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Experts at conference held at the Church of Scientology of Rome, make the point on the state of freedom of belief in Italy and the world

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University professors, government officials, parliamentarians and religious representatives participated in a day-long conference where they discussed the current challenges to religious freedom.

Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 3rd Jun 2024 – On Thursday, May 30th, the international conference on freedom of religion in Italy and the world, titled “Freedom of Belief and Religious Recognition: Current State and Perspectives,” was held in the auditorium of the Church of Scientology in Rome. It was organized with the collaboration of the Observatory on Religious Entities, Ecclesiastical Heritage, and Non-Profit Organizations of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli.”

The conference consisted of two international roundtables in the morning moderated by Prof. Alfonso Celotto, professor of constitutional law at the University of Roma Tre, and two national ones moderated by Prof. Antonio Fuccillo, professor of ecclesiastical and intercultural law at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli.”

 

International examples of religious freedom

The first panel had as speakers Senator Lorena Rios Cuéllar, former director of religious affairs of the Colombian government; Prof. José Daniel Pelayo Olmedo, deputy director general for the coordination and promotion of religious freedom of the Spanish government; and Dr. Gary Vachicouras, professor and administrator of academic affairs at the Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology (Chambésy, Geneva).

This panel outlined the situation in Colombia, a secular but not atheist state with a constitution that guarantees freedom of religion both individually and collectively. It then covered that of Spain, where there are 26,000 religious groups registered in the Register of Religious Bodies. For the Greek-born Prof. Vachicouras, societies are increasingly facing religious plurality and the resulting problems. The solution to conflicts, he stated, is acceptance of the principle of freedom of belief. The panel showed how three countries with different traditions (Colombia, Spain, and Greece) have recognized their religious entities, including Scientology, within a framework of great freedom and inclusion.

The second panel included U.S. attorney and constitutional expert Austin Hepworth; Prof. Juan Ferreiro Galguera, professor of church law at the University of Oviedo, Spain; and Prof. Vincent Berger, former jurisconsult at the European Court of Human Rights.

Attorney Hepworth explained how the principle of religious freedom is applied in the U.S., also recalling the 1948 U.S.-Italy Friendship Treaty on automatic mutual recognition of entities, including religious ones. Prof. Ferreiro Galguera explained the difference between the secular state that respects religious phenomena and the cooperation with it as it happens in Spain, and the secularist state that instead prevents it, as it happens in France.

Prof. Berger asserted that the state’s tolerance of a religious denomination should not replace its full recognition, and he recalled the remedies offered by the ECHR on limitations of religious freedom, with the possibility of recourse to the Strasbourg Court as well.

 

Italian situation of religious freedom under analysis

The speakers at the first section of this panel were Prof. Maria D’Arienzo, professor of ecclesiastical, canonical, and confessional law at the University “Federico II” of Naples; Prof. Gianfranco Macrì, professor of intercultural law at the University of Salerno; and Prof. Francesco Sorvillo, associate professor of Law and Religions at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli.”

The peculiarity of the Italian normative situation emerged, in that the Constitution addresses religious freedom in 4 specific articles and in 5 with a more general approach, yet it still lacks a law on religious denominations, still having to refer to Law No. 1159, which dates back to 1929, and which concerns “admitted denominations” in the “Kingdom of Italy”, a law that predates the republican democracy that is Italy today.

The second section of this panel featured the editor-in-chief of “bitterwinter.org” and journalist for the “Journal of CESNUR,” Dr. Marco Respinti; Dr. Nader Akkad, religious affairs advisor of the Grand Mosque of Rome; and Mother Anastasia, legal advisor of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese.

Dr. Respinti explained how the media perceive religiosity and their own responsibility on how it is perceived in society. Dr. Akkad emphasized the importance of dialogue between members of different faiths, while Mother Anastasia spoke about the difficulty of the Romanian Orthodox Church working on recognition in Italy for over 13 years.

What emerged overall was the need for greater attention to the religious phenomenon for accomplished regulation not only at the level of individuals but also of organizations in their relations with states.

Freedom of religion and respect for the beliefs of others have always been principles of fundamental importance to the Church of Scientology,” recalled Lina Pirotta, representative of the Church of Scientology Italy, in her welcome address to the conference participants.

The Creed of the Church of Scientology itself, written in 1954 by the religion’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, among other points states, “We of the Church believe that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.”

It is within this framework that the Church of Scientology has strongly supported this conference, collaborating with domestic and foreign experts to make it happen in order to provide a clearer picture of the state of freedom of belief in Italy and other countries, and the possible solutions that could help make, of this fundamental right, a fulfilled reality, favoring its development.

Media Contact

Organization: European Office Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights

Contact Person: Ivan Arjona

Website: https://www.europeanaffairs.eu

Email: scientology@europeanaffairs.eu

Address: Boulevard de Waterloo 103

City: Brussels

State: Brussels

Country: Belgium

Release Id: 03062412785

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Andrew Veerathanongdech Air Force Highlights the Power of Daily Habits and Accountability

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Pennsylvania, US, 17 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Former U.S. Air Force Instructor Pilot and current Air Transport International First Officer Andrew Veerathanongdech is using his recent feature interview to raise awareness about the importance of daily habits, accountability, and emotional reset practices — tools he says helped him rebuild after major setbacks and continue performing at a high level in aviation and in life.

