Tag Archives: Religion and Churches

Young UK Scientologists Brave the Storm Clouds To Share the Truth About Drugs Rain or Shine

EAST GRINSTEAD, UK /ScoopCloud/ -- Despite forecasters predicting rain, young Scientologists gathered at Saint Hill in East Grinstead, slipped on their signature teal Foundation for a Drug-Free World T-shirts over hoodies, unfurled their "brollies," and took off for the nearby town of Crawley to share the truth about drugs with local families. They handed out youth-friendly Truth About Drugs booklets to help other kids make the self-determined decision to live drug-free.

What has recently come to light is just how important their drug education campaign really is.

Until now, the UK has been spared the ravages of the opioid epidemic that has devastated the United States and Canada. But in December 2023, The Guardian reported that drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales have risen "to the highest level since records began 30 years ago, with nearly half of deaths now involving an opiate."

According to a March 20 news release on the Gov.uk website, the UK government has issued a ban on new synthetic opioids. "We are determined to ensure these destructive and lethal drugs do not take hold in our communities in the UK," said Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp in the article.

But in America, simply banning these drugs has not been enough: Illicit opiates are responsible for the spike in the country's overdose deaths. This is why drug education is a vital part of any drug-prevention strategy.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, "For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs."

"The only solution is to educate youth, so they don't start taking drugs in the first place," says Jessica Hochman, Executive Director of Foundation for a Drug-Free World. "Teaching kids the truth about drugs before some dealer or peer tells them lies is what it is all about. We provide resources to do just that, and in language kids listen to. Our purpose is to empower youth with the confidence that they are doing the right thing by living drug-free."

Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free.

Noting the increase in substance abuse and the role this played in the disintegration of the social fabric in the 1960s and '70s, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs."

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Foundation for a Drug-Free World, making it possible to provide these materials free of charge to campaigns like this and to schools, civic groups, governments, law enforcement, and institutions in the private sector.

Watch the Drug-Free World public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs-Real People, Real Stories documentary on the Scientology Network, and episodes of Voices for Humanity to see the program in action. The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

For more information, visit the Scientology website, the Drug-Free World website, or contact the nearest Church of Scientology, where staff stand ready to help youth and adults make the self-determined decision to live drug-free.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.drugfreeworld.org

https://www.drugfreeworld.org/takeaction/reaching-youth-before-drugs-do.html

https://www.scientology.org/churches/advanced-scientology-organizations/advanced-org-saint-hill-united-kingdom/

MULTIMEDIA

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

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/inside-scientology/saint-hill.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/the-truth-about-drugs.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/they-said-they-lied.html

Despite forecasters predicting rain, young Scientologists gathered at Saint Hill in East Grinstead, slipped on their signature teal Foundation for a Drug-Free World T-shirts over hoodies, unfurled their "brollies," and took off for the nearby town of Crawley to share the truth about drugs with local families. They handed out youth-friendly Truth About Drugs booklets to help other kids make the self-determined decision to live drug-free.

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

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard Honored: His Life, His Legacy and His Many Contributions

MEXICO CITY, Mexico /ScoopCloud/ -- Members of the Commission of Culture of the LXV House of Representatives of the National Congress of Mexico paid tribute to the enduring legacy of L. Ron Hubbard by presenting a proclamation to the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation and representatives of the Church of Scientology of Western United States. The proclamation extended their heartfelt gratitude for L. Ron Hubbard and the "tireless altruistic work performed throughout his life for the benefit of the American, Mexican and Latin American communities in the United States of America, in celebration of the 113th anniversary of his birth on March 13, 1911, and in gratitude for his legacy of knowledge."

L. Ron Hubbard is celebrated worldwide by millions of Scientologists, friends, and partners who practice the religion or benefit from secular programs Mr. Hubbard inspired and technology he developed. These programs raise awareness of human rights, combat illiteracy, and provide drug prevention and rehabilitation, and moral revitalization.

Established in Mexico in 1975, the Church of Scientology has been an integral part of the nation's spiritual landscape for nearly five decades. The inauguration of the first Ideal Church of Scientology of Mexico in 2010, situated in the historic center of Mexico City, significantly accelerated the religion's growth in the country.

In a milestone recognition on October 30, 2017, Mexico's Minister of Interior officially registered the Church of Scientology of Mexico as a recognized religion.

And a new chapter in Scientology history commenced March 1, 2024, when officials and community and religious leaders joined Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige and Scientology parishioners, staff and guests for the dedication of the new Church of Scientology of Del Valle in the Benito Juárez borough of Mexico City. An 80-foot illuminated Scientology sign crowns its majestic new 12-story home, welcoming one and all.

An episode of Destination Scientology, an original series on the Scientology Network, shows how the Church of Scientology of Mexico, its activities, and the spirit of Scientology, resonate with the country's unique, vibrant culture. The Network also features episodes of Voices for Humanity on humanitarians who use Church-supported initiatives to raise awareness of human rights and combat illiteracy, crime and recidivism. Since launching in 2018, Scientology Network has been viewed in more than 240 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology-mexico.mx/

https://www.scientology-delvalle.mx/

https://www.scientologyreligion.org/religious-recognitions/mexico.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA

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

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/mexico-city.html

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

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/dan-and-ari-agami.html

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

Photo caption: President of the Commission of Culture of the LXV House of Representatives of the National Congress of Mexico, officials, and representatives of the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation and the Church of Scientology outside the National Congress of Mexico with the proclamation presented for L. Ron Hubbard.

Members of the Commission of Culture of the LXV House of Representatives of the National Congress of Mexico paid tribute to the enduring legacy of L. Ron Hubbard by presenting a proclamation to the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation and representatives of the Church of Scientology of Western United States.

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

United for Human Rights, an Innovative Education Initiative, Was a Perfect Fit at the Innovative School Summit in New York

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, "Each year, millions of K-12 students experience hostile behaviors like bullying, hate speech, hate crimes, or assault." Many attending the Innovative School Summit at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square in New York February 28 to March 1 are keenly aware of the urgent need for effective programs that empower young victims of abuse. United for Human Rights, an international, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, approaches this issue with education. The group is dedicated to raising awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And this emphatically includes children's rights.

Innovative School Summit is part of a growing movement to raise the quality of education and its impact on the lives of youth. While many human rights organizations focus on research and advocacy for abuse victims, United for Human Rights and its initiative for younger children, Youth for Human Rights International, complement these efforts by creating effective educational materials and making them broadly available.

United for Human Rights believes that education is the foundation and catalyst for changing the state of human rights in the world. Educators need effective materials and tools they can use to incorporate human rights in their curricula and United for Human Rights fills this need:

* An educator's guide-a complete manual for implementing a human rights curriculum

* Lesson plans for middle, high school and college classes

* Youth for Human Rights manual and lesson plans for teaching human rights to young children

* The text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and a simplified version for children

* A series of youth-friendly public service announcements that bring each of the 30 articles of the UDHR to life

* A brief and engaging documentary on the history of human rights

Educators visiting the United for Human Rights booth were eager to order sets of these materials for use with their classes. One teacher from Canada has used the program for 10 years and shared how effective she finds it. An executive of a nonprofit charter school management organization who is passionate about human rights ordered both the United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights educator kits for teacher training programs. And one educator, whose son is a young activist, told the staff at the booth that the program was perfect for youth like him.

Thanks to the generous support of Scientology Churches and Scientologists and inspired by the words of L. Ron Hubbard that "human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream," United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights make all materials available free of charge to educators. They can be ordered online on the United for Human Rights website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.humanrights.com

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org

https://www.humanrights.com/course

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

VIDEO:

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

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/30-rights-brought-to-life.html

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, "Each year, millions of K-12 students experience hostile behaviors like bullying, hate speech, hate crimes, or assault." Many attending the Innovative School Summit at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square in New York February 28 to March 1 are keenly aware of the urgent need for effective programs that empower young victims of abuse. United for Human Rights, an international, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, approaches this issue with education.

Related link: https://www.humanrights.com/

Arizona Interfaith Movement Honors Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Church of Scientology

PHOENIX, Ariz. /ScoopCloud/ -- 2024 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Church of Scientology, the world's youngest major religion, and Phoenix played a pivotal role. Celebrating this historic occasion were Arizona Interfaith Movement (AZIFM) Executive Director Dr. Albert Celoza; President Rev. Rock Fremont, spiritual director of the Shephard of the Hills United Church of Christ; AZIFM Administrative Assistant Anne Taylor; and members of many Phoenix faiths.

AZIFM honored Mr. Hubbard by presenting a stunning plaque to the Church of Scientology. Embossed on a background that speaks to the beauty of the Phoenix landscape, it states: "We commemorate L. Ron Hubbard's creation of the Scientology creed in Phoenix, Arizona, marking a brand-new dawn for this world."

The first Scientology Church was incorporated in Los Angeles in February 1954. It was in Phoenix that same year that Mr. Hubbard wrote the Creed of the Church of Scientology, setting the religion forever on a path of religious tolerance, interfaith cooperation, and support of the freedom of religion or belief. The creed includes these pivotal words:

We of the Church believe:

That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.

Dr. Celoza highlighted the historic role Phoenix played in the history of the Scientology religion. L. Ron Hubbard lived at Camelback House in Phoenix when he authored many of the basic books of Scientology and delivered hundreds of lectures at seven Advanced Clinical Courses and three Congresses, laying the foundation of the Scientology religion.

The Church presented the Arizona Interfaith Movement with a certificate in appreciation for the work they do to unite people of all faiths.

Mr. Hubbard's Camelback home, meticulously restored to its exact 1950s condition and appearance, is recognized in the National Register of Historic Places, received the Governor's Heritage Preservation Honor Award at the 2007 Arizona Historic Preservation Conference, and bears a Historic Site Marker from the Arizona Historical Society.

Phoenix is also home to an Ideal Church of Scientology, dedicated in June 2012 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige.

For more information on the Church of Scientology Phoenix, visit www.Scientology-phoenix.org. To learn more about L. Ron Hubbard's Camelback Home, visit www.lronhubbard.org/landmark-sites/phoenix.html.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.lronhubbard.org/landmark-sites/phoenix.html

VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/hC0nHBNaqBk?si=DDYdlEd8iTamHRZC

2024 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Church of Scientology, the world's youngest major religion, and Phoenix played a pivotal role. Celebrating this historic occasion were Arizona Interfaith Movement (AZIFM) Executive Director Dr. Albert Celoza; President Rev. Rock Fremont, spiritual director of the Shephard of the Hills United Church of Christ; AZIFM Administrative Assistant Anne Taylor; and members of many Phoenix faiths.

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

Skateboard Legend Steve Berra Partners with LAPD Hollywood Division for Charitable Skateboard Giveaway

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- As part of a toy giveaway in Hollywood for underserved youth, organized by the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in conjunction with LAPD Hollywood youth development programs, Scientologist and legendary skateboarder Steve Berra donated signature skateboards, hoodies, and Berra's Berrics Cariuma CATIBA Pro skate shoes. And what could be more appropriate in a town known as the birthplace of modern skateboarding.

Berra hand-delivered the donated items to the children.

Hollywood police officers mentor at-risk youth and organize educational and athletic activities. Officers not only serve as positive role models, they also promote academic achievement and leadership skills youth need to create their own future.

