29th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium

Religion's Roles in Peacebuilding

Peacebuilding is broader than just ending conflicts; it also includes building a just society that will be able to remain at peace. What role can religion and religious organizations play in establishing this lasting peace and justice throughout the world? To what extent have religiously-motivated individuals and groups help build peace in our communities? What remains to be done? Scholars, government and intergovernmental leaders, civil society activists, and religious leadership address these questions on a global and national level at this year’s Annual International Law and Religion Symposium.

“Religion’s Roles in Peacebuilding”

October 2-4, 2022

International Center for Law and Religion Studies
J. Reuben Clark Law School – Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah, USA

Select recordings will be available on our blog, Talk About: Law and Religion, soon.

Conference Schedule

Sunday, Oct 2

7 – 8:15 PM

  • OPENING SESSION


    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Elizabeth A. Clark, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University and Program Chair, International Law and Religion Symposium, United States

    Welcomes:
    Kevin J Worthen, President, Brigham Young University, United States

    Brett G. Scharffs, Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and Rex E. Lee Chair and Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Keynotes:
    Daniel Philpott, Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame, United States

    Nury Turkel, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, United States

8:30 – 9:30 PM

  • RECEPTION


    Fritz B. Burns Memorial Lounge, Second Floor
    J. Reuben Clark Law Building

Monday, Oct 3

9 – 10:30 AM

  • FIRST PLENARY SESSION

    – Understanding Religion and Peacebuilding
    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Amy Lynn Andrus, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Speakers:
    Fiona Bruce, Member of Parliament; Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (pre-recorded message), United Kingdom

    Carlos Bernal Pulido, Professor, University of Dayton School of Law; Judge, Inter-American Human Rights Commission, Colombia

    James Christie, Ambassador-at-Large, Canadian Multifaith Federation, Canada

    Baroness Emma Nicholson, AMAR International Charitable Foundation, United Kingdom

    Mervyn Thomas, Chair, UK FoRB Forum; Founder President, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, United Kingdom

10:30 – 10:45 AM

  • Break

10:45 – 11:45 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Azerbaijan, and Ukraine

    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Edward Rowe, President and CEO, The Stirling Foundation

    Speakers:
    Ravan Hasanov, Executive Director, Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, Azerbaijan

    Maksym Vasin, Executive Director, Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine

    Anna Mariya Basauri Ziuzina, Board Member, Workshop for the Academic Study of Religions, Ukraine

  • Malaysia, Philippines and South Korea

    Room 314

    Moderator:
    Professor Juno Baik, Assistant Professor in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Chae Young Kim, Faculty of Religious Studies, Sogang University, South Korea

    Salma Pir Rasul, Program Director, UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, Philippines

    Simon Siah, Lawyer; Director of Lawyer Kamek for Change Malaysia

  • Media Perspectives

    Room 205

    Moderator:
    Joel Campbell, Associate Teaching Professor of Journalism, Brigham Young University

    Panelists:
    Luis Rosales, Journalist, Grupo America, Argentina

    Elsie Sierra, President, Guatemalan Media Chamber, Guatemala

    Peggy Fletcher Stack, Journalist, Salt Lake Tribune, United States

  • Cape Verde, Mozambique and South Africa

    Room 206

    Moderator:
    Frederick Williams, Professor of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:

    Filomena Mendes Gonçalves, Minister for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Parliamentary Affairs, Cape Verde

    Josina da Graça, Deputy National Director of Religious Affairs, Mozambique

    Maralaoke Abram Phahlamohlaka, Chief of Staff, Department of Social Development (Ministry), South Africa

12 Noon – 1:30 PM

  • LUNCH FOR CONFERENCE DELEGATES AND INVITED GUESTS
    Wilkinson Student Center, Room 3220-3224

1:30 – 2:10 PM

  • GROUP PHOTO FOR DELEGATES

2:15 – 3:45 PM

  • SECOND PLENARY SESSION

    – Peacemaking, Religion, and Diplomacy
    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Brett G. Scharffs, Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and Rex E. Lee Chair and Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Panelists:
    Ján Figel’, Former European Union FoRB Special Envoy; Member of the IRF Summit Global Leadership Council; Member of the IRFBA International Council of Experts, Slovak Republic

    Ismat Jahan, Ambassador to the European Union, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Bangladesh

    Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Defense; Former State Minister of Foreign Affairs; Special Advisor to the Chairperson of the Research Council for Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Game Changing Fields

    Alfonso José Quiñónez Lemus, Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala to the United States, Guatemala

3:45 – 4:00 PM

  • Break

4:00 – 5:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Canada and the United Kingdom

    Room 303

    Moderator:
    James Phillips, Assistant Professor of Law, Chapman University, Fowler School of Law

