Author Archives: Church of Scientology International

Fearless Women Are Focus of Scientology Network’s International Women’s Day Marathon

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In honor of International Women's Day, Scientology Network is proud to present a marathon of shows featuring extraordinary women from diverse cultures and nations. First observed in 1911, International Women's Day is commemorated annually on March 8. The day celebrates the achievements of women and raises awareness for women's rights.

Whether they're challenging stereotypes in the business world or standing strong in the face of social injustice, the wide array of protagonists featured on the International Women's Day Marathon are truly making a difference in their communities. Prime time kicks off with innovative footwear designer Chie Mihara and includes groundbreaking educators like Tamara Batalha and civil rights lawyer Allison Folmar, who states: "There's nothing like being that powerful voice and advocate for people right here in my community."

The day's programming begins at 1 p.m. PT and includes:

* Meet a Scientologist - this original series gives an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists from the frontiers of art, science, sports, entertainment and more.

* Voices for Humanity - the television series dedicated to those working in the streets, schools and communities to bring human rights to their countries and handle other major social ills.

* The Story of Human Rights - a short film defining one of the world's most misunderstood subjects, covering ancient history to the modern era.

See the full schedule at https://www.scientology.tv/schedule/.

The Scientology Network debuted in March 2018. Since launching, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross-section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/meet-a-scientologist/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/the-story-of-human-rights.html

In honor of International Women's Day, Scientology Network is proud to present a marathon of shows featuring extraordinary women from diverse cultures and nations. First observed in 1911, International Women's Day is commemorated annually on March 8.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

One Reason You May Love to Immerse Yourself in the Scientology Network

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Featured this week on the Scientology Network, photographer Christy Lee Rogers creates breathtaking photographic works of art using her own unique underwater technique.

In a melding of baroque aesthetic with modern technology, Rogers created her own genre. Winner of the Sony World Photography Open Photographer Award in 2019, she was also commissioned by Apple to create her Water + Light underwater images with the iPhone. Apple featured this in one of its behind-the-scenes process films.

In an interview with CNN, Rogers described how she named her most recent collection "Human" to embody strength during the pandemic. She later donated one of the works "to the heroic doctors, nurses and staff of Mount Sinai" in the hopes that it would bring them "hope and inspiration."

Meet a Scientologist provides an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists from the frontiers of art, science, sports and entertainment. And no one qualifies more as "cutting edge" than this award-winning artist. Rogers' episode of Meet a Scientologist introduces viewers to the genius behind these otherworldly creations.

Born and raised in Hawaii and growing up in and around water, she developed an affinity for the element that would play a pivotal role in her future career.

As a teenager, she became passionately interested in photography, spending hours in a darkroom developing her images. After finding the courage to pursue her passion professionally, she presented her first collection - models submerged in water, surrounded by billowing gowns against a solid black background.

Because her artwork defied conventional categorization, Rogers found gallery owners hesitant to take her on. But the stunning luminescence, color and composition of her work garnered admirers and clients, and quickly become a gallery favorite. Today, her art is world-renowned, and the story of how she got there is a picture worth a thousand words.

The Scientology Network debuted in 2018. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross-section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network can be streamed at Scientology.tv and is available through satellite television, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/meet-a-scientologist/christy-lee-rogers.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/one-reason-you-may-love-to-immerse-yourself-in-the-scientology-network.html

Featured this week on the Scientology Network, photographer Christy Lee Rogers creates breathtaking photographic works of art using her own unique underwater technique. In a melding of baroque aesthetic with modern technology, Rogers created her own genre.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How a Village Adopts the Scientology Tools for Life to Help People Thrive

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- A family and their friends decided to make Wanga Parish in Eastern Uganda a self-sustaining community with people empowered through Scientology online courses.

"It all started when my Aunt Milly gave me a phone call in August last year," says Arthur Wamatsu. She introduced him to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program and its 19 online courses. "She asked me to take them as they would change my life for good."

Arthur began studying the courses and was so excited about what he learned, he shared it with his brother and his aunt Agnes. He introduced the courses to his dad, Martin, and his uncle Hanan, who are both teachers. Next came his friend Sarah who is studying nursing and midwifery, and she shared the news with four of her friends.

Arthur, his dad, uncle, and aunts Agnes and Milly decided to extend this life-changing project to Wanga Parish, their birthplace - a community struggling in poverty.

"We all arrived from different areas to our birth village on the same day," says Arthur. "Since then, we have never looked back. Our primary target has been making Wanga Parish a self-sustaining community with fully empowered people using the Scientology online courses."

They worked out four immediate projects:

* To train 400 residents of Wanga through Scientology online courses.

* To start a secondary school in this parish - there is none now.

* To create a medical clinic there - none now exists.

* To provide seeds, pigs and chickens to Wanga residents to mitigate famine and starvation and give them the basis of creating a livelihood.

They met with village elders and local leaders, who endorsed their plan.

Key was to put 400 people through the courses, because then they would have the skills to help accomplish the other targets. They immediately began an intensive training program.

"So far, 360 have completed the training and the remaining 40 are about to begin," says Arthur. "A secondary school has now been registered and we are mobilizing resources to start construction. Our family has donated 10 acres to build it on."

"We are still in the process of mobilizing seeds for planting since most of these residents have been in an 84-week lockdown and they ate all their seeds and now have none to plant."

When they began the program, they discovered that many of the youths were alcoholics and used drugs. So they had them study the online Scientology course on drugs. But they also introduced a football tournament and grouped the young kids and the older ones in two different groups.

"After doing their garden work, they play soccer late into the evening instead of doing drugs," he says.

Vicky, a nurse who has completed the Volunteer Ministers training, has moved to Wanga and will work in the clinic once it opens. Meanwhile, she provides first aid and Scientology assists - techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard to speed recovery by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

"The other very good news is that the parish next door has requested we train their people too," says Arthur. "In a village of 1,000 people, we will soon have 400 fully trained Volunteer Ministers. That is almost the entire adult population as 60 percent of our population is children."

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/binod-sharma.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/how-a-village-adopts-the-scientology-tools-for-life-to-help-people-thrive.html

https://www.scientology.org/courses/

A family and their friends decided to make Wanga Parish in Eastern Uganda a self-sustaining community with people empowered through Scientology online courses. "It all started when my Aunt Milly gave me a phone call in August last year," says Arthur Wamatsu. She introduced him to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program and its 19 online courses.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Share the Excitement of Fashion Week with ‘Meet a Scientologist: George Kalajian’

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- February 11-16 is Fashion Week when the world's top designers present their new collections in New York. The Scientology Network takes viewers behind the scenes of New York's frenetic fashion industry as a master craftsman helps designers solve last-minute dilemmas.

"The last two weeks before fashion week are completely insane," says George Kalajian, the industry's go-to expert for pleating. "We love creative designers - designers who like to push the envelope. But they are always designing in the 11th hour."

Kalajian literally wrote the book on pleating - an art that dates to the Egyptian pharaohs and is used today by some of the world's hottest fashion designers. His roots in the garment industry go back generations, but Kalajian once turned his back on the family business.

His episode of Meet a Scientologist is the story of his turnaround - how Scientology helped him repair a strained relationship with his father and ignite his passion and purpose.

In the process, the quality of his work elevated him into the upper echelons of the fashion industry, with his creations showcased on runways, in film - even in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Meet a Scientologist is an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists from the frontiers of art, business, science, sports, entertainment and more. It is one of eight original series airing on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed on Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/meet-a-scientologist/

February 11-16 is Fashion Week when the world's top designers present their new collections in New York. The Scientology Network takes viewers behind the scenes of New York's frenetic fashion industry as a master craftsman helps designers solve last-minute dilemmas.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response Team Helps Quito Dig Out After Devastating Landslide

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover.

The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1. A torrent of water, mud, rock and debris crashed down the slopes of Pichincha Volcano, toppling houses and killing 24. Waves of mud lifted motorcycles and cars and swept them away.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers coordinated with officials, disaster response specialists Los Topos Azteca, and other emergency personnel who are working to help those affected by the disaster.

With the whole area engulfed in mud, Volunteer Ministers in their bright yellow T-shirts grabbed shovels and worked with cleanup crews to clear the roads.

They distributed clothing donated by a local factory to families who lost their possessions in the disaster. They brought donated food and supplies to victims and rescue crews.

The Volunteer Ministers of Ecuador headquarters is the Church of Scientology Mission of Quito.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is, no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.quito.scientologymissions.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover. The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientologists Support Human Fraternity This Week and Throughout the Year

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Churches are active and committed supporters of interfaith action and the right of all people to practice their own religious beliefs. This week is World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 2nd anniversary of International Day of Human Fraternity. These are concepts central to the Scientology religion. In the Creed of the Church of Scientology, Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "We of the Church Believe...That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance."

These interfaith activities take many forms, but the common theme is the importance of working together for the good of all.

Whether it's hosting a Day of Peace for the city's Interfaith Council at the Church of Scientology Sacramento, an interfaith human rights conference at the Church of Scientology Melbourne, or taking part in a virtual interfaith gathering in Nashville or Pasadena, the message is clear: working together, religions are a powerful and needed force in society today.

From Kansas City, Los Angeles and Orlando, to Milan, Budapest and Tel Aviv, through the darkest days of the pandemic, Scientologists worked with other faiths on food drives and to provide prescriptions and other essential supplies to those in need.

