UK: Prince Charles condemns evil persecution in special video message

December 22, 2016 ▪ John Pontifex

John Pontifex, Editor-in-Chief, ACN Religious Freedom in the World 2016 Report; Fr Ziad Hilal, ACN Projects Co-ordinator for Syria; Baron Johannes Heereman, Executive President, ACN (International); Dr Sarah Bernstein, Director-General of the Jerusalem Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, Israel; HRH The Prince of Wales; Neville Kyrke-Smith, National Director, ACN (UK); Jacques Kallassi, Lebanese Christian; Shaykh Dr Mohammad Umar Al-Qadri, Chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council and Head Imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland; Dr John Newton, ACN (UK) Production Editor of ACN Religious Freedom in the World 2016 Report and ACN (UK) Senior Press Officer and Sr Helen Haigh, RJM Provincial of Europe of the Religious of Jesus and Mary at Clarence House ©ClarenceHouse
John Pontifex, Editor-in-Chief, ACN Religious Freedom in the World 2016 Report; Fr Ziad Hilal, ACN Projects Co-ordinator for Syria; Baron Johannes Heereman, Executive President, ACN (International); Dr Sarah Bernstein, Director-General of the Jerusalem Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, Israel; HRH The Prince of Wales; Neville Kyrke-Smith, National Director, ACN (UK); Jacques Kallassi, Lebanese Christian; Shaykh Dr Mohammad Umar Al-Qadri, Chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council and Head Imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland; Dr John Newton, ACN (UK) Production Editor of ACN Religious Freedom in the World 2016 Report and ACN (UK) Senior Press Officer and Sr Helen Haigh, RJM Provincial of Europe of the Religious of Jesus and Mary at Clarence House ©ClarenceHouse
HRH The Prince of Wales has today (Thursday, 22 December) released a message describing the “evil” of religious persecution today.

The Prince’s message – broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’– was inspired by Aid to the Church in Need’s recently released Religious Freedom in the World 2016 Report.

HRH goes on to highlight the report’s key finding that extremism is seeking to eliminate all types of religious diversity.

Prince Charles speaks out against the persecution of Christians, Yazidis, Jews, Ahmadis, Baha’is and other groups and stresses how for some people religious freedom is a daily stark choice between life and death.

The Prince, who has also made a video recording of his message exclusively for Aid to the Church in Need, opens his remarks by giving an account of how, at a meeting [http://acnuk.org/news/religious-hatred-threatens-survival-of-minority-groups-report-warns/] to discuss the report’s findings, he received a first-hand account of persecution from Syria-based Jesuit priest Father Ziad Hilal.

Referring to how the new-born Jesus Christ and his family fled persecution – as did the Prophet Mohammed more than six centuries later – the Prince concludes his message by paying tribute to minority faith groups who today are seeking sanctuary abroad.

  • The full video of HRH The Prince of Wales’ Christmas message is available on the Aid to the Church in Need UK website

December 22, 2016 ▪ John Pontifex