Public Funds Used in Campaign Against Catholic Church
Government funded atheist forum at the occasion of the Pope's visit to Barcelona concludes that "there was an increase of conflicts with a religious background, religious leaders used faith to subjugate the world, religious hierarchy attacked democracy, and religion restricted the exercise of freedom of conscience."
During the visit of Benedict XVI to Barcelona to consecrate Gaudi's Church, Sagrada Familia, two local organizations hosted an atheist and anti-Christian forum called "I do NOT wait for you" with the support of public funds. The media reported that the forum „Space for Freedom (Foro Espacio de Libertad)“ organized by the foundation Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia and the Laic i Progressista movement was held in Barcelona from November 5th to November 7th, 2010, and attended by 300 participants. The forum concluded that there was an increase of conflicts with a religious background, religious leaders used faith to subjugate the world, religious hierarchy attacked democracy, and religion restricted the exercise of freedom of conscience. One of the official sponsors of the event, the „Youth Institute“, donated 28,000 euros of taxpayers money to the forum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed 120,000 euros.Sources: http://www.profesionalesetica.org/2010/11/10/gobierno-y-generalitat-financian-un-foro-contra-la-presencia-publica-de-la-iglesia-catolica/ http://www.espaciodelibertad.net/en/documents/activities/declaracion-final-del-foro.html http://www.abc.es/20101111/sociedad/gobierno-generalitat-financiaron-foro-20101111.html http://www.hazteoir.org/noticia/34123-gobierno-y-generalitat-catalana-financian-foro-presencia-publica-iglesia http://www.intereconomia.com/noticias-gaceta/sociedad/gobierno-y-generalitat-financian-asociaciones-que-atacan-iglesia