    Speakers:
    Andrew Methven, Chief of Staff, AMAR International Charitable Foundation, United Kingdom

    Farrah Raza, Stipendiary Lecturer in Public Law, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

    Derek Ross, Executive Director and General Counsel, Christian Legal Fellowship, Canada

    Jonathan Tucker, Recent Graduate, Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

  • Brazil, Dominican Republic and Honduras

    Room 306

    Moderator:
    Fabio Nascimento, LL.M student, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University; Member of the National Association of Data Privacy Professionals

    Speakers:
    Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves, Professor, Brazilian Center of Studies in Law and Religion, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil

    Ángel Salvador Canó Sención, Partner and consultant, Rodríguez Estrella, Canó & Matos; Deacon and Legal Advisor to the Dominican Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dominican Republic

    Javier Saldaña Serrano, Professor of Law, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico

    Mauricio Villeda, Congressman, Honduras

  • Cambodia and Mongolia

    Room 314

    Moderator:
    Elizabeth A. Clark, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University and Program Chair, International Law and Religion Symposium, United States

    Speakers:
    Odonkhuu Munkhsaikhan, Professor of Law, National University of Mongolia

    H.E. Sopheak Srey, Deputy Governor of Kampong Cham, Cambodia

  • Chile, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama

    Room 205

    Moderator:
    José Antonio Calvi, Legal Counsel, Peruvian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Former President, Latin American Consortium for Religious Liberty, Peru

    Speakers:
    Nelly Cedeño de Paredes, Magistrate, Superior Family Court, Panama

    Omar Cortés Gaibur, Director of the National Office of Religious Affairs, Chile

    Robin Garcia, Pastor; Presidential Commissioner for Religious Freedom of Guatemala

    Felipe Gaytán Alcalá, Profesor Investigador de Universidad La Salle, Mexico

  • Ethiopia

    Room 206

    Moderator:
    David H. Moore, Sterling and Eleanor Colton Endowed Chair in Law and Religion; Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Awoke Atinafu Adam, Chief, Ministry of Peace

    Mohammed Dejen Assen, Professor, College of Law and Governance Studies, Addis Ababa University

Tuesday, Oct 4

9 – 10:15 AM

  • THIRD PLENARY SESSION

    – Religion and Interfaith Engagement in Times of Conflict and Disaster
    Room 303

    Moderator:
    David H. Moore, David H. Moore, Sterling and Eleanor Colton Endowed Chair in Law and Religion; Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Speakers:
    Asma Redi Baleker, Director General, Ministry of Peace, Ethiopia

    Sharon Eubank, Director, Latter-day Saint Charities

    Samira Gutoc, Chair, AKO Bakwit, Philippines

10:15 – 10:30 AM

  • Break

10:30 – 11:30 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Islamic Perspectives on Human Dignity

    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Brett G. Scharffs, Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and Rex E. Lee Chair and Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Panelists:
    Clark B. Lombardi, Dan Fenno Henderson Professor of Law, University of Washington, United States

    Shamshad Pasarlay, Visiting Lecturer of Law, University of Chicago, Afghanistan

    Lutforahman Saeed, Assistant Professor, Islamic Law Faculty, Kabul University, Afghanistan

  • Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Mexico

    Room 306

    Moderator:
    Gary B. Doxey, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Speakers:
    Cristian Badillo Gutierrez, Director General, Conciencia Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa, Mexico

    Sandro Mansur Gibran, Attorney, Brazil

    Isabel Consuelo Paulino de Gross, President, Dr. Paulino Attorneys at Law Legal Advisor to the Dominican Conference of Catholic Bishops, Vice President of the National Commission in Defense of Family and the Constitution, Representative of the Conference’s National Commission of Family and Life, Dominican Republic

  • New Zealand

    Room 314

    Moderator:
    Fred Axelgard, Senior Fellow, Wheatley Institute, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Vanisa Dhiru, MNZM JP, Commissioner, New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, New Zealand

    Rakesh Naidoo, Superintendent, New Zealand Police

  • Reflections from Lawyers Representing Religious Organizations

    Room 205

    Moderator:
    Scott Isaacson, Lawyer, International Section, Kirton McConkie law firm

    Speakers:
    José Antonio Calvi, Legal Counsel, Peruvian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Former President, Latin American Consortium for Religious Liberty, Peru

    Ángel José Gomera Peralta, Director, National System of Conflict Resolution, Office of the Attorney General; Legal Advisor to the Dominican Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dominican Republic

    Alejandro Santana Rosario, Legal Advisor to the Council Assemblies of God in the Dominican Republic