When the pandemic struck, the Church of Scientology International encouraged people of all faiths or none to understand and apply the most effective protocols to prevent the spread of the virus by setting up the How to Stay Well Prevention Resource Center. Educational booklets and dozens of videos in 21 languages make it easy to understand how to protect oneself, friends and families. Scientology Volunteer Ministers distributed more than 10 million copies of these booklets in their communities.

Volunteer Ministers from England to Panama and Germany to

Mexico helped houses of worship protect their parishioners by sanitizing churches, mosques and gurdwaras. And protecting people of all faiths and cultures, the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa have sanitized more than 68,000 buildings including government offices, army bases, municipal buildings, clinics, hospitals, orphanages, shelters, churches, and some 1.2 million taxis, buses, ambulances and fire trucks throughout all levels of lockdown.

"Religion is the first sense of community," wrote Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in an article titled "Religious Influence in Society," in which he announced the creation of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program in the mid-1970s. He described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

"If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it," he wrote, and he provided tools to help anyone do so through 19 brief courses based on his research into the mind, spirit and life.

These courses are available free of charge in 18 languages through the Scientology website. Called Scientology "Tools for Life," they are introduced by a series of videos also available through the Scientology Network.

For more information, visit the Scientology website - https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Churches are active and committed supporters of interfaith action and the right of all people to practice their own religious beliefs. This week is World Interfaith Harmony Week and the 2nd anniversary of International Day of Human Fraternity.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology of Los Angeles Launches a Massive Drug Prevention Campaign

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- With overdose deaths spiking in Los Angeles County during the pandemic, Foundation for a Drug-Free World volunteers mobilize from the Church of Scientology Los Angeles to reach out with a drug education and prevention drive.

Drug abuse is not just a threat, it is a fact - another type of pandemic that affects the entire country and the world. And according to the L.A. County Department of Health, accidental drug overdose deaths rose 52 percent in the first 10 months of the pandemic over the same time period the year before, with the highest proportion associated with methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Foundation for Drug-Free World volunteers from across the city have launched an all-out campaign to get out their drug-free message to local residents and 150,000 visitors expected to arrive from out of town for the Super Bowl and its related activities.

Drug-Free World brings its education and prevention campaign to communities worldwide to reach people with the unvarnished truth about the most commonly abused drugs.

The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles, which sponsors a Drug-Free World chapter, is the coordination point for the launch.

Volunteers pack pick-up trucks with boxes of drug education booklets to distribute to stores, restaurants, hotels and community groups. They also hand out booklets to friends and neighbors.

International Drug-Free World coordinator Jessica Hochman says "Addiction in Los Angeles affects so many people, not just addicts but their families and friends. Drugs have somehow become 'acceptable.' But they ruin lives. We want to reach as many people as possible with our fact-based drug education."

Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit, international drug education program supported by the Church of Scientology and Scientologists. Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard noted the role substance abuse plays in the disintegration of the social fabric. He wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs."

Foundation for a Drug-Free World was formed in 2006 to serve as the primary distributor of educational materials and to develop new materials to meet the challenge of continually changing drug trends.

The Church of Scientology Los Angeles is an Ideal Scientology Organization dedicated in April 2010 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige. The Church, featured in an episode of Inside Scientology, is configured to service Scientologists in their ascent to spiritual freedom and serve as a home for the entire community - a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations.

For more information, visit the websites of the Church of Scientology Los Angeles, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, or watch the Drug-Free World public service announcement and the Truth About Drugs: Real People-Real Stories documentary on the Scientology Network.

Learn more at: https://www.drugfreeworld.org/

CITATIONS:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/MDU/SpecialReport/AccidentalDrugOverdoseReportJuly2021V2.0.pdf

With overdose deaths spiking in Los Angeles County during the pandemic, Foundation for a Drug-Free World volunteers mobilize from the Church of Scientology Los Angeles to reach out with a drug education and prevention drive.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Network Reveals Psychiatry’s Abuse of the African-American Community

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- An episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network documents the work of Rev. Fred Shaw, international spokesperson for Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) and vice president of the Inglewood/South Bay chapter of NAACP.

"David can beat Goliath," says Rev. Shaw. "As long as I can breathe, as long as I can stand, I want to help my fellow man by arming them with the truth."

One of Shaw's heroes growing up was Martin Luther King Jr. He not only inspired Shaw to become a minister but also to dedicate his life to service to the community.

In the belief that many problems between the African American community and law enforcement could be resolved if there were more Black officers, he became an L.A. County Sheriff's deputy, where he worked with the Sherriff's Athletic League and in community relations.

But it was his work in crime prevention that opened his eyes to root causes of the problems in his community - what he describes as "systemic abuse and institutional racism that pervades the psychiatric-behavioral industry."

Shaw, who recently founded the CCHR Task Force Against Institutional Racism in the Psychiatric Industry, is dedicated to exposing and combating the abuse of people of color and minorities in the field of mental health.

"My passion is to elevate people, especially in the African-American community, and to help them know the traps that are out there," says Shaw. "There's an old saying that if you saw a trap coming, it wouldn't be a trap."

Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a nonprofit charitable mental health watchdog established by the Church of Scientology in 1969, dedicated to eradicating psychiatric abuses and ensuring patient protections.

Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/fred-shaw.html

https://www.cchrint.org/2020/06/23/task-force-launched-to-combat-institutional-racism-in-psychiatric-industry/

An episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network documents the work of Rev. Fred Shaw, international spokesperson for Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) and vice president of the Inglewood/South Bay chapter of NAACP.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

On Holocaust Remembrance Day Let Us Honor Those Who Risked Their Lives to Save Others

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Each year, the United Nations sets aside January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This day marks the liberation in 1945 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps where between 1.1 and 1.5 million people died, most of them Jews. But while we remember those who perished in the Holocaust, let us also honor those who put their own lives on the line to rescue thousands destined for that fate.

Scientology Network's "Documentary Showcase" features two films that pay tribute to unsung heroes who saved thousands from dying in Nazi death camps.

:: "Nicky's Family"

Now dubbed "Britain's Schindler," Sir Nicholas "Nicky" Winton saw children facing certain death at the hands of the Nazi regime on the eve of World War II in 1939. Winton bravely stood up against the Germans to save the lives of more than 600 children who were destined for concentration camps.

He not only brought them out of Czechoslovakia, he also had them conducted across Hitler's Germany and secured their safety in Great Britain. Winton kept his heroic exploits secret from everyone: historians, journalists-even his wife-for nearly 50 years. His story finally came to light when the BBC televised a show surprising Winton by reuniting him with 100 adults-all of whom were among the children he had rescued 50 years earlier.

Emmy Award-winning director Matej Mináč of Slovakia included dramatic reenactments and never-before-seen archival footage, as well as emotional interviews with those rescued. Mináč has received multiple awards for "Nicky's Family," including Best Documentary from the Montreal World Film Festival.

:: "The Rescuers"

A young Rwandan antigenocide activist and a renowned Holocaust historian teamed up to travel across 15 countries and three continents, interviewing survivors and descendants of 13 diplomats who helped rescue tens of thousands of Jewish people from Nazi death camps during World War II.

Award-winning filmmaker Michael W. King documented their travels and discussions, bringing to the world this story of heroism and delivering a testament to the ways in which human beings can rise above forces of evil, even in the face of dire consequences.

King has been making films for more than two decades, winning an Emmy for a PBS documentary on youth violence in 1999. He has served as a member of the board of the International Documentary Association and is an active member of the Directors Guild of America.

"The Rescuers" has won 30 film festival awards, including multiple Best Documentary and Best Historical Documentary awards. The film was further honored as Best of the Best at the Palm Beach International Film Festival and was an Official Selection at the NAACP Image Awards. The film was also screened at a United Nations Conference and, at the request of the U.S. State Department, King has helped promote the film abroad.

Fundamental to Scientology is a humanitarian mission that extends to some 200 nations with programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief. For this reason, Scientology Network's "Documentary Showcase" debuts films from award-winning independent filmmakers whose goal is to improve society by raising awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Each year, the United Nations sets aside January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This day marks the liberation in 1945 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps where between 1.1 and 1.5 million people died, most of them Jews. But while we remember those who perished in the Holocaust, let us also honor those who put their own lives on the line to rescue thousands destined for that fate.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How One Man is Helping Youth Avoid the Tragedy of Human Trafficking

TAMPA, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and the Scientology Network invites viewers to watch an episode of "Voices for Humanity" featuring a Tampa Bay Area entrepreneur who is dedicated to saving kids from modern-day slavery.

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 200,000 American children are at risk of being trafficked into the sex industry each year,

Christopher King, fashion designer, U.S Marine veteran and grandson of blues legend BB King, founded the nonprofit The Gentlemen's Course to save kids from human trafficking and any form of human rights abuse and to provide them with the moral compass and social skills they need to thrive.

Florida is the third-busiest hub for child sex trafficking in the United States.

"We're talking about kids being sold, traded, forced against their own will," says King in his episode of "Voices for Humanity." "No one should be a slave, and no one has the right to enslave anyone."

King learned of Youth for Human Rights International on a visit to the United for Human Rights headquarters in Clearwater, Florida. "That gave me a guide on how to educate youth. At that point, I founded The Gentlemen's Course."

King and his team bring his programs right to the kids.

