On September 25, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, delivered a 20-minute address to the 81st General Assembly, during which he spoke on topics including religious freedom and climate change. Marape is a Seventh-day Adventist.
The speech was reported by Spectrum, the magazine of Adventist forums in the United States. According to the report, Marape—the son of a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and a lifelong member of the church himself—opened his UN address by stating that Papua New Guinea is “a Christian nation” and that “Christian principles have profoundly shaped our country, our society, and our institutions.” He then declared: “An imposed faith is no longer faith... I believe that freedom is a choice, a God-given right embedded in the conscience of every human being.” For this reason, he added, “true faith cannot be imposed by force, fear, laws, or persecution.” Citing Section 45 of his country's constitution, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, he urged all nations to promote freedom of thought and religion through the separation of church and state.
No Discrimination Against Religious Minorities by Majorities
In his address, Marape utilized his 20 minutes in the general debate—which is reserved exclusively for the heads of state and government of the 193 UN member states—to emphasize that no country should discriminate on the basis of religion. He drew attention to nations with a dominant faith community, declaring that “the size of a majority does not diminish the rights of a minority,” that “an individual must also have the freedom to profess no religion,” and that “no state” has the right to “coerce the human soul.”
Warning on Climate Change
Toward the end of his speech, Marape shifted his focus to climate change, echoing several other leaders from the Pacific Island region who had spoken before the UN. “There is a reality that transcends all political, economic, and religious differences among us. And that is that we have one planet, one Earth,” he said, adding, “This Earth is our common home.” He reminded those present that “a child born today did not cause climate change,” and warned: “As the climate changes, societies that have contributed very little to global greenhouse gas emissions can nonetheless face rising sea levels, extreme weather events, threats to food security, and damage to their livelihoods.”
Concluding Appeals
Marape concluded his address with a series of appeals. “You do not have to believe what I believe to defend another human being's human rights,” he told the assembly. “May governments govern for the people. May churches preach and proclaim love to one another. May mosques pray devoutly. May temples welcome the faithful. No state may coerce the human soul.” Returning to the theme of conscience, he added, “God has given humanity the capacity to choose this freedom, and that freedom must be respected.” The Prime Minister closed his UN address with phrasing that resembled a politically framed, pastoral blessing for families facing “climate change and natural disasters” and those enduring “suffering in connection with man-made crises”: “May God grant them all comfort, peace, and confidence.”
Adventists and Religious Freedom
The International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty (AIDLR) was founded in Paris in 1946 by Adventist physician Dr. Jean Nussbaum. Today, it is headquartered in Bern and cooperates with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The association's mission is to promote and safeguard the principles of religious freedom, conduct scholarly research into the fundamental rights of freedom of thought and conscience, and foster general tolerance by protecting the rights of individuals to manifest their faith and convictions publicly or privately. The AIDLR holds consultative status recognized by the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and UNESCO. Furthermore, the Adventist Church maintains departments for Public Affairs and Religious Freedom at multiple organizational levels. The Adventist world church leadership (General Conference) has repeatedly adopted declarations promoting religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
Adventists in Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea, 611,365 baptized adult members belong to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, gathering across 1,352 local congregations (as of mid-2025). The church operates a university, several secondary schools, and a number of medical care facilities in the country, which has a population of approximately 9.7 million.
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