Parliament of Worlds Religion 2009 Melbourne Australia

Author(s): Parliament of the World’s Religions
Publisher: USA Parliament of the Worlds Religions
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/529515/1

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Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth
Parliament of the World's Religions
www.parliamentofreligions.org

Pravin K. Shah

3-9 DECEMBER 2009 MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
www.parliamentofreligions.org
MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE
COUNCIL FOR A
PARLIAMENT OF THE
WORLD'S RELIGIONS

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The 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions would like to thank the following groups for their support:
Australian Government - Department of Immigration & Citizenship
Victorian Government
City of Melbourne
Australian Government Department of Immigration
and Citizenship
Victoria
The Place To Be
CITY OF MELBOURNE
Major Supporters
Associate Supporter Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC, DBE
Benefactors
AMES Session/Performance
Sponsor
Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Opening Plenary & Poverty Symposium
Supporters
AMES
Collier Charitable Fund
Asia Faiths Development Dialogue
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry
Melbourne
ABORIGINAL
AFDD
Global Family for Love & Peace/
Museum of World Religions Peace Building Program Cluster
Chung Tai Chan Monastery
Program Book Sponsor
World Faiths Development Dialogue
SFLPG
Global Family for Love & Peace
世累宗教博物 MUSEUM OF WORLD RELIGIONS
W'D
Monash University Melbourne Plenary Sponsor
Guru Nanak Nishkam
Sewak Jatha (UK) Sacred Sites Symposium
The International Shinto Foundation
MONASH University Arts Shinji Shumeikai Shumei
951
GNNSJ
Udo Keller Foundation
- Forum Humanum
Kalliopeia Foundation
UDO KELLER STIFTUNG
FORUM HUMANUM
*Kalliopeia
FOUNDATION
Uniting Church
in Australia
Sidney Myer Fund
www.int
zorg
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Donors
A-pac Broadcast Partner
CHpac
The Parliament of the Worlds Religions is supported by the Commonwealth through the Australia - Indonesia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Speaker Sponsor
An Australian Government Initiative
Australia Indonesia Institute
Buddhist Council of Victoria Session/Performance Sponsor
THE BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF VICTORIA, INC
Friends
A.J. Myers Besen Family Foundation
Brotherhood of St
Laurence
Catherine Tay
Catholic Diocese of Ballarat
Hindu Foundation Inc. Holy Tantra Jin-GangDhyana Buddhism Our Lady Help of Christians
Mrs Neilma Gantner Ms Nina Bassat Sisters of St Joseph Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team St Charbel's Church & Parish The Avenue Uniting Church
The Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation UCA Assembly Limited Victoria University
Dhammakaya International Society of Australia Session/Performance Sponsor 60
Carmelite Monastery
11003
The Helen and Bori Liberman Family Session/Performance Sponsor
Jewish Community Council of Victoria Session/Performance Sponsor
Union for Progressive Judaism Session/Performance Sponsor
JCCV
Union for PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM
Programmatic Partners
Global Humanitarian Forum
Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of World Religions Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Chung Tai Chan Monastery World Faiths Development Dialogue Patheos.com
Dropping Knowledge International
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University
International Shinto Foundation Henry Luce Foundation Shinji Shumeikai Kalliopeia Foundation The Elijah Institute
Pre-Parliament Event Host Cities
Accra, Ghana Adelaide, Australia Al-Nebek, Syria Atlanta, USA Austin, USA Bali, Indonesia Barrytown, USA Blantyre, Malawi Bogota, Colombia Buenos Aires, Argentina Canberra, Australia Carbondale, USA Chicago, USA Cochin, India Dallas, USA
Estella-Lizarra, Spain Galilee, Israel Guadalajara, Mexico Helsinki, Finland Hobart, Australia Hong Kong, China
CONTENTS
Letters of Welcome....
About the Parliament of the World's Religions.....
Thanks & Recognition... 2009 Parliament Program Overview..
16
Plenary Overview...
18
Daily Overview and Program Schedule.... 23
Offsite Events....
.46
Exhibition and Visual Arts Presentations....57 Exhibiting Organisations..
General Information... Venue Floorplan...
Major Subthemes Program Clusters. Symposia
Special Events
Intrareligious...
Regional Sessions.
Observances..
Films... Performances Open Space..
Program Descriptions...
Index by Presenters... Index of Programs..
Jaipur, India Jakarta, Indonesia Kansas City, USA Kathmandu, Nepal Kerala, India Kisumu, Kenya Kristiansand, Norway Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia León, Mexico Litchfield, USA Lleida, Spain London, England Los Angeles, USA Madison, USA Mansfield, Australia Melbourne, Australia Mexico City, Mexico Minneapolis, USA Monrovia, Liberia Monterrey, Mexico Morwell, Australia Murray-Darling Basin, Australia
Nanded, India New Delhi, India
9
10
. 58 59
70
71
87
105
111
114
120
126
130
133
. 134
135 365-376 ..377-389
www.parliamentofreligions.
New York City, USA Newcastle, Australia Oxford, England Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago Portland, USA Rochester, USA San Francisco, USA San Jose, USA Santa Fe, USA Seattle, USA St. Paul, USA Sydney, Australia Taipei, Taiwan Toowoomba, Australia Vancouver, Canada Vancouver, USA Washington, USA Windyville, USA Winston-Salem, USA

