The 1993 Parliament program began each morning with special meditation and concluded each evening with thematic plenaries, hosted at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel and various sites throughout the city.
The Opening Plenary was a celebratory pageant of music from East and West, interfaith processional, welcomes, blessings, and invocations. The Closing Plenary included a keynote address by H.H. the Dalai Lama, invocations from the Parliament Presidents, concluding remarks, a performance by a multicultural dance company, and a rousing final concert by Walter Whitman and the 200-voice Soul Children and Chicago Choir.
Over 500 major presentations, seminars, lectures, and workshops on faith teachings and critical issues were featured during the week.