Patrick Valtin for Scientology

Scientology event is broadcast to all Scientology Churches and Missions around the world in 16 languages.

Madrid—With the recognition of Scientology by the National Court of Spain in October 2007, the Ministry of Justice in December 2007 and the Ministry of Economy and Taxes in December 2009, the Foundation for Pluralism (Fundación Pluralismo y Convivencia) of the Spanish Ministry of Justice has added the birth date of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to its calendar of religious holidays.

Each year, the Pluralism Foundation publishes a calendar of religious holidays in Spain, including those of Christians, Jews, members of Orthodox Churches, Hindus and Baha’is.  This year, the Foundation included the birth date of L. Ron Hubbard, March 13, with the following description: “Born Lafayette Ronald Hubbard in Tilden, Nebraska, USA, he is the philosopher and humanitarian who founded the Scientology religion in 1952. Every year, Scientologists celebrate the birthday of Mr. Hubbard with an annual summary of the impact, positive change and social betterment caused by the discoveries of Mr. Hubbard.”

On March 13, in Clearwater, Florida, thousands of Scientologists and their guests celebrated the legacy of L. Ron Hubbard at an annual gala celebration.  In Spain the rebroadcast event is Saturday, March 20, at the Church’s national headquarters in Madrid.

From an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal published Sunday, March 14, entitled New church offers public information center to explain Scientology

“With its dedication of the new Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre Las Vegas last month, the Church of Scientology International is poised to assume a higher profile in Southern Nevada than it has during its 40-year-long presence here.

“Tommy Davis, spokesman for the Church of Scientology International, notes the Las Vegas center is the eighth new church the denomination has opened in the past 12 months, and that more than a dozen others are scheduled to open this year.

“The churches are part of Scientology ecclesiastical leader David Miscavige’s goal of establishing ‘very public, open churches’ where those who aren’t familiar with Scientology may learn about it, Davis says.

“‘It’s just really going out there and saying: Here we are. This is what we believe. Come in and see for yourself and make your own decision,’  he says.

“The new church, at 2761 Emerson Ave.—formerly the home of Congregation Ner Tamid—now serves as Scientology’s Southern Nevada home.”

The full article is online on the Las Vegas Review Journal web site.

News from Scientologytoday.org

On January 6, 2010, Annalisa Tissoni, President of the Church of Scientology of Milan, and Fiorella and Gaetano Cerchiara, President and Director respectively of the Association for Human Rights and Tolerance of Italy, presented a special gift to the village of Twewaa—a new school.  With the opening of this school, the second sponsored by Italian Scientologists, the children of the village gained an important human right, as stated in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—”the right to education.”

The Twewaa school opening ceremony included speeches by village Chief Nana Somua Nyampong II, Assembly Member Paul Adarkwah, and Chief Executive of Kwahu South District Assembly, Samuel Asomani.

“We involved the community in every aspect of the planning and construction of the school because it belongs to them,” said Ms. Tissoni.  They also hired local companies and artisans and purchased all raw materials for the construction from local merchants, as well as school supplies, clothes and shoes for the children and classroom furniture.

The project began three years ago when an educator in the Ghana capital city of Accra needed additional funds to complete the construction of a school. He invited Ms. Tissoni and Ms. Cerchiara to Ghana, and when they saw the need, they immediately decided to help.  With funds raised by the Milan Church of Scientology and the Association for Human Rights and Tolerance, the construction of the Untoma Oxford International School was completed, opening in August 2008 with some 300 children enrolled.

When the Untoma Oxford School was completed, Tissoni and Cerchiara visited outlying villages and chose Twewaa as their next project.  With the Twewaa school now opened, they are focusing on their third project, a school in a nearby village in Eastern Ghana, scheduled to open before the end of 2010.

“We have taken on this project because education is a basic human right and a vital component to creating a better world,” said Ms. Tissoni.  “Our Church is very much involved in promoting human rights awareness.  Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard said ‘Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.’ By helping to build these schools, we are enabling the children to create a better future for themselves and their communities.”

To learn more about the human rights initiatives of the Church of Scientology, visit the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.

