Archive for the ‘Partner Cities’ Category
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
Karen Armstrong: Compassion in Action
Karen Armstrong spoke this past month at a special gathering hosted by the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions in Palo Alto, California. The celebrated author and founder of the Charter for Compassion addressed the ethos of compassion and the work of the Charter.
“Compassion is not just an attitude of sloppy benevolence, it requires practical action. It requires a sense of responsibility,” said Armstrong. “It’s not an impratical dream. It’s a necessity for our survival. We have to treat people, whoever they are, with respect.”
Armstrong also lifted up the collaborative nature of the work of the Charter for Compassion, and highlighted the partnership between the Charter and CPWR, particularly the integration of the Charter with the work of the Council’s Partner Cities Network
“This is the task of our time…to make the compassionate voice of religion, spirituality, morality a clear, luminous, and dynamic force in our troubled world.”
Partner Cities Network Launches Peace Cities Initiative
PARTNER CITIES NETWORK
LAUNCHES PEACE CITIES INITIATIVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH
UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
September 1, 2010
Chicago, IL – September 1, 2010 – The Partner Cities Network of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is pleased to announce the launch of Peace Cities, a city-to-city interfaith networking opportunity for self-organized grass-roots interfaith groups, made available through PeaceNext.org.
The Peace Cities program recognizes the on-the-ground work of over 70 partner interfaith communities and their leaders who work to foster interfaith cooperation, peace, and social cohesion. It serves to connect cities around the world that have hosted interfaith events in cooperation with the Partner Cities Network and the Parliament of World’s Religions (Chicago, USA 1993; Cape Town, South Africa 1999; Barcelona, Spain 2004; Monterrey, Mexico 2007 and Melbourne, Australia, 2009.)
Cities that have earned the designation of Peace City are able to post news about local interfaith events and to share resources with other Peace Cities through PeaceNext.org. Peace Cities are eligible to apply to join the Partner Cities Network through a fast-track application process.
The Peace Cities launch coincides with PeaceWeek, a global telesummit for building a culture of peace. A co-production of The Shift Network and The Peace Alliance, PeaceWeek is being held in conjunction with the UN International Day of Peace on September 21. This conference will feature over 50 leading international peacebuilders, pioneers, and innovators, and offer opportunities for personal growth and collective change.
The Peace Cities program of the Partner Cities Network invites all to participate in PeaceWeek, a global telesummit for building a culture of peace. A co-production of The Shift Network and The Peace Alliance, PeaceWeek is being held in conjunction with the UN International Day of Peace on September 21. This conference will feature over 50 leading international peacebuilders, pioneers, and innovators, and offer opportunities for personal growth and collective change. To join the PeaceWeek global conversations, please visit, www.peaceweek.info. Registrants will be able to participate for free in an unlimited number of live discussions and receive free access to the full library of event recordings.
The Partner Cities Network is also proud to partner with Odyssey Networks in “A Million Minutes for Peace” campaign. Our goal is to collect one million pledges to pray for peace for one minute at noon on the UN International Day of Peace. Please watch the 60-second video, and join us by pledging your prayer for peace.
Contact: Zabrina Santiago
Deputy Executive Director & Partner Cities Director
Phone: (312) 629-2990 x. 235
zabrina@parliamentofreligiong.org
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About the Partner Cities Network
The Partner Cities Network seeks to build and connect the interreligious movement worldwide. It serves to create a global dynamic that will bind cities together and facilitates the sharing of best practices to inspire opportunities for cooperative action among cities. Partner Cities will soon launch collaborative programming and innovative resource sharing through online resource centers, quarterly webinars, and regional gatherings.
Currently six international cities form the growing network, with eight cities completing the application process in 2010. Cities currently designated as Partner Cities are Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Barcelona, Spain; Monterrey, Mexico; Melbourne, Australia and San Jose, California, USA.
About Peace Cities
Peace Cities is an initiative of the Partner Cities Network. It seeks to bridge self-organized grass-roots interfaith initiatives in cities around the world through the Council’s social media platform, PeaceNext.org.
Spiritual Intimacy and Interfaith Engagement
From Women’s Radio
Ruth Brodye Sharone, Co-Chair of the Southern California Committee for the Parliament of the World’s Religions and filmmaker shares her insights into the changes occurring within Religious and Spiritual communities.
Ruth and a group of 20 had been invited to present a workshop entitled “Spiritual Intimacy: Taking Interfaith Engagement to the Next Level.”