"Human traffickers, they're in the schools. They're on social media. They're getting the kids on their platforms," says King. "So we might as well attack them on the same ground. If people knew their rights, they would know what to defend. That is the purpose. That's our goal."

Youth for Human Rights International materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Creating a world where human rights are known and protected starts with effective educational programs that reach across all cultural and geographic boundaries.

Inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's words that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," the Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/christopher-king.html

https://www.ncjrs.gov/ovc_archives/ncvrw/2005/pg5l.html#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20an%20estimated%2014%2C500,(U.S.%20Department%20of%20Justice

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and the Scientology Network invites viewers to watch an episode of "Voices for Humanity" featuring a Tampa Bay Area entrepreneur who is dedicated to saving kids from modern-day slavery.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

For International Day of Education, Scientology Network Shares Help to Overcome Learning Disabilities

MIAMI, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Each year, the United Nations sets aside January 24 as International Day of Education. Among this year's goals: "unlocking the potential in every person." The episode "Help for Miami," of the "Voices for Humanity" series on the Scientology Network takes viewers inside an innovative program that is shattering the glass ceiling for those labeled with learning disabilities.

"Our country is in crisis today," says Tamara Batalha, cofounder and administrator of HELP Miami.

"Kids are being labeled and drugged. They're not learning," adds HELP Miami's principal Barbie Rivera. "This is a tragedy."

Together, they are introducing kids to a new way of learning.

"Families thought the only solution was to drug their child and now they don't have to anymore," says Batalha. "The beauty of our program is we treat every child as an individual, so no matter where they are on their educational level, we're able to work with them."

HELP Miami is a dynamic program using Study Technology developed by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It provides a fully workable approach to teaching students how to learn.

One mother relates that her son was getting "F" in subject after subject at the school where he attended 5th grade. They were advised to place him on medication, but that caused side effects. "He told me he hated school. He wanted to drop out." When they enrolled him at HELP Miami, everything changed. "They brought him up to grade level," the mother said. "Now he's in 8th grade and every single year, he's gotten honor roll. Being able to learn how to learn, this is an incredible gift that HELP Miami is giving these kids."

Go behind the scenes of this innovative school that is providing a bright future for kids who were told they would never have one.

Scientology Network's "Voices for Humanity," is a weekly series presenting heroic changemakers from a variety of faiths, cultures and nations, working to uplift their communities.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Each year, the United Nations sets aside January 24 as International Day of Education. Among this year's goals: "unlocking the potential in every person." The episode "Help for Miami," of the "Voices for Humanity" series on the Scientology Network takes viewers inside an innovative program that is shattering the glass ceiling for those labeled with learning disabilities.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Network: Two Films in Honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Network's Documentary Showcase marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day by airing "Big Sonia" and "Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child."

The UN set aside January 27, the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, to honor the memory of victims of the Holocaust and reaffirm commitment to counter antisemitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance that may lead to group-targeted violence.

"Big Sonia" tells the incredible life story of Sonia Warshawski, who was 17 in 1942 when the Germans forced her and her family into the ghetto.

Surviving Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen, her journey from detention in Nazi death camps to her life as a great-grandmother and businesswoman in Kansas City has become a surprising source of inspiration for a new generation.

The film is codirected by Sonia's granddaughter Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday.

"Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child" captures the creative process of two titans of art, where breathtaking visuals that evoke the Holocaust complement profound storytelling. It results in an awe-inspiring stage production.

For celebrated Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein, the child is a symbol of innocence - a symbol Helnwiein uses to communicate a powerful and compelling message of innocence lost. For Israel's most celebrated playwright Hanoch Levin, innocence is portrayed in the measured breaths of a sleeping child moments before waking up to a nightmare.

Produced and directed by Lisa Kirk Colburn, "Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child" captures the drama leading up to the world premiere of the controversial Israeli opera "The Child Dreams."

Documentary Showcase debuts films from award-winning independent filmmakers whose goal is to improve society by raising awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues.

Scientology Network: Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

For more information on the Scientology Network, watch Inside Scientology: Scientology Media Productions. For more information on Documentary Showcase, visit https://www.scientology.tv/series/documentary-showcase/.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/documentary-showcase/big-sonia/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/documentary-showcase/gottfried-helnwein/

Scientology Network's Documentary Showcase marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day by airing "Big Sonia" and "Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child." The UN set aside January 27, the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Network: How One Man Helps Imbue His Country with a Culture of Human Rights

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In an episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network, Braulio Vargas exposes a hidden side of Costa Rica with an eye-opening account of the problems plaguing many of its citizens - from human trafficking to homelessness. His work is raising awareness of human rights and creating change across the nation.

"Costa Rica inspired the peace agreements that ended the Cold War in Central America, bringing stability to our region," says Vargas, Executive Director of Youth for Human Rights Costa Rica. It is a beautiful country-a veritable paradise. But 22 percent of the population lives in poverty and human trafficking victims as young as 5 are sold into slavery in the sex trade. "This is the real Costa Rica," he says, "but there's hope. Human Rights is the answer. And my goal is to bring tolerance and peace through education."

Vargas put himself through school to become a lawyer so he could help restore rights to those for whom they had been denied. But progress was slow. And when he learned of Youth for Human Rights International, he realized this program contained the necessary component for raising the quality of life across his nation. Youth for Human Rights International educates people on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And uninformed people who don't know their rights are easily abused.

Youth for Human Rights International materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Creating a world where human rights are known and protected starts with effective educational programs that reach across all cultural and geographic boundaries.

Beginning his work with Youth for Human Rights in 2014, Vargas embarked on a campaign to educate the entire nation on human rights-from farmhands to kids, whether attending school or living on the streets.

His drive to infuse human rights into Costa Rican culture scored when the national soccer federation joined his team, promoting human rights on a massive scale.

Vargas' work has resulted in an important milestone. With the help of Youth for Human Rights International and the support of the Church of Scientology Mission of Costa Rica, in August 2021, the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica passed into law a bill mandating human rights education in schools throughout the country.

Inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's words that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," the Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. For more information, watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE: https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/

In an episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network, Braulio Vargas exposes a hidden side of Costa Rica with an eye-opening account of the problems plaguing many of its citizens - from human trafficking to homelessness. His work is raising awareness of human rights and creating change across the nation.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology Kicked off the New Year with a Winter Street Fair

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- This New Year's Day, L. Ron Hubbard Way was the place to be when the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles wrapped up the holiday season by hosting its first annual Winter Street Festival. Hundreds of East Hollywood families came to share the fun.

The Church welcomed 2022 with a marketplace of local vendors, carnival games, and a snow slide made of real snow.

Kids laughed and screamed as they coasted down the 20-foot snow slide - for many, it was the first time they'd ever seen real snow. Or they romped in the nearby snow-filled play area. Others played carnival games, took a twirl around the kid-sized ice-skating rink, patiently waited as stylists painted their faces, or watched as an artist crafted their favorite animal from balloons.

All the while, a trackless choo-choo train toured families up and down the street that was filled with food trucks, vendor booths from local stores and shops, and a community corner with tables for local nonprofits. The train wove its way down L. Ron Hubbard Way, careful not to disturb the street artist painting a mural saying "Happy New Year from East Hollywood" right down the center of the road.

This was the last of a series of holiday-themed events organized and hosted by the Church of Scientology. These included:

* A Christmas festival featuring the famous Mexican cartoon character "Cri-Cri, the singing cricket"

* La Posada procession organized by the local Oaxacan community

* Candy Cane Lane Toy Giveaway where they placed 7,000 Christmas gifts in the hands of local children

* Annual L. Ron Hubbard Presents Winter Wonderland at their Hollywood Boulevard Public Information Center

* Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Family Fun Night, where civic and community leaders helped them launch their holiday toy drive and

* A Happy Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway

The Church of Scientology Los Angeles is an Ideal Scientology Organization dedicated in April 2010 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige. The Church, featured in an episode of Inside Scientology, is configured to service Scientologists in their ascent to spiritual freedom and serve as a home for the entire community-a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations.

For information on upcoming events, contact the Church of Scientology Los Angeles Community Relations Director at (323) 950-3200.

For more information on the Church of Scientology Los Angeles, visit their website, their Facebook or their Instagram.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology-losangeles.org/

https://www.facebook.com/ScientologyLA

https://www.instagram.com/scientologyla/

This New Year's Day, L. Ron Hubbard Way was the place to be when the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles wrapped up the holiday season by hosting its first annual Winter Street Festival. Hundreds of East Hollywood families came to share the fun.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

In the Fight Against Drugs, Education is the Most Effective Weapon

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Foundation for a Drug-Free World volunteers from Scientology Churches and Missions across Italy provide fact-based drug education to help stem the damage caused by drug abuse and addiction.

A study published in November 2021 in "The Lancet" found "in the past decade, cannabis use, treatment rates and potency levels have increased in Europe, highlighting major concerns about the public health impact of cannabis use." (*Citation: see link below.)

Italian volunteers bring the Truth About Drugs materials published by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World to their communities and use Zoom conferences and other online resources to promote the importance of drug education in reversing these trends.

The need for effective drug education and prevention is highlighted by recent developments in the illicit drug market in Europe, largely related to globalization and new technologies, including innovation in drug production and trafficking methods, the emergence of new drug trafficking routes and the growth of online markets. Europe is an important market for drugs, fueled both by domestic production and by illicit imports from other regions.