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre supports these LAPD programs with giveaways like this and annual "Christmas Stories" fundraisers that have raised more than $500,000 for these community programs since 1993.

The Church and LAPD also collaborate to make Hollywood beautiful, safe and clean with their annual Faith & Blue activities and monthly cleanups through the Hollywood Village initiative, a partnership between the Church of Scientology, the LAPD, local merchants and The Way to Happiness Foundation.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodsVillage/

https://www.scientology.cc

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.org/22-23/#the-way-to-happiness-faith-and-blue

As part of a toy giveaway in Hollywood for underserved youth, organized by the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in conjunction with LAPD Hollywood youth development programs, Scientologist and legendary skateboarder Steve Berra donated signature skateboards, hoodies, and Berra's Berrics Cariuma CATIBA Pro skate shoes. And what could be more appropriate in a town known as the birthplace of modern skateboarding.

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

Los Angeles Deserves to Know the Hidden Source of So Many of the City’s Problems: Find Out at the Citizens Commission on Human Rights ‘Psychiatry an Industry of Death Exhibit’

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- It's no accident that while prescriptions for psychiatric medications have soared, the Los Angeles suicide rate has risen 40 percent since the year 2000 while the county's mental health budget, at nearly $3 billion and rising, is the largest in the United States. Ever wonder why? The answer is not easy to confront. But Angelenos owe it to themselves and their families to visit the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) 'Psychiatry: An Industry of Death Exhibit,' which begins its global tour this week in Los Angeles with a grand opening on Friday, March 22 at 1:30 p.m.

Speakers will include:

* Rev. Oliver E. Buie, pastor of Bel-Vue Presbyterian Church, NAACP Religious Affairs Chair of the Inglewood South-Bay Chapter and Executive Board Member of the L.A. Department of Mental Health.

* Rev. Fred Shaw, Public Affairs Director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, President of the NAACP Inglewood-South Bay Chapter and Cofounder of the Task Force against Racism and Modern Day Eugenics.

Discover the one thing school shooters have in common that no one talks about. Learn the dark history of psychiatry's promotion of racism. Look behind the ads for the truth behind surging teen suicides in Los Angeles.

The "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" Global Tour is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily from March 22 to 27 at Grand Central Market lower level, 317 S. Broadway in Los Angeles. Admission is free. The exhibit is not for the faint-hearted. But it provides the answers Los Angeles needs. Confirm your attendance here.

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.

For more information, visit the CCHR website or documentaries produced by CCHR that air on the Scientology Network. Satisfying the curiosity of people about the Scientology religion and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the Scientology Network airs on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.cchr.org

https://www.cchrint.org

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

VIDEO:

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

https://www.scientology.tv/series/cchr-documentaries/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/cchr-documentaries/psychiatry-an-industry-of-death.html

It's no accident that while prescriptions for psychiatric medications have soared, the Los Angeles suicide rate has risen 40 percent since the year 2000 while the county's mental health budget, at nearly $3 billion and rising, is the largest in the United States. Ever wonder why? The answer is not easy to confront. But Angelenos owe it to themselves and their families to visit the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) 'Psychiatry: An Industry of Death Exhibit,' which begins its global tour this week in Los Angeles with a grand opening on Friday, March 22 at 1:30 p.m.

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

The Scientology Network’s International Day of Happiness Marathon Features an Array of Changemakers Raising the Quality of Life in Their Communities

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Network is celebrating International Day of Happiness with an all-day marathon featuring "The Way to Happiness" - the common-sense moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard - and its positive impact across the globe.

The marathon event includes the two-hour The Way to Happiness book-on-film and features episodes of Voices for Humanity showcasing the movement in action.

* See how Kim Bey reverses rising crime rates and despair, introducing The Way to Happiness to institutions and schools and through cultural events in Washington, D.C.

* Learn how educator Miao-Hsiang is restoring traditional moral values with this book in Taiwan.

* Join Rosalba Cordero as she reduces crime and recidivism by bringing The Way to Happiness to schools and prisons across Mexico.

* Follow along as retired parliamentarian Carmelita Haynes uses The Way to Happiness to combat moral decay and uplift the people of Aruba.

* Ride with Minister Tony Muhammad on the "Peace Rides" as he builds a peace movement among notorious warring gangs in South-Central Los Angeles.

The marathon event also includes the two-hour The Way to Happiness book-on-film.

Written by L. Ron Hubbard, the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness form the first moral code based entirely on common sense. It can be applied by people of any faith or belief.

The Way to Happiness holds a Guinness World Record as the single most translated non-religious book. Its 21 basic principles guide one to a better quality of life.

For the full schedule of programming, visit www.Scientology.tv/schedule.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/schedule

https://www.thewaytohappiness.org

MULTIMEDIA:

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

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/common-sense-for-life.html

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

Scientology Network is celebrating International Day of Happiness with an all-day marathon featuring "The Way to Happiness" - the common-sense moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard - and its positive impact across the globe. The marathon event includes the two-hour The Way to Happiness book-on-film and features episodes of Voices for Humanity showcasing the movement in action.

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

Church of Scientology of Milano Shares Tools for Helping Victims Recover from the Emotional and Spiritual Consequences of Disaster

MILAN, Italy /ScoopCloud/ -- A World Civil Defense Day seminar for first responders at the Church of Scientology of Milano shared unique and simple technology for helping relieve the emotional and spiritual trauma that can affect disaster victims long after the incident is over. Studies show that not knowing how to help victims deal with these needs can take a toll on emergency response personnel: Their concerns over their ability to help can be a factor in burnout.

The seminar, held in the Chapel of the Church of Scientology of Milano, was organized by the Civil Protection Volunteers of the Scientology Community, Pro.CoviCo.S. Volunteers from five civil defense organizations attended: the Croce Viola Milano Ambulance Service, the Croce Verde Sempione, Associazione Nazionale Carabinieri ANC, 168 Nucleo VPC and Gruppo Comunale Volontari di Protezione Civile di Milano. These are men and women the community depends on whenever disasters strike, and the Pro.CiviCo.S volunteers wanted to provide them with resources to help them in their work.

A Scientology minister trained those attending the seminar on how to administer simple Scientology assists - techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

The civil protection volunteers teamed up and practiced the assists on each other.

"I immediately had great physical relief. It relaxed me a lot," said one. "It was very easy," said another. Yet another appreciated how good it felt "to see you are helping."

Each participant was presented with the Volunteer Ministers booklet Assists for Illness and Injury and was invited to log onto the Scientology website to enroll on this and 18 other Scientology Tools for Life courses, available free of charge in 17 languages.

With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled "The Wake-Up Call," which inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister program. In response, Volunteer Ministers of Italy formed Pro.Civi.Co.S, which was entered into the registry of the National Department of Civil Defense the following year.

Over the past two decades, Pro.Civi.Co.S and the Volunteer Ministers of Italy have responded to disasters at home and abroad, including the L'Aquila and Amatrice earthquakes in Italy, the South Asian tsunami of 2004, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the 2019 Albania earthquake, and the 2020 Croatia earthquake.

Throughout the pandemic, they established and ran help lines, provided assistance to healthcare workers, saw to the needs of their communities, and sanitized churches, mosques, and other houses of worship, making it possible for them to safely serve their congregations. Their work is featured in the new feature-length film Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.org/churches/ideal-orgs/milano/

https://www.scientology-milano.it/

https://www.procivicos.it/protezione-civile-scientology/

https://www.procivicos.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.youtube.com/@procivicosonlus3537

https://www.scientology.org/2023-celebrating-the-ias/#volunteer-ministers

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

A World Civil Defense Day seminar for first responders at the Church of Scientology of Milano shared unique and simple technology for helping relieve the emotional and spiritual trauma that can affect disaster victims long after the incident is over. Studies show that not knowing how to help victims deal with these needs can take a toll on emergency response personnel: Their concerns over their ability to help can be a factor in burnout.

Related link: https://www.scientology-milano.it/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister Reached Out to a Friend With an Offer of Help and the Difference it Made

ATHENS, Greece /ScoopCloud/ -- In September 2023, Julia, a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Athens, reached out offering help to her friend Mariza in Volos, Greece. The city, some 200 miles away, was all but destroyed by Storm Daniel. Julia assembled a team and traveled some 200 miles to the coastal port city. They arrived with tools and supplies and helped residents and businesses recover from a disaster that some described as "Biblical" because of its unparalleled damage.

Joined by a team of Hungarian Scientologists, the Volunteer Ministers coordinated with civil protection and the fire department and began the grueling task of removing the mud and restoring order. More and more families and local volunteers joined in the project until every home in the area was mud-free and clean and they were ready to start planning needed renovation and restoration.

The Volunteer Minister's friend posted her heartfelt thanks and a video on her Facebook.

"Daniel hit all of Thessaly including my city Volos. There was devastation everywhere," she wrote. "And then, in the darkest of days, my friend Julia said she and her team wanted to come to help Volos in any way possible."

Mariza described how the volunteers took on the grueling work of cleaning up homes that were buried in mud and debris.

"They offered solidarity, support, cooperation and participation," she said, "words that take on a new dimension when they are put into action."

Mariza wrote of meeting Julia and her family 24 years ago, "and 24 years later, they proved to me how lucky I was to have met them and that they count me among their friends. I feel blessed."

Scientology Volunteer Ministers are trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, providing them with the skills they need to help "on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." The motto of the Volunteer Minister is that no matter the circumstances "Something can be done about it." Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as one who "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 on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit the nearest Church of Scientology or watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://en.scientology-athens.org/

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.org/2023-celebrating-the-ias/#volunteer-ministers

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

In September 2023, Julia, a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Athens, reached out offering help to her friend Mariza in Volos, Greece. The city, some 200 miles away, was all but destroyed by Storm Daniel. Julia assembled a team and traveled some 200 miles to the coastal port city.

Related link: https://en.scientology-athens.org/

Scientology Tools for Life: Empowering South African Officials to Make a Difference at the Grassroots Level

GAUTENG, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- Councillor Sibongile Soxuza, deeply troubled by the pervasive issues of domestic abuse, drug addiction, poverty, corruption and crime within her communities, recognized the urgent need for action. As speaker of the council, responsible for nearly a million residents, she took a personal stand to effect change. Seeking a program that could deliver tangible results, she turned to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers life skills training program, reaching out to the Volunteer Ministers South Africa headquarters at Castle Kyalami in Midrand. The result? A comprehensive and effective training initiative for 350 Ward Committee members.

These Ward councillors, facing daily challenges, eagerly embraced the opportunity for change. Completing the 19 Tools for Life courses, they acquired a diverse array of skills-from resolving conflicts and tackling poverty and drug abuse to empowering youth, improving literacy, communication and ethical standards.

"It was more than I expected," said one councillor, while another hailed it as the catalyst for constructive dialogue between the community and the municipality. Chief Ward Committee Coordinator Mr. Tefo Molakeng, instrumental in organizing the program, affirmed its potential to enhance lives. "This training will help them make lives better," he said.

In recognition of the program's transformative impact, Cllr. Soxuza extended her congratulations to the graduates and expressed her intent to establish a "lifelong partnership" with the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.

"Real community development begins with empowerment," said Sandile Hlayisi, chairperson of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa who delivered the training. "You first have to equip people with skills they can use to bring relief to themselves and others. We provide this training because we believe all our communities should be unified, empowered and prosperous."

