Every year, January 16 is celebrated in the United States as Religious Freedom Day. On this day, the President of the United States calls on all Americans to remember the history of their country and the difficulties of the struggle for civil rights to freedom of practice of various religions, as well as to celebrate this date with appropriate events in families, schools and higher educational institutions, and business institutions.
On this day in 1786, the Virginia State on Religious Freedom was adopted by the Virginia General Assembly. Thomas Jefferson formulated the basis of this legislation, which was subsequently regarded as his most outstanding merit.
Through the Jefferson Regulations, the practice of taxing citizens by local clergy was discontinued, and it also created protections for the civil rights of individuals to express their religious beliefs without fear of discrimination. Jefferson's position also created the prerequisites and influenced the passage of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom.
The first of the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights begins with a provision prohibiting the state religion and a provision on the free exercise of religion.
Proclaiming Religious Freedom Day in 2003, President D. Bush stated that the right to religious faith and the expression of this faith in words and deeds « is a right that every person should have». Noting that there are many people in the world who do not have such freedoms, the President said: «By acting together for religious freedom around the world, we can create a better future for people of any faith».
The 4th President of the United States, one of the key authors of the US Constitution, James Madison, said that the «religion of every person should remain a matter of conviction and conscience of every person; and every person has the right to follow it as prescribed. This right is by its nature an inalienable right».
Currently, Religious Freedom Day in the United States, according to the country's leadership, should serve as an example that every person has the right to freely accept and profess religion, as well as express his faith in worship, teaching and religious observance. Therefore, traditionally, many educational institutions in America coincide with this holiday by holding festive concerts and performances, where students depict historical figures and events corresponding to the day.
By the way, on the third Sunday of January, many countries celebrate World Religion Day.