Archive for the ‘2014 Parliament’ Category
CPWR Chair Named One of the World’s Most Influential Muslims
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, chairman of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, was cited in the latest issue of “The Muslim 500: The World’s Most Influential Muslims” for his efforts to raise awareness and understanding about faith and social issues.
The widely viewed publication from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, an independent research entity based in Amman, is a comprehensive study of global Muslim leadership in 14 categories including politics, religion, business, science, arts, media, sports, philanthropy and social issues. Imam Mujahid was included on the list for the first time. He is one of eight Americans identified as leaders in the category of Social Issues.
The report credited Imam Mujahid with a range of contributions including his work with broadcast media and his organizing efforts as the former chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and his current role as chairman of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. Imam Mujahid, an award-winning author, is the president of Sound Vision in Chicago, which offers multimedia Islamic teaching materials. He is also the executive producer of Chicago’s Radioislam.com and the host of a daily one hour talk program on WCEV 1450 AM.
“His development of the Radio Islam nightly talk show in Chicago is not only a source of support for Muslims, but an important educational link to non-Muslims in the greater Chicago area,” according to “The Muslim 500” publication. “Mujahid speaks with eloquence not only about the destructiveness of Islamophobia but also of the need for all people to come together in a spirit of justice and peace.”
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, based in Chicago, is an international, non-sectarian, non-profit organization, established in 1988 to host the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Since the historic 1893 Parliament in Chicago, modern Parliaments have been held in Chicago (1993), Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009). These periodic Parliament events are the world’s oldest and largest interreligious gatherings. The next Parliament is expected to draw more than 10,000 religious leaders, scholars, theologians, worshippers, observers and journalists to the city of Brussels in 2014.
Brussels to host the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2014
Brussels – the capital of the Belgians and of 500,000,000 Europeans – has been chosen as the host city of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2014. The selection of Brussels was made by the Board of Trustees of the governing organization at its March 13, 2011 meeting in Chicago.
More than 10,000 people from diverse religious, spiritual and convictional traditions will participate in the 2014 Parliament, which will last for 7 days and will comprise more than 500 programs, workshops and dialogues, alongside music, dance, artistic exhibitions and related events hosted by religious communities and cultural institutions. Since the historic 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions was held in Chicago, modern Parliaments have been held in Chicago (1993), Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009). These periodic Parliament events are the world’s oldest and largest interreligious gatherings.
As the capital of the European Union, Brussels is a microcosm of the challenges and possibilities present in an increasingly multi-religious and multi-cultural continental society. Historical and geo-political dynamics connect Brussels and Europe to the rest of the world in powerful ways that have far-reaching implications.
The compelling global case for a Parliament in Brussels was amplified by the urgent need to address the issue of social cohesion in Europe and other regions experiencing religious, cultural and ethnic diversity. The role of Brussels as the capital of the European Union provides a regional and international reach, and taps into widespread dynamics that ultimately impact every corner of the world. The potential for social unrest or social transformation, at this pivotal moment in history, was the final determining factor in answering the question: Why Brussels? Why now?
Mr. Miquel Mesquita da Cunha, chair of the bid committee noted that “…although the established name of Parliament of the World’s Religions is to be cherished, the process involves not just religions but also in a wider sense spiritualities and convictions. Similarly, although senior leaders and thinkers from diverse traditions will speak at the event, the Parliament is very much for people from all walks of life – a feast for everyone!”
In the three years ahead, the 2014 Parliament program will be developed in close consultation with religious and convictional leaders and communities in Brussels itself, across Europe, and from around the world, so that the event reflects the perspectives and priorities of all faiths and persuasions.
The Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, the Government of the Brussels Capital Region and the Brussels City Hall, as well as a number of religious, social and academic leaders and communities in the country, supported the Brussels Bid.
In making this selection the Council emphasized its commitment to continuing a relationship with the other two finalists to host the international gathering. The Council will work with local organizers to extend the reach of Guadalajara as a bridge for the interreligious movement to all of Latin America. The Council will approach Dallas-Fort Worth to consider developing together a dynamic model for fostering social cohesion in the US context.