Through personal stories from his Air Force career and civilian aviation journey, Veerathanongdech urges individuals to adopt simple routines that support clarity, resilience, and long-term mental health.

“I define success by your habit patterns,” he says. “Good habits protect you on the days you’re tired or stressed. Consistency creates momentum.”

Advocating for Habit-Building in a High-Stress World

Veerathanongdech explains that many people underestimate the power of small, daily behaviors. In aviation, consistency is tied directly to safety — but he believes everyday life works the same way.

This message comes at a time when stress is rising across industries:

  • 83% of U.S. workers report experiencing work-related stress (American Institute of Stress).
  • Burnout contributes to nearly $1 trillion in global economic losses each year (World Health Organization).
  • People who follow structured routines are 30–50% less likely to experience stress-related symptoms (NIMH).

“Habits protect you from emotion,” he says. “Even at home, something as small as tidying the night before sets the tone for the next day. Good routines make everything easier.”

Promoting Reset Practices When Overwhelmed

In the interview, Veerathanongdech emphasizes the importance of stepping away — a small but powerful technique he learned during high-pressure moments in the cockpit.

“When I feel overwhelmed, I step away for a few minutes,” he explains. “A reset is often smarter than pushing. Even a short pause can save you from big mistakes.”

Research supports his approach. Short mental resets have been shown to:

  • Improve decision-making accuracy by up to 45%
  • Lower cortisol levels within five minutes
  • Boost focus for the next 60–90 minutes

Encouraging Accountability as a Personal Standard

Veerathanongdech also advocates for accountability as a core life skill.

“There’s no ego in the cockpit,” he says. “The people who grow fastest are the ones who own their mistakes and learn from them.”

He believes taking responsibility — even privately — helps people move forward after setbacks, both big and small.

Build Small Habits Today

Veerathanongdech encourages people to make progress through simple, manageable steps:

  • Start one small daily habit — like making your bed, stretching, or reviewing your goals.
  • Practice honest self-review once a week.
  • Reset when overwhelmed instead of pushing through mindlessly.
  • Don’t let fear stop you — “Have someone else say no; don’t say no to yourself,” he says.

“You don’t need a giant plan,” he adds. “You just need one small action that you repeat. That’s how you build discipline, confidence, and growth.”

To read the full interview, visit the website here.

About Andrew Veerathanongdech Air Force

Andrew Veerathanongdech is a former U.S. Air Force instructor and evaluator pilot known for his precision, leadership, and commitment to consistent improvement. He served at McGuire and Travis Air Force Bases, becoming the youngest instructor pilot invited to teach at the KC-10 schoolhouse. Today, he is a First Officer at Air Transport International and continues to share lessons on discipline, resilience, and habit-building.

Contact:

Info@aveerathanongdechpilot.com

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Josiah Hill of Seattle Brings Systems Leadership to Healthcare and Operations Work

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Seattle, WA, 17 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Josiah Hill Seattle is a systems-focused professional whose background spans medicine, operations, and business leadership. Based in Seattle, he works in complex environments where structure, timing, and accountability drive outcomes. His experience reflects a career built around coordination, execution, and readiness rather than public-facing roles.

Hill earned his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science degrees from the University of South Florida. He completed residency training in emergency medicine at Tampa General Hospital. He later earned an MBA from Eastern Washington University, adding formal business and operational training to his academic foundation. This combination shaped a career focused on systems management and organizational performance.

Early in his career, Hill served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. His roles included navigation, operations, and medical leadership within maritime environments. He worked inside multi-agency settings where clear chains of responsibility and disciplined execution were required. His responsibilities involved coordination across teams, logistics oversight, and mission planning in high-risk conditions. These experiences established a practical approach centered on preparation, communication, and decision-making under pressure.

After transitioning from military service, Hill moved into civilian roles connected to healthcare systems and medical infrastructure. Rather than emphasizing patient-facing work, his focus shifted toward operational support, implementation, and coordination within healthcare organizations. He contributed to regional medical technology operations, supporting training, rollout, and field execution across distributed teams. His work emphasized consistency, process clarity, and alignment between technical systems and human operators.

Josiah Hill Seattle has managed cross-functional groups that include clinicians, technical specialists, and business stakeholders. He has supported initiatives involving large budgets, complex timelines, and multiple points of accountability. His role in these settings centers on translating complex requirements into structured workflows teams can execute reliably.

Hill’s professional identity reflects a blend of medical training and operational leadership. He approaches healthcare as a system rather than a single function. His MBA training supports a focus on scalability, process improvement, and performance measurement. This perspective allows him to work effectively at the intersection of healthcare delivery, technology deployment, and organizational management.

Seattle serves as the current base for Hill’s work. The region’s concentration of healthcare organizations, technology firms, and operationally complex enterprises aligns with his background. From this location, he contributes to projects that demand disciplined execution and coordination across roles and departments.

