April 27, 2026

Organization Launches New Website as It Marks 80 Years of Advocacy

AIDLR keeps committed to defend freedom of conscience and religion, its leaders say.

Inter-European Division News

Since its founding in 1946, the International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty has advocated for freedom of conscience and religion. [File photo: AIDLR]

The International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty (AIDLR), supported by the Inter-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has launched a fully redesigned website at www.aidlr.org to mark its eightieth anniversary.

Founded in 1946 as a nongovernmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations, the AIDLR works at the intersection of law, diplomacy, and civil society to uphold freedom of thought, conscience, and religion worldwide.

To commemorate eight decades of advocacy, the organization premiered a special documentary film at its international conference in Toledo, Spain, tracing its history and global impact. The film is now available to watch on the new website.

The redesigned platform offers easier access to the AIDLR’s extensive resources, including the academic journal Conscience and Liberty; legal and diplomatic reports from engagements with the United Nations, the European Union, and the Council of Europe; and also updates on active field programs. The site is fully optimized for mobile devices and features improved tools for collaboration with international partners.

“This new website is more than a digital renewal—it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to religious freedom as a cornerstone of human dignity,” said Paulo Macedo, secretary-general of the AIDLR. “The anniversary documentary is a heartfelt homage to all our honorary members and former secretary-generals, whose vision and dedication have shaped this organization over eight decades. We are grateful to Hope Media Europe for their invaluable contribution to the production of the film, and we extend a special word of thanks to John Graz, former secretary-general of the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) and former director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty at the General Conference, who brought both grace and voice to this tribute. Together we celebrate not only our past but the enduring relevance of our mission.”