Scientology Tools for Life training is available free of charge on the Scientology website in 20 languages, including Sotho, Zulu and Xhosa. They contain the technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard for the Volunteer Ministers program. Mr. Hubbard 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." They live by the 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 the full impact of South Africa's Scientology Volunteer Ministers, watch the new feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#scientology-volunteer-ministers-help-at-risk-populations-in-south-africa

https://www.castlekyalami.org.za/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#scientology-volunteer-ministers-help-at-risk-populations-in-south-africa

Councillor Sibongile Soxuza, deeply troubled by the pervasive issues of domestic abuse, drug addiction, poverty, corruption and crime within her communities, recognized the urgent need for action. As speaker of the council, responsible for nearly a million residents, she took a personal stand to effect change. Seeking a program that could deliver tangible results, she turned to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers life skills training program.

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

Using Human Rights Education to Create a Culture of Peace

SAN ANTONIO, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Born in Iraq in 1974, Haetham Abdul-Razaq was 6 when war broke out between his country and Iran. Any childhood innocence or illusion of safety was shattered when his father disappeared and was presumed dead. Eight years of war, followed by harsh sanctions imposed on Iraq after the first Gulf War increased the hardship suffered by his family and his fellow Iraqis. "One common and fundamental principle is crucial to the well-being and prosperity of people, as well as the protection of their dignity, differences and ability," Abdul-Razaq said in an interview with United for Human Rights. "That principle is believing, embracing and applying human rights to improve the world."

Abdul-Razaq immigrated to America in 2005 and set his sights on what he could do to help create a society based on human rights. He graduated from Texas State University, earned a master's degree in sociology and a Ph.D. in culture, literacy and language from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He serves as a sociology professor and student mentor at San Antonio's Northwest Vista College.

One challenge he faces is that his students take human rights for granted. Some are oblivious to human rights violations. So, he identifies human rights abuses, subtle or significant, to reach them with the importance of protecting their own rights and the rights of others.

He finds the educational materials of United for Human Rights (UHR) help his students draw a personal connection with the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights cease being simply words on a page. They become vivid concepts with tangible impact on the quality of life.

Student comments on his classes illustrate Abdul-Razaq's success. "He is extremely passionate about his job and students and really shifts your perspective on a lot of things," wrote one. "He actually reignited my hunger to learn and expand my mind," wrote another. "Really made you think about life and how you see things - things that I never really thought of," wrote yet another.

Abdul-Razaq is founder of the United for Human Rights San Antonio Chapter and cofounder of the Arab American Community Network, a nonprofit established to "educate, empower, provide access to resources, utilize capacity building, and promote social change among Arab Americans."

United for Human Rights (UHR) is a nonprofit, international education program sponsored by the Church of Scientology and Scientologists. Thanks to this support, United for Human Rights educational materials are available free of charge to anyone wishing to use them to educate others on these fundamental rights. UHR was inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard's belief that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream."

For more information, watch Voices for Humanity, an original series featuring change-makers of all faiths, cultures, and nations who extend help to their communities through Scientology-sponsored humanitarian programs.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.humanrights.com

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org

https://www.humanrights.com/course

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA:

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

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/30-rights-brought-to-life.html

VIDEO:

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

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/30-rights-brought-to-life.html

Born in Iraq in 1974, Haetham Abdul-Razaq was 6 when war broke out between his country and Iran. "One common and fundamental principle is crucial to the well-being and prosperity of people, as well as the protection of their dignity, differences and ability," Abdul-Razaq said in an interview with United for Human Rights.

Related link: https://www.humanrights.com/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Vienna Marked World Civil Defense Day by Sharing Their Unique Disaster Response Program With the Community

VIENNA, Austria /ScoopCloud/ -- Civil Defense Day is marked every year on March 1st. It is a time to share information that can help shield individuals and property from natural disasters, accidents, and other crises. Trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have helped countless victims recover from the emotional and spiritual stress and trauma of disaster. This year, the Church of Scientology Vienna commemorated the day by sharing its program with the community. Their Volunteer Ministers set up their bright yellow tent on Mariahilfastrasse, one of Vienna's most popular shopping streets, to share their disaster response tools with the community at large.

The technology Mr. Hubbard developed for the Volunteer Ministers program is now available through free online courses in 20 languages through the Scientology website. As a result, it is possible for anyone to learn and use these skills. Called the Scientology Tools for Life, these courses apply not only to major manmade and natural disasters such as bombings, fires and floods. They are equally effective for addressing personal and family crises caused by broken marriages, illiteracy and substance abuse.

Since the start of the pandemic, Volunteer Ministers have contributed more than 10 million hours of service as shown in the feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network. In South Africa alone, more than 25,000 individuals have completed all 19 Tools for Life courses and joined the ranks of the country's Volunteer Ministers helping in their communities, churches and schools.

The Church of Scientology Vienna is located at Capistrangasse 4. All are welcome to visit and learn more about Scientology and the humanitarian campaigns the Church supports.

Operation: Do Something About It is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.org/courses

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

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

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

Civil Defense Day is marked every year on March 1st. It is a time to share information that can help shield individuals and property from natural disasters, accidents, and other crises. Trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have helped countless victims recover from the emotional and spiritual stress and trauma of disaster.

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

A Tip From the Church of Scientology to Help Make International Happiness Day Something to Celebrate

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- According to a February 2024 Gallup Poll, fewer than 50 percent of Americans are "very satisfied" with how things are going in their personal lives. With the International Day of Happiness approaching, Scientology Churches everywhere are opening their doors to the community to share The Way to Happiness, a booklet that can spell the difference between happiness and despair.

Written by L. Ron Hubbard, its 21 precepts form the first moral code based entirely on common sense. It can be applied by people of any faith or belief. And because it is translated into 118 languages it is universally accessible.

As L. Ron Hubbard explains in the book's introduction: "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."

All are invited to attend and learn about the book that is credited with:

* Brokering peace among warring gangs in South Central Los Angeles

* Reducing crime in inner-city Denver neighborhoods

* Transforming a poverty-stricken village in Zambia into one on its way to sustainability,

* Awakening hardened Colombian soldiers-once notorious for their extrajudicial killing of innocent civilians-to their responsibility for preserving the lives and welfare of their fellow citizens.

To find the nearest Scientology Church and reserve a seat, visit the Scientology global locator.

The Scientology Network airs public service announcements illustrating each of the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness and a feature-length The Way to Happiness book on film.

It also features episodes of Voices for Humanity showcasing the movement in action.

To enroll on a free online course on The Way to Happiness, visit The Way to Happiness website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

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

https://www.thewaytohappiness.org

MULTIMEDIA:

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

According to a February 2024 Gallup Poll, fewer than 50 percent of Americans are "very satisfied" with how things are going in their personal lives. With the International Day of Happiness approaching, Scientology Churches everywhere are opening their doors to the community to share The Way to Happiness, a booklet that can spell the difference between happiness and despair.

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

March 13, the Birthday of Author, Humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- While Scientologists across the globe celebrate L Ron Hubbard's birthday today, they are joined by millions more who honor him for the humanitarian activities he inspired and his impact on their lives.

In his famous essay, "My Philosophy," L. Ron Hubbard wrote "I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself of the shadows which darken his days.

"These shadows look so thick to him and weigh him down so that when he finds they are shadows and that he can see through them, walk through them and be again in the sun, he is enormously delighted. And I am afraid I am just as delighted as he is."

Scientologists worldwide honor the enduring legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, who has inspired a humanitarian movement that enriches lives across society.

Officials, religious leaders and more than 25,000 new Scientology Volunteer Ministers in South Africa know L. Ron Hubbard as the man who inspired a movement that contributed millions of volunteer hours on the frontlines during the pandemic and is empowering entire towns and cities across the nation with the Scientology Tools for Life skills development program.

Former addicts credit him for making it possible for them to live drug-free. They mark the turning point of their lives as the day they began the Narconon program, which is based on Mr. Hubbard's research and writings.

And as shown in the Scientology Network original series I Am a Scientologist, L. Ron Hubbard's wisdom has transformed the lives of countless individuals, empowering them to succeed and thrive.

Among the many honors L. Ron Hubbard earned is the Publishers Weekly Century Award for the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. The magazine describes Dianetics as "perhaps the best-selling non-Christian book of all time in the West."

Smithsonian magazine lists L. Ron Hubbard among the 11 most influential religious figures in American history and one of the 100 most significant Americans of all time.

To learn more about L. Ron Hubbard and the religion he founded, visit the Scientology Network.

Several of L. Ron Hubbard's books on film are available:

The Problems of Work: Scientology Applied to the Workaday World, The Way to Happiness, and Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought.

The series L. Ron Hubbard Library Presents includes filmed versions of some of his most popular essays and articles including "My Philosophy," "What is Greatness?" and "The Aims of Scientology."

The Scientology Network was launched in honor of L. Ron Hubbard's birthday on March 12, 2018, with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige.

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.scientologynews.org/press-releases

https://www.lronhubbard.org

https://www.scientology.tv/series/l-ron-hubbard-in-his-own-voice/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/l-ron-hubbard-library-presents/

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/l-ron-hubbard-in-his-own-voice/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/l-ron-hubbard-library-presents/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VaMOa5Hh7E

While Scientologists across the globe celebrate L Ron Hubbard's birthday today, they are joined by millions more who honor him for the humanitarian activities he inspired and his impact on their lives. In his famous essay, "My Philosophy," L. Ron Hubbard wrote "I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself of the shadows which darken his days."

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

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Helping First Responders Deal With the ‘Human Factor’ in Times of Disaster

MIAMI, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- America's emergency response personnel are heroes. They are dedicated to saving property and lives. But there is another factor in disaster relief: the ongoing spiritual and emotional consequences of disasters to both first responders and victims. Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out at Disasters Expo USA 2024 in Miami March 6 and 7 to share simple techniques anyone may learn to help with this "human factor" that is so crucial to the quality of life.

Since 2005, when they were recognized as "Hurricane Heroes" for helping victims of Hurricane Charley, the state's Volunteer Ministers have responded to major disasters in Florida, nearby states, and throughout the Caribbean, earning them the respect of disaster and emergency response professionals for the quality of their care.

A team of these disaster response veterans set up their signature bright yellow tent at the expo and introduced those attending to the Volunteer Ministers program and its life-affirming technology.

In South Africa, the Gauteng Department of Health partners with the country's Volunteer Ministers to train its emergency and disaster personnel. "This Tools for Life skills program is not just theoretical training," said the station manager of Emergency Medical Services of the West Rand City municipality. "We also need help." He found these courses prevent burnout by addressing "real, daily life challenges."

"The Tools for Life made me more resilient," said the chief chaplain of the Gauteng Department of Health. They helped him find "the knowledge and strength that I can face more pressure going forward."

Those trained in this technology are far more able to interact with victims and help them overcome their trauma.

Among those presenting the program at the Disasters Expo USA booth were veterans of the Volunteer Ministers' response to Hurricane Ian, which wreaked havoc in Southwest Florida in 2022. Feedback from victims of that hurricane show the impact of the skills these victims have learned and use.

"We've been waking up every morning to this devastation," said one victim "and these guys are just the bright part of our day." "Now that you're here, I'm not overwhelmed anymore," said another. "I'm going to be able to survive this and put everything in my life back together. People helping people is the silver lining of the whole disaster."

