Lisbon, Portugal. From today until Sunday, May 17, 2015, the Supreme Council for Portugal will host the XIX World Conference of the Supreme Councils (Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite). The event brings together all (most of ) the Supreme Councils regularly constituted and recognized by the Supreme Council Mother of the World (Supreme Council for Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America). AASR leaders AASR proposed four major goals:
- Effective boards, recommending solutions and putting forward actions.
- Adapt the procedures to the current technological environment.
- Reduce the quantity of paper usually left in hotel rooms at the end of the Conference.
- Keep the website active until 2020, including a directory of the Supreme Councils which must be continuously maintained and updated.
The conference topic for this year is: "New ways for a more humane future". The Sovereigns Grand Commanders of the world are aware of the importance of both AASR and Freemasonry had in developing leaders who have marked the history through their work. The Universal and European Charter of Human Rights, the Declaration of the Independence of the United States of America etc., all this represent a joint effort of the Freemasons of that time to give to the society a chance to a better world, a more human one.
Thus, at this year's meeting will be addressed topics such as the Social Contract, Ecological Pact and the mission of the Craft in training leaders.
Freemasonry (AASR) is facing new challenges, believes Sovereign Grand Commander of Portugal, host of this year's event. Agostinho Garcia, 33º says that these new challenges are, among others: the financial and economic model that failed, existential crises of the population and the bleak outlook for young people. Agostinho Garcia, 33º talks about how Freemasonry was forced to reinvent itself, in history, to survive and adapt. The leader of Portugal's Scottish Rite considers that Freemasons must assume the duty to bring hope back to humanity.