outcomes have always been positive, as Irene Muzás pointed out. She also voiced the need to update the city’s gazetteer with references to Judaism, for example in street names. Manuel Zamora commented that “without public space, the existence of confraternities makes no sense”. He added that “in a mature democratic society, we need the intelligence to make these types of event something that can be enjoyed by all, and ensure that they feature on the city’s festival calendar. Getting out on the street is extremely important for three reasons: it legitimises, normalises and makes things visible”.
The third round table working group, which took place in the afternoon, focused on the “EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE WORKPLACE”, and was moderated by Isabel Cano Ruiz, who holds a PhD in Law and is a lecturer in state ecclesiastical law at the University of Alcalá (UAH). Taking part were: Majda Moustaid, member of the Muslim Students Association at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB); Francisco José Camacho Heredia, pastor and coordinator of the Adventist Council of Catalonia; Dharam Paul Singh Ackoo, spokesperson for the Gurdwara Guru Darshan Sahib; Ramon Sanahuja, officer at the Department of Interculturality and Religious Pluralism, and Lourdes Sugrañes Tena, director of inclusive employability and training at Barcelona Activa, both from Barcelona City Council.
Isabel Cano began the round table by stating that “religious discrimination is the most widespread form of discrimination in the legal field. The key reason for discrimination on the grounds of religion is religion itself, and the law is not immune to this kind of discrimination. In terms of the workplace, a framework act on religious freedom was passed in 1980, which establishes an open list of ways in which this freedom may be expressed, and the right of individuals to act in accordance with their convictions in both public and private spheres, for example, through religious symbols, the commemoration of public holidays and the observance of funeral rites, through teaching and education, etc. In other words, the right to religious freedom not only within Spain, but also in international spheres, and involves a series of practices that must be regulated by law”. In the setting of the workplace “there’s a clash between article 16, the right to religious freedom, and article 38, the right to freedom in business. Until 2015, in this clash it was always the business that won in Spain, but fortunately this overprotection of the freedom of businesses is gradually weakening, thanks to the language, subtlety and persuasive force of anti-discrimination legislation”. The difficulties of combining days of religious observance with the demands of work, the use of clothing that conflicts with certain labour and civic regulations, the need to have prayer areas in work and university spaces, etc., were raised at the round table. Lurdes Sugrañes from Barcelona Activa pointed out that “the major challenge lies in companies where although there is clarity with regard to the norms, uncertainties arise when it comes to their application”. Ramon Sanahuja explained that Barcelona City Council “is not a very diverse administration in terms of background. And this contrasts sharply with the reality of the city of Barcelona. What’s more, it’s a secular administration that needs to respect the religious freedom of its employees. Intercultural municipal policy takes an empathetic view of religion”. The City Council has introduced various initiatives such as adapting clothing where necessary in the case of occupations that require the wearing of a uniform; providing training on religious pluralism in the Human Resources Department and the creation of the Office for the Promotion of Diversity, which works with access tests for public administration posts so that a broader range of people can join public administrative bodies, etc.”.
The final round table working group was about “DIGITAL COMMUNITIES, RELIGIONS ONLINE”, and was moderated by Míriam Díez Bosch, director of the Chair of Religious Freedom and Conscience (Blanquerna, URL). The speakers were: Elisabeth Lheure, from the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Barcelona’s Baha’i Community; Carla Restoy, from the Catholic movement Hakuna; Núria Farre Fillat, officer in the Training and Grants department at the Espai Torre Jussana, and Anna Inglés, head of the Technical Office at the Canòdrom – Ateneu d’Innovació Digital i Democràtica and member of the Colectic Cooperative.
Míriam Díez opened by saying that “the Internet has changed the life of religious communities. There used to be stipulated timetables, but the internet now makes it possible for communities to be available 24 hours a day, and response and support is effectively demanded 24 hours a day. And, if a particular religious community fails to respond, people will look elsewhere to satisfy their desire to learn or pray. This represents a major paradigm shift, from traditional religions to online religions. It is not simply the transfer of the community to the digital world; it is a different form of interaction. There are people who have not returned to their communities in person in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The virtual world has emerged as a space for community, an alternative to physical presence. “Achieving world unity and global peoplehood”, explained Elisabeth Lheure, “is very important in the Bahá’í faith, and for believers, the virtual, scientific and technological worlds are necessary as they can bring people together”. The panel noted that the virtual world allows for internal communication within the community, and also external communication in the sense of networking with the international community. It also makes it possible to raise the visibility of activities organised by the communities. It became clear to the participants that the digital gap has proved to be a challenge, especially during the pandemic, because there were people who were left on the margins of the community. Apart from the digital gap, which was gradually bridged, what became clear is that it is also necessary to adapt technology in a coherent way, and to be faithful to the message and values of the community, despite the speed of adaptation and change in the virtual field. The moderator commented that “digital tools also represent an opportunity, and a chance to exercise the right to religious freedom”. The Technical Office of the Canòdrom and the Espai Torre Jussana highlighted the service and support provided to associations on a daily basis by the Espai Torre Jussana, and the support for local people and organisations from all over the virtual world provided by the Canòdrom Technical Office.
