On
Friday evening, 16 October 2020, a French history teacher was beheaded for
illustrating his lecture on freedom of expression and freedom of the press with
cartoons of the prophet. Threats had been made on social media to put pressure
on this teacher who exercised his profession honestly and lectured on our
democratic values. CLIMAF, the International Liaison Centre for Women's
Masonry, bringing together 9 women's jurisdictions and nearly 20,000 Sisters,
acknowledged that the fundamental values of democracy and freedom of expression
are once again under attack.
CLIMAF
supports French citizens and unconditionally defends the emancipation process,
of which the school is the pivot. The mission of the school -in any society- is
to teach free inquiry, to prepare each citizen to think for himself, to develop
a critical mindset, and to refuse any attempt to be intimidated by propaganda.
To
be indignant, to denounce is no longer enough. There is an urgent need to unite
against obscurantism to protect those who defend democratic values on a daily
basis.
The
Woman Freemasons of the CLIMAF jurisdictions continue to work together to
defend the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, so that - all together -
we can live in peace and harmony.
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