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LETTERS OF WELCOME Welcome from the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of Australia
MESSAGE: PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS
One of Australia's great strengths is its robust and cohesive society which embraces a wide range of cultural and religious traditions. We are proud of our rich heritage and democratic traditions.
When the writers of Australia's Constitution envisioned the sort of Australia that they would like to live in, they decided that no one religious belief should have precedence over another, that religion and state should be separate. They wrote into the Constitution that "the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion".
Today this decision is realised in Australians' support and respect for the rights of citizens to maintain and develop their cultural and religious beliefs. The aims of the Parliament of the World's Religions complement these Australian ideals of diversity, inclusion and mutual action.
The Australian Government proudly supports Melbourne in hosting this event. I hope that every participant will come to Melbourne recognising the unique and precious character of each religion, open to learning and genuine dialogue, and with a strong desire to cultivate harmony.
I welcome you to Australia for the Parliament of the World's Religions and hope that for each of you, it will be a catalyst for your own efforts to promote peace through shared meaning and collaboration.
The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP Prime Minister of Australia
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Welcome from the Hon. John Brumby MP, the Premier of Victoria
MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER
On behalf of all Victorians I'd like to welcome you to the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. In particular, may I extend a special welcome to those of you who have travelled here from interstate and overseas - I hope your stay with us is a happy and memorable one.
The Parliament of the World's Religions is the world's largest interfaith gathering. It is also one of the most inclusive. It is an event that brings together religious and civil leaders and people of faith, spirit and goodwill from more than 80 countries. When this Parliament convenes, its aim is clear - to tap into the thoughts and ideas of thousands of participants and find practical solutions to issues that concern us all.
The Victorian Government is very proud to support the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. We believe there is no better or more appropriate place to host this event than Victoria. After all, we are well-known as Australia's multicultural capital and as one of the most peaceful and respectful societies in the world. We are home to people from more than 200 countries of origin, speaking more than 230 languages and dialects, and following more than 110 faiths. One in four Victorians were born overseas - and nearly half our population were either born overseas, or have a parent born overseas.
Our State is as diverse as our population, and I hope you will find the time to appreciate just some of what Melbourne and Victoria have to offer. Whether it be our world-class museums and galleries, our great restaurants, spectacular coastline or historic regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo, there is quite literally something for everyone in Victoria.
To everyone involved with the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions, I hope this important gathering challenges your thoughts, extends your intellect and forges new friendships. May compassion and understanding help you build bridges between faiths and nations.
Me My HON JOHN BRUMBY MP Premier of Victoria
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LETTERS OF WELCOME (continued)
Welcome from Robert Doyle, the Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne
MESSAGE FROM THE LORD MAYOR OF MELBOURNE
It is with great pride the City of Melbourne hosts the 5th Parliament of the World's Religions. We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to delegates from interstate and overseas. We hope you enjoy your time with us.
Melbourne is home to people from over 150 nations speaking 200 languages.
Melburnians practice and celebrate faith in diverse ways. Our most prominent public spaces, such as Federation Square, are designed for that very reason. Events like World Youth Day and The Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival are events promoting an inclusive, harmonious society.
Understanding our relationships with one another, and the natural environment in which we live, is vital for the future peace and sustainability of people right around the globe. In order for the world's civic, political, religious, and spiritual leaders to make a difference and to truly hear one another, it's paramount they gather to share their visions and stories, along with those of the communities they represent. Global dialogue unites people in action.