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is an international, non-sectarian, non-profit organization, established in 1988 to host the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions. The office of the Council is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
For more information, please contact:
- Rev. Dirk Ficca, Executive Director of the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions (dirk@parliamentofreligions.org, (312) 629-2990)
- Miguel Mesquita da Cunha, Chairman of the 2014 Bid Steering Committee (mmc@brussels2014.eu)
- Council website www.parliamentofreligions.org
- Brussels Parliament bid website www.Brussels2014.eu
Guadalajara Publishes Online Magazine for 2014 Bid
Aither - La Revista
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, one of three cities bidding to host the 2014 Parliament of the World’s Religions, recently published an online magazine to support their bid.
AITHER – LA REVISTA, features an entire issue dedicated to the question “Why Guadalajara?” and highlights the recent visit of the site selection team from the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.
Click here to view the magazine
The three bid cities for the 2014 Parliament are Brussels, Belgium; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Dallas/Fort Worth, USA.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness Bids for 2014
From ISKON
The next meeting of one of the biggest interfaith gatherings in the world, the Parliament of the World’s Religions, could be hosted in Brussels, Belgium in 2014—and an ISKCON devotee is front and center in the bidding process.
ISKCON’s European Communications Director Mahaprabhu Dasa goes back 117 years to explain how it came to this.
“The Parliament of the World’s Religions was first held in Chicago in 1893 as part of a large fair called the World Columbian Exposition,” he says. “An historic event, it was the first major meeting between leaders and thinkers of both western and eastern religious traditions, and is now seen as the birth of formal interreligious dialogue worldwide.”
But it wasn’t until 1993, when the City of Chicago decided to celebrate the Parliament’s 100th anniversary by having an academic conference, that it became a regular occurrence.
“As they planned it, it developed into a popular event that drew over 8,000 people from many religious communities,” Mahaprabhu explains. “The organizers decided not to wait another 100 years to hold the next one. So they held another in Cape Town, South Africa in 1999.”
After this, the Parliament was established as an event that was held every five years. The next two, held in Barcelona, Spain in 2004, and in Melbourne, Australia in 2009, were similar successes.
“Since the first four had been held in America, Africa, Europe, and Australasia respectively, I was sure the fifth would be held in Asia, the only remaining populated continent,” Mahaprabhu says. “So I began to campaign for Delhi as a candidate. But when I returned to ISKCON’s Radhadesh community in Belgium, several friends of mine who had attended previous Parliaments—including a Rabbi from the Jewish group Lubavitch-Chabad—contacted me and said, ‘Why not have it in Brussels?’ They expected that I might be able to get the ball rolling because of my connections in the interfaith world.”
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Whatever his position, however, and whichever city wins the bid, Mahaprabhu is all set to help increase awareness and plan the involvement of devotees from all over the world.
“ISKCON Communications and other ISKCON representatives have attended all four Parliaments so far,” says Mahaprabhu. “We had an especially good presence in Barcelona—there was an ISKCON Communications stand handing out free brochures, and a “temple shop” selling devotional and cultural products. ISKCON guru Sivarama Swami did a presentation on Hungary’s eco-village project Krishna Valley, ISKCON Deity Worship Minister Krishna Ksetra Dasa participated in a panel conference, and one devotee did a cooking course. We also performed a fire sacrifice, or yajna, and held our traditional temple morning program.”
ISKCON’s participation in the Melbourne conference, however, was minimal, and Mahaprabhu hopes that its presence can be brought to a much higher level for the next Parliament in 2014.
“We really need to plan it well in advance, and to convince ISKCON leaders of its importance and receive their support,” he says. “It’s important for us to be present and to contribute in a positive way, because the Parliament—although still in its pioneer phase—is set to become a major interfaith event. For instance, last year it received heavy coverage by the media and a White House delegation even attended. So we would like to have ISKCON’s most talented leaders, thinkers and academics from around the world making proposals for workshops, conferences and presentations.”
Desmond Tutu to Retire
From CNN
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced Thursday he will retire from public life in October, when he turns 79 years old.
“Instead of growing old gracefully, at home with my family — reading and writing and praying and thinking — too much of my time has been spent at airports and in hotels,” the Nobel laureate said in a statement.
“The time has now come to slow down, to sip Rooibos tea with my beloved wife in the afternoons, to watch cricket, to travel to visit my children and grandchildren, rather than to conferences and conventions and university campuses,” he said.
Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, formally retired as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996.
But by then he was already chairing South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a public inquiry into the crimes of the country’s apartheid regime. He retired from that position in 1998.
Since then, Tutu has continued to travel the world, lecturing and advocating for various causes.
