CONGRESS, NEWS

The Athens Declaration of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions (2025)

«The Contribution of Ethnic Religions to the formation of European Identity»

European ethnic traditions and religions have largely shaped the character and worldview of Europeans and are the foundation of European culture, which encompasses almost everything, from folk customs and science to art and philosophy.

These traditions are not simply remnants of the past, but a living, powerful, and historically validated framework that has positively and continuously influenced the development of European societies throughout history. At the same time, it is an opportunity for many people to awaken and discover their ethnical cultural uniqueness.

Ethnic religious traditions are more than spiritual belief systems; they serve as a framework for social cohesion, cultural continuity, and collective memory. Through rituals, symbols, and narratives, they create bonds within communities, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity.

Ethnic religions are the driving force behind the creation of ethnicities, which may speak different languages but describe and interpret the Cosmos with a similar worldview. European ethnic religions are one of the main forces that created our identity and are responsible for the existence and preservation of a European common ethnicity.

Ethnic religions and traditions are guardians, preservers and weavers of intangible cultural heritage, agents of spiritual renewal in modern Europe, and act as a vital catalyst for social cohesion. As they are cultivated and strengthened, they simultaneously revitalize communities by promoting growth in areas such as science, education, and civic engagement.

As historic sources document, after the often-forced replacement of the ethnic religions by monotheisms, several countries have experienced a decline in ethical and spiritual integrity, evolving into systems marked by pervasive corruption and weakened moral foundations. In these societies appearances and material success are often valued more highly than sincerity, honor, and the deeper principles that once guided traditional way of life that stresses authenticity. A revival of ethnic religions could ensure the restoration of this character traditionally embedded in culture and give European spirituality a harmonious, healing and sustainable effect, as the renaissance has proven the change that can occur when traditions emerge in the forefront.

Given Europe’s historical background and in light of the significant changes that will determine its future, it is now more crucial than ever to protect, study, and promote these religions and traditions institutionally, going beyond mere preservation.

In this way, we can draw on their inherent wisdom to address the challenges of our time and ensure a future for Europe that is both rooted in its heritage and dynamics.

WHY DO WE DEFEND ETHNIC RELIGIONS AND TRADITIONS?

-Because they offer each people a unique vision for understanding themselves and interacting with the world.
-Because they integrate humans into the cyclical time of constant re-creation without the fear of death.
-Because they create religious pluralism that is reflected in the world of the Gods and Goddesses as an ethnosphere.
-Because they create the historical continuum of Tradition through which the social condition of Identity is freely expressed, thus allowing the same essence to take on infinite valid forms.
-Because they restore meaning to life through behavioral patterns that strengthen collective life and cultural creation for the benefit of the community.
-Because they open up different ways of approaching the numinous in each different culture, without demanding any kind of ownership for themselves, but respect and accept as equally valid the indigenous narratives that developed effortlessly by interpreting nature with logic.
-Because they are the ones that demand the greatest honor for mortal beings, to approach and revere the sacred, not through self-punishment but through the spiritual elevation provided by mysteries and rituals.
-Because they are the creative force behind the cultural creation known as ethnos. Without them, the ethnos would be reduced just to a random group of atomic individuals, without common content, by the monocracy of globalization and to mere consumers or interchangeable labour force.
-Because they place responsibility, a fundamental element of any justice system, in the place of forgiveness.

From Athens, on October 4, 2025, representatives of 16 organisations from 14 countries are joining forces to declare our respect for traditional European religions.

We recognize the value of our ancestors, as well as the worldview, and traditions they have passed down to us. Our culture and spirituality are inextricably linked to our religions and traditions and must be protected.

We appeal to all European governments and European Union institutions to recognize our religions and grant them the same respect and privileges enjoyed by other recognised religions in European legal systems.

