Application for Group membership

World Congress of Ethnic Religions
Non-profit Association registered in Vilnius, Lithuania (Reg.# VS99-21)

Vivulskio 27-4, LT-2009 Vilnius, Lithuania
Tel.: +370 52 16 29 66
e-mail: jontrin@taide.lt

Account No.04406657 / 500070213, Code 260101710
Medical Bank (Vilnius)

Application for Group Membership

Name of the group:
Address:
Country:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email address:
Your name:
Your position in the group:
Present number of members in your group:

Do you fully accept both WCER declarations on behalf of your group and promise to keep their principles?

Yes No
(please read declaration text below)

Please describe the religious tradition followed by your group:
What is the purpose of your group (in case it has political aims, specify)?
Other information not covered by the above questions:

Signature:

Date:

Please send the following with your application:

A copy of the constitution, or the founding documents of your organization.

A copy of every magazine, newpaper or newsletter your group publishes.

Group Members are entitled to :

Right to vote and speak at WCER congresses.

Each group must appoint a representative to carry this vote, according to their own rules and customs.
In case a member group cannot attend a congress, it may name a representative from another group to carry its vote.

A regular newsletter.

This Newsletter is freely quotable and its articles may be printed in the member group’s own newsletters for redistribution.

Invitations to Congresses and events organised by the WCER.
If you have an e-mail address, membership on the WCER member mailing list.
Information about other WCER activities.

Membership fees:
100 EU (Euros) per year.

Payment:
Please send a check in Euros to the WCER address, by registered mail.
Avoid bank-to-bank transfers, which are very costly, unless you are willing to pay the transfer charge.

Please note:
The WCER reserves the right to reject any application it judges inappropriate.

WCER DECLARATIONS

1^st Declaration

We, the delegates of the World Congress of Ethnic Religions, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 20 to 24 June 1998, have gathered to express our solidarity for the ethnic, indigenous, native and/or traditional religions of Europe and the other regions of the world.

All cultures as well as native religions and faiths should be equally valued and respected Each region and each people have their distinctive local traditions (native faith, world outlook, mythology, folklore etc.) which articulate their love of their land and history, and cultivate a regard for the sacredness of all life and the divinity of Nature. Just as Nature survives through a wite variety of species, so can hurnanity be allowed to develop freely and without interference along a wide variety of cultural expressions.

According to our ancient traditional ethics, the Earth and all creation must be valued and protected. We as human beings must find our place within the web of all life, not outside or separate from the whole of creation.

We share a common understanding of our position in the world, based upon our common historical experience of oppression and intolerance. Ethnic and/or "Pagan" religions have suffered great injury and destruction in the past from religions claimmg they possess the only truth. It is our sincere wish to live in peace and harmony, and to strive for cooperation with the followers of all other religions, faiths and beliefs.

We believe that the dawn of a new era of individual and intellectual freedom and global exchange of views and information gives us an apportunity to start again to return to our own native spiritual roots in order to re-claim our religious heritage. We are worshippers of Nature just as most of mankind has been for the greater part of human history.

True indigenous religions should give us love and respect for all that we see and feel around, to accept all forms of worship which emphasize sincere hearts, pure thoughts and noble conduct at every moment of our life, towards all that exists.

Let us be proud of our reborn ethnic religions. Our new Universalism induces people not to remain closed within walls of hatred and jealousy against those who are not inside our walls. Let us break these walls and expand the horizon and vision of the whole of humanity.

We established the 'World Congress of Ethnic Religions" (WCER) to help all ethnic religions groups survive and cooperate with each other. Our motto is "Unity in Diversity."

2^nd Declaration

The WCER is primarily concerned with the protection and development of ethnic Cultures and Identities. We understand the term "Ethnic" as referring to religions and cultures that are related to a particular people's cosmology as it is expressed in cultural and social terms as well as ancestral. We recognize that many factors makes up people's identity.

Historically those of other ethnic backgrounds have been adopted into new ones if they took on the beliefs and mores that are a larger part of the identity of that people. Although we are convinced that every human being has the best possibilities within his/her own culture to re-establish the harmony with the divine aspect, it does not, however, exclude anyone from participation in their activities.

The WCER is therefore categorically opposed to discrimination, suppresion or persecution based on race, color, social class, religion or national origin.