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program in the mid-1970s to empower people wishing to help those in need. "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," he wrote.

The tools he developed for the program are now available as free online courses on the Scientology and Volunteer Ministers websites.

It is this training that makes the difference between someone who wishes he could help and someone who knows he can and does so whenever the need arises.

For the full impact of the Volunteer Ministers program, watch Operation: Do Something About It, a feature-length documentary on the Church of Scientology global response to the pandemic. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network, available in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages, has earned 135 industry awards. From 2020 to 2023, the network introduced more than 20 million new people to Scientology.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.org/courses

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

America's emergency response personnel are heroes. They are dedicated to saving property and lives. But there is another factor in disaster relief: the ongoing spiritual and emotional consequences of disasters to both first responders and victims. Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out at Disasters Expo USA 2024 in Miami March 6 and 7 to share simple techniques anyone may learn to help with this "human factor" that is so crucial to the quality of life.

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

Church of Scientology in Sydney Hosts a Multicultural Festival Honoring Those Who Serve the Community

SYDNEY, Australia /ScoopCloud/ -- The Church of Scientology Advanced Organization in Sydney, Australia, hosted the "Thanking Festival" of the Australian Multicultural Arts & Values (AMAV) that honored 48 community groups for their outstanding service to the community.

In addition to the awards presentation, guests learned to apply first aid skills such as CPR and the care of injuries. And the lead Volunteer Minister of the Church of Scientology of Sydney demonstrated a simple Scientology assist - one of a series of techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to help people recover from the stress and trauma so often present in times of disaster.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers were among those awarded for their response in the wake of last year's devastating floods that damaged some 80 percent of the homes and businesses of the New South Wales town of Eugowra. In addition to weeks salvaging belongings, digging homes and businesses out of the mud and restoring order to local farms, they also helped residents overcome the emotional and spiritual effects of the disaster. The work of these volunteers is featured in a video in an interactive timeline on the Scientology website.

"When the Volunteer Ministers came," says one Eugowra resident, "it was a calming influence" as they cleared away "the most horrendous debris ... working day and night virtually." "They saw something that needed doing and they did something about it," said another. "It made all the difference to me," said yet another person helped by the volunteers. "Made me feel like I had friends and support."

The bright yellow T-shirts and jackets of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are a welcome and familiar sight in times of disaster. Firefighters battling the annual bushfires that devastate the country appreciate their personal care. The Volunteer Ministers provide water and food and a place to relax between shifts. And firefighters often comment that Scientology assists make it possible for them to continue their work despite arduous conditions and lack of sleep.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service developed in mid-1970s by Mr. Hubbard, who wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

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

The work of the Volunteer Ministers of Sydney is featured in an episode of the original series Destination Scientology on the Scientology Network. And the story of how the religion harnessed the full power of its global network of facilities and volunteers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with the largest humanitarian mobilization in the Church's history is documented in the new feature-length film, Operation: Do Something About It.

Both films are available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology-sydney.org

https://www.scientology.org/22-23/#volunteer-ministers-australia-floods

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/courses/assists/overview.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.org/22-23/#volunteer-ministers-australia-floods

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

The Church of Scientology Advanced Organization in Sydney, Australia, hosted the "Thanking Festival" of the Australian Multicultural Arts & Values (AMAV) that honored 48 community groups for their outstanding service to the community. In addition to the awards presentation, guests learned to apply first aid skills such as CPR and the care of injuries.

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

Volunteers From the Church of Scientology Ask, Do You Know Your Rights?

CANBERRA, Australian Capital Territory /ScoopCloud/ -- Australia's 26th annual Canberra National Multicultural Festival brought together more than 170 diverse communities to share their customs, history, and heritage through food, art, song and dance. But while Australians today pride themselves on diversity and inclusion, this was not always the case. And ingrained bias and prejudice can die hard. This is why volunteers from the Church of Scientology brought their human rights education initiative to the festival.

Despite its diversity today, with nearly 30 percent of Australia's population born overseas, cultural and ethnic inclusion is a relatively new concept.

From the devastating treatment of the country's First Nation people beginning with England's colonization, to the 1901 "White Australia Policy" that continued through World War II, bias and prejudice was ingrained in the culture, and, according to a 2023 Monash University study, these attitudes persist to this day.

This is why educating youth on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is essential. And what better place to share the campaign than at a festival like this that promotes respect for different cultures, beliefs and attitudes. Youth for Human Rights International's materials help people of all ages understand the 30 rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - rights that apply to all people, all cultures and all geographic zones.

Volunteers from the Church of Scientology reached out to youth with What Are Human Rights? booklets, materials produced by the Church-sponsored human rights educational campaign. Those staffing festival booths were happy to accept sets of these materials for visitors to take home with them.

Educators in countries around the world routinely comment on how Youth for Human Rights materials change attitudes by reaching kids where they live. "Student groups to whom I've shown the Youth for Human Rights video, The Story of Human Rights found it inspiring. They perceived it as a catalyst for social change and becoming more involved in their communities," said one educator. They really take home the message that human rights start with people like them.

The materials "definitely get students' attention," said a middle school teacher. "I've noticed how much more aware my students are of each other's feelings and they have begun, some for the first time, to have an awareness of their own rights as human beings."

"I feel that this program affects me by creating a deeper regard toward human rights," said a student age 14. "From this point on, I'll feel more empathetic and respectful of others' rights and change how others think about what we deserve."

United for Human Rights and its program for young people, Youth for Human Rights, are inspired by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who said: "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream." In a world where people are barraged by reports of human rights violations, Scientologists work to uplift the culture by promoting full implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through United for Human Rights, one of the world's broadest human rights education and public information initiatives.

These materials are available in 17 languages on the website of United for Human Rights, including a free e-course on the background, history and significance of the document and each of its 30 articles.

The Scientology Network includes human rights programs: a documentary on the history of human rights, public service announcements on the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and episodes of the original series Voices for Humanity featuring ardent human rights activists who have used these materials to create positive change in their communities, cities, countries and beyond.

The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.humanrights.com

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA:

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

VIDEO:

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

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

Australia's 26th annual Canberra National Multicultural Festival brought together more than 170 diverse communities to share their customs, history, and heritage through food, art, song and dance. But while Australians today pride themselves on diversity and inclusion, this was not always the case. And ingrained bias and prejudice can die hard. This is why volunteers from the Church of Scientology brought their human rights education initiative to the festival.

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

Austin Leads As the First in a Series of Beautiful New Scientology Churches Opened One After Another in Just Over a Week

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The dedication of the new Ideal Scientology Church in Austin, Texas, was the first in a series of stunning new Scientology Churches to open in 2024, and it embodies the spirit of unabated growth that has become the hallmark of Scientology today.

Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, welcomed Lone Star State Scientologists and the purpose and pride they embodied in accomplishing this milestone.

"You're Texas big and Texas tough," he said. "This is a moment to remember what was said long ago by one of your famous Texans-that it was the best land he had ever seen, and there was a world of country to settle. Well, so it is again today. Except your 'line of country' is the human spirit, and you settle it by restoring to people the happiness, love, sincerity and kindness with which they were created."

Just a mile from the state capitol building, the new Ideal Church provides Texas-size facilities to expand the Church's humanitarian activity and influence: exemplary drug awareness and prevention for Texas youth, human rights education and countless victories for victims of mental health abuse.

Among the officials and dignitaries joining Mr. Miscavige at the opening event was Vice-President of the University Area Partners Association, Mr. Mike McHone, a committed neighborhood leader for the West Campus area. "For those of you who aren't from Austin, this town is a university town. We work to keep our neighborhood at the front of the pack when it comes to, well, everything," Mr. McHone said.

"And today I'll admit a little Longhorns pride in celebrating another big step in keeping our neighborhood the Best of the Best. Hook 'em Horns!" he told the roaring crowd.

"Each and every one of you should take pride in knowing you have helped make our home what it is today. Your members form the backbone of an ongoing community effort. Which is another way of saying, you have shown an inherent understanding of what our residents need with a passion and care to create a thriving, active community.

"While today, with this Grand Opening, we celebrate the return of a major player to this University area. So what I should really be saying is, 'Welcome back!'"

Mr. Sam Price, who served nearly 25 years with the Austin Health Department and is now a dedicated Texas drug education advocate in Central Texas, recognized the impact of the Church-sponsored drug awareness program, Drug-Free World. "From the outset, our attitude was, 'Let's educate people.' And we got that Truth About Drugs information out to everyone. That means, thanks to your support, thousands who never had a chance to be educated now have the choice to say, 'I'm going to live drug-free!'

"The world would be a better place if more people had the care and commitment that your Church members do. No doubt about it. And thanks to Drug-Free World, you've given this kid from the south of Austin the opportunity of a lifetime. So I have one final request: keep doing your good work. You'll never know how many lives you've saved."

Ms. Simone Talma Flowers, Executive Director of Interfaith Action of Central Texas, spoke on the international diversity of Austin's religious community. "Bridging division between different faiths is not simply a 'nice to do,' it's essential," she said. "You have been pillars of devotion and dependency. And upon those pillars, we have now built the largest interfaith movement in all of Central Texas."

Remarking on the new Church's spacious Chapel, Ms. Flowers said, "I have to tell you, we are so excited at the prospect of holding our events right here-front and center in Downtown. This Ideal Org will be a shared space where any and all are welcome, a place for services, talks or meetings for reconciliation. So may it continue to shine as a sanctuary for all faiths for all the decades to come!"

The final guest speaker, Mr. Nelson Linder, serves as President of the Austin NAACP. He recalled that, as a child in Georgia in the late 1950s, he walked to school because there were no buses that served his segregated school. "Like many others, my fight for civil rights is now decades long.

"A just society requires sacrifice and commitment," Mr. Linder said. "In fact, a great man once said, 'Injustice is not something in which any man with power should ever trade.' That was Mr. L. Ron Hubbard. To say such in the crucible of the 1960s shows tremendous courage.

"At that time, just a handful were in the middle, trying to broker peace, and yet there he was. Mr. Hubbard's ideas of forwarding the concept of true justice were both visionary and grand.

"And let's face it, they inspired you all to create a movement not only in Texas, but around the world. That's not just a gift for those who are here. It's a gift for those who aren't even born yet. So on behalf of the Austin NAACP, thank you, Mr. Hubbard, for being a strong voice in the land.

"With this Grand Opening today, we can now say: Yes, Mr. Hubbard, we are turning your dream into reality. And that is most certainly cause to celebrate."

All are invited to tour the Church's new Public Information Center at 2200 Guadalupe Street to satisfy their curiosity about Scientology, open Monday to Fri 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The dedication of the new Ideal Scientology Church in Austin, Texas, was the first in a series of stunning new Scientology Churches to open in 2024, and it embodies the spirit of unabated growth that has become the hallmark of Scientology today. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, welcomed Lone Star State Scientologists and the purpose and pride they embodied in accomplishing this milestone.