Therefore, we request the following:

1) Full recognition of the ethnic religions and traditions of Europe, acknowledgment of their historical and cultural role in the formation of the ethnos, and establishment of a special legislative framework for specific issues such as the performance of marriages and naming ceremonies with full legal validity.
2) Institutional participation of the ethnic religion’s leadership in official state events, inaugurations and wherever else required.
3) Establishment of a legal framework for the protection of all rituals, customs and the days of celebrations of the ethnic religion associated with major life events: from birth and marriage to end-of-life care (care for the sick/elderly and burial).
4) Establishment of a legislative framework for the unhindered operation of religious organizations (tax breaks, state funding, direct sanctions on individuals or other religious organizations that oppose, slander or defame or turn in any way against the representatives of the ethnic religion).
5) Legislative initiative for the designation of the sacred temples, epiphanic places and/or groves of the ethnic religions as strictly protected religious sites—rather than merely cultural or archaeological sites—including their surrounding environment.
6) Securing the right of ethnic religions to access and use the sacred spaces that fall under state jurisdiction for the performance of religious rites and other activities, with absolute respect and unwavering adherence to regulations.
7) Respect and recognition of sacred languages and traditions as fundamental elements of ethnic identity.
8) Adopt best practices from other nations on recognition and protection.
9) Review of the content of educational textbooks and programs at all levels, to ensure appropriate respect and proper representation of ethnic religions.
10) Ensuring the unhindered right to abstain from religious education classes, without social stigmatization or any obstacle for those who do not wish to attend.
11) Recognition of the sanctity of Nature and adoption of measures to prevent its systematic and deliberate exploitation, including the preservation of sacred sites, forests and venerable heritage trees from cutting or disturbance.
12) Clarify the meaning of traditionality which is embodied and represented only by ethnic religions which are indigenous in their respective countries.
13) As far as to the national law extends, the traditions of ethnic religions must be recognized as part of the local traditional culture.

Member organizations (represented by):

Ύπατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών, Hellas (Κώστας Κεχαγιάς, Γιάννης Μπαντέκας, Ελένη Πετρή, Ελένη Ξάνθη, Αναστάσιος Καρακώστας, Σοφία Βλαχούλη, Αιμιλία Ματθέ, Παναγιώτης Κακκάβας, Νίκη Ρήγα, Δημήτριος Μητσάτσος, Καλλιστώ Τσολομύτη, Χρήστος Γκατζόγλου, Αριστοδίκη Κυριακή Λαμπίρη, Αμφικτύων Ευστάθιος Κεφάλας, Παναγιώτα Διοτίμα Παπουτσή, Δημήτριος Τακτικός, Σοφία Σουλιώτη, Χρήστος Χρήστου, Ιωάννης Κοσμόγιαννης, Πέτρος Νικολάου, Δημήτριος Παππάς, Βασίλειος Κατσιούπας)
Associazione Tradizionale Pietas, Italy (Giuseppe Barbera, Mattia Zaniboni, Filippo Cavatore, Lorenzo Facciuoli, Anselmo Perrotta, Yuri Gavriliouk)
Groupe Druidique des Gaules, France (Jean Lionel Mamquat, Jean MarcDuvette, ValérieParrat, Alexandra di Genova di Salle)
Latvijas Dievturu sadraudze, Latvia (Uģis Nastevičs, Eva Mārtuža, Andrejs Broks, Daina Kazāka)
Об`єднання рідновірів України, Ukraine (Лозко Галина Сергіївна, Дериведмідь Володимир Дмитрович)
Senovės baltų religinė bendrija Romuva, Lithuania (Ugnė Trinkūnaitė, Benas Barzdžius)
Sjamanistisk Forbund, Norway (Kyrre Gram Franck, Gro Hilseth Adriansdatter)
Slované, Czech Republic (Giuseppe Maiello)
Werkgroep Traditie Vzw, Belgium (KoenraadLogghe, Thomas Slembrouck, Brenda Lioris, Jorres De Vriendt)
Związek Wyznaniowy Rodzima Wiara, Poland (Judyta Król, Piotr Brzeziński)
Ύπατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών Κύπρου, Cyprus (Γιώργος Κωνσταντίνου, Ευδοκία Ιωάννου)

Observer organizations (represented by):

Forn Sed Norge, Norway (Ingvild Linéa Bråthen, Audun Mehl)
Forn Siðr, Denmark (Camilla Winther Bang, Monika Ylfa Steensdatter)
Kredenn Geltiek, France (Erwan Le Bars)
Mythology Corner, United States (Ghanasyam Akella)
Rodný kruh, Slovak republic, Kokava nad Rimavicou (Rodan Švický, Miroslav Žiarislav Švický, Rastislav Štefanák)
Θύρσος – Οίκος Ελλήνων Εθνικών, Hellas (Ευάγγελος Κιούσης, Γιώργος Δημόπουλος)