In addition to serving as a transit point for narcotics to other continents, Europe is also a region where cannabis and synthetic drugs are produced. Most of the cannabis produced is destined for consumption in Europe, while synthetic drugs are produced for the European market and exported to other parts of the world.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs." (*Citation: see link below.)

Learn more about the Truth About Drugs initiative and Foundation for a Drug-Free World on the Scientology Network, where drug prevention advocates creating change with the program are featured in episodes of the original series Voices for Humanity.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.scientology.tv/

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/prevention-standards.html

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(21)00213-1/fulltext

Foundation for a Drug-Free World volunteers from Scientology Churches and Missions across Italy provide fact-based drug education to help stem the damage caused by drug abuse and addiction.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Starting the Year Right With a Book to Help Bring Happiness

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Avoid the pitfalls that can derail those New Year's resolutions by adopting the common-sense moral code contained in "The Way to Happiness." Watch "The Way to Happiness" book-on-film on the Scientology Network.

A 2021 survey reveals a stunning statistic: almost 50 percent of American couples surveyed admitted to cheating on their partner. Little wonder that this is the same percent of U.S. marriages that are likely to end in divorce or separation. This adds up to more than 1.5 million people divorcing each year, giving the U.S. the world's third-highest divorce rate.

But infidelity is only one casualty of declining morality. More than 3,300 burglaries take place in the U.S. each day. In 2018, a burglary took place every 22.5 seconds. And if current rates continue, it is estimated that within 20 years, 75 percent of homes in the U.S. will have suffered from this form of crime.

And on a starker note, more than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdose in the 12 months leading up to April 2021.

It is clear that the moral decline is affecting more and more people and ruining lives.

Some react to this situation with "this would never happen to me." Others, who may be aware of their own or their friends' or families' potential for disaster, may think "but what can I do?" But the odds are not in the favor of those leaving their future happiness to chance.

A safer and more constructive way to live life is to take effective action. As stated in "The Way to Happiness":

"Your own happiness can be turned to tragedy and sorrow by the dishonesty and misconduct of others.

"I am sure you can think of instances of this actually happening. Such wrongs reduce one's survival and impair one's happiness.

"You are important to other people. You are listened to. You can influence others.

"The happiness or unhappiness of others you could name is important to you.

"Without too much trouble, using this book, you can help them survive and lead happier lives.

"While no one can guarantee that anyone else can be happy, their chances of survival and happiness can be improved. And with theirs, yours will be."

No matter the New Year's resolution, this nonreligious moral code can help pave the way to a more successful, more decent and happier life through applying its 21 precepts, or principles, and sharing them with others.

Enroll on the free online eCourse on The Way to Happiness website. Read the book, watch "The Way to Happiness" book-on-film, and see how its application has transformed lives, as documented in episodes of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.thewaytohappiness.org/course/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/the-way-to-happiness.html

Avoid the pitfalls that can derail those New Year's resolutions by adopting the common-sense moral code contained in "The Way to Happiness." Watch "The Way to Happiness" book-on-film on the Scientology Network.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

A Holiday Celebration at the Church of Scientology Honoring the Diversity of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- A popular holiday celebration dating to 16th century Mexico graced the streets of East Hollywood for the first time this year. The music and traditional costumes of Oaxaca transformed L. Ron Hubbard Way in East Hollywood in a procession that was a melding of two cultures.

La Posada, which celebrates the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, includes singing and dancing in a unique blend of cultures. Musicians from a Oaxacan community band led the procession. The Church of Scientology Los Angeles hosted the celebration as part of its commitment to honor and help preserve the traditions and culture of the many diverse communities that call Los Angeles home.

In the 1580s, Spanish friars adopted an Aztec winter solstice holiday that celebrates the birth of Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and war. They built La Posada on this tradition to convert indigenous people to Catholicism.

Posada means a lodge or inn in Spanish. Posadas are held for nine days from December 16 through December 24. Also known as "Los Peregrinos, San José y la Virgen María," (the pilgrimage of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary) participants reenact the experience of Mary and Joseph seeking lodging on their trip to Bethlehem.

"I grew up in a town in Oaxaca with this music and these traditions, but I have not participated in a Posada for at least 30 years," said one guest. "We love our traditions, and we want to share this love with Angelinos and with all in this beautiful country who have been so generous to our people."

The Church also hosted a celebration this year of Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, organized by members of the Los Angeles Quilana community of Oaxaca, Mexico. And leaders of the L.A. Oaxacan community took part in a convention in October 2021 in support of the human rights of Oaxacan and other Mexican and Central American indigenous people at the Church of Scientology of the Valley in North Hollywood.

The Church of Scientology Los Angeles is an Ideal Scientology Organization dedicated in April 2010 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige. The Church, featured in an episode of Inside Scientology, is configured to service Scientologists in their ascent to spiritual freedom and serve as a home for the entire community-a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations.

For more information, visit the website of Church of Scientology of Los Angeles, @ScientologyLA on Instagram or https://www.facebook.com/ScientologyLA

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology-losangeles.org/

https://www.scientology-valley.org/

A popular holiday celebration dating to 16th century Mexico graced the streets of East Hollywood for the first time this year. The music and traditional costumes of Oaxaca transformed L. Ron Hubbard Way in East Hollywood in a procession that was a melding of two cultures.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Share What It Was Like to Help in Mayfield on Christmas Day

MAYFIELD, Ky. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers came from across the country to help a town destroyed by the 10 December tornado celebrate the holiday. "Thank you for bringing some happiness," an elderly couple called out to a Volunteer Minister as they walked up to the bright yellow tent in Mayfield, Kentucky, on Christmas Day.

Santa, who drove to Mayfield from the Church of Scientology of Nashville, was not prepared for the kind of reactions he got.

"Dozens of children came by today," said Santa. Some kids were too shy to come up to him, but others were eager to see what he had for them. "I think the parents were even more excited than the kids."

He would keep pulling things out of his bag until he got the reaction he was looking for.

"For one little boy, about 3 feet tall, I pulled out a stuffed horse. No interest. I pulled out this two-foot plush octopus half the size that he was, and he was elated."

For the boy's sister, Santa found a giant tie-dyed frog. "She gave it a huge hug as soon as it came out of the bag."

Sometimes, standing in the street, he'd see people driving by looking so downcast. "I'd wave at them and say 'Ho Ho Ho!' and they couldn't help but smile."

A retired Marine donated hundreds of toys for the children's table in the Volunteer Ministers tent "so the kids would have Christmas."

"It's like everybody is helping everybody," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. "It's the best Christmas I've ever had. In the state of the world these days, out of all this chaos, to see what people are doing to help each other instead of stepping on each other, there's hope for mankind yet. It's been an experience. I hope I never see anything like this again, but to live through it and to see what it has done to people, and people helping each other - there's more good coming out of it than bad. It's been a Christmas like no other. It ain't about the toys, it ain't about the stuff you get. It is about what you can do. It's been fulfilling."

In addition to the toys and serving a special dinner for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Volunteer Ministers, working with other charities, have served more than 30,000 meals to local residents and volunteer workers.

More trained Volunteer Ministers are needed. Anyone who can join the disaster response should contact the Volunteer Minister hotline at (800) HELP-4-YU or (323) 960-1949.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Learn more:

- https://www.scientology-ccnashville.org/

- https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers came from across the country to help a town destroyed by the 10 December tornado celebrate the holiday. Santa, who drove to Mayfield from the Church of Scientology of Nashville, was not prepared for the kind of reactions he got.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Enjoy the Music of the Holiday on the Scientology Network

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Church of Scientology wishes everyone happy holidays with a series of classic Christmas songs performed by award-winning artists. To celebrate the holidays, the Scientology Network presents holiday favorites - an eclectic mix of genres, from pop to jazz, rock 'n roll to swing, and Latin, soul and classical music.

Each is presented in the spirit of the season with the wish from our families to yours that this holiday season brings joy and peace and the prospect of a healthy and prosperous new year.

The past 21 months have brought their share of hardship. New variants and a surge in hospitalizations in many parts of the world cast a pall over the season for some and interrupt the holiday plans of others.

So we offer our holiday greetings with the additional wish that you and your families stay well, and the reminder that an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. And we include a link to our How to Stay Well Prevention Resource Center as a reminder of what we can all do to keep ourselves and our friends and loved ones well. Resources are available to view online or download in 21 languages.

The Scientology Network has been praised for shattering the paradigm of religious broadcasting, ushering in a new era that shows a religion in action, making the world better.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Learn more: https://www.scientology.tv/specials/happy-holidays/

The Church of Scientology wishes everyone happy holidays with a series of classic Christmas songs performed by award-winning artists. Holiday favorites - an eclectic mix of genres, from pop to jazz, rock 'n roll to swing, and Latin, soul and classical music.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response: Help to Victims in Towns Destroyed by Last Week’s Tornadoes

MAYFIELD, Ky. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Los Angeles encourages trained Volunteer Ministers to respond to one of the most devastating U.S. tornado outbreaks on record. Entire towns were all but wiped off the map leaving thousands homeless.

A U-Haul filled with 100 generators, heaters and propane tanks pulled up to the bright yellow tent at the corner of 8th and Walnut in Mayfield, Kentucky. Volunteer Ministers helped unload the truck's precious contents, all of which found homes that day along with the 2,900 hot meals the volunteers handed out.