News from Scientologytoday.org

February 03, 2010

Today Show host Meredith Vieria introduces NBC’s news reporter Kerry Sanders coverage of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Haiti earthquake disaster relief efforts in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.

News from http://blog.volunteerministers.org

February 8, 2010

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers were recognized for their Haiti disaster response by Georgia  Senate Resolution 998, passed on February 8, 2010, which states:

“WHEREAS, the Volunteer Ministers’ selfless service to the nation of Haiti and the survivors of one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the history of the Western World stands as a true example of compassionate humanitarianism and is worthy of recognition.

“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body commend the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps on its tradition and history of service to others and extend their utmost respect and thanks for the Volunteer Ministers’ altruistic service to the people of Haiti.”

News from Scientologytoday.org

January 18, 2010

NEW YORK (January 18, 2010)—A charter flight organized by the Church of Scientology carried 126 doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and Scientology Volunteer Ministers to Port-au-Prince where the group arrived Sunday. Assisted by Homeland Security, the plane left JFK International Airport Saturday to provide urgently needed help in Haiti in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the island on January 12.

The effort brought together medical doctors and nurses from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (Association des Medecins Haitiens a l’Etranger), paramedics and emergency medical technicians from New York City and New Jersey led by the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and Scientology Volunteer Ministers from New York, Tampa and elsewhere.

Upon arrival in Port-au-Prince Sunday, the group received official escort to the designated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and relief organizations headquarters and coordination center to conference with fellow relief organizations and coordinate their efforts to bring reinforcements to the greatly overtaxed medical teams. The Volunteer Ministers will also provide spiritual first aide to traumatized earthquake victims and relief workers.

Teams of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe and elsewhere continue to arrive and will provide administrative and organizational support to the medical teams, distribute supplies and provide trauma relief and grief counseling to the victims and their families.

“We had to reach out to provide substantial and meaningful help to the victims of this disaster,” said Pat Harney, a spokesperson for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who is heading up the team in Haiti. “We have an outpouring of support from Scientologists and others around the world and we are underway in getting much-needed aid to the people of Port-au-Prince.”

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps is an embracive program of the Church of Scientology to provide community service, disaster relief and emergency response. Created more than 30 years ago by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the program has expanded to 203,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide who have served at 145 worst-case disaster sites, including Ground Zero after 9/11, the Southeast Asia tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

News from Scientologytoday.com

December 23, 2009

Torino, Italy—The Mayor of Torino, Sergio Chiamparino, honored ten civil protection associations that aided the people of L’Aquila and surrounding villages following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the area leaving  1,500 injured, an estimated 28,000 homeless and 300 dead.  Among those recognized was the Scientology Community Civil Protection Association (PRO.CIVI.COS) composed of 170 volunteers who contributed more than 35,000 man-hours in service to the community.

The Scientology volunteers personally took on the supervision and running of several of the camps themselves, caring for every aspect of the physical needs and trauma relief or “spiritual first-aid” of those under their care.

PRO.CIVI.COS is part of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps, an embracive program of the Church of Scientology to provide community service, disaster relief and emergency response. Created more than 30 years ago by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the program has expanded to 203,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide who have served at 126 worst-case disaster sites, including Ground Zero after 9/11, the Southeast Asia tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

News from Scientologytoday.org

December 9, 2009

HOLLYWOOD – Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International members Anne Archer, Erika Christensen, Jason Dohring, Jenna Elfman, MC Lyte, Priscilla Presley, Beth Riesgraf and Edgar Winter and film composer Mark Isham performed in the annual Christmas Stories show over the weekend to an audience of over 500.   Created in the theme of a 1930s holiday variety radio show, guests were treated to traditional and original renditions of music, dance, skits and stories.   Since 1993 the Christmas Stories performances have raised more than $245,000 for community youth programs.

This year’s production benefits the Hollywood Police Activities League annual Christmas party and at-risk youth programs and will provide meals, games and toys for children who would otherwise have no Christmas.