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

Hollywood Village Does Something Special to Back Up Local Firefighters – Men and Women Who Risk Their Lives to Ensure the Safety of Us All

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Firefighters are in the business of saving lives. These are the men and women who provide fire prevention and rescue. They battle the blazes throughout the city and the notorious Los Angeles brushfires and wildfires. They are also the ambulance drivers, EMTs and paramedics who provide emergency medical response. And they do so day and night every day of the year. Hollywood Village is a partnership between the Church of Scientology, The Way to Happiness Foundation, the Los Angeles Police Department, local businesses, and numerous faith-based and neighborhood groups dedicated to ensuring that Hollywood is beautiful, safe and clean. So as soon as Hollywood Village volunteers learned that L.A. Fire Station 76 needed help with a project, they were eager to take it on.

Fire Station 76 is just north of the Hollywood Bowl, south of Universal City Walk and right off the Hollywood Freeway. Fire stations are subject to a lot of wear and tear and this one needed some TLC. The crew have been doing interior renovations bit by bit, but the fire chief knew they would need some help to tackle the exterior. Under the direction of a landscape designer, the Hollywood Village volunteers teamed up with the firefighters. And the difference between before and after was impressive.

Together, they cut back and disposed of years of overgrowth, dead brush, roots and weeds and conditioned the lawn and flower box. After plenty of hard work, the result was a bright new, well-tended landscape around the fire station.

Hollywood Village volunteers live by the precepts of The Way to Happiness, the nonreligious moral code based wholly on common sense. Author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard wrote the book in 1981 to help arrest the moral decline in society and restore integrity and trust. The book's 21 basic principles or precepts are a simple guide people of any culture or creed can apply to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of others.

In carrying out the cleanup, Hollywood Village put several precepts of The Way to Happiness into practice: Precept 6, Set a Good Example; Precept 12, Safeguard and Improve Your Environment; Precept 16, Be Industrious; and Precept 20, Try To Treat Others as You Would Want Them To Treat You.

Not only did they accomplish what they intended, they also forged new friendships. And the completed project brought as much joy to the volunteers as it did to the men and women of the firehouse.

To learn more about The Way to Happiness, tour the Public Information Center of any Ideal Scientology Church, watch public service announcements on its 21 precepts and The Way to Happiness book on film on the Scientology Network, or episodes of Voices for Humanity, an award-winning original series on the Scientology Network featuring change-makers of all faiths, cultures and nations who extend help to their communities using humanitarian and social betterment programs supported by Scientologists and the Church of Scientology.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodsVillage/

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

MULTIMEDIA:

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

Firefighters are in the business of saving lives. These are the men and women who provide fire prevention and rescue. They battle the blazes throughout the city and the notorious Los Angeles brushfires and wildfires. They are also the ambulance drivers, EMTs and paramedics who provide emergency medical response. And they do so day and night every day of the year. Hollywood Village is a partnership between the Church of Scientology, The Way to Happiness Foundation, the Los Angeles Police Department, local businesses, and numerous faith-based and neighborhood groups.

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

Protestors at the American College of Psychiatrists Convention in New Orleans Demand an End to Electroshock: It is Not Therapy, it is Torture, They Say

NEW ORLEANS, La. /ScoopCloud/ -- Protesters demonstrated outside the American College of Psychiatrists Convention at the Marriott New Orleans last week, demanding psychiatrists immediately cease using ECT (electroconvulsive treatment). Some 100,000 Americans are subjected to ECT every year, making its use a multibillion-dollar industry. Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) organized the demonstration. CCHR, a mental health watchdog founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry Dr. Thomas Szasz, says ECT sends 460 volts of electricity through the brain causing a grand mal seizure. Yet American psychiatric facilities, including those in the host city of New Orleans, continue to use it.

CCHR international spokesperson Rev. Fred Shaw, president of the NAACP Inglewood-South Bay, California, Chapter and cofounder of the Task Force against Racism and Modern Day Eugenics, led the protest. Shaw asserted that electroshock treatment "should be universally banned. It is astounding that American psychiatrists still endorse electroshock, including to children, pregnant women and the frail elderly."

CCHR called on the American College of Psychiatrists to put members on notice that the administration of electroshock and all coercive psychiatric practices must stop and that psychiatric associations have the duty to include patient protection and rights in the continuing medical education of its members.

In October 2023, the World Health Organization issued guidance stating: "Coercive practices in mental health care violate the right to be protected from torture or cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment." The WHO pointed out that "ECT without consent violates the right to physical and mental integrity and may constitute torture and ill-treatment." It also clarifies that informed consent requires that those "offered ECT should also be made aware of all its risks and potential short- and long-term harmful effects, such as memory loss and brain damage."

The guidance cited a 2018 Los Angeles lawsuit that led to ECT device manufacturer, Somatics Inc., adding a warning to its instruction manual that "patients may experience...permanent brain damage."

One of the law firms that successfully litigated the case, reported: "ECT can cause brain damage, permanent memory loss and neurocognitive injury," that there are no long-term studies that show ECT is safe or effective, and that the procedure delivers "a significant amount of electricity to the human brain, resulting in damage."

Guidance from the World Health Organization and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued in 2023 states, "In no situation shall mental health internment, hospitalization or treatment be carried out against the will of the person."

The United Nations Convention against Torture condemns ECT. The U.S. is a signatory to the convention, making it applicable in domestic law. Despite this, many U.S. states allow for involuntary ECT. What's more, a July 2018 UN Human Rights Council report indicated that forced ECT constitutes "torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment...."

CCHR has long fought to protect the rights of individuals to refuse ECT and was instrumental in obtaining legislation in several states of Australia that bans an ECT procedure combined with deep sedation. Called "Deep Sleep," it was so dangerous for people of all ages that criminal penalties were added to laws preventing its administration. In 2023, members of the UK Parliament called for a complete ban on the practice.

Rev. Shaw is the subject of an episode of the Scientology Network original series Voices for Humanity featuring changemakers of variety of faiths, cultures and nations as they work to make a difference by helping communities in partnership with Scientology-sponsored humanitarian programs. Born into a family of civic-minded freedom fighters in South Los Angeles, Rev. Shaw often heard it said, "If you don't stand up, who will?" A former deputy sheriff, Fred has a passion for protecting civil and human rights.

The CCHR documentary Therapy or Torture: The Truth About Electroshock exposes the serious risks of ECT. The film is available in 17 languages on the Scientology Network.

For more information, visit the CCHR website, or watch a series of CCHR documentaries on the Scientology Network that expose the truth about ECT, the marketing of dangerous psychotropic drugs and psychiatric industry's dark and terrifying history.

MULTIMEDIA:

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

https://www.cchrint.org

VIDEO:

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

Protesters demonstrated outside the American College of Psychiatrists Convention at the Marriott New Orleans last week, demanding psychiatrists immediately cease using ECT (electroconvulsive treatment). Some 100,000 Americans are subjected to ECT every year, making its use a multibillion-dollar industry. Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) organized the demonstration. CCHR, a mental health watchdog founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry Dr. Thomas Szasz, says ECT sends 460 volts of electricity through the brain causing a grand mal seizure.

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

Church of Scientology Seattle and its Volunteer Ministers Hold an Open House to Honor Those Who Help Through Community Service and in Times of Disaster

SEATTLE, Wash. /ScoopCloud/ -- Whether responding to disasters or caring for the needs of underserved communities, Seattle nonprofits, churches and volunteer groups provide vital services to the city. The Church of Scientology of Seattle hosted an open house in support of Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WAVOAD) and local nonprofits that respond to these needs.

Volunteer Minister Jim Mahon, part of the leadership team of WAVOAD, highlighted the cooperation that enables effective, coordinated relief in times of disaster. "Over the years, our Volunteer Ministers have responded to floods and mudslides in Washington state, and we offer free training in first aid and CPR to the community," said Mahon.

The Church works with community partners to help the homeless with food and clothing drives. These services are particularly important in the winter when the weather impacts homeless individuals and families.

Throughout the pandemic, Seattle Volunteer Ministers supplied thousands of items of clothing, masks, hygiene products and food to nonprofit organizations, including the Salvation Army, Queen Anne Helpline, Catholic Community Services, Mary's Place and the Queen Anne Food Bank. They also distributed 20,000 booklets to help educate individuals and businesses on how to stay safe and healthy despite COVID-19.

The highlight of the open house was a screening of the new documentary Operation: Do Something About It. The film shares the untold story of how the Church of Scientology mobilized the largest humanitarian effort in its history to bring hope, help and compassion to individuals, businesses, other religions, government agencies and healthcare workers during the pandemic.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service, developed in 1973 by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

Watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network. Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse 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-seattle.org/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

Whether responding to disasters or caring for the needs of underserved communities, Seattle nonprofits, churches and volunteer groups provide vital services to the city. The Church of Scientology of Seattle hosted an open house in support of Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WAVOAD) and local nonprofits that respond to these needs.

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

Scientology Tools for Life Empower the South African ‘Green Angels,’ The Men and Women of the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services

MIDRAND, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- Through a series of seminars at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are empowering employees of the Gauteng Department of Health. These healthcare workers, in their bright green uniforms, have become known as the province's "Green Angels," because they, along with staff of affiliated chaplaincy and faith-based organizations who also attended the training, put their lives on the line to help others.

Ms. Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Member of the Executive Council of the Gauteng Department of Health, who endorsed the partnership between her department and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, attended a ceremony last month where she congratulated 230 graduates of the program. She thanked the Scientology Volunteer Ministers "for their selflessness and humanitarian intervention," and for equipping her staff "with tools to bring change to society." For the more than 700 Gauteng Department of Health staff who have completed the program so far, "this training has brought change in their lives, and this needs to be done on a broad scale."

"This Tools for Life skills program is not just theoretical training," said the station manager of Emergency Medical Services of Westonaria, a town in the Rand West City municipality. In a video on the YouTube channel of the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, he said these courses "address real, daily life challenges." He sees this training as vital to prevent burnout and restore the well-being of his staff. EMS workers are often traumatized in their efforts to save lives. "We also need help," he said. And they have received that help from the Scientology Tools for Life.

The assistant director of a health and wellness organization shared the story of a colleague whose son was an addict. His impact on the family was devastating; his parents were on the brink of divorce. After his mother attended the Scientology Tools for Life training, she personally mentored him through the 19 courses. On completing them, he told her, "Mama, I'm ready to go to rehab. I want to change my life."

A pastor who serves as secretary general of a faith-based organization said that before taking part in the program, he thought he knew it all. But he soon realized this was something he needed to learn and use. The training sharpened his leadership and communication skills. "I saw how I could be a better person, a better leader in the work I do."

"The Tools for Life made me more resilient," said the chief chaplain of the Gauteng Department of Health. This program helped him find "the knowledge and strength that I can face more pressure going forward." He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Department of Health for finding and making these tools available to him and his staff.

The graduates of this partnership between the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the Gauteng Department of Health join more than 25,000 South Africans who have completed the 19 Scientology Tools for Life Courses and are using the skills they have gained to serve their communities. Available free of charge in 20 languages, including Sotho, Zulu, and Xhosa, these courses train the individual in technology developed for the Volunteer Ministers program by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who referred to 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." They subscribe to the 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 the full impact of South Africa's Scientology Volunteer Ministers, watch the new feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Over the past three years, the network has introduced more than 20 million new people to Scientology.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/@vmafrica

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/@vmafrica

https://youtu.be/klfSXDlbgqs?si=7ATe904WlnAHzCNM

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://youtu.be/klfSXDlbgqs?si=7ATe904WlnAHzCNM

Through a series of seminars at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are empowering employees of the Gauteng Department of Health. These healthcare workers, in their bright green uniforms, have become known as the province's "Green Angels," because they, along with staff of affiliated chaplaincy and faith-based organizations who also attended the training, put their lives on the line to help others.