This Declaration is also supported by individuals:

Nephelie Skarlatos, Hellas, scholar
Stian Sundell Torjussen, Associate Professor, University of Inland Norway, Hamar
Rasa Pranskevičiūtė-Amoson, Associate Professor, Vilnius University, Lithuania
Φωτίου Ευγενία, Associate Professor, University of Crete, Hellas
Σμαροπούλου Μαριλένα, Hellas
Paul Zurkinden, Switzerland
Antoine Teyssier, France
Ευθύμιος Κανιώρης, Hellas

CONGRESS, NEWS, THE OAKS

The 19th European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER) in Athens

The Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes (YSEE), as the representative body of the Hellenic Ethnic Religion, is honored and pleased to announce the hosting of the 19th European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER) in Athens, Greece, from October 3rd to 5th 2025, under the theme: The contribution of Ethnic Religions to the formation of European identity.
The international organization ECER has already held 18 successful conferences, the 7th of which took place in 2004 in Athens under the auspices of the YSEE. ECER has also a rich activity aimed at assisting and promoting European religious organizations of ethnic traditions and religions as well as combating discrimination against them.
The aim and focus of the conference are to highlight aspects of European traditions and ethnic religions that contribute to, reinforce and strengthen the sense of European citizens of belonging to a shared cultural tradition and the way in which this is brought to light and consolidated in the contemporary European consciousness.
The thematic axes of the conference are:

Ø Commonalities and differences among ethnic European traditions and religions
Ø Relations and interaction with the official Church and the State
Ø Relations with the European Union
Ø Effective ways of highlighting the contribution of ethnic religions to social, humanism (humanitarian) and political issues concerning European citizens
The conference will include:
Ø Lectures with visual presentation of information and translation
Ø Presentations by spiritual leaders and priests of the organizing bodies
Ø Performance of religious Rituals
Ø Visits to archaeological sites and museums
Ø A one-day guided excursion to an archaeological site

Further information and a detailed program regarding structure, lectures and terms of participation will be announced in due course. For more details, please visit our website: ecer2025.ysee.gr or contact us at: ecer2025@ysee.gr

Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexhIkZhy9EGXzfApeJNDNlM9KvrAFxxhxCCKR9dmWT6ZIC5Q/viewform

ACTIONS, NEWS, THE OAKS

Dievturi stand up for rights in their Native Land

Today, as there are less than 70 days left for the Centenary of the word Dievturība, in cooperation with each ministry of the Republic of Latvia, Dievturi have submitted the 7th edition of the draft Law of the Latvijas Dievturu sadraudze. The first draft of the Law was published in the quarterly “Dievturu Vēstnesis” in early 2022, and has been revised according to the ministries’ requirements for several times. The Law is a prerequisite for the Civil Law amendment of September 2023, enabling legally-binding wedding by Dievturi celebrants, to come into force.

THE OAKS

#2023ECER

Attention! The deadline of application was June 2, 2023. Please make sure to send in the attachment the bank document that proves the initiated transfer of the registration fee by this date to the e-mail address dievturi@gmail.com. The applications after this date shall not be reviewed.

CONGRESS, NEWS, Riga 18th, THE OAKS

The European Congress of Ethnic Religions 2023 in Latvia

2023/06/29–2023/07/02

The purpose of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER) is to serve as an international body that will assist Ethnic Religious groups in various countries and will oppose discrimination against such groups. By Ethnic Religion, we mean religion, spirituality, and cosmology that is firmly grounded in a particular people’s traditions. In our view, this does not include modern occult or ariosophic theories/ideologies, nor syncretic neo-religions.

The first European Congress of Ethnic Religions took place in Vilnius (Lithuania) in 1998, the 10th Congress was held in Rīga-Jūrmala-Sigulda (Latvia) in 2007. We are privileged to announce that the 18th Congress returns to Latvia. We are looking forward to see you in Rīga and Lokstene during the 4 days of the Congress (June 29 – July 2, 2023) in Latvia.