Volunteer Ministers (VMs) have arrived from the Scientology Churches in Nashville, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Twin Cities, Minnesota. And VMs pulled in to Mayfield from Austin, Texas, on Saturday with 4,000 donated items.

Joava Good of Draper, Utah, came out from the Church of Scientology in Salt Lake City. Good, who represents the Church of Scientology with VOAD (National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) has been an active Volunteer Minister, responding to disasters since 1978.

The rain that brought the tornado outbreak has continued for most of the past week. To lift people's spirits, Good decided to make hot coffee and cocoa available and when she arrived at the checkout to pay for two coffee pots, 13 pounds of coffee and hot chocolate, Walmart paid the tab.

"It's been like that since we arrived," she says. "The generosity and outpouring of help is heartwarming."

One of the Volunteer Ministers helped a woman who was devastated that the town she has lived in for 30 years had just been destroyed. Using a simple Scientology assist, a technique developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to relieve distress through addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma, he was able to bring her from grief to laughter in just a few minutes.

At the request of a pastor whose church was destroyed by the tornado, VMs cleared out the yard around the church so he can put up tents for parishioners in need of shelter. And whenever there is a lull in the rain, volunteers rush out to lay tarps on the roofs of houses that were damaged but not destroyed.

In addition to their work in Mayfield, Kentucky, the town hardest hit by the outbreak, Volunteer Ministers are also serving 70 miles away in Dawson Springs and in Bowling Green.

Trained Volunteer Ministers who can join the disaster response should contact the Volunteer Minister hotline at (800) HELP-4-YU or (323) 960-1949.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Learn more: https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Los Angeles encourages trained Volunteer Ministers to respond to one of the most devastating U.S. tornado outbreaks on record. Entire towns were all but wiped off the map leaving thousands homeless.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Share the Joy: The Holidays Have Arrived at Scientology Headquarters in the UK

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- As 100,000 lights mark another holiday season and transform Saint Hill Castle and grounds into an enchanted kingdom, the Church of Scientology invites one and all to experience the magic of Saint hill in an episode of "Inside Scientology" on the Scientology Network.

Set amidst 100 acres of the ancient Ashdown Forest are the roots of a global religion. Welcome to Saint Hill. Here in Saint Hill Manor House, located at the Prime Meridian in the town of East Grinstead, England, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard lived, worked and made pivotal breakthroughs in the spiritual technology of Scientology, while guiding it from a grassroots movement to a worldwide religion.

While Saint Hill Manor preserves the Church's origins, across the property a modern-day castle serves as a 21st-century church. Inspired by an 11th-century Norman fortress, the Saint Hill Castle was conceived and designed by Mr. Hubbard in the mid-1960s to accommodate the ever-growing numbers of those arriving at Saint Hill to study Scientology.

Gain insight into the life of the Founder of Scientology, explore the roots of a modern movement and visit a magical setting with "Inside Scientology: Saint Hill."

The original series "Inside Scientology" takes viewers behind the scenes of the Scientology religion, from its international spiritual headquarters and cutting-edge publishing houses to what happens on a typical day at a Church of Scientology and the meticulous work to preserve 75 million words of our Founder L. Ron Hubbard's religious writings and recordings for future generations.

The Scientology Network has been praised for shattering the paradigm of religious broadcasting, ushering in a new era that shows a religion in action, making the world better.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

As 100,000 lights mark another holiday season and transform Saint Hill Castle and grounds into an enchanted kingdom, the Church of Scientology invites one and all to experience the magic of Saint hill in an episode of "Inside Scientology" on the Scientology Network.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Join the Magical Holiday Season: It’s all Happening in Clearwater – for the 28th Year

CLEARWATER, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Winter Wonderland has returned to downtown Clearwater, complete with Santa, rides, elves, and best of all, SNOW. The Church of Scientology invites visitors, no matter how far away, to experience the joy of the season on the Scientology Network with an episode on the woman who makes it all possible year after year in "Meet a Scientologist Pam Ryan-Anderson."

"My favorite part is the snow," said a 6-year-old visiting Winter Wonderland this year with her mom and her 5-year-old brother. "And Santa. And the Christmas Tree. And everything!"

This is the 28th year that the Church of Scientology and Clearwater Community Volunteers have created this family-friendly festival in downtown Clearwater. And it keeps getting better, from all accounts, thanks to Pam Ryan-Anderson.

Planning for the transformation of a grass-covered park into a magical Christmas village, with 77 decked-out trees, a petting zoo and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus, is a year-round volunteer project for Pam. More than 270,000 people have enjoyed the festivities at Winter Wonderland since it first started.

Admission to Winter Wonderland is free but guests are encouraged to bring a new toy or non-perishable food item for families in need. Beyond helping all those thousands of families build lifelong memories, Winter Wonderland holds an annual toy and food drive, which has distributed over 15 tons of donations to people in need. Pam's volunteer service has been recognized with a President's Lifetime Achievement Award.

"Meet a Scientologist" is an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists from the frontiers of modern art, science, sports, entertainment and more. It is one of eight original series airing on the Scientology Network.

The network has also been praised for shattering the paradigm of religious broadcasting, ushering in a new era that shows a religion in action, making the world better.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Learn more: https://www.scientology.tv/

Winter Wonderland has returned to downtown Clearwater, complete with Santa, rides, elves, and best of all, SNOW. The Church of Scientology invites visitors, no matter how far away, to experience the joy of the season on the Scientology Network with an episode on the woman who makes it all possible year after year in "Meet a Scientologist Pam Ryan-Anderson."

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Celebrate Human Rights Day as The Scientology Network Features Human Rights Heroes

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In celebration of Human Rights Day 2021, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of brother and sister team Sandra and Felipe Poveda who inspired a culture of human rights in one of the most violent regions on Earth. Their story unfolds on "Voices for Humanity," featured on the Scientology Network.

More than five decades of guerilla warfare left its mark on every level of Colombian society with some 220,000 dead and atrocities reported on both sides.

It was 2009 when a scandal broke implicating the Colombian military with generating what was euphemistically called "false positives." This was the practice of executing civilians, dressing them as guerillas, reporting them as casualties and collecting a bounty.

Sandra Poveda, founder of Youth for Human Rights Colombia, and her brother Felipe, the group's president, approached the Minister of Defense who was trying to deal with this by creating a human rights school for the army. After the Povedas ran a pilot using the Youth for Human Rights educational materials and seeing their impact on the troops, he decided to implement the campaign across the country.

The Povedas enlisted the help of entertainment and sports celebrities, organized concerts, gave TV interviews and arranged for the Youth for Human Rights public service announcements to air on hundreds of stations throughout the country.

They traveled to war zones where they educated troops on the basics of human rights, all based on the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose 73rd anniversary is celebrated December 10. Through practical examples of the application of these materials, they got through to soldiers that article 3, the Right to Life, applies to everyone-even to the lives of guerrillas.

The result was unprecedented. In a letter to the Foundation, the director of the Colombian military's human rights school in Bogotá stated that the Foundation's campaigns had contributed to a 96-percent decrease in civilian reports of armed forces' human rights violations.

Their story is documented in an episode of "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

In 1948 the United Nations called upon all member countries to publicize the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories." Youth for Human Rights International materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Creating a world where human rights are known and protected starts with effective educational programs that reach across all cultural and geographic boundaries.

Inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's words that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," the Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

In celebration of Human Rights Day 2021, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of brother and sister team Sandra and Felipe Poveda who inspired a culture of human rights in one of the most violent regions on Earth. Their story unfolds on "Voices for Humanity," featured on the Scientology Network.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

For Human Rights Day, Learn of a Human Rights Advocate That Helped Topple a Repressive West African Dictatorship

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Church of Scientology International shares the story of how Nfamara Jawneh and his nonprofit Equality for All ("Beakangyan" in the local language) helped end two decades of tyranny by raising awareness of human rights. His story is featured in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

A 1994 a coup d'etat installed dictator Yaya Jammeh as head if state of The Gambia. The military helped keep him in power through rigged elections, corruption and force. Then, in the year 2000, when soldiers fired live ammunition into a crowd of student protestors, ending a dozen young lives, Nfamara Jawneh, a professional journalist, began writing exposés and giving radio and television interviews on the abuses of the government. This brought Jawneh into their crosshairs.

Rather than back down, Jawneh founded a human rights nonprofit. Its purpose: to establish a just society where everyone's rights are respected. Learning of Youth for Human Rights, he requested and received educational materials which he used to raise awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights throughout the country. His campaign is now credited with helping usher in a new era of democracy, with the election of a democratic president in 2017.

In 1948 the United Nations called upon all member countries to publicize the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories." Youth for Human Rights International materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Creating a world where human rights are known and protected starts with effective educational programs that reach across all cultural and geographic boundaries.

Inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's words that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," the Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom at https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/nfamara-jawneh.html

The Church of Scientology International shares the story of how Nfamara Jawneh and his nonprofit Equality for All ("Beakangyan" in the local language) helped end two decades of tyranny by raising awareness of human rights. His story is featured in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

On Human Rights Day, the Spotlight is on Mexico on the Scientology Network

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- "Equality," the theme for Human Rights Day 2021, is a goal that informs the work of Youth for Human Rights Mexico President Raúl Arias and his team of activists. The Church of Scientology International shares his episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network in honor of the 73rd anniversary of United Nations adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"When I was 15, I had an experience that changed my life," says Arias in his Voices of Humanity episode. Kidnappers carrying machine guns forced him and one of his best friends into the back of a van. "I thought I was going to die," he says. "They saw in my friend's papers that his father was a general and they didn't want to get into any trouble with the army, so they let us go. That opened my eyes to the world."