LAPD Hollywood Division Captain Bea Girmala presented a city of Los Angeles Certificate of Commendation to the Church for its 17 year-old charity event, which was accepted on behalf of the Church and its volunteer performers by the President of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International, Maria Ferrara.  “We are honored to support our police in their efforts to help children in need and give them a better future,” said Ferrara.

The Police Activities League (PAL) is a nationwide youth development program operated by police officers who provide positive role models for youth.  The program includes educational and recreational activities for at-risk youth as an alternative to gang violence, drug use and criminal activities.  Hollywood PAL is staffed by full-time police officers dedicated to programs that serve Hollywood youth, including swimming, street hockey, basketball, martial arts, soccer, computer activities, arts, crafts and educational tutoring.

News from Scientologytoday.org

Scientology volunteers across France are promoting human rights education, in support of the United Nations International Year of Human Rights Learning that began on December 10, 2008.   The day is also marked as Human Rights Day, in honor of the United Nation’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, a document drafted by a UN Committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Champions of human rights for decades, Churches of Scientology have spearheaded human rights reforms since the 1950s and in partnership with Youth for Human Rights International have distributed over 1.5 million human rights educational publications and obtained over 200,000 signatures in support of human rights education.

In France, volunteers of Scientology Churches are gearing up for Human Rights Day 2009 after a year of weekly human rights education events in Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, Vannes, Clermont-Ferrand, and Nice.   Dedicating more than 5,000 man-hours to the cause over the past year, the young activists estimate they have promoted the UDHR to more than 48,000 people in France in 2009.

In addition to gaining support from individuals for human rights education through petition drives, the youth have distributed human rights booklets at music concerts, discussed actions to counter racial discrimination on a radio program and created their own song and dance performances demonstrating the UDHR article on Freedom of Expression.   The volunteers also supported UN General-Secretary Ban Ki Moon’s call for a global ceasefire on the International Day of Peace, by distributing booklets at the Esplanade des Droits de l’Homme (Esplanade of Human Rights) where a monument commemorates the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration.

“Human rights are something everyone needs to know,” said one volunteer.  “Then you make sure everybody’s human rights are respected, including your own.”

News from Scientologytoday.org

Youth of the Church of Scientology are working to arm LA kids with the best anti-drug weapon there is—the real facts about drugs.  At a block party last weekend, these youth helped 200 kids and teens make decisions that will benefit them the rest of their lives—the decision to live a drug-free life.

For the past 16 years, the Los Angeles Church of Scientology Drug-Free Marshals have activated young people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities in pledging to live drug-free lives and helping their friends and families do the same.

“Kids are exposed to peer pressure and are hit by pro-drug propaganda every time they turn on the TV, listen to their favorite music or log onto the Internet,” said Edie Reuveni, President of the Church of Scientology Los Angeles who coordinates the activities of her Church’s chapter of the Drug-Free Marshals.  “It’s no wonder nearly half of all public school children in the United States have tried drugs or alcohol by the time they are 13.  Educating youth about drugs is vital.”

The Drug-Free Marshals began in California 16 years ago when members of the Church of Scientology decided to do something to protect kids from the dangers of drugs with straightforward education on the facts.    They realized that if kids got onto drugs because of the influence of “friends,” the best solution would be for kids to help other kids say no to drugs.

Like the U.S. Marshals of the Wild West, whose courage and conviction meant the difference between life and death for the settlers and townsfolk of the day, Drug-Free Marshals protect their peers from drugs, which are potentially as deadly as the blast of a gun.

Today, the Drug-Free Marshals provide their peers The Truth About Drugs series of booklets at sports events, fairs and community gatherings.  Kids earn a Marshals badge by pledging to live a drug-free life, to set an example to their friends and families, and help others make the same decision.

The Los Angeles Church of Scientology Drug-Free Marshals are proud to be the first chapter of a program that has been adopted in cities through the United States and in Canada, Africa, Europe, Japan and Taiwan, and, as the Drug-Free Ambassadors, in Australia and New Zealand.

For more information on the drug-education initiative of the Church of Scientology, visit the Scientology web site

News from Scientologytoday.org