  • Western Africa

    Room 206

    Moderator:
    W. Cole Durham Jr., Founding Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari, Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam of Ghana; Executive Director of the Islamic Peace and Security Council, Ghana

    Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambasssador; Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the United Nations in Geneva, The Gambia

    Christopher Wadibia, Junior Research Fellow, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

11:30 – 11:45 AM

  • Break

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Judicial Roundtable

    Room 303

    Moderator:
    David G. Campbell, Senior Judge, United States District Court, District of Arizona, United States

    Panelists:
    Eyad A. Alsamhan, Judge, Jordan

    Mücahit Aydin, Rapporteur-Judge, Constitutional Court of Turkey

    Carlos Bernal Pulido, Professor, University of Dayton School of Law; Judge, Inter-American Human Rights Commission, Colombia

    Nelly Cedeño de Paredes, Magistrate, Superior Family Court, Panama

    Khosbayar Chagdaa, Presiding Judge of the Chamber for Criminal Cases, Supreme Court of Mongolia

    Abed-Alhaleem Hiasat, Judge, Jordan; LLM Student, BYU Law

    Muntaser Omoush, Judge, Jordan; LLM Student, BYU Law

    J. Clifford Wallace, Chief Judge Emeritus, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • Reflections from Religious Leaders (Session One)

    Room 306

    Moderator:
    Andrew Reed, Associate Professor, Church History, Brigham Young University; Chair, Council for Interfaith Engagement, United States

    Speakers:
    Bruce Clemenger, President, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

    Luis Mário de Souza Pinto, Vice president, South American Division, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Brazil

    Revd. Dr. Andrew Teal, Chaplain, Fellow & Lecturer in Theology, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

    Bishop Timoteo, Greek Orthodox Church

  • Afghanistan and Kuwait

    Room 314

    Moderator:
    Gerald Williams, Emeritus Professor, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:

    Fawaz Alkhateeb, Professor of Law, Kuwait International Law School, Kuwait

    Lutforahman Saeed, Assistant Professor, Islamic Law Faculty, Kabul University, Afghanistan

1:00 – 2:15 PM

  • LUNCH FOR CONFERENCE DELEGATES AND INVITED GUESTS
    Wilkinson Student Center, 3220-3224

2:15 – 3:00 PM

  • KEYNOTE SESSION


    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Paul E. Kerry, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

    Keynote:

    Revd. Dr. Andrew Teal, Chaplain, Fellow & Lecturer in Theology, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

3:00 3:15 PM

  • Break

3:15 – 4:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Jordan and Sudan

    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Erlend Peterson, Associate International Vice President, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    NasrEldeen Mofarih Ahmed, Former Minister of Religious Affairs and Awqaf, Sudan

    Eyad A. Alsamhan, Judge, Jordan

    Abed-Alhaleem Hiasat, Judge, Jordan, LLM Student, BYU Law

    Muntaser Omoush, Judge, Jordan, LLM Student, BYU Law

  • Reflections from Religious Leaders (Session Two)

    Room 306

    Moderator:
    Shon Hopkin, Department Chair, Department of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Joseph Oluseyi Malomo, Pastor, State House Chaplain and Senior Special Assistant to the President (Chaplaincy), Nigeria

    Jens-Oliver Mohr, Pastor and Director of Public Relations, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Germany

    Jennifer G. Woods, Associate Director, Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, United States

  • Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru

    Room 205

    Moderator:
    Scott Isaacson, Lawyer, International Section, Kirton McConkie law firm

    Speakers:
    Carlos Alberto Pérez Cuevas, Profesor e Investigador de la Universidad Panamericana, Mexico

    Laura I. Féliz Taveras, Partner, DR&R Consulting Lawyers; Advisor to the Acción Cristiana Group, Dominican Republic

    Maria Laura Vargas Valcarcel, Executive Secretary, Peruvian Interreligious Council, Peru

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Room 206

    Moderator:
    David H. Moore, Sterling and Eleanor Colton Endowed Chair in Law and Religion; Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

    Speakers:
    Matthieu Manga Kalota, Lawyer, Matthieu M. Kalota Law Firm, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Emmanuel-Javier Luzolo Bambi Lessa, Lawyer, Former Minister of Justice, Democratic Republic of the Congo

4:00 – 4:15 PM

  • Break

4:15 – 5:45 PM

  • FOURTH PLENARY SESSION

    – Conference Summation and Concluding Reflections on Conference Themes
    Room 303

    Moderator:
    Gary B. Doxey, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Closing keynote:
    Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, United States

    Remarks
    Brett G. Scharffs, Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and Rex E. Lee Chair and Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States

    Parting Reflections by Delegates

    Concluding Remarks
    Elizabeth A. Clark, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University and Program Chair, International Law and Religion Symposium, United States