He enrolled in a human rights certification program at the National University of Mexico which led to his attending a conference on human trafficking.

"There were about 7,000 people there and most of them were parents carrying photos of missing children," he says. He learned that one in four victims of human trafficking is a child and 99 percent of those trafficked are girls or women. He realized that if he were the parent of one of those missing daughters, he would never give up trying to find her. "That opened my heart to emotions I never had before."

Arias attended an event at the Church of Scientology Mexico, where he was introduced to Youth for Human Rights, a human rights awareness and education program sponsored by the Church of Scientology. "I fell in love with this program," he says.

The episode documents major inroads created by Arias and his team with a movement reaching all segments of society through education on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in schools throughout the country.

In 1969, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote: "Very few governments have implemented any part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These governments have not grasped that their very survival depends utterly upon adopting such reforms and thus giving their peoples a cause, a civilization worth supporting, worth their patriotism."

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom.

Learn more at: https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/raul-arias.html

"Equality," the theme for Human Rights Day 2021, is a goal that informs the work of Youth for Human Rights Mexico President Raúl Arias and his team of activists. The Church of Scientology International shares his episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network in honor of the 73rd anniversary of United Nations adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Human Rights Day 2021 and the Role of Education in Achieving Rights for All

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- As Human Rights Day 2021 approaches, the Church of Scientology International shares the work of human rights activists featured on the Scientology Network.

On December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose first article proclaims "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." More than seven decades later, deep-rooted forms of discrimination persist.

Mary Shuttleworth, featured in an episode of "Voices for Humanity," founded Youth for Human Rights International in 2001 to promote full implementation of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Youth for Human Rights stresses that education is the foundation and catalyst for changing the state of human rights in the world.

As Human Rights Day 2021 approaches, Youth for Human Rights celebrates a milestone: its 20th anniversary. Youth for Human Rights, the youth component of United for Human Rights, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology in its longstanding tradition of championing freedom for all.

"When we began Youth for Human Rights International, 90 percent of those surveyed were unable to name more than three of the 30 rights granted by the Declaration," says Shuttleworth.

Those who crafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserted the importance of human rights education. The preamble calls on "every individual and every organ of society" to "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms."

An educator, Shuttleworth knew the key to change was making the rights enshrined in the UDHR easy to understand. Youth for Human Rights' educational tools do just that and they engage and interest young people.

These materials help them understand the 30 principles of the document. For example, the program has been used to reduce bullying, a human rights violation suffered by a third of the globe's youth, according to Stopbullying.gov, an interagency effort of the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services.

In 1969, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Very few governments have implemented any part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These governments have not grasped that their very survival depends utterly upon adopting such reforms and thus giving their peoples a cause, a civilization worth supporting, worth their patriotism."

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on "Voices for Humanity" on the Scientology Network. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/mary-shuttleworth.html

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/

As Human Rights Day 2021 approaches, the Church of Scientology International shares the work of human rights activists featured on the Scientology Network. Mary Shuttleworth, featured in an episode of "Voices for Humanity," founded Youth for Human Rights International in 2001.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology Reaches Out to Help End the Drug Overdose Crisis

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Just last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced more than 100,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States during the 12-month period ending April 2021. The Church of Scientology International urges concerned parents, educators and community leaders to take action against the "other pandemic" with drug education and prevention.

The Church is making fact-based drug education materials and courses available free of charge to anyone wishing to help turn around what the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is calling "a national crisis" that "knows no geographical boundaries."

Drawing on five decades in the field of drug education and prevention, the Church of Scientology developed the Truth About Drugs, now one of the world's largest nongovernmental drug information and prevention initiatives. In 2006, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, a secular nonprofit corporation, was formed to serve as the primary distributor of the educational materials and to develop new materials to meet the challenge of continually changing drug trends.

The Foundation today oversees the Truth About Drugs campaign and coordinates an international network of volunteers brought together by their common purpose to create a drug-free world.

The Foundation has grown to a network of thousands of volunteers in more than 200 chapters around the world and partnerships with some 1,800 groups and organizations.

The Scientology Network original series Voices for Humanity documents the kind of change this initiative is accomplishing:

* In San Diego, California, Dr. Beatriz Villarreal uses the initiative to combat drug abuse by educating families on the dangers of drugs.

* In his native Massachusetts and throughout the U.S. Darren Tessitore works with driver's education programs to take action against drug-related accidents, vital with traffic deaths clocking in at 20,160 in the first six months of 2021-18.4 percent higher than last year.

* In New York City, the father and daughter team Dr. Bernard and Meghan Fialkoff have reached thousands of inner city schoolchildren with the Truth About Drugs.

* And from Colombia to Malaysia, South Africa to the Philippines and Kenya to India, drug prevention activists are empowering generations of youth with an initiative that continues to grow exponentially at the grassroots level.

All this to say there is effective action parents, educators and community leaders can take to protect their children, communities and the next generation from drug abuse and addiction. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs."

Learn more about the Truth About Drugs initiative and Foundation for a Drug-Free World on the Scientology Network.

Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Just last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced more than 100,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States during the 12-month period ending April 2021. The Church of Scientology International urges concerned parents, educators and community leaders to take action against the "other pandemic" with drug education and prevention.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Join the Church of Scientology in Celebrating World Television Day

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Curious about Scientology? Set aside November 21, World Television Day, to explore the Scientology Network, learn about the world's youngest major religion and answer the question 'What is Scientology?' for yourself.

Because every six seconds, someone searches the question "What is Scientology?" the Church of Scientology International invites those curious about the religion to celebrate World Television Day by visiting the Scientology Network, where they can answer that question for themselves with authority. As

Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige said in launching the network, "We want to answer your questions, because frankly, whatever you have heard, if you haven't heard it from us, I can assure you, we're not what you expect."

Airing 24/7, the Scientology Network aims to satisfy the overwhelming curiosity about the religion. The network offers exclusive innovative content that moves religious broadcasting in an entirely new direction. Like Scientology itself, that approach is fresh, different and dynamic. It does not seek to preach, convince or convert, but to simply inform.

The Scientology Network airs original series:

* Inside Scientology-takes viewers behind the scenes of the religion-its international spiritual headquarters and cutting-edge publishing houses, what happens on a typical day at a Church of Scientology and the meticulous, painstaking efforts to preserve 75 million words of our Founder L. Ron Hubbard's religious writings and recordings for future generations.

* Meet a Scientologist-provides an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists, including those on the frontiers of modern art, science, sports and entertainment.

* I am a Scientologist-showcases dozens of Scientologists from every corner of the world and every imaginable occupation in each episode, giving personal accounts of how their lives have been enriched.

* Voices for Humanity-features short documentaries introducing changemakers of all faiths, cultures and nations as they extend help to their communities through Scientology-sponsored humanitarian programs.

* Destination: Scientology-brings the viewer inside new Churches of Scientology, showcasing the diversity of these Churches and the cooperation that weaves every Church of Scientology into the local community fabric.

* L. Ron Hubbard: In His Own Voice-presents the religion's Founder to the world. Scientology remains the only major religion with the voice of its Founder intact, recorded in public lectures delivered over the course of a quarter-century. Through autobiographical vignettes in his own words and in his own voice, this series chronicles L. Ron Hubbard's life.

* Documentary Showcase-Provides a new platform for independent filmmakers who embrace a vision of building a better world, in keeping with the humanitarian mission of Scientology that extends to some 200 nations with programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief.

Scientology Network also presents films on the beliefs and practices of the religion, airing the content to answer questions about the faith, philosophy and technology.

In 1996, the United Nations set aside November 21 for the annual observance of World Television Day. It did so in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making and in acknowledgment of the medium as a major tool in informing, channeling and affecting public opinion.

So take this opportunity to visit the Scientology Network, which broadcasts on DIRECTV channel 320 and streams on Scientology.tv, mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emtjD_s6SHA&t=204s

Curious about Scientology? Set aside November 21, World Television Day, to explore the Scientology Network, learn about the world's youngest major religion and answer the question 'What is Scientology?' for yourself.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How the Need to Reach Youth with the Truth About Drugs Inspires a Movement

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Misinformation and ignorance open the door to abuse and addiction according to the United Nations World Drug Report. A drug prevention champion featured on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network safeguards youth of the Czech Republic with the Truth About Drugs, an initiative supported by Scientologists and the Church of Scientology International.

This year's World Drug Report emphasizes the urgency of reaching youth with the truth about drugs. This is what drives the outreach of the Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World whose work is featured on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV channel 320, streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

The report found that over the past 24 years, while cannabis potency "increased by as much as four times in parts of the world...the percentage of adolescents who perceived the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 percent." In releasing the annual report, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, wrote of the crucial role of drug education:

"Lower perception of drug use risks has been linked to higher rates of drug use, and the findings of UNODC's 2021 World Drug Report highlight the need to close the gap between perception and reality to educate young people and safeguard public health."

This is borne out by the annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Report that states "not only is a wider variety of people now personally experiencing drug problems, but drug problems are impacting on our communities in a wider variety of ways."

