Institute for Human Rights and Democracy Third “Jornadas” in Peru, June 2011

10-11, 13-14 June 2011 – Lima & Piura, Peru

The Institute for Human Rights and Democracy of the Universidad de Piura (Peru) is dedicating its third “Jornadas” (conference or workshop) to religious liberty. The program includes formal presentations and a roundtable discussion. Presenters, who include some of the most important voices and scholars on the subject in Peru, will discuss legal as well as comparative, religious and philosophical perspectives. One of the motivating reasons for this conference is the adoption late last year of a comprehensive new Peruvian law on religious liberty and religious organizations. This law, Ley 29635, is the culmination of more than a decade of study, debate and scholarly input. The new law is significant in many ways and contains important improvements that strengthen religious freedom protections in Peru. One noteworthy aspect of the law from the perspective of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies is that Cole Durham, its director, was one of the co-conveners of an early dialogue in Lima that led to the process that has now resulted in the new law.