Throughout his career, Hill has emphasized readiness over visibility. He values preparation, trust within teams, and clarity of responsibility. His work often takes place behind the scenes, supporting frontline performance through structure and planning rather than public-facing leadership.

Josiah Hill Seattle continues to apply lessons drawn from military operations, medical training, and business leadership to modern organizational challenges. His background supports roles where precision, reliability, and systems thinking matter. He operates in environments where errors carry consequences and where disciplined processes protect outcomes.

His experience reflects sustained work inside high-pressure systems rather than short-term or promotional roles. Across settings, his approach stays consistent. Define responsibilities. Build repeatable processes. Support teams with clear structure. Execute with focus.

This systems-oriented profile positions Josiah Hill Seattle as a professional grounded in operations, coordination, and leadership across complex environments. His work reflects a commitment to structure, accountability, and durable performance within organizations that depend on precision and trust.

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Steven Jermoluk Florida: Redefining Construction Estimating Through Precision, Planning, and Process

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  • Florida-based estimator brings decades of structure, economic insight, and coordination to high-end development.

Florida, USA, 17 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Steven Jermoluk’s name rarely appears on building signage, but his work touches nearly every stage of construction long before the first foundation is poured. A Florida-based construction estimator with a background in both economics and education, Steven Jermoluk has quietly earned a reputation for precision in a field where accuracy can mean the difference between profit and loss, clarity and chaos.

With experience spanning multimillion-dollar residential estates and large-scale commercial projects, Jermoluk is known for more than technical skill. His approach blends financial discipline, structured collaboration, and deep respect for the complexities of the construction process. While many see estimation as number crunching, Jermoluk sees it as risk mitigation through foresight.

Construction Estimating as Strategic Infrastructure

Every major project begins with a question: can it be built on time and within budget? Steven Jermoluk’s role is to ensure the answer is yes — backed by data, not guesswork.

His estimating process begins with comprehensive scope analysis. Plans and drawings are reviewed line by line, trade by trade. He deconstructs complex builds into measurable, sequenced parts, flagging inconsistencies and overlaps before they become liabilities.

“Good estimating is less about prediction and more about preparation,” says Jermoluk. “The numbers aren’t abstract—they’re a mirror of design, labor, material conditions, and timeline constraints. My job is to make sure what’s on paper translates cleanly to what gets built.”

This clarity has earned him the trust of architects, developers, and general contractors across Florida. His estimates form the foundation for decisions around procurement, staffing, and sequencing—essential pillars of project execution.

The Economics of Building Smart

Jermoluk holds a B.S. in Economics from Florida State University, and it shows. His financial modeling isn’t limited to raw totals. He applies market analysis, regional pricing intelligence, and statistical risk scenarios to deliver projections that hold up under real-world stress.

Material volatility, labor shortages, and scope creep aren’t surprises—they’re calculated inputs in his methodology. This allows clients to build with confidence, knowing their bids account for both present costs and foreseeable shifts.

“Steven’s estimates go beyond the obvious,” said one Florida-based developer. “He outlines what we’re not seeing, explains what’s likely to change, and gives us the tools to adapt. That kind of foresight is rare.”

Structure, Carried Forward from the Classroom

Before entering construction, Jermoluk spent over two decades in education. He taught history and peer counseling, disciplines that demanded communication, structure, and the ability to simplify complexity without sacrificing depth. Those same skills are now core to his estimating process.

He’s deliberate in how he presents budgets and bid packages. Assumptions are documented. Deliverables are traceable. Risks are categorized and communicated. Every document serves as a guide, not a puzzle.

“Construction teams make fast decisions under pressure,” Jermoluk explains. “My role is to give them clarity, early on, so they’re not making those decisions blind.”

His documentation doesn’t sit in a file cabinet. It flows across departments—architecture, procurement, engineering, finance—and becomes a living blueprint for project alignment.

Quiet Precision in a High-Stakes Sector

Luxury construction leaves little room for error. Custom materials, high client expectations, and layered subcontractor networks increase exposure. Jermoluk’s focus on early-phase accuracy protects downstream outcomes.

In recent years, he’s worked on estimates for projects exceeding $80 million in scope. His cost models reflect not only quantity takeoffs and labor hours, but local permit fees, freight logistics, installation challenges, and seasonal variations.

“He’s not a spreadsheet guy,” said a senior site manager on a recent commercial build. “He’s a systems thinker. When Steven hands you an estimate, it’s already been tested against the build.”

Global Perspective, Grounded Ethic

Outside of work, Jermoluk supports several health-focused nonprofits and has participated in volunteer service abroad, including hands-on projects in India and France. Those experiences reinforce a professional ethic rooted in reliability and responsibility.

“I’ve learned that wherever you go, planning matters,” he reflects. “Whether you’re estimating a 30,000-square-foot build or coordinating a service project overseas, the outcomes are shaped by how clearly you prepare.”

A Steady Force in an Unsteady Market

Steven Jermoluk Florida continues to serve as a reliable partner to project teams who want more than a bottom line. His work represents discipline, forethought, and a deep respect for the people behind the plans.

In an industry often shaped by urgent timelines and shifting priorities, his presence signals something different: calm, controlled execution built on knowledge, not noise.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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