In an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network, Vlastimil Špalek, chairman of the Czech Foundation for a Drug-Free World, says "What drives me and my team is one purpose: A drug-free Czech Republic."

Špalek adopted The Truth About Drugs initiative because it works. He saw that when youth read the Truth About Drugs booklets on the 14 most commonly abused drugs, it empowers them with what they need to make the firm, self-determined decision to live drug-free.

An athlete, Špalek turned his love of sports into a way to reach the youth of his country with the annual Czech "Cyclo-Run" Against Drugs. Drug prevention advocates cycle from city to city where they are joined by crowds of school children and sports enthusiasts who run with them through the town, promoting drug-free living. Wherever they go, athletes deliver drug education lectures and meet with officials to urge their adoption of the campaign.

Although the pandemic cut across the Cyclo-Run for the past two years, planning is underway to relaunch it in 2022. Meantime, volunteers carry on with activities. Špalek and his team of drug educators give drug-prevention lectures in schools and volunteers reach out to families in their cities with Truth About Drugs booklets. In the town of Pilsen, a team of moms has adopted the program and shares booklets with parents and children to provide this vital information.

"I knew this program had the potential of saving countless lives," says Špalek in his Voices for Humanity episode. "It has. And that's why I've never given up my fight against drugs."

Drug education and prevention work. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime states, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs."

To enable anyone to take effective action against drug abuse and addiction, Scientology Churches schedule drug prevention open houses where anyone may learn how to use this campaign, receive booklets and videos, and request training on how to deliver the program.

The Church of Scientology provides Truth About Drugs resources free of charge to educators, parents, school resource officers, nonprofits and community leaders.

The Truth About Drugs initiative

* Is available in 20 languages in 96 countries.

* Its public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs-Real People, Real Stories documentary have aired on 850 TV stations.

* More than 395,000 people have enrolled on the free online drug education eCourse on the Foundation for a Drug-Free World website at www.drugfreeworld.org.

* The Foundation has reached some 13 million students through more than 30,000 schools, institutions and groups that use the Truth About Drugs curriculum.

In his research into the devastating impact of drugs on society, author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs." This galvanized the Church and Scientologists to initiate the Truth About Drugs, a secular program through which they have worked for two decades to empower millions with the truth about drugs.

To learn more about Vlastimil Špalek and the Foundation for a Drug-Free Czech Republic, watch Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network. For more information on the Truth About Drugs initiative, visit the website of Foundation for a Drug-Free World or contact your nearest Scientology Church or Mission.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/vlastimil-spalek.html

https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/news/2021/2/lessons-to-be-learnt-from-the-european-drug-report-2021_en

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/prevention-standards.html

Misinformation and ignorance open the door to abuse and addiction according to the United Nations World Drug Report. A drug prevention champion featured on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network safeguards youth of the Czech Republic with the Truth About Drugs, an initiative supported by Scientologists and the Church of Scientology International.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Bullying Prevention Month: Tackling Bullying is a Matter of Life and Death

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bullying is a serious, often life-threatening issue. For Bullying Prevention Month, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of a humanitarian who found a simple way to change the culture of bullying to one of compassion.

When a rock and roll band called Rock for Human Rights (R4HR) launched its "30 Days-30 Rights" human rights school concert tour across America, they were hoping to create an impact. But they didn't expect they'd be saving lives.

R4HR founder and lead singer Wil Seabrook's idea for the tour was to help youth make a personal connection with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which lists out 30 rights everyone has by virtue of being human. They would use the booklets and videos of Youth for Human Rights International.

But the number one question on everyone's mind was "Why would a fifth-grader in Iowa care about human rights around the world? How do you make this subject real to that kid, and why should they care?"

Seabrook found the answer to that question at one of their first school concerts. In an auditorium filled with kids, he said, "Raise your hand if anybody's ever tried to bully you in your life." Immediately, almost every hand in the audience shot up.

"I've been fortunate enough to perform for tens of thousands of young people all over the world, sharing the vitally important information contained in the Youth For Human Rights materials," says Seabrook. "Everywhere I go and no matter the age of the audience, I've found that bullying is a universal problem."

This is all the more staggering when viewed through the lens of a CDC study that found suicide is the second leading cause of death among American youths age 14-18. What's more, a 2014 study found "a strong association" between bullying and suicide thoughts and attempts.

"Rock For Human Rights teaches young people that they have more power than they realize and that human rights begins in places closest to home," says Seabrook. "For students, this means the school environment they themselves create for each other. We receive success stories constantly after our performances from students saying they're going to take more personal responsibility for creating a safe and uplifting environment for their peers. The simple, powerful information in these booklets and video PSAs changes lives daily, and is a much-needed tool in the effort to end the bullying epidemic."

Youth for Human Rights International is the youth component of United for Human Rights. It is a global nonprofit organization founded in 2001 with the purpose to teach youth about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace. The United for Human Rights e-Course is available free of charge in 18 languages.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights, the world's largest nongovernmental human rights awareness campaign. Scientology Churches sponsor chapters of the group.

The Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center in Los Angeles, California, produces and ships out human rights booklets, DVDs and education packages free of charge to parents, educators, law enforcement, community groups and nonprofits.

The Church's support is inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's conviction that "It is vital that all thinking men urge upon their governments sweeping reforms in the field of human rights."

For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom: https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/

https://www.rockforhumanrights.org/

MULTIMEDIA

VIDEO (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ubIm660SPs

Bullying is a serious, often life-threatening issue. For Bullying Prevention Month, the Church of Scientology International shares the story of a humanitarian who found a simple way to change the culture of bullying to one of compassion. Rock for Human Rights (R4HR) launched its "30 Days-30 Rights" human rights school concert tour across America.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

European Court of Human Rights Affirms Freedom of Religion or Belief of Russian Scientologist

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has once again affirmed the rights of Scientologists in Russia to practice their religion based on Article 9 of the ECHR Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, announced the Church of Scientology International.

Article 9 states:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

"Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."

In its September 28, 2021, judgment in Kuropyatnik v. Russia, (Application no. 64403/11), the ECHR ruled that Scientologist Vladimir Leonidovich Kuropyatnik, a Moscow Scientologist, was illegally detained by a Russian police officer who questioned him on the basis of his membership in the Scientology religion.

The Court found Kuropyatnik's October 13, 2010, detention deprived him of liberty and violated Articles 8 and 9 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which guarantee the right to respect for private and family life and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

The ECHR noted that at the time this incident took place, the Church of Scientology had been registered as a religious organization in Russia for more than two decades and that Russian authorities had consistently over the years acknowledged the religious nature of Scientology. This Court found Russian police targeting Mr. Kuropyatnik for being a Scientologist was a blatant abuse of his religious freedom by the Russian state and ordered Russia to pay him €8,000 in damages for violating his human rights.

This decision is consistent with the European Court of Human Rights landmark decision of 5 April 2007 in the case Church of Scientology Moscow v. Russia (Application no. 18147/02), which overturned the Moscow city government's refusal to register the Church of Scientology of Moscow as a religious organization. The Court found that Russia violated the rights of the Church of Scientology under ECHR Article 11 (the right to freedom of association) "read in the light of Article 9" (the right to freedom of religion) when it refused to reregister the Church of Scientology of Moscow.

Once again, the European Court of Human Rights has upheld that Scientologists are guaranteed the same rights by the European Convention on Human Rights granted to those of any other religious organization.

The European Court of Human Rights was established to create a mechanism for the resolution of human rights complaints against States parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Convention was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1950. Located in Strasbourg, France, the Court has jurisdiction over 47 states in Europe, including Russia, with a combined population of some 820 million citizens.

This announcement was originally published as a blog on the Scientology Religion website. The Church of Scientology publishes this blog to help create a better understanding of the freedom of religion and belief and provide news on religious freedom and issues affecting this freedom around the world.

The Founder of the Scientology religion is L. Ron Hubbard and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion's ecclesiastical leader.

For more information on Scientology, visit the Scientology website or the Scientology TV network.

RELATED LINKS

https://www.scientology.tv/

https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22appno%22:[%2264403/11%22]}

https://polis.osce.org/convention-protection-human-rights-and-fundamental-freedoms-amended-protocol-no11

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has once again affirmed the rights of Scientologists in Russia to practice their religion based on Article 9 of the ECHR Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, announced the Church of Scientology International.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Join the Scientology Network in Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually September 15-October 15 to honor the history, culture and contribution of American citizens and residents whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. And what better way to do so than with a visit to the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, streaming on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Join the Church of Scientology International in honoring America's Latinx and Hispanic culture, beginning with Destination Scientology.

Destination Scientology: Miami takes visitors on a tour through this tropical paradise, a kaleidoscope of Latin and Caribbean cultures that have come together to create a unique international metropolis. And just as Miami represents the gateway to opportunity to people from throughout the Latin world, the city's Scientology Church is a gateway to ability and personal and spiritual freedom. Enjoy a glimpse of the eclectic Latin culture where people of so many different backgrounds live together and thrive.

Destination Scientology: Tampa welcomes viewers to historic Ybor City, where Florida's Cuban culture was born. A city within the city of Tampa, Ybor is a historic district and right at its center is Ybor Square, home to the Church of Scientology Tampa. Built in 1885 as the largest cigar factory in the world, the building was completely restored by the Church of Scientology. "To a Cuban," says Marta, a Cuban-American Scientologist who emigrated to this country in her youth, "and I am a Cuban to my soul, what this place does is it rekindles my love for my place of birth."

