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The WCER constitution: The WCER was registered on February 10th, 1999 as a
non-profit association in Vilnius, Lithuania (registration number VS99-21).
The WCER (World Congress of Ethnic Religions) is registered in Lithuania as a "Public
Institution". A Public Institution, under Lithuanian law, is a new form of non-government
and non-profit organisation, approved by law Nr.I -1428 of the Lithuanian Republic, dated
July 3rd, 1996.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE :
1. Real situation of the organisation: Information from our members about their own home
situation.
Speeches were made to that effect by:
Koenraad Logghe, Traditie, Belgium
Jean-Lionel Manquat, Groupe Druidique des Gaules, France
Kostas Kehagias, Diipetes, Greece Jormundur Ingi, Asatrufelagidh,
Iceland Surinder Paul Attri, India Matheusz
Piskorski & Staszko Potrebowski, Rodzima Wiara, Poland
2. Strategy for our activities.
How can we plan our activities?
We have to develop close connections with religions of different countries. Before the
congress started, a lot of Hindus contacted us to support our initiative. It is necessary
to intensify these contacts through specialists like Surinder Paul Attri, Dr. Koenraad Elst,
and others. They agreed on this point. Also native Indians and Sami should be contacted.
This can be done indirectly by official organisations such as KWIA, Unesco, etc. It is
interesting to know that, some years ago, Unesco had proclaimed the Year of indigenous
people. Surely, there must be something written left about it. It was stressed that each
group should follow up religious development in their own countries and report it to the
WCER Head Office in Vilnius. We should also support major events by exchanging folkgroups,
folk artists, artefacts, addresses, and by promoting traditional culture in our own countries.
We should try to influence projects in our own way.
How do we pressure governments for religious tolerance?
The pressure on governments can only become real if the Head Office writes a letter and
also if each member group supports this pressure by individual actions. Pressure should only be
used on special occasions depending on current events. Jonas suggested sending a letter to
the council of Europe1 to urge protection for ethnic religions. Vlasis Rassias suggested
founding an office of International relations and propaganda. We could have more influence if
we were recognised by the UNESCO, but don’t forget that the recognition procedure is extremely
difficult. Perhaps it would be better to concentrate on empowerment of the WCER before urging
recognition.
How can we give financial help to members?
The same thing can be said about the financial aspect. Perhaps we could get some support
if we were recognised by the UNESCO, but it is, in the beginning, almost impossible to get this
recognition. So let’s concentrate on the money received from the members. Let us create 2 funds:
a working fund, and an emergency fund.
Whom should we have relations with? How do we extend our contacts with other native cultures and religions?
We should have relations with true native religious groups, which have a cultural and
traditional basis for their movements. We should not support, accept as member or have relations
with newly invented hybrid, non-traditional religious groups. We may have friendly relations and
selective contacts with other organisations such as the Pagan Federation, but make it clear that
we are different organisations with different views and goals.
Expansion of the WCER will consist of attracting other, non-European ethnic religious
groups such as Hindus in India, Samis and Finno-Ugrians in Northern Europe, Native Americans in
North and South America, Shinto in Japan and others. We will contact the above groups and develop
relations systematically, as to ease any distrust these groups may have towards Europeans. Each
member group should seek out closer contacts with potential future members of the WCER. The above
activity should not resemble missionary work.
We should utilise databases and programs offered by UNESCO and KWIA to find other ethnic
religious groups. Our purpose is NOT to mix different religions, but to find our common interests
and defend them.
4. Information Centre
Newsletter. Who has the right to write in it? There is an editorial committee and a policy
to accepting articles. An editorial committee will control the content of the Newsletter.
Internet. The WCER site will be expanded, particularly the Hindu pages. New members will
have their own page, and this Congress report will be added, as well as the new constitution. The
WCER Web site will be fully updated by October 1st, 1999. The Webmaster (Denis Dornoy) apologises
for the delay due to heavy professional workload.
5. Constitution/Statutes
The statutes were discussed. Some points were clarified, added and modified, and the
Statutes were modified accordingly. Some points remain to be clarified, particularly section 4
about the "owner". The constitution will be posted on the WCER.
6. Do we want to be recognised as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) by Institutions under
the United Nations, and how do we do it?
The general feeling after discussion was that, although recognition does have clear
advantages, recognition is a long and complicated process. It was agreed that we should collect
as much information as possible about recognition, and then make further decisions at the next
Congress. We should focus on extending our influence, which will make recognition easier.
7. Election of the Steering Committee
Voting rights: The following Groups were represented as fully paid-up members: (Format: Group
name, Country, Voting representative):
Traditie, Belgium, Koenraad Logghe
Supreme Council of Gentile Hellenes, Greece, Vlasis Rassias
Association Domus, France, Denis Dornoy
Forn Sidr, Denmark, Morten Groelsted
Rodzima Wiara, Poland, Staszko Potrebowski
Dievturi, Latvia, Janis Brikmanis
Romuva, Lithuania, Jonas Trinkunas
Asatrufelagid, Iceland, Jonas Sigurdsson
Diipetes, Greece, Kostas Kehagias
The following Steering committee was elected:
Jörmundur Ingi
Denis Dornoy
Koenraad Loegghe
Jonas Trinkunas
Kostgas Kehagias
The committee then proceeded to elect the WCER chairman. Jonas Trinkunas was elected
Chairman by a majority vote of the committee.
Related articles and links:
WCER2 / Ethnic religions - reality and future - speech by Koenraad Loegghe
WCER2 / Paganism as a Metagrid of the Future - paper by Prof. Lokesh Chandra
WCER2 / Earth is our Mother - paper by P. Parameswaran
The Adolfas Gedvilas manor - the host and location of the conference
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