European Congress of Ethnic Religions

European Congress of Ethnic Religions
Formation	1998
Type	Ethnic and Traditional Paganism
Location	Vivulskio 27-4, LT-03114 Vilnius, Lithuania
Membership	About 20 organisations
Founder	Jonas Trinkunas
Key people	Jonas Trinkunas, Vlassis Rassias
Website	http://ecer-org.eu

The European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER), formerly known as the World Congress of Ethnic Religions (WCER), is an organisation for the cooperation between associations which promote the indigenous ethnic religions of Europe (the Pagan religions). It was established in June 1998 in Vilnius, Lithuania, "the last European country to resist the onslaught of Christianity".

The primary goal of the ECER is the strengthening of the ethnic Pagan traditions of Europe and to foster religious tolerance. Their ninth annual conference was held in Jaipur, India on 5-10 February. Their tenth congress was held in various places in Latvia from June 19 to 21. The organisation promotes collaboration between Traditional Ethnic Paganism and Hinduism.

Member organisations

Members are mostly European ethnic religious organizations, but the ECER is in principle open to European ethnic religious organizations from any continent.

In 1999, member organizations were:

• Romuvan Church (Lithuanian Romuva)
• Dievturi Church (Latvian Dievturity)
• Rodzima Wiara (Poland, Rodnovery)
• Ásatrúarfélagið - Site (Iceland, Heathenism)
• Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft (Germany, Heathenism)
• Forn Siðr Asa- og Vanetrosamfundet i Danmark (Denmark, Heathenism)
• Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes - Site (Greece, Hellenism)
• Diipetes (Greece, Hellenism)
• Groupe Druidique des Gaules (France, Celtism)
• Werkgroep Traditie (Flander, Heathenism)

Member organizations which joined at a later date include:

• Eldaring (Germany, Heathenism)
• Foreningen Forn Sed - Site (Norway, Heathenism)
• Movimento Tradizionale Romano (Italy, Roman Way to the Gods)
• Federazione Pagana (Italy, Roman Way to the Gods)
• Pravoslavya (Ukraine, Rodnovery)
• Gentilitas Spiritualità Italica (Italy, Roman Way to the Gods) - Now disbanded
• Asetrosamfundet (Denmark, Heathenism)
• Pietas Traditional Association (Italy, Roman Way to the Gods)
• Societas Hesperiana Pro Culto Deorum (Italy, Roman Way to the Gods and Italic local religions)

Associations from Hungary and the Czech Republic are also members.

Chronology of the congresses

1. Vilnius (1998)
2. Telsiai (1999)
3. Bradesiai (2000)
4. Vilnius (2001), with delegates from the Vishva Hindu Parishad
5. Vilnius (2002)
6. Vilnius (2003) "Global Initiatives for Ethnic Cultures and Religions"
7. Athens (2004) "The High Values Of The Pre-Christian Ethnic Traditions and Religions"
8. Antwerp (2005) "Spirituality and Tradition in an Anti-Traditional World"
9. Jaipur (2006) "Spirituality Beyond Religions", in cooperation with the International Centre of Cultural Studies and the World Congress of Elders of Ancient Cultures and Traditions
10. Latvia (2007) "The Spirit Will See New Light in the Turn of Ages"
11. Poland (2008)
12. Nagpur (2009)
13. Bologna (2010) "Ethics in Contemporary World"

External links

• ECER official website