World Congress of Ethnic Religions
Encyclopedia
The European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER), formerly known as the World Congress of Ethnic Religions (WCER), is an organisation for the cooperation between associations which promote the indigenous ethnic religion
s of Europe
(the Pagan religions). It was established in June 1998 in Vilnius
, Lithuania
, "the last European country to resist the onslaught of Christianity".
The primary goal of the ECER is the strengthening of the ethnic Pagan traditions of Europe and to foster religious tolerance. Their ninth annual conference was held in Jaipur
, India
on 5-10 February. Their tenth congress was held in various places in Latvia
from June 19 to 21. The organisation promotes collaboration between Traditional Ethnic Paganism and Hinduism
.
In 1999, member organizations were:
Member organizations which joined at a later date include:
Associations from Hungary
and the Czech Republic
are also members.
Ethnic religion
Ethnic religion may include officially sanctioned and organized civil religions with an organized clergy, but they are characterized in that adherents generally are defined by their ethnicity, and conversion essentially equates to cultural assimilation to the people in question. Contrasted to this...
s of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(the Pagan religions). It was established in June 1998 in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, "the last European country to resist the onslaught of Christianity".
The primary goal of the ECER is the strengthening of the ethnic Pagan traditions of Europe and to foster religious tolerance. Their ninth annual conference was held in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on 5-10 February. Their tenth congress was held in various places in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
from June 19 to 21. The organisation promotes collaboration between Traditional Ethnic Paganism and Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
.
Member organisations
Members are mostly European ethnic religious organizations, but the ECER is in principle open to European ethnic religious organizations from any continent.In 1999, member organizations were:
- Romuvan Church (LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n Romuva) - Dievturi Church (LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n Dievturity) - Rodzima Wiara (PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Rodnovery) - Ásatrúarfélagið - Site (IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Heathenism) - Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Heathenism) - Forn Siðr Asa- og Vanetrosamfundet i Danmark (DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Heathenism) - Supreme Council of Ethnikoi HellenesSupreme Council of Ethnikoi HellenesThe Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes , commonly known as YSEE, is a non-profit umbrella organisation in Greece established in 1997 to defend and restore the ethnic, polytheistic, Hellenic tradition, religion and way in contemporary Greek society...
- Site (GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Hellenism) - Diipetes (GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Hellenism) - Groupe Druidique des Gaules (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Celtism) - Werkgroep Traditie (Flander, Heathenism)
Member organizations which joined at a later date include:
- EldaringEldaringThe Eldaring is a Civil Service Organisation, founded in August 2000, which offers information about Asatru to the German-speaking countries. “Eldr” is old Norwegian and means fire, so Eldaring can be translated as “Ring of fire”, meaning a ring of fireplaces, hearths, etc.Asatru is a recreation...
(GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Heathenism) - Foreningen Forn Sed - Site (NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Heathenism) - Movimento Tradizionale Romano (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Roman Way to the Gods) - Federazione Pagana (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Roman Way to the Gods) - Pravoslavya (UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Rodnovery) - Gentilitas Spiritualità Italica (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Roman Way to the Gods) - Now disbanded - Asetrosamfundet (DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Heathenism) - Pietas Traditional Association (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Roman Way to the Gods) - Societas Hesperiana Pro Culto Deorum (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Roman Way to the Gods and Italic local religions)
Associations from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
are also members.
Chronology of the congresses
- Vilnius (1998)
- Telsiai (1999)
- Bradesiai (2000)
- Vilnius (2001), with delegates from the Vishva Hindu ParishadVishva Hindu Parishad' , which is usually known more simply as the VHP, is an international Hindu organization, which was founded in India in 1964. Its slogan is "धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ", which is supposed to mean "Dharma protects its protector"...
- Vilnius (2002)
- Vilnius (2003) "Global Initiatives for Ethnic Cultures and Religions"
- Athens (2004) "The High Values Of The Pre-Christian Ethnic Traditions and Religions"
- Antwerp (2005) "Spirituality and Tradition in an Anti-Traditional World"
- Jaipur (2006) "Spirituality Beyond Religions", in cooperation with the International Centre of Cultural Studies and the World Congress of Elders of Ancient Cultures and Traditions
- Latvia (2007) "The Spirit Will See New Light in the Turn of Ages"
- Poland (2008)
- Nagpur (2009)
- Bologna (2010) "Ethics in Contemporary World"