CORE Forum’s commission members are the essence of the Forum’s expertise. In six commissions there are altogether 59 volunteers who each has their own field of expertise. The themes of the commissions within the Forum are human rights, international matters, equality, religious education, communication and youth matters. The members for the commissions are invited based on these fields of expertise. Moreover, the aim is to have representation from each CORE Forum member religions in each commission. Members of the commissions act in different working groups and advisory boards.
Joint meeting for all commission members has became a yearly tradition so that the volunteers, that usually work with their own commissions, could get to know to each other better. The meetings create valuable discussions on how to improve the functioning within the CORE Forum and to make the commissions’ work even more known.
The meeting was arranged at the at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Helsinki on September 12. During the past year there has been many changes in the composition of the commissions and new members has joined due to The Finnish Bahá’í Community’s observer membership at CORE Forum. At the meeting we also heard current issues from commissions and their upcoming happenings.
The commissions have been actively involved in different activities and new happens are already being planned. In May 2024 Human Rights Commission organized a seminar addressing LGBTQ+ rights and religious freedom. The next part will be organized this autumn. Equality Commission organized a Religions’ Open Door Day in August with 23 religious communities welcoming visitors around Finland. The Commission also assembled a question pattern taking into account religions in equality planning for authorities, schools and employers. Later this year there will be a dialogue event in collaboration with the Youth Commission. The Religious Education Commission was represented in the working group on religion and worldview studies. In addition, the commissions have organized meetings with other organizations and kept in touch with various authorities.
Thank you to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the hospitable reception, and to all the members of the CORE Forum’s commissions for your contribution to Forum’s activities and building social peace!