Guadalajara Accepts Bid For 2014 Parliament
From Informador.com
The Council for a Parliament of World Religions determined that the city will compete to host the religious event.
As anticipated this article, two other cities that also seek to be the seat of Parliament and whose last edition took place in Melbourne, Australia, in late 2009 are Brussels, Belgium, and Dallas, Texas, two cities that have been accepted for candidacy.
During the official announcement, Rev. Ficca also said that in seeking the seat, the Perla Tapatia seeks to become a player in the religious movements. “The hospitality and warmth of its people,” said Ficca, make our city the center of culture and spirituality of Mexico, a strong contender to win the seat of Parliament.
Dirk Ficca reiterated that the Parliament of World Religions is not official representatives of any religious congregation and does not take any political stance.
Bid City Holds First Press Conference
DFW INTERFAITH COALITION TAKES STAND FOR ACCEPTANCE AND PEACE IN BID FOR 2014 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS
DALLAS , TX – On the eve of scheduled picketing of a number of religious organizations, the DFW Interfaith Coalition will hold a news conference taking a stand for building bridges of peace and highlighting Dallas-Fort Worth as an official bid city for the 2014 Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR). The news conference will take place tomorrow, Thursday, July 8, 10:30 a.m., at Dealey Plaza , Houston and Elm Streets. It will feature a solidarity pledge for understanding of different religious and spiritual traditions while promoting interreligious dialogue.
“The issues facing North Texas, the US and the world are so complex and multi-layered, that we can no longer look to one group, organization or even arena to move us forward,” said Rev. Weldes. “We must all learn to work, collaborate, and operate together, and since religion can be such a seriously divisive issue, it can also be the best place to start bringing people together. A deepening awareness of the international inter-religious movement will continue to strengthen the relationships between the diverse elements of DFW’s population.”
“Our effort to bring the Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR) to Dallas focuses showcasing Dallas and its diversity, on building bridges among religions, spiritual, academic, political, business and non-profit sectors of our community, seeking to bring everyone to the table of dialogue, so that creative and multi-faceted conversation can be had,” says DFW Interfaith Coalition vice-chair Rev. Dr. Petra Weldes. “We have significant issues facing our community, and an interreligious dialogue meaningfully engages people on all sides of the conversation in a significant way.”
Rev. Weldes will issue the solidarity pledge, which honors all religious and spiritual traditions, at the news conference which will also feature singers Lainey Bernstein, who will sing, “There’s a Healing Going On,” and Rev. Eric Folkerth. Those in attendance will be asked to sign petitions supporting the coalition’s efforts to bring the 2014 Parliament to Dallas-Ft. Worth.
The Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ (CPWR) mission promotes inter-religious harmony, rather than unity, an approach enriched by the particularities of each tradition. Its goal is a just, peaceful and sustainable world where religious and cultural fears and hatreds are replaced with understanding and respect based on mutual values, and the earth and all life are cherished, protected, healed and restored for the common good. CPWR holds a PWR every five years. More than 6,000 people attended the December 2009 PWR in Melbourne , Australia.
Dallas-Fort Worth is one of three official bid cities for the 2014 Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR). A coalition of local spiritual and religious organizations are working together in this effort to be the host city. It is the only US city being considered. The two other candidates are Brussels, Belgium, and Guadalajara, Mexico. A final decision won’t be announced until October 2011.
“CPWR believes that DFW is certainly an intriguing place to have a PWR since it would shake up the stereotypes that people have of this area. We are thrilled with this opportunity,” said Rev. Weldes. To gain support, organizations and leaders are being asked daily to join and support the DFW Interfaith Coalition. Coalition members currently represent Muslim, Judaism, Orthodox Christian, African American Christian, Catholic, Christian United Methodist, New Thought, the Urantia Community, Sikh, Baha’i, Hindu, and Taoist spirituality traditions.
The DFW Interfaith Coalition 2014 PWR bid has the support of Mayor Tom Leppert and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the Dallas Convention Center and Visitors Bureau. Coalition participants include, among others, The Foundation for Pluralism, the Memnosyne Foundation, The Aga Khan Foundation, PartnershipsInAction, and the Association for Global New Thought (Advisory member), which are all heavily involved in dialogue and cooperation with cities and organizations globally. The Coalition will submit an extended bid proposal in August and acceptance will then make DFW part of the PWR Partner City network.
