LAS VEGAS, June 22 – Swastika Rehabilitation Day will be held on June 24 around the world. Sponsored by the International Raelian Movement and Proswastika Alliance, this event will be an opportunity for Raelians around the world to continue to promote the true meaning and origin of the swastika by informing people about its peaceful and ancient meaning.
According to Martin Hétu, international leader of Swastika Rehabilitation Day, the swastika has marked humanity for millennia and is revered by billions of people around the world. And even though Westerners still associate it with Hitler and Nazi crimes, the public is increasingly aware of the sacred meaning of this ancient symbol—thanks to the swastika rehabilitation campaigns that have taken place all over the world for the past decade.
“The swastika has long been cherished by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Raelians alike as a religious symbol,” said Hétu, “and to cast aspersion on this religious symbol and trying to ban it would be tantamount to banning a religion. It would be an affront to the members of that religion and clearly a violation of religious freedom,” he added.
While Raelians are outraged by the crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis, they also adamantly believe that their annual swastika rehabilitation campaign is a great way to help restore the symbol’s peaceful original meaning. “It’s unfortunate that Hitler besmirched such a revered symbol that has existed for thousands of years, and even though we cannot change the past, our worldwide education campaigns have gained momentum over the years and resulted in promising positive outcomes,” Hétu continued.
According to Raelians, before the Nazi era the swastika had only positive meanings of good fortune and well-being all around the world including in Israel where it is displayed in old synagogues, and to continue to affiliate it with Hitler is counterproductive and makes it all the more difficult to acknowledge the fact that symbols do not kill people but only people do.
“Education is the solution, not casting aspersion on the symbol or trying to ban it outright,” concluded Hétu. “That’s what Swastika Rehabilitation Day is all about.”