Finally, Núria Serra, head of the Department of Interculturality and Religious Pluralism, brought the conference to a close after having presented the reports: The conference “Religious freedom in Barcelona: the current state of play” (Catalan), which took place in February 2020, aimed to identify both the good practices and shortcomings that exist in the city with regard to the exercise of religious freedom and freedom of worship, making an assessment of where we currently stand in order to decide what we need to work on during the present Barcelona City Council’s term of office. The conference “Religious pluralism in a secular world” (Catalan), which took place in November 2021, led to reflection on a key factor, secularism in public policies, analysing models of secular states, and more specific areas in which secularism is in evidence, such as schools, the management of death and international cooperation.
February 28 ended with a GUIDED VISIT to the MUEC exhibition for those attending or participating in the conference “Sacred journeys. Humanity and religions”, which showed that we need to look beyond the great religions of the world, such as Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, and bear in mind that there are so many others; for example the Yoruba in Africa, the Australian Aborigines in Oceania and the Mayas in pre-Columbian America. Triptychs, crosses, books, divination boards, bark paintings, masks, funerary offerings, games, etc. that feature in the religions of the world allowed us to reflect on religious diversity today, and the right to freedom of thought, belief and worship.
On 1 March, there was a GUIDED TOUR of the exhibition “Jewish Memory in Barcelona Cathedral”, led by priest Robert Baró, director of the Diocesan Secretariat of Cultural Heritage. Since the Middle Ages, the Barcelona Cathedral Archive has preserved thousands of parchments and books that tell the story of the city’s history. A significant number of these relate to Barcelona’s Jewish community, who, since at least the 9th century, have lived side by side with the Christian community, sharing daily life. Those attending the visit were able to see all sorts of legal documents (purchases, rentals, wills, etc.) that help to reconstruct the lives of the people who once lived in El Call (Barcelona’s Jewish quarter). Original documentation relating to the Jewish community (written in Latin, Hebrew and Catalan) has made it possible to ascertain what kind of information is contained in these written testimonies. Furthermore, a visit to the Arxiu Antic, built in 1535, is like taking a step back into the past. Its original furnishings made it possible to understand how much documentation was kept in this place, and how it was organised. The visit made it possible to appreciate and highlight the strong, close ties between the Christian and Jewish communities in the city of Barcelona, ties that are reflected in this exhibition created by Barcelona Cathedral and Mozaika.
On the afternoon of the same day, Miquel Trepat, managing director of Cementiris de Barcelona, gave a PRESENTATION about the future Montjuïc interfaith space. The project, which is soon to be launched, will provide Cementiris de Barcelona with a space where the public, regardless of religion or denomination, will be able to bid farewell to the deceased. This interfaith space project will allow the different religious communities to follow their own funeral traditions, and ensure that practices of purifying the body are carried out by the community itself. The director of Cementiris de Barcelona, together with Juan Manuel Aparicio who is also attached to Cementiris and is the architect behind the project, explained the progress made in detail, talking about the various stages and the obstacles encountered, obstacles that have not diminished the desire to be able to offer the public a place to say goodbye, where all religions, spiritualities and choices of conscience are welcome.
Finally, in the early afternoon of 2 March, the OAR’s education officer Lorena Spinola gave a PRESENTATION about the educational activities organised by the Office of Religious Affairs (OAR). The presentation highlighted the fact that cultural and religious diversity is something enriching that is present in all areas of our society, including the educational community, and that it is becoming a reflection of the diversity of the city. Knowing and understanding this cultural and religious plurality is a key tool for educating and raising young people with values and therefore ensuring community harmony and respect. As part of this initiative, the OAR presented a range of tools and resources aimed at explaining different religions from a cultural point of view, making this knowledge available to pupils: visits to places of worship “Places of worship, spaces to discover”; the teaching resource “Traveller’s pack: get to know religions”; the APS (learning and community service project) “Discover the diversity of beliefs in your area”, and the course “Religious culture: how to work on it with pupils”, a project aimed at teachers from the Barcelona Education Consortium.
And to bring the conference to a close, on the evening of the same day there was a GUIDED VISIT to the church of Sant Jordi, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s first monumental centre of worship, led by Father Aurel Bunda, the parish priest. Father Aurel spoke to the attendees, explaining first of all what Orthodox Christianity is, and how his community of Romanian origin is linked to this creed. He also talked about the liturgical and ritual differences with Catholic Christianity. Finally, there was a visit to the church, which is in the final stages of construction (the adjacent building and crypt have been in use for some time). This Orthodox parish was established in a newly-built centre on a small but well-situated plot of land has distinct spaces. One of the highlights of the visit were the paintings on the walls, created with the same Romanesque fresco technique used in the Boí valley – which is the same one used in the Middle Ages.