I wish to acknowledge the many people who have helped to bring this event to the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne. The 5th Parliament of the World's Religions is being held at the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre which has set a new benchmark as the first convention centre to be awarded a '6 Star' environmental rating by the Green Building Council of Australia. Opened this year, it offers the very best in sustainable design, technology and comfort.
Famous for its art and cultural scene, Melbourne is a city with a lifetime of memorable experiences awaiting every guest. Explore city laneways, take in the sea breeze at Docklands or see a show at one the city's historic theatres. Make this the first of many rewarding visits to Melbourne.
پھر بارہ کیا اور
Robert Doyle Lord Mayor
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Welcome from Rev. Dr William E. Lesher, Chair, Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions
Can the religious and spiritual communities of the world, working together, help to find solutions to the momentous problems that challenge the human community today? Can a renewed sense of the sacredness of the natural world motivate masses of people to adopt ways of living that will heal the earth? Can a recovery of the message of compassion and a commitment to the inestimable value of every life form break through all that prevents us from making poverty history? Can the religions help to build a new world ethos in which families, neighbours, communities and nations hear each other, respect each other and care for each other? Our response to these questions will be the measure by which this Parliament of the World's Religions will be judged. Will we sense the urgency of this time? Will we be able, in the week ahead to address the critical issues of today, deeply and responsibly? Most of all, will we find within ourselves and within our religious and spiritual traditions the wisdom and direction
that will send us away from Melbourne committed to action and imbrued with hope? This fifth Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne, Australia convenes on the threshold of the second decade of the twenty-first century. Ten years ago the Parliament met in Cape Town, South Africa around the hopeful theme, "A New Day is Dawning." By the time of the fourth Parliament in Barcelona, Spain it was clear that the "Pathways to Peace" that we gathered to explore would be more difficult to navigate then had been anticipated. Now, five years later, international terrorism, wars, persistent poverty, hunger and disease, a global economic downturn, political polarisation and the harbinger of an impending environmental crisis are converging to threaten the very future of the human community. In the last decade, the world's religions have taken on a new prominence. The values and ethical norms that mark the great faith traditions are being explored as a source of renewal and hope. The fledgling interreligious movement has grown stronger. Inter religious dialogue, first an activity for scholars and religious leaders, has become an action in many local communities of faith. Religious and spiritual communities working together for the common good is no longer an unusual phenomenon. May this fifth Parliament be a place where we envision an alternative interreligious world, where differences are bridged and embraced, where we do truly hear each other and from which we return home to heal the earth around us.
Welcome from Prof. Rev. Gary D. Bouma, Chair, Board of Management, Parliament of the World's Religions
Welcome to the Parliament of the World's Religions 2009 in Melbourne. You are invited to experience an amazing convergence of people from widely diverse backgrounds and deeply held religious and spiritual convictions and practices coming together to Make a World of Difference. The challenges we face together are huge. Addressing them requires an energy that is greater than each and all of us and a wisdom more profound than the peaceful stirrings of compassion and peace deep within each of us. PWR 2009 respects your unique contribution to human diversity. We recognise it as the source of strong motivations and creative responses to human and environmental problems. By contributing your views. insights and challenges you will enable others to appreciate the way your religious and spiritual being works. As we share our hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, dreams and suggestions each of us will become more articulate about our own situations and approaches as well as becoming more knowledgeable about those of others. Ignorance and fear will be reduced and will be replaced by mutual understanding and respect.
Gary D. Bouma Chair BOM PWR 2009 Inc.
narlimantafraliniana

