"It is quite shocking to learn that a persecuted Christian from Nigeria who was invited to Malta to speak about the reality of persecuted Christians in that country, got murdered only a couple of weeks after he returned to his country. His "crime" was that he professed a faith that was different from the belief of a terrorist group in Nigeria," said the director of the Malta office of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Mr Stephen Axisa.

In 2019, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed August 22 as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. For the past five years, the international foundation ACN has also adopted and marked this day through its 23 national offices in different countries.

Unfortunately, in these past years, the situation has worsened. The growth of international religion-based terrorism combined with the alarming trend of attacking religious buildings and symbols is spreading in various countries not only in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, but also in the US and now in Europe.

"Ever present news about acts of violence and harassment based on religion in countries such as Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Mozambique and Haiti continue to give ACN great cause for concern. Although social and ethnic motives are often involved, we cannot close our eyes to this reality," said Mr Axisa.

ACN is drawing particular attention to the imminent dangers facing the African continent with the rapid spread of Islamist militant groups. Aid to the Church in Need is calling on international organisations for a better coordinated and faster response to stop both the on-going massacres as well as the dispersion of millions of displaced people from their respective territories, as they seek some security for their lives. These terrorist groups are seeking to eliminate the cultural and religious plurality of the country, as they have done in other countries like Iraq.

"The effects of international religious-based terrorism are devastating, preventing the victims from exercising their fundamental human rights, and affecting their stability and security for generations long after the immediate danger seems to have passed," explained Mr Axisa.

But it is not just about denunciation; August 22 is also about remembering and honouring those victims of religious persecution who have been forgotten.

Unchecked hatred against religious groups engenders violence and destruction and should be publically repudiated.  Violence is never a solution and governments have an obligation to protect the victims and prosecute those who commit acts of violence.

The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion is a milestone in the right direction, but we have to acknowledge that the situation worldwide is not improving.  ACN is encouraging the UN to take further steps to combat hate crimes and acts of religion-based violence. ACN would welcome if next year there are fewer victims to remember.

"What can we practically do here in Malta?" asked ACN Malta director. "Since 1947, ACN has been supporting displaced people and giving them hope for their future."

Currently, ACN (Malta) is asking benefactors from Malta, Gozo and overseas to support worthwhile projects for such internally displaced people (IDPs). ACN wants these people to cultivate their culture in their own countries. For this purpose, ACN develops suitable and much needed projects that help these IDPs to remain in their own country by providing food, medicines, medical and psychological care as well as tools and light machinery. In this way, these IDPs do not rely only on assistance but start earning their own living themselves after they have lost everything. ACN is on the ground in some 140 countries working hand in hand with local partners on more than 5000 projects.

"While terrorist groups are destroying whole communities and creating martyrs, ACN is trying to reverse this trend, by offering tangible hope for hundreds of thousands of persons. In our reality every euro donated counts," concluded Mr Axisa.

For more information please call 21487818, 79999969, or email:[email protected]

For emergency donations kindly go to https://www.acnmalta.org/donate/