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

Seminar Introduces Those New to the Scientology Tools for Life to the Practical Use of This Technology for Improving Daily Life and Relationships

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario /ScoopCloud/ -- "I really liked the aura and environment of today's event," said one woman who attended the Interfaith Harmony Week event at the Church of Scientology Cambridge. "I learned new skills of effective communication and I will use what I learned for my personal development."

The event, organized by the Cambridge Church and the Canadian Volunteer Ministers Continental Cavalcade, included the screening of the new feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It on the global response to the pandemic of the Church of Scientology.

"I was supposed to leave early," the woman went on to say, "but I was glued to the screen with my cousin watching the documentary."

"What I liked most was that the seminar was really interactive," said another. Along with the other guests, she practiced these tools with members of the audience, and she found she was more comfortable about striking up new acquaintances and friendships because of what she learned.

"I enjoyed putting what I learned into practice," said a third participant who has been coping with feeling anxious in social situations. These new skills had immediate application to what she was trying to deal with. "That was my favorite part," she said.

Those attending found the film inspiring. Most said they were particularly moved by the Volunteer Ministers reaching out to other faith communities, making their help broadly available. They were surprised to learn that the Scientology Tools for Life, the technology for the training of the Volunteer Minister, is available free of charge online and that anyone may take the courses and become a Volunteer Minister.

"I'm an enthusiast who loves seeking knowledge and developing myself and my environment," said another guest, who was introduced to the program by the seminar. He wants to help further the program through interfaith partnerships and decided to take the online courses so he can participate in future Volunteer Minister disaster response activities.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service, developed in 1973 by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

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

Operation: Do Something About It is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

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

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

"I really liked the aura and environment of today's event," said one woman who attended the Interfaith Harmony Week event at the Church of Scientology Cambridge. "I learned new skills of effective communication and I will use what I learned for my personal development."

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

Brazilian Gangsta Rapper, Once an Addict and Drug Dealer, Now Uses His Music and Passion to Reach Kids With the Truth About Drugs

CUIABA, Brazil /ScoopCloud/ -- Growing up surrounded by gangs, crime, and violence that plagued his neighborhood in Cuiabá, Brazil, in the '80s and '90s, Diogenes Luiz de Oliveira tried to escape from that life by using and trafficking drugs. Now, he uses his own story and the drug education materials of Foundation for a Drug-Free World to help keep kids out of the trap that consumed and nearly destroyed his life.

Oliveira and his brother were raised by a single mother. While she always put food on the table, childhood was a meager affair. "I remember going through the garbage in the richest neighborhoods to look for toys for my brother and me," he says.

He began using marijuana at 14. Then his uncle introduced him to cocaine. He would come home at dawn after a weekend of nonstop alcohol and cocaine abuse, and his mother would be waiting up for him. She tried to get through to him about what he was doing with his life. But to no avail.

At first, he confined himself to selling marijuana, but he soon graduated to trafficking cocaine and crack. And because he was selling, he always had access to drugs. He started out using cocaine twice a week, but it rapidly accelerated to a constant activity.

Oliveira began singing gangsta rap. "The songs I wrote spoke about my daily life on the streets and the violence on the outskirts of the city," he says. "I extolled crime and gangs in the lyrics and cursed the police." He and his group began opening major shows. It was a dream come true. With fame came increased police scrutiny, and in 2003, he was arrested and served time for drug trafficking and theft. But if prison was supposed to teach him a lesson, it failed. It was there that he began using crack.

"When I got out of prison, addicted to crack, with no future, and with only the streets to shelter me, I plunged headlong into the wrong things," he says.

As fate would have it, his mother had remarried, and her husband was a police officer. When she finally convinced him to go into rehab, it was her husband, a cop, who paid for it.

"It was the best decision I ever made," he says. "Life teaches you in surprising ways. I learned there are good cops and bad cops."

Olveira still raps. But his songs now focus on staying clean. He uses his music to speak his truth: that crime and drugs are not the way to solve the problems in life. He began visiting schools to share his story and to help kids make the decision to live drug-free.

In 2018, he teamed up with Mundo Sem Drogas, the Brazilian chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, and has used its Truth About Drugs booklets and videos to educate some 40,000 local children.

"My dream is to continue rapping and bringing my story to schools to reach them with the truth about drugs," he says.

Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. Through the support of Scientology Churches and Scientologists, the Foundation offers its drug education resources free of charge to anyone wishing to use them to educate others about drugs. The program is inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who noted the role substance abuse plays in the disintegration of the social fabric. Through his research, he found that "the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs."

The Foundation's Truth About Drugs materials and online drug education courses are available free of charge in 19 languages through the Foundation's website.

Watch the Drug-Free World public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs-Real People, Real Stories documentary on the Scientology Network, and episodes of the network's original series Voices for Humanity to see the program in action. The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.drugfreeworld.org

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/the-truth-about-drugs.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/they-said-they-lied.html

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

Growing up surrounded by gangs, crime, and violence that plagued his neighborhood in Cuiabá, Brazil, in the '80s and '90s, Diogenes Luiz de Oliveira tried to escape from that life by using and trafficking drugs. Now, he uses his own story and the drug education materials of Foundation for a Drug-Free World to help keep kids out of the trap that consumed and nearly destroyed his life.

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

Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology of Budapest Continue Their Outreach to Underserved Romani Families and Their Children

BUDAPEST, Hungary /ScoopCloud/ -- Winter can be very hard on Hungarian Roma communities where breadwinners often depend on seasonal casual work to support their families. Since the pandemic, even those with regular employment find it harder than before to make ends meet; salaries have not kept pace with inflation. So, when it became clear that the children of the town of Gyulaj were going hungry, Roma community leader István Szatmári took action. While he continues working to handle the underlying cause of the problem-improving education and job training opportunities - Szatmári knew who to turn to for immediate help. He called on the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology of Budapest.

The partnership between the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the town of Gyulaj began shortly after the Covid lockdown. The Church of Scientology Budapest received a message on their Facebook asking for help. Some 65 to 70 percent of the 1,700 Gyulaj residents are Roma - most of them living at or below the poverty line. Most families support themselves through farm work and day labor, which were severely impacted by restrictions. Families, already living in poverty, were unable to properly care for their children.

Then as now, the Volunteer Ministers filled their bright yellow vans with food and supplies to help local families make it through difficult times.

The work of the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology Budapest throughout the pandemic is featured in an episode of Destination: Scientology on the Scientology Network. In addition to supplying underserved communities with food, hygiene products and durable goods, they also provided service to healthcare workers, ambulance drivers and first responders who were stretched to the limit providing urgently needed care to their communities.

The Church of Scientology of Budapest is an Ideal Scientology Church, dedicated by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in July 2016. The Church is configured to serve its parishioners in their ascent to spiritual freedom and to serve as a resource for the entire community.

Find out more about the Volunteer Ministers and the other humanitarian and social betterment programs supported by the Church of Scientology. Take a tour of the Public Information Center of any Ideal Scientology Church, open daily throughout the year. Find the nearest Scientology Church through the Scientology global locator. And watch Operation: Do Something About It, the feature-length documentary on the untold story of the Church of Scientology's global response to the pandemic.

The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, 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.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://en.scientology-budapest.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/budapest.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv

https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/budapest.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

When it became clear that the children of the town of Gyulaj were going hungry, Roma community leader István Szatmári took action. While he continues working to handle the underlying cause of the problem-improving education and job training opportunities - Szatmári knew who to turn to for immediate help. He called on the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology of Budapest.

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

Quito Welcomes and Celebrates the Grand Opening of the Ideal Church of Scientology Mission in the City that Stands at the ‘Center of the World’

QUITO, Ecuador /ScoopCloud/ -- Built on the foundations of an ancient Incan city on the equator - the "center of the world" - named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art, cultural treasures and architectural marvels, Quito is a thriving metropolis of breathtaking beauty and year-round sunshine. And on February 17, the city added another distinction to its profile with the opening of the first Ideal Church of Scientology Mission in Ecuador.

The celebration began with a performance by the Jacchigua Ballet Folklórico Nacional del Ecuador of traditional Ecuadorian dances and a performance of "I Dare to Be Happy" and "Dance My Life" by popular singer-songwriter Fausto Miño.

Mission Director Ms. Cristina Betancourt welcomed distinguished guests and Scientologists who traveled from as far away as Colombia and Costa Rica to join the Quito congregation in the dedication of their new Mission.

"When a person is more able, more confident, more in communication with their environment," said Ms. Betancourt, "that person can create a better future and better conditions for the community. This is what every Ecuadorian is striving to accomplish in the quest for the best life possible for themselves, their family and society. Our Mission is here to serve the individual and the entire community, and we are honored to work shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded game changers to uplift every neighborhood."

She then introduced community leaders who partner with the Mission in its goal to uplift neighborhoods throughout Ecuador.

Guest speakers at the celebration were Commanding Inspector of the Metropolitan Police of Quito's Eugenio Espejo District, Inspector Eduardo Ruiz Gavilanes; Pastor Patricio Pena of the Anglican Church; Colonel José Vargas Alzamorra, Director of Education of the National Police of Ecuador; and Dr. Marcelo Montenegro.

Inspector Gavilanes described why he and his officers adopted the booklet The Way to Happiness, the common-sense moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard, to promote a culture of peace in the Metropolitan District of Quito.

"Your humanitarian programs make it possible to live in a better environment where everyone respects one another because they follow the precepts for successful coexistence," he said.

"The Ideal Mission of Quito is a catalyst for change, to bring more order and sanity to today's society," said Pastor Pena. "During the pandemic, my congregation, like that of all other churches, was hit hard by the lockdown. My parishioners were unable to come to the church and participate in the sacraments of their religion in person." He described how the Mission's Scientology Volunteer Ministers took on sanitizing his church making it possible for the congregation to attend church in safety. "I see this Ideal Mission as a promise of empowerment. Every one of us has the potential to be agents of change in people's lives and in their communities. This Ideal Mission is an invitation to all to be architects of a better world, a better society."

Colonel Vargas Aazmorra has worked with fellow National Police officers reaching thousands of people with the Truth About Drugs, the drug education campaign supported by the Church of Scientology. "More than 20,000 students nationwide have benefitted from material that empowers them to learn the truth about drugs," he said. "I would like to take a moment to honor and recognize L. Ron Hubbard, a visionary and Founder of Dianetics and Scientology. His unwavering dedication to the cause has etched an enduring imprint on the life of every individual fortunate enough to experience the transformative impact he has wielded. Thanks to his work, Quito Mission has positively impacted countless lives across this great country."

National Police Director of Education Montenegro described how he learned of United for Human Rights, an educational campaign supported by the Church, and he worked on a plan to strengthen the values of police officers using these materials at hundreds of conferences, each attended by thousands of police officers. These conferences not only strengthened the knowledge of human rights but also its practice as reflected by the actions of the officers in the community, reducing violence and crime by as much as 90 percent.

"I want to salute the valuable staff of this Mission," he said. "Thank you for being true guardians of L. Ron Hubbard's technology. It is you who make it possible for this knowledge to touch the mind and heart of every human being who comes in contact with it. With Scientology and your humanitarian campaigns, all of us have the necessary weapons to meet this great challenge of humanity."