Please, feel free to follow our news and updates on social media sites — @Dievturi —, and use the hashtag #ECER2023 when publishing or looking for the information about the Congress.

More information: https://sites.google.com/view/ecer2023/

Here is the application form link: https://forms.gle/RZtEpAaFtJkj8Aqw5

THE OAKS

A STATEMENT FROM THE ECER ON THE RULING BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN FAVOR OF ROMUVA

Two years ago, after the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) had refused to grant Romuva official status as a religion, I wrote a statement on behalf of the ECER which was published on this website, in which I stated:

“In the 21st century, no government should have the right to officially recognize some religions, and not others. Freedom of religion should apply to all religions equally, period. The ECER affirms our support of Romuva, and we will stand in solidarity with our Lithuanian sisters and brothers in any further efforts to bring this matter before such bodies as the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and the UN’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. We invite all peoples of good conscience to join us in these efforts.”

On 8 June of this year, the European Court of Human Rights – in a long-awaited decision – did, in fact, agree and ruled that the Seimas was in violation of Articles 9, 13 and 14 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Court found that the Lithuanian Parliament’s decision was in error as a result of:

• Discrimination

• Denial of State recognition to a pagan religious association meeting eligibility criteria, on grounds incompatible with the State’s duty of neutrality and impartiality

• Domestic law lacking safeguards against arbitrariness in decision making performed by a political body (the Parliament)

• Involvement of a Catholic authority in parliamentary procedure

It is worthy of notice that the Seimas’ decision against Romuva appears to have been strongly influenced by a letter from the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference which was sent to a member of the Seimas, and then distributed widely to other members of the Lithuanian Parliament. In that letter, the bishops suggested that recognizing Romuva could de-stabilize the relationship between the predominantly-Catholic Lithuanian population and the Church. The letter from the bishops also stated that the allegedly surviving fragments of [Romuva] were nothing more than “superstitions and peasants’ customs, with a shade of magic”, and that their importance to Lithuanian identity was exaggerated.

The Court’s ruling appears to pave the way for pagans seeking legitimization in other European countries in which dominant forms of Christianity (such as Catholic or Orthodox) prevail, to mount challenges to any objections from the mainstream religions.

The European Congress of Ethnic Religions continues to stand strong in our support of Romuva’s further efforts to enforce in Lithuania the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, just as we support the implicit and moral rights of other European ethnic religions to assert their viable existence, and to claim the same official recognition that their respective nations may grant to any other religions.

Andras Corban-Arthen 
President, European Congress of Ethnic Religions

THE OAKS

Congress ECER postponed to 2021

Dear friends,


A few months ago we sent you a letter to announce that the next Congress would take place this September in Riga, Latvia. As you might expect, because of the difficulties involving the COVID19 pandemic, there is no other choice but to cancel the event for this year.
We hope that the situation will be very different in 2021, and we will continue our conversation with our friends from Latvia about the possibility of still having the next Congress there.
I hope that you, your families and communities are all in good health, and I trust we will be able to see each other again soon.

Deep Peace,

Andras Corban-Arthen,

president on behalf of the Governing Council

THE OAKS

Romuva receives the prize for diversity of religions and beliefs

The National Awards of Equality and Diversity in Lithuania were presented on June 4, 2020. We are proud to announce that the prize for diversity of religions and beliefs went to the old Baltic religious community of Romuva. The community has been praised for its determination to defend the rights of its religious community and for recognition by the state. Romuva appealed to the European Court of Human Rights and noted that although it met all the requirements of Lithuanian law, the Seimas did not grant state recognition to this religious community. ECER wishes to support Romuva with their demand for recognition and would like to congratulate Romuva on this deserved prize.


	

	
	




	
	

				

			NEWS, THE OAKS
		

			
The ECER mourns the passing of Vlassis G. Rassias

		

			 		

	


		

		

The ECER mourns the passing of Vlassis G. Rassias, one of our founders and a member of our Board of Directors. Vlassis, the leader of the Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes (YSEE), was renowned as an author, speaker, and activist for the restoration of the Hellenic ancestral religion, as well as an advocate for other indigenous, ethnic religions throughout Europe. I grieve, personally, the loss of a dear friend and colleague, someone whom I deeply appreciated, respected and admired throughout the decade we worked together. This is a photo of Vlassis addressing the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto, Canada last November, as part of a panel discussion that he, Inija Trinkuniene of Lithuania, and I presented there. On behalf of the ECER, I send our deep condolences to his family and community — we are all so much richer for having had Vlassis as part of our lives.









