Assembly of the Latin American Consortium for Religious Liberty Held in Bogota

The Twelfth Annual Assembly of the Latin American Consortium for Religious Liberty was held in Bogota, Colombia September 6-8, 2012. Scott E. Isaacson, Executive Director for Latin America of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, attended the Assembly on behalf of the Center. Center Director Cole Durham is one of the founding supporters of the Latin American Consortium, and the Center has supported the Consortium in various ways over the years, including lending logistical and financial support to this year’s Assembly. Scholars and attorneys attended from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Dominican Republic, United States and Spain. The theme of the Assembly was “Religious Liberty, Conflict and Reconciliation,” and many of the presentations focused on the role that religious organizations have played and are playing in the history of various Latin American countries. Mr. Isaacson presented a discussion of the conciliatory role religious organizations have attempted to play in the United States in the current debate regarding undocumented immigrants. The Assembly was held on the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, for two days of presentations and discussions, and then a working meeting for members of the Consortium for a third day at a Jesuit retreat near Bogota.