News Release

The 2019 ACLARS Conference Focuses on Law, Religion and the Environment.

Botswana 2019

From May 19th – 21st 2019, the beautiful city of Gaborone, Botswana hosted the Seventh Annual Conference of the African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ACLARS). This year's organized by ACLARS, South Africa; Department of Theology and Religious Studies, and the Department of Law, University of Botswana, International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies, Italy; International Centre for Law and Religion Studies, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, United States has as its theme ‘’ Law, Religion, and Environment in Africa”.

Delivering the Keynote Address, Navanethem Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke extensively on the role of Religious Leaders as about 80% of the population of Africa relate to about 4200 different religious affiliations. She said that when the planet itself faces destruction, all of us are at risk. Climate change is going to greatly affect water accessibility, food, and access to several natural resources and will eventually force several Africans and Asians to migrate.      

 

Also speaking at the opening session, Elder Marcus B. Nash, Africa West Area President, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said that from current trends and statics, 40% of the world's population in the next century will be Africans. He said the African’s love for religion will wield a significant role. Elder Nash gave Five points of doctrine as to why the earth plays a significant role in the lives of humans.

  1. The earth exists for man to live on.
  2. Our actions determine our destiny and this relates to how we treat the earth.
  3. The earth provides resources for mankind.
  4. As humans, we are stewards, not owners of God’s creations.
  5. We must learn to love God and our neighbour before ourselves.

He concluded by saying quoting Ezra Taft Benson who said that the Lord works from the Inside-out but the world works from the Outside-in. The Lord changes people who then change their environment.

The 3-day conference saw speakers and participants from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.

At the coclusion of the conference, Professor Kofi Quashiga, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana was elected as the new President of ACLARS with Ahmed Salisu Garba, Dean, Faculty of Law, Buachi State University, Nigeria as the Vice President. 

The 2020 edition of the conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya while Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire host that of 2021.

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