Largest religious liberty festival to date draws 45,000
A choir performs at the world's largest religious liberty festival to date, held in Angola's capital June 28 and attended by some 45,000 Angolans celebrating religious freedoms won in their country since its 27-year civil war ended in 2002. [photos: courtesy SID]
 Some 45,000 Angolans gathered at a sports stadium in Luanda June 28 to celebrate freedom of religion in their country, which is rebuilding in the aftermath of a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002.
The festival, the largest to date, followed a three-day religious liberty congress sponsored by the International Religious Liberty Association and attended by 330 religious liberty proponents, faith leaders and governmental representatives from the southwest African nation and around the world.
In his keynote address, IRLA secretary-general John Graz thanked the government of Angola for promoting and defending religious liberty and singled out those who fought for the freedoms the country currently enjoys. Such festivals, typically held in tandem with IRLA congresses, are an important way of recognizing a country's efforts to ensure freedom of belief, Graz has said.
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