Andras Corban-Arthen
President, European Congress of Ethnic Religions

	

	
	






	
	

			
	

				

			NEWS, THE OAKS
		

			
May the earth rest lightly on you, Vlassis RASSIAS

		

			 		

	


		

		

Sit tibi terra levis, Vlassis Rassias






This morning a mate and long-standing friend informed us that Vlassis Rassias, the head of the big heathen community of Greece YSEE (Ellenic’ Council) is passed away. 





The news, unexpected, came like a slap.
While I’m writing i don’t know how and why he has died yet. 





Immediately many memories of his strong personality and of our various meetings, happened in a time frame of  veteen years, reached my
mind.






Different occasions, between different people and lands, but similar at the same time, along our Europe roads.






Contacts and congresses happened pursuing a common goal: the right to the legitimacy and dignity for those seeking and  nding answers
and cohesion in the ancient and eternal religiousness of our respetive Ancestors.






The  rst coming to my mind are the images of our last meeting, not lacking of dialectic, but always respectful and with the aim of the
common good: it was in occasion of the last E.C.E.R. Congress (former W.C.E.R.) organized in Rome on April 2018 by the M.T.R. coinciding
with the Foundation of Rome celebrations MMDCCLXXI a.U.c.






However our pasti is old timed.






With Vlassis, indeed, we were in touch from the beginning of the century thanks to the tireless witness of the Roman-Italic Tradition that
was Salvatore Ruta, cofounder and princeps of the M.T.R. of the origins.






Through Salvatore, with Vlassiv we enstablished a very hearty connection based on mutual exchange, by virtue of the common aim of making
the Religion of our Ancestors live. Actually his trip to Messina and the meeting with Ruta were for Vlassis the starting point for the
development of his next productive path in the Ellenic land, with his Y.S.E.E.






Then the new technologies spread in those years, internet and the debate blogs, helped our exchanges and meetings: Vlassis on 2006 called
me to concelebrate at his great event: the Prometeia, organized in Greece on the Mount Olympus, in occasion of the Summer Solstice. I
embraced the invitation leading a M.T.R. delegation in the Ellenic land.






After that journey – because of the surprise of attending a Solstice celebrated by an unexpected crowd of people, men, women, erderly,
children, a whole community, and because of the interesting organizational and doctrinal insights of those days with Vlassis on the Moun
Olympus and in Athens – that I arrived to a method decision: time had come that we, Italian heathens, as well, came from our ivory tower and
opened up to the world.






So I owe to Vlassis the turning point that i gave to the M.T.R.,  rst one in Italy to undertake international relations.






So we take part to the W.C.E.R. congress on 2007 in Latvia, in Riga and Jurmala: even in this occasion, between the Y.S.E.E. mates and us,
important af nities and strong correspondences emerged coming from the common classical culture. Then we met in Poland and, after a few
years, in Lithuania, in Vilnius on 2014 and in Prague on 2016. Vlassis gave us the courtesy of a friendship visit, as well, in our hedquarters in
Rome, to strengthen the ancient bond. Dear Vlassis, let me say that your long and constant work for the bene t of the current Greek and
European paganism has been essential. we hope that others will know how to seize your important baton and that they will be worthy of
raising the torch high, always keeping the sacred  re burning. May the Gods be favourable to your new journey undertaken, and may the
ground be light for you.






Daniele Liotta






MTR President


	

	
	




	
	

			
	

				

			ACTIONS, THE OAKS
		

			
ECER stand in solidarity to Romuva ethnic religion

		

			 		

	


		

		






The statement of Andras Corban-Arthen 
President, of European Congress of Ethnic Religions





As president of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER), I would like to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the unwillingness of the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) to recognize Romuva as an official religion in Lithuania. Romuva has fulfilled all the requirements to qualify for such a designation — it is a rapidly growing religion, whose members have creditably represented their homeland all over the world. Moreover, Romuva stands as one of the few remaining examples of the survival of European indigenous religions and cultures.




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