Securing potential humanitarian projects for the Cook Islands and renewing a record digitisation initiative with the Ministry of Justice were among the agenda items for the touring Minister of Justice.

Minister of Justice Vaine Makiroa Mokoroa attended the 30^th International Law and Religion Symposium in Utah, United States this week.

The Minister led a Cook Islands delegation of his wife, who is a registrar of legislation governing religion in the Cook Islands, and Secretary of Justice Tamatoa Jonassen.

The three-day symposium held on the campus of the law school at Brigham Young University concluded on Tuesday.

Minister Mokoroa said: “The location of this symposium was ideal because of the pioneer history of Utah. Those pioneers fled religious persecution, including a US government endorsed extermination order, to find a place where they could exercise religious freedom and they finally settled in Utah. It was a stark reminder of the importance of religious freedom in the Cook Islands.”

The symposium focused on “Protecting the Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion” which are protections afforded under the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and article 64 of the Cook Islands Constitution. This year celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

The Ministry of Justice administers the Religious Organizations Restrictions Act 1975, which works consistently with the religious freedom protection in article 64 of the Constitution, the statement said.

Mokoroa joined the Minister of Justice and Court Administration from Samoa and the Speaker of Parliament from Tonga, along with over 100 distinguished delegates representing over 65 countries at the symposium.

Together the participants looked at questions such as:

• the role of religion and diplomacy in implementing the values of the Universal Declaration;
• how current religious leaders and movements understand the concept of human dignity and religious freedom;
• the role of the rule of law in ensuring that the rights proclaimed in the Universal Declaration are meaningful;
• how diverse religions can create a unified society; and
• how the Universal Declaration has had an impact on religious freedom in international tribunals and nations around the globe.

Minister Mokoroa took part in a “Pacific Government Leaders – Ministers of Justice” breakout session on Monday alongside his Samoan counterpart.

“The Minister will also be having meetings regarding potential humanitarian projects for the Cook Islands and meet with FamilySearch who will be renewing a record digitisation initiative with the Ministry of Justice.”