The DFW Interfaith Coalition plans meetings across the DFW area with all of the area’s mayors and religious and spiritual communities to bring them on board supporting its PWR bid. The coalition will soon launch a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Film and Interfaith
From The Roanoke Times
The latest efforts to link people of different religions in the Roanoke Valley played out Wednesday night at a Catholic church in Southwest Roanoke County with a handful of Christians, Jews, Muslims — and a TV.
Katie and John Zawacki organized the event as part of an initiative they call Voices of Faith.
Those in attendance watched a 30-minute video from a series on the world’s three largest religions, and then they talked in small groups about their commonalities or differences — though most of the discussion centered on what was in common.
In a period of religious conflict, the third of a three-part series of discussions at Our Lady of Nazareth showed there are people who want to come together.
“Without peace between world religions, there won’t be peace in the world,” said Katie Zawacki, a member of the church who with her husband, John, helped organize the session.
Some interreligious efforts, of course, are decades old. Global meetings such as the World Conference on Religion and Peace or the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions bring together people from different corners of the world. (Archbishop Desmond Tutu delivered an address to the delegations from four cities bidding for the 2014 parliament: Brussels, Belgium; Dallas, Texas; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and Guadalajara, Mexico.)
The Roanoke Valley Ministers’ Conference, for many years an influential association, named Gerry Walter, a Jew, as its first non-Christian president in 1979.
In 2004, a group of eight congregations known as Congregations in Action organized tutoring and take-home snacks for less fortunate children at Roanoke’s Highland Park Elementary School. In 2007, Imam Ibrahim Hamidullah of Roanoke teamed up with a Hollins University professor to lead a six-week lecture series on Islam. And before the 2009-10 school year, Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders participate in a blessing ceremony for Patrick Henry High School.
“These interreligious efforts have been going on for decades,” said the Rev. Stephen Stanley of Christ Episcopal Church.
Desmond Tutu Video on PeaceNext and YouTube
From a recent e-mail sent to all members of PeaceNext.org,
Dear PeaceNext friend,
We’d like to thank you for strengthening the interfaith movement through your
presence on PeaceNext. We are happy to share the release of Desmond Tutu’s 2014 Parliament Bid address – made first available here to our PeaceNext community.
Now on to the video… on May 20, Archbishop Desmond Tutu shared an inspiring message with the 2014 Parliament Bid Teams. He addressed the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the 1999 Cape Town Parliament and also recognized the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative’s celebration of the official launch of the Charter for Compassion in South Africa. To begin the celebration, Karen Armstrong, a featured speaker of the 2009 Parliament also delivered a compelling message. Representatives from the Bid Cities, now narrowed down to Brussels, Belgium; Dallas, Texas, U.S.A; and Guadalajara, Mexico, were in attendance at the Chicago viewing along with friends and Council Trustees.
Click here to watch the video. The video is also being featured on PeaceNext‘s main page.
Belgium, USA & Mexico To Bid For PWR 2014
from interfaithing.com
The 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions may still be fresh in our memories, but planning for the 2014 Parliament of the World’s Religions is already well underway. Recently, the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions (CPWR) announced the three participating bid cities as Brussels, Belgium; Dallas, Texas, USA; and Guadalajara, Mexico. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada will be present throughout the bidding process to audit.
All three cities’ Bid Teams participated in a Partnership Conference in Chicago, Illinois from May 16-20, 2010. At the Partnership Conference, the bid cities were briefed on the CPWR’s requirements for the site selection process and the Parliament event. The actual statistical and financial information from the 2009 Parliament in Melbourne, Australia was also made available to the bid cities who have to submit their final written proposal to the Council by August 1, 2010. After reviewing the proposals and conducting host site visits, the CPWR will make its final selection for the 2014 host city in March 2011. The 2014 host city will be publicly announced in October 2011.
After all of the technicalities of the Partnership Conference were over, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu treated the bid cities to a special address on May 20, 2010 via a live video stream from Cape Town, South Africa. In his address, Archbishop Tutu welcomed the cities to the bidding process and articulated the positive impact hosting the Parliament can have in making their city more inclusive and tolerant. The address marked South Africa’s 10th anniversary of hosting the 1999 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Archbishop Tutu’s address took place as part of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative’s 10th anniversary celebration, which included the launch of Karen Armstrong’s Charter For Compassion in South Africa. Armstrong, who was a featured speaker at the 2009 Parliament, also addressed the Partnership Conference via a pre-recorded video from Cape Town.