With that, the ribbon came down, and guests entered the new Mission to see its facilities and find out more about Scientology, the Mission and its services.

Visitors are invited to tour the Mission's Public Information Display, featuring multimedia presentations of the basic beliefs and practices of Dianetics and Scientology as well as the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard.

As an Ideal Church of Scientology Mission, Quito is equipped with every facility needed to provide the full array of introductory Scientology services. These include the popular Life Improvement Courses through which anyone may find workable solutions to common challenges of everyday life, such as how to improve a marriage, successfully raise children, increase personal motivation, and set and achieve goals.

The Mission also offers seminars on a wide range of topics, including personal efficiency. The Hubbard Dianetics Seminar is based on Mr. Hubbard's watershed work Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, the bestselling book that reveals the source of one's nightmares, unreasonable fears and irrational behavior - the reactive mind - and how to conquer it.

Additionally, the Mission provides courses covering the full array of L. Ron Hubbard's books and recorded lectures, the Purification Program, developed by Mr. Hubbard to free individuals from the mental and spiritual damage caused by drugs and toxins, and spiritual counseling, known as auditing, to the State of Clear.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.thewaytohappiness.org

https://www.drugfreeworld.org

https://www.humanrights.com

https://www.scientology.tv

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https://www.scientology.tv

Built on the foundations of an ancient Incan city on the equator - the "center of the world" - named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art, cultural treasures and architectural marvels, Quito is a thriving metropolis of breathtaking beauty and year-round sunshine. And on February 17, the city added another distinction to its profile with the opening of the first Ideal Church of Scientology Mission in Ecuador.

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

‘Stop Stigmatizing Children for Normal Childhood Behavior’ Says Citizen’s Commission on Human Rights Executive Director for the UK

LONDON, England /ScoopCloud/ -- "Psychiatrists have been editing childhood and adolescence out of existence," said Brian Daniels, Executive Director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) for the UK, in an open letter written for Children's Mental Health Week. CCHR is a mental health watchdog founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz to protect individuals from abusive or coercive practices in the field of mental health.

"When it's Children's Mental Health Week, it's ironic that attention isn't actually focused on children's mental health. Instead, the focus is on mental 'illness' and the host of psychiatric 'disorders' used to label various aspects of childhood."

Psychiatrists have even gone so far as to label difficulties with mathematics or reading as "impairments" in their diagnostic manuals, and normal childhood behavior has been categorized as a so-called mental "disorder."

Daniels began blowing the whistle on violations of human rights in the field of mental health when his own eyes were opened to these abuses after his aunt was institutionalized. On a visit to his aunt's hospital, he says, "I expected to see people getting better. But what I saw was people experiencing some kind of 'zombie' effect. They looked like they'd been beaten up or assaulted."

He began looking into psychiatry and discovered Citizens Commission on Human Rights, and soon became the organization's executive director in the UK. He and his volunteers educate the public on coercive psychiatric practices and document abuses to bring about reform. They have exposed criminal practices in the psychiatric industry and helped bring about the banning of the prescription and use of seven drugs on children shown to increase the risk of suicide in those under the age of 18.

"Children and adolescents are being chemically restrained, some for lengthy periods of time. Consequently, they experience the debilitating effects that go hand-in-hand with the drugs," wrote Daniels. "The saddest and most tragic aspect of it all is some children don't make it. They take their own lives after taking drugs like antidepressants that are known to cause suicidal thoughts and suicidal behavior. Parents who have lost their children have said they would never have let their children take the psychiatric drugs if they had been fully informed and knew the truth."

For decades, CCHR chapters throughout the world have been documenting and reporting inhumane and dangerous practices of coercive psychiatry. Last October, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) issued guidelines to end abuses and coercive practices in mental health care.

Much work is still needed to bring about real and lasting reform, and Daniels and his team will continue exposing criminal activity and educating the public to protect them from abuse in the field of mental health.

Daniels and his team are inspired by the words of humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, that "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream."

To learn more about the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, visit their website, watch Brian Daniel's episode of Voices for Humanity, or CCHR documentaries on the Scientology Network.

The Scientology Network debuted in March 2018. Since launching with a special featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in over 240 countries and territories in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, 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, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.cchr.org

https://www.scientology.tv/watch/series/voices-for-humanity/brian-daniels.html

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

MULTIMEDIA:

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

https://www.scientology.tv/watch/series/voices-for-humanity/brian-daniels.html

"Psychiatrists have been editing childhood and adolescence out of existence," said Brian Daniels, Executive Director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) for the UK, in an open letter written for Children's Mental Health Week. CCHR is a mental health watchdog founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz to protect individuals from abusive or coercive practices in the field of mental health.

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

Join the Scientology Network on Valentine’s Day for a Story of True Love and Artisanal Italian Chocolate

CATANIA, Italy /ScoopCloud/ -- What could be more appropriate for Valentine's Day than true love and chocolate? The Scientology Network shares the story of Armando Siracusano and Gabriella Comis - from their falling in love at a bakery to the many barriers they had to overcome on their way to creating the future of their dreams.

Siracusano was born in Catania, Italy. Inspired by his grandmother's fresh-baked bread, he became a baker by the time he was 15. When Comis entered his shop several years later, it was love at first sight. But her father was dead set against their relationship. The young couple ran away together and had many challenges to overcome on their way to success.

The turning point came when Siracusano tasted pure chocolate for the first time and fell in love with the confection. After he studied with some of the most skilled chocolatiers in the world, the couple created their shop, Cioccolato e Gelato, specializing in gelato and every imaginable form of chocolate delicacy, pastry and cake.

Their "happy ever after" continues to this day. With their love for one another and their pastry skills and business acumen, they have established Cioccolato e Gelato as one of the premiere artisanal pastry shops in Catania.

Watch their episode of Meet a Scientologist on the Scientology Network for an enticingly delicious, irresistibly delightful story of sweet success.

The Scientology Network debuted in March 2018. Since launching with a special featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in over 240 countries and territories in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, 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, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/meet-a-scientologist/armando-siracusano-gabriella-comis.html

https://meetascientologist.tv

What could be more appropriate for Valentine's Day than true love and chocolate? The Scientology Network shares the story of Armando Siracusano and Gabriella Comis - from their falling in love at a bakery to the many barriers they had to overcome on their way to creating the future of their dreams.

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

Drug-Free World and the Church of Scientology Las Vegas: Leading the Charge at Super Bowl LVIII Against Drug Abuse

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /ScoopCloud/ -- Volunteers from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Scientology Churches and Missions across the Southwest gathered at the Church of Scientology Las Vegas February 10 on the eve of Super Bowl LVIII to take on the drug epidemic affecting the city and the nation.

According to the Southern Nevada Health District, 2023 saw a record 237 deaths in the region from fentanyl overdose. But this is a nationwide crisis. What better way to create maximum impact and save lives than by reaching out with the Truth About Drugs initiative to local residents and those arriving in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl from across the nation?

Volunteers gathered in the auditorium of the Church of Scientology Las Vegas to launch their distribution of hundreds of thousands of Truth About Drugs booklets. They handed them out one-on-one to fans all along the Las Vegas Strip and delivered sets of the booklets to shops and restaurants for their customers and patrons.

"Everywhere we went, people wanted booklets to share with friends or family," said one of the volunteers.

Well aware of the lives ruined by drug and alcohol abuse, Scientologists are passionate about taking effective action with the Truth About Drugs initiative.

Noting the increase in substance abuse and the role this has played in the disintegration of the social fabric, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs."

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Foundation for a Drug-Free World. The state-of-the-art Scientology Dissemination and Distribution Center produces all the materials for this Church-sponsored humanitarian program, making it possible to provide them free of charge to campaigns like this and to schools, civic groups, governments, law enforcement, and institutions in the private sector.

The Church of Scientology Las Vegas is an Ideal Scientology Organization, designed to provide the ideal facilities for Scientologists on their ascent to higher states of spiritual freedom and to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations. The Church was dedicated by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in 2010.

For more information on the drug education and prevention campaign supported by the Church, visit your nearest Church of Scientology or watch the Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories documentary on the Scientology Network.

Photo Caption: Drug-Free World volunteers brought their Truth About Drugs initiative to those arriving in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology-lasvegas.org

https://www.drugfreeworld.org

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https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/the-truth-about-drugs.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/they-said-they-lied.html

Volunteers from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Scientology Churches and Missions across the Southwest gathered at the Church of Scientology Las Vegas February 10 on the eve of Super Bowl LVIII to take on the drug epidemic affecting the city and the nation. According to the Southern Nevada Health District, 2023 saw a record 237 deaths in the region from fentanyl overdose.

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

Get a Behind the Scenes Glimpse of Fashion Week in New York in an Episode of ‘Meet a Scientologist’ on the Scientology Network

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- February 9-14 is Fashion Week in New York. The event takes place twice a year, in February and September. It begins in New York and moves on to London, Milan and Paris. This is a week where careers can be made or broken. The world's top designers present their new collections in a series of runway shows. But who takes care of the last-minute crises to ensure a brand's success? In an episode of Meet a Scientologist on the Scientology Network, master pleater George Kalajian gives us a look behind the scenes.

"Designers are always designing at the 11th hour," says Kalajian. "And those shows will be the next day." He and his team have been known to work quite late during fashion week. But he loves solving each fashion dilemma, whether it's physically possible or not.

Kalajian comes from a long line of pleating experts, a craft that has been enormously popular since the days of the Egyptian pharaohs and is used today by some of the world's hottest fashion designers.

This episode shows how Kalajian took over the family business when it was on the brink of failing and grew it into the go-to source for pleated garments in the upper echelons of the fashion industry. His work is even on display at 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 an original series airing on the Scientology Network.

The Scientology Network debuted in March 2018. Since launching, with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in over 240 countries and territories in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, 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. Scientology Network's innovative content has been recognized with more than 125 industry awards, including Tellys, Communitas and Hermes Creative Awards.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

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https://Scientology.tv/GKalajian

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VIDEO:

https://Scientology.tv/GKalajian

https://meetascientologist.tv

February 9-14 is Fashion Week in New York. The event takes place twice a year, in February and September. It begins in New York and moves on to London, Milan and Paris. This is a week where careers can be made or broken. The world's top designers present their new collections in a series of runway shows. But who takes care of the last-minute crises to ensure a brand's success? In an episode of Meet a Scientologist on the Scientology Network, master pleater George Kalajian gives us a look behind the scenes.

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

Religious Freedom: A Fundamental Human Right at Risk for 80 Percent of the World’s Population

WASHINGTON, D.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- "The challenges to religious freedom across the globe are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched," said U.S. Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken in a statement January 4. "But with thoughtful, sustained commitment from those who are unwilling to accept hatred, intolerance, and persecution as the status quo we will one day see a world where all people live with dignity and equality." It is just such a sustained commitment that informed the annual IRF Summit January 30 and 31, 2024. The Church of Scientology supports and participates in the annual summit and programs that protect and advance this vital freedom for all.

This year's Summit was cochaired by Ambassador Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (2018-2021), and Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice and former chair and vice-chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan U.S. Government commission established to monitor religious freedom abroad.