Her signature on her email is, No longer are there six degrees of separation between any two individuals in the world. There is only one degree-and even that is an illusion!
Ruth has a lot to share about the ripple of the changes and backlashes that began occurring since September 11, 2001.
Weaving a Culture; what others are doing:
Partner Cities to Co-Sponsor PeaceWeek
PARTNER CITIES NETWORK TO CO-SPONSOR
PEACEWEEK
A GLOBAL TELESUMMIT
September 14-21, 2010
Chicago, IL – September 1, 2010 – The Partner Cities Network of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, invites you to be a part of PeaceWeek, a global telesummit for building a culture of peace. A co-production of The Shift Network and The Peace Alliance, PeaceWeek will be held in conjunction with the UN International Day of Peace on September 21. This conference will feature over 50 leading international peacebuilders, pioneers, and innovators, and offer opportunities for participants to learn and dialogue with each other.
A celebration and exploration of all peace-seeking efforts, both individual and collective, PeaceWeek will unite peace leaders from around the world together for the largest virtual peace summit ever formed. The featured participants will address such issues as personal peace practices, global hotspots, social justice, and the economics of peace. The event will also host a Peace Day Council with the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers on a mission of peace.
To register for the summit and join the global movement of peace pioneers, please visit www.peaceweek.info. Registrants will be able to participate for free in an unlimited number of live discussions and receive free access to the full library of event recordings.
The Partner Cities Network is also proud to partner with Odyssey Networks in “A Million Minutes for Peace” campaign. Our goal is to collect one million pledges to pray for peace for one minute at noon on the UN International Day of Peace. Please watch the 60-second video, and join us by pledging your prayer for peace.
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The Partner Cities Network seeks to build and connect the interreligious movement worldwide. It serves to create a global dynamic that will bind cities together and facilitates the sharing of best practices to inspire opportunities for cooperative action among cities: www.parliamentofreligions.org.
New Multifaith Organization Forms to Support Partner Cities Initiatives
From The Examiner
Gathered at the historic Antioch Baptist Church in downtown San Jose last week, a group of local religious leaders took another step towards creating a new multi-faith organization in the South Bay.
The new effort will be called the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council and will involve people from the diverse religious communities of the South Bay in joint activities to build relationships, provide educational opportunities, and offer opportunities for cooperative action on behalf of the whole community of the South Bay.
At last weeks’ meeting, those present heard presentations from the Rev. Carol Hovis, Director of the Marin Interfaith Council, and from Rabbi Jay Miller, Director of the Peninsula Clergy Network. They represented two significantly different models for interreligious organizations.
Previously, the group had hosted the Rev. Brian Stein-Webber, Director of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, and Michael Pappas, Director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, who was accompanied by board members Rita Semel and Jim DeLange.
Following an organizing meeting in May at the South Bay Islamic Association in San Jose, a planning team has been meeting regularly to work out the mission, objectives, and organizational structure of the Council. The twelve members of the planning team include Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Jewish, and Muslim participants along with people from Santa Clara University, Silicon Valley FACES, and the Santa Clara County Council of Churches.
One of the objectives of the new group will be to act as a coordinating point for activities related to Silicon Valley’s status as a Partner City of the Parliament of the World’s Religions.
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.
Post Parliament Gala with Yusuf Islam
Interfaith relationships deepen in Silicon Valley
This week we have seen some significant steps taken to strengthen the relationships among the diverse religious communities of Silicon Valley.
For the past several months, two Faiths Act Fellows, Tim Brauhn and Hafsa Arain, have been stationed in San Jose to help build a network of students interested in cooperative efforts of service to address global poverty. Sponsored by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Interfaith Youth Core, Tim and Hafsa have been working with students up and down the Peninsula to join together in working to eradicate malaria.
As their term of service comes to an end, they have sponsored meetings in San Francisco earlier this month and again this last Monday, May 10, in San Jose, to report on their efforts and to lay a groundwork for continuing after they go. In the time they have been in this area, they have held fourteen gatherings, have gathered a “Hub” team of 25 people, and have built groups at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, and Stanford.
Also this week, over forty people representing a wide range of religious and community organizations met at the South Bay Islamic Association center in San Jose and resolved to take the necessary steps toward building a multifaith organization that would enable the religious communities of the South Bay to take a more visible and active role in service to the wider community, engagement with governmental and educational institutions, and stronger relationships with one another in building a peaceable environment for all.
The new organization would take on the functions of Silicon Valley’s status as a member of the Partner City Network of the Parliament of the World’s Religions.
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.