Destination Scientology: Harlem. Not only is Harlem the capital of Black America, it is also a cultural nexus, with Spanish Harlem dancing to a distinctly Latin beat. "El Barrio," says Shashianna, who works at the Church, "that's my hometown." Here, you experience what Hispanic culture really is, she says, known for its "family type of vibe," where "you can go to every Latin country-Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic-You know it by the food and by the way people talk." The Church celebrates these cultures, hosting events and programs for this diverse and vibrant community.

Destination Scientology: Mexico City provides insight into the history and honors the cultural background of more than 63 percent of Hispanic and Latinx people in the U.S. And with Hispanics and Latinx representing more than 48 percent of those living of Greater Los Angeles, a visit to the Churches of Scientology of Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Pasadena and Inglewood will really round out the picture.

The Scientology Network also features Hispanic and Latinx humanitarians in episodes of Voices for Humanity. In cities in America and from Colombia to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Guatemala, these men and women preserve and enhance all that is best in the Latin and indigenous cultures by eradicating drug abuse, illiteracy, criminality, corruption and vice through the use of Scientology-supported humanitarian programs.

Scientology Network debuted March 12, 2018. It has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions. The network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross-section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom - https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

The Founder of the Scientology religion is L. Ron Hubbard and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion's ecclesiastical leader.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually September 15-October 15 to honor the history, culture and contribution of American citizens and residents whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. And what better way to do so than with a visit to the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, streaming on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Network Shares Solutions on International Day of Peace

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- On International Day of Peace, September 21, a full day of programming on the Scientology Network showcases solutions to create a more peaceful world.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls on those who cherish freedom to "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms." These are ideals at the heart of the humanitarian campaigns supported by Scientologists, the Church of Scientology International, and Scientology Churches worldwide and showcased in the Scientology Network International Peace Day Marathon.

Join the Scientology Network beginning 8 a.m. today for:

* "Voices for Humanity," a television series spotlighting the work of humanitarians at the grassroots level to foster human rights and reverse pressing social ills in their cities and nations

* PSAs to raise awareness of human rights

* "The Way to Happiness" book-on-film, written by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. Learn how this internationally acclaimed common-sense guide to better living brokered peace among warring gangs in South Central L.A. and was a major force in fostering peace and reconciliation in Colombia.

The full schedule is available at http://scientology.tv/schedule.

Scientology Network debuted March 12, 2018. Since launching with a welcome by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions. The network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross-section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

MULTMIMEDIA

*IMAGE link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0921s2p-cos-dopeace-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: On International Day of Peace, September 21, a full day of programming on the Scientology Network promotes the peacebuilding work of humanitarians.

On International Day of Peace, September 21, a full day of programming on the Scientology Network showcases solutions to create a more peaceful world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls on those who cherish freedom to "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms."

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: 9/11 Inspired an Unshakable Commitment to Serve

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- The sheer scope and inhumanity of the World Trade Center attack united Scientologists around the world to do everything in their power to create a better world, beginning that very day with New York Scientologists in their signature bright yellow Volunteer Ministers T-shirts immediately heading downtown.

The Church of Scientology International honors the rescue workers who responded to 9/11: Of the 2,977 killed in the September 11 attacks, 412 were emergency workers who rushed to the scene to save lives.

Within hours of hijackers crashing American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, New York's Volunteer Ministers had clearance to be at the disaster site to provide support to emergency personnel and help bring order to the chaos.

For first responders, there was no respite. This was a race against time with thousands of personnel frantically tearing through a mountain of debris - exhausted, dazed, distraught, and running on nothing but adrenalin.

"I was on the site 10 minutes after the second tower collapsed, and it was a ghost town," said a lieutenant of the New York Fire Department, since retired. "And it just proceeded to get more and more chaotic, because guys were arriving, there was no order. And when the Scientologists arrived, an air of order entered in."

The Volunteer Ministers immediately set up a place where first responders could regroup, grab a cold drink and a hot meal. Rescue teams soon began calling the makeshift service center "Freedom Café."

"At any time, well over 100 Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology mill around the remains of the World Trade Center," wrote The New York Times. "On the day of the attack, they took in food to workers....When rescue workers stagger from the wreckage, the ministers, identified by their T-shirts, try to focus the workers' minds and revive their bodies."

Volunteer Ministers are trained to deliver Scientology assists, simple procedures developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that provide relief by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. For exhausted rescue workers, physically and emotionally drained, Scientology assists relieved the tension, lightened their spirits, and allowed them to unwind enough to grab a few hours of sleep.

Scientologists continued arriving from across the United States and abroad. Some 800 Volunteer Ministers served, providing relief 24/7 to rescue and cleanup teams. And they continued to serve until the entire project was completed more than eight months later.

"There's a lot of very highly stressed, worn out, exhausted rescue people here," said the head of one rescue team, "and your contribution to helping them to deal with their problems and deal with their upset emotions, and to have some tranquility and rest has been a very, very productive and very worthwhile effort."

"The Volunteer Ministers worked with great energy and great compassion at Ground Zero, helping to ease the physical burdens and mental strains of the rescue workers," wrote a New York Police Chief in thanks. "The organization, the caring, and the dedication of your Volunteer Ministers were exceptional, very much appreciated, and will long be remembered by those who received their help."

On September 11, 2001, Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, called on Scientologists around the world to view what occurred that day as a "wake-up call." "No one can afford to turn a blind eye to what just happened," he wrote.

This appeal immediately inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister program. As of September 11, 2001, there were 6,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide. Today, they are among the world's most widely recognized independent relief organizations, with over 200,000 Volunteer Ministers on call internationally.

For more information, visit the Scientology Newsroom or watch Destination: New York on the Scientology Network, available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and streaming at scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

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*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0911s2p-cos-911-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: More than 800 Volunteer Ministers from across the U.S. and abroad served at Ground Zero in New York.

The sheer scope and inhumanity of the World Trade Center attack united Scientologists around the world to do everything in their power to create a better world, beginning that very day with New York Scientologists in their signature bright yellow Volunteer Ministers T-shirts immediately heading downtown.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology International Honors Those Who Served After the 9/11 Terror Attacks

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The Church of Scientology International honors the rescue workers and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who served them. The unsung heroes who responded to the attacks at Ground Zero 20 years ago on September 11 brought hope and renewed belief at a time when an affirmation of the basic goodness of Mankind was sorely needed.

"As any New Yorker would tell you," said one of the first Volunteer Ministers to arrive on the scene, "to see the Twin Towers disintegrate was a living nightmare. Over 25,000 people were gotten out of the towers because of the work of the responders, civilians who were fire wardens for their floor, strangers assisting others out to safety, police, firefighters, emergency medical services responders, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice that day in service to others."

As the twin towers erupted in flame and smoke, downtown New York was a war zone recalls Scientologist Bill Runyon on an episode of the original TV series Destination Scientology on the Scientology Network. Runyon served as liaison between the Church of Scientology, its Volunteer Ministers and New York City officials. His wife and both children also served as Volunteer Ministers at Ground Zero, where they helped see to the needs of the rescue workers.

Scientologists from across New York and New Jersey immediately headed for the Church of Scientology New York, just off Times Square on West 46th Street. The Church soon became the communications and logistics hub of the Church's relief efforts. Over the next nine months, some 800 Scientologists from across the United States and abroad served at "the pit" to help rescue workers contend with the gruesome and hazardous conditions.

"We were under the pile, we were on top of it," said a retired New York City firefighter who served at Ground Zero. "We were chest-deep in muck." He recalls how the Volunteer Ministers were always there when they finished a shift. "We would come out of there. There was a whole support group on the outskirts of the pile. It made you feel good to know they were out there when you were going to come out of that hole."

Volunteer Ministers provided food, water, clothing, gear and other necessities to the cleanup crews. For nine months they continued to serve until all that remained of the World Trade Center was a cavernous pit.

"We kind of get a lot of the credit," said a New York City Police officer, "but I think a lot of the credit has to go to the people on the outskirts such as the Scientology volunteers and such that provided us with comfort while we were down there at a time when we needed it probably more than most people understand or realize."

At the 2001 celebration of the founding of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) in October, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige spoke of the impact of the Church of Scientology of New York as headquarters of the Ground Zero effort. "With their recent actions and the compassion they have shown they now have a prominence greater than ever before." He announced that the IAS would be funding the full top-to-bottom restoration of the New York Church "in appreciation for their being there to help the city when it counted."

Three years later, in September 2004, dedicating the new Church of Scientology of New York, Mr. Miscavige reiterated the importance of what New York Scientologists inspired across the rest of the world three years earlier: "For in the darkest of times and worst of places, you stood tall amongst it all as a shining beacon of light," serving as a living example of the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister: "Something can be done about it."

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For more information, visit the Scientology Network or the Scientology Newsroom.

Related links:

https://www.scientology-newyork.org/

MULTIMEDIA:

*VIDEO (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC9_epA-SpI&t=113s

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0908s2p-cos-ground-zero-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: Scientology Volunteer Ministers at Ground Zero New York in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The Church of Scientology International honors the rescue workers and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who served them. The unsung heroes who responded to the attacks at Ground Zero 20 years ago on September 11 brought hope and renewed belief at a time when an affirmation of the basic goodness of Mankind was sorely needed.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/