The Summit featured 169 speakers representing more than 30 unique faith traditions. Some 1,500 religious freedom proponents of diverse cultural backgrounds and political perspectives from 41 countries participated.

"The IRF Summit is a gathering of people from around the world that really seek the same thing," said Ambassador Brownback in a video on the IRF Summit website. "Religious freedom for everyone, everywhere, all the time."

"Those of us who are fortunate enough to have that freedom as just a natural birthright, we really have a moral duty to act on behalf of those who are struggling for something that we take for granted every day," said Dr. Lantos Swett.

"Our failure to pay attention to religious freedom paves the way for atrocities," said human rights advocate, D.C.-based attorney Nury Turkel, current chair of the USCIRF.

The IRF Summit Charter, established in July 2021, holds that "every government, every religious community, and every political and civil society organization in the world should strive toward the goal of achieving freedom of religion and conscience, for everyone, everywhere - protected in law and valued by culture."

The Summit is dedicated to growing a powerful coalition of organizations that operate together to promote religious freedom around the world and increase public awareness and political strength for the international religious freedom movement.

"This summit provides a voice to those who are silenced at a time when virtually every faith is under attack somewhere in the world," said Rev. Olivia McDuff, public affairs staff at the Church of Scientology International. "Support of religious freedom for all is enshrined in the Creed of the Church of Scientology, written by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It affirms that 'all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.'"

In a world where conflicts are often traceable to intolerance of others' religious beliefs and practices, the Church of Scientology has, for more than 50 years, made the preservation of religious liberty an overriding concern.

Watch the Creed of the Church of Scientology on the Scientology Network. For more information on the advocacy of the Church of Scientology for the freedom of religion or belief of all, visit your nearest Church of Scientology, the Church of Scientology religious freedom website, its religious freedom blog, or download a copy of the booklet "What is Freedom of Religion," published by the Church of Scientology International.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientologyreligion.org/blog/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/scientology-principles/the-creed-of-the-church-of-scientology.html

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https://www.scientology.tv/series/scientology-principles/the-creed-of-the-church-of-scientology.html

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https://www.scientology.tv/series/scientology-principles/the-creed-of-the-church-of-scientology.html

"The challenges to religious freedom across the globe are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched," said U.S. Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken in a statement January 4. "But with thoughtful, sustained commitment from those who are unwilling to accept hatred, intolerance, and persecution as the status quo we will one day see a world where all people live with dignity and equality." It is just such a sustained commitment that informed the annual IRF Summit January 30 and 31, 2024. The Church of Scientology supports and participates in the annual summit and programs that protect and advance this vital freedom for all.

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

New Documentary Features the Church of Scientology Kansas City: A Welcome Partner in the Heart of America

Kansas City is not just a location, it is a state of mind /ScoopCloud/ -- Friends of many faiths from across the city gathered downtown at the Church of Scientology Kansas City last week for a special celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, set aside by the UN each year to promote harmony between all people regardless of faith. The event included a screening of the new documentary Operation: Do Something About It, which features a segment on the Kansas City Church at a time when cooperation and help were vital to the people of the city.

Within months of the November 2019 grand opening of the new Church of Scientology of Kansas City, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city. And it hit hard.

As in so many other communities, stay-at-home orders shut down entire industries. Some 68,000 Kansas Citians had to file for unemployment. So many were left with no way to feed their families: The need for food assistance increased by 40 percent.

The Church immediately rallied its Volunteer Ministers, who partnered with local community groups, churches and nonprofits to help on food drives across the city.

They started at the Justice and Dignity Center, located in one of the city's most densely populated neighborhoods. The number of people lining up for their weekly food distribution had multiplied by five times and they needed help. Scientology Volunteer Ministers organized the lines and helped expedite food delivery, enabling the center to provide food for nearly 500 families in just over an hour. But this wasn't just a one-time activity. The Volunteer Ministers returned again and again for 36 weekly food drives, bringing help to 21,000 families.

This pattern was the same at the East 18th Street food drive, set up right in the parking lot of the Church Scientology to provide food from the city's largest food bank, where the Volunteer Ministers and their partners distributed 30,000 pounds of goods.

Volunteer Ministers also partnered with other local churches for months on end and supplied more than 87,000 families with nearly 150,000 boxes equating to some 3 million pounds of food.

"They're very generous," says the Justice and Dignity Center President. "And there is one thing about the Church of Scientology. If they say they're going to be there, they are going to be there. They do what needs to be done. There's no complaining. We can depend on them."

The founder of a gang intervention nonprofit speaks of the energy and commitment of these volunteers as being an inspiration to others. And the president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce describes the Church of Scientology as an "anchor for downtown Kansas City where much help was needed."

Scientology Churches around the world screened the new documentary Operation: Do Something About It at celebrations of World Interfaith Harmony Week. The film presents a living example of the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister, that no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

In the mid-1970s, noting the steep decline in values and the simultaneous increase in crime, corruption, drug abuse, and other pressing social problems, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed the Volunteer Ministers program to instill purpose, truth, and spiritual values in society. Find out more about the Volunteer Ministers and the other humanitarian and social betterment programs supported by the Church of Scientology. Take a tour of the Public Information Center of any Ideal Scientology Church, open daily throughout the year. Find your nearest Scientology Church through the Scientology global locator.

Watch Operation: Do Something About It, available in 17 languages on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

The Church of Scientology Kansas City is an Ideal Scientology Organization dedicated November 2, 2019, by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige. The Church continues to work extensively with other religions, nonprofits and officials on programs to uplift and benefit the community.

LEARN MORE:

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

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VIDEO https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/kansas-city.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#volunteer-ministers-kansas-city-food-drives-video

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#volunteer-ministers-kansas-city-ol-video

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/28EHe6TDlsA

Friends of many faiths from across the city gathered downtown at the Church of Scientology Kansas City last week for a special celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, set aside by the UN each year to promote harmony between all people regardless of faith. The event included a screening of the new documentary Operation: Do Something About It, which features a segment on the Kansas City Church at a time when cooperation and help were vital to the people of the city.

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

New Year’s Wishes in the Year of the Dragon From the Church of Scientology Kaohsiung

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan /ScoopCloud/ -- The Church of Scientology of Kaohsiung extends wishes to all for a Happy New Year in the Year of the Dragon. The holiday is celebrated for 15 days, beginning February 10. Church staff invite everyone to join them as Destination: Scientology, Kaohsiung takes viewers through the colorful pageantry of the final day of the New Year's holiday - the city's Festival of Lights: a 3,000-year-old tradition.

Come along on a taste-testing tour of local delicacies at the legendary Liuhe Night Market. Visit the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, where visitors enter the mouth of the dragon and exit the mouth of the tiger and so are protected from evil spirits and bestowed with blessings.

Church staff tell the story of Founder L. Ron Hubbard's travels to Asia as a young man and the importance that Asia holds for all Scientologists. The Kaohsiung Church carries on Mr. Hubbard's legacy, not only for Scientologists through religious services but also by uplifting the city as a whole with human rights education, drug awareness and humanitarian initiatives that earn the Church the prestigious Charity and Social Educational Cause Meritorious Religious Group Award year after year.

See how the Church captures the spirit of Taiwan and, as one Church staff member states it, "puts that magic touch in everybody's life and changes them for the better."

The Scientology Network debuted in March 2018. Since launching, with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in over 240 countries and territories 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. Scientology Network's innovative content has been recognized with more than 125 industry awards, including Tellys, Communitas and Hermes Creative Awards.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/kaohsiung.html

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VIDEO: https://www.scientology.tv/series/destination-scientology/kaohsiung.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fqCjFX3Yw

The Church of Scientology of Kaohsiung extends wishes to all for a Happy New Year in the Year of the Dragon. The holiday is celebrated for 15 days, beginning February 10. Church staff invite everyone to join them as Destination: Scientology, Kaohsiung takes viewers through the colorful pageantry of the final day of the New Year's holiday - the city's Festival of Lights: a 3,000-year-old tradition.

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

The Untold Story of the Church of Scientology Global Response to the Pandemic Now Airs in New Documentary

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Network announces an original feature-length documentary, "Operation: Do Something About It," now airing on DIRECTV Channel 320 and available to stream. The documentary tells the story of how the Church of Scientology harnessed its state-of-the-art facilities, rallied its worldwide network of volunteers and mobilized the largest humanitarian effort in its history to bring hope, help and compassion in the wake of the unimaginable.

With an immediate triage zone spanning tens of millions of people, touching nearly every faith and culture, the Church of Scientology had to safeguard its 11,000 Churches, Missions and groups, along with all of its surrounding communities.

This documentary is an on-the-ground exclusive look at the Church of Scientology global operation to Do Something About It - from securing the world's most effective sanitization formula to streamlining its distribution to all its Churches and communities in more than 120 nations and territories, across six continents, and refocusing its unique facilities to bring prevention resources that provided real solutions in this time of crisis.

The documentary circumnavigates the globe, following Scientology Volunteer Ministers as they demonstrated time and again, across three years of dedicated service, that no matter the circumstances, Something CAN Be Done About It.

Their actions enabled individuals, communities and even entire nations to confidently emerge from life after lockdowns. As one pastor put it, "The Volunteer Ministers to me represent action, service and kindness. Honestly, we value you, we appreciate you."

Watch Operation: Do Something About It now at Scientology.TV/DoSomething or on the Scientology Network app.

The Scientology Network debuted on March 12, 2018. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the Scientology Network has been viewed in over 240 countries and territories in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, 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. Scientology Network's innovative content has been recognized with more than 125 industry awards, including Tellys, Communitas and Hermes Creative Awards.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

Scientology Network announces an original feature-length documentary, "Operation: Do Something About It," now airing on DIRECTV Channel 320 and available to stream. The documentary tells the story of how the Church of Scientology harnessed its state-of-the-art facilities, rallied its worldwide network of volunteers and mobilized the largest humanitarian effort in its history to bring hope, help and compassion in the wake of the unimaginable.

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

Enjoy a Slice and Half an Hour of Fun on National Pizza Day: Watch an Episode of Meet a Scientologist on the Founder of Mr. Jim’s Pizza

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- According to a Harris Poll survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, pizza is America's favorite food. So, in honor of National Pizza Day, celebrated each year on February 9th, you are invited to enjoy a slice with your favorite topping while the Scientology Network serves up an episode of Meet a Scientologist, featuring Jim Johnson, who turned pizza into a way of life.

"When I was young, I wanted to have the American dream," says Johnson. But after working for 8 years at McDonald's, that dream seemed to be passing him by.

That's when he found and read the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. He soon gained the confidence to start a business of his own: a pizza place in his hometown of Detroit.

That was 1975 and after a rough start, he was finally making a profit. Then, on a trip with his wife to her brother in Texas, he discovered there wasn't a single place to get pizza in the whole of Dallas/Fort Worth. So, they packed up everything and moved to Texas. And the rest is pizza history.

Find out more about Jim Johnson's secret recipe for success on his episode of Meet a Scientologist on the Scientology Network.

Meet a Scientologist is an in-depth look into the lives of individual Scientologists - an original series airing 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, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

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According to a Harris Poll survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, pizza is America's favorite food. So, in honor of National Pizza Day, celebrated each year on February 9th, you are invited to enjoy a slice with your favorite topping while the Scientology Network serves up an episode of Meet a Scientologist, featuring Jim Johnson, who turned pizza into a way of life.

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