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LETTERS OF WELCOME (continued) Mayor Daley's Proclamation
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RICHARD M. DALEY
MAYOR
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions was founded at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and still has its headquarters in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions convened its centennial celebration in Chicago in 1993; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is recognized by the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions as a Legacy Partner in the international community, and
WHEREAS, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions is committed to fostering world peace through inter-religious dialogue; and
WHEREAS, the world's largest convener of religious leaders, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions gathers every five years to address issues of peace, social justice and community sustainability; and
WHEREAS, this year, the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, held in Melbourne, Australia, will attract an estimated 10,000 participants:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, do hereby proclaim December 3, 2009, to be COUNCIL FOR A PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS DAY, and send our best wishes to this organization for much continued success in its important endeavors.
Dated this 21st day of October, 2009.
Buhay Maly
Mayor
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ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTI
A History of the Parliament The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions works to cultivate harmony among religious and spiritual communities and to foster their engagement with the world and its other guiding institutions in order to achieve a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. The Parliament of the World's Religions began in 1893 and has since been held in various locations around the world. The timeline below provides a brief description on past Parliament Events.
The Parliament of the World's Religions is the world's largest global interreligious event. It is held once every five years in a different city. The Melbourne Parliament will bring together people from around Australia and across the world, including renowned spiritual, religious, civic, academic, political and grassroots leaders Our theme - Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other. Healing the earth - reflects the urgent need for religious and spiritual communities and all people of goodwill to act on their concerns for the environment, peace and for overcoming poverty. It also encourages responsibility for cultivating awareness of our global interconnectedness. This Parliament will focus on the struggles and spiritualities of Indigenous People around the globe, particularly highlighting the Indigenous communities of Australia, Thousands of people from around the world will convene, to renew their work for the future of the planet. The programs will include diverse spiritual observances, workshops on issues of common concern, interreligious dialoque, performances of sacred music and dance, tours of cultural and religious sites and more. Our programming framework includes: Observances, Intrareligious Programs, Interreligious Programs, Engagement Programs and Celebrations.
1893 CHICAGO The Parliament of the World's Religions held its inaugural event as part of the Columbian Exposition. This historic gathering is widely regarded as the beginning of the interreligious movement world-wide.
1993 CHICAGO Eight thousand people from around the world came together for a centennial Parliament celebration to foster harmony among religious and spiritual communities and to explore their responses to the critical issues facing the global community
1999 CAPE TOWN The Parliament convened in South Africa to promote interreligious dialogue and cooperation and call the world's attention to the powerful role that religious and spiritual communities played in the struggle against apartheid
Major Subthemes The 2009 Parliament features seven major subthemes of programming that focus on different aspects of our overall mission. All of these are pieces in the puzzle that must be put together if we want to see our visions of peace and justice for people everywhere, of all faiths, become reality The seven subthemes are: • Healing the Earth with Care and Concern • Indigenous People • Overcoming Poverty in an unequal World • Securing Food and Water for All People • Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City • Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
Program Clusters In addition to the framework of the seven major subthemes program clusters have emerged around several topic areas to enrich the diversity of the 2009 Parliament. They are: - Local to Global Interreligious Movements • Partner Cities Network • Islam in the Global Context • Women in Leadership • Youth • Family • Media and Religion • Interreligious Education • Human Rights • Peace Building • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Disaster Relief
2004 BARCELONA The 2004 Parliament welcomed eight thousand participants from seventy-four countries to the site of Barcelona's Universal Forum of Cultures. The goals of the 2004 Parliament were to deepen our spirituality and experience personal transformation; recognise the humanity of all and broaden our sense of community: foster mutual understanding and respect and actively work for a better world. Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions is a non-profit organisation whose history dates back to the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions, held in conjunction with the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. This marked the first formal gathering of representatives from Eastern and Western spiritual traditions and is recognised today as the birth of formal interreligious dialogue world-wide. The Council seeks to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.

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THANKS AND RECOGNITION
Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions Board of Trustees
Rev. Dr William E. Lesher - Chair
Ms Mazher Ahmed
Mrs Joyce Allen
Ms Omie Baldwin
Rev. Angie Buchanan
Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia
Rev. Andras Corban Arthen
Sister Margaret Diener OP
Mr Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk
Mr William Gifford
Rev. Canon Dr Gwynne Guibord
Dr Balwant Singh Hansra
Ms Asayo Horibe
Mr Naresh Jain
Dr Solomon H. Katz
Ms Audrey Kitagawa
Mr Rajinder Singh Mago
Sr Joan McGuire OP, STD Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian Rev. Dr John Pawlikowski Dr Kusumita P. Pedersen Dr Stephen Perkins
Dr Hema Pokharna
Dr Joseph Prabhu Mr Rohinton M. Rivetna
Ms Smita N. Shah
Mrs Helen Spector Dr Howard A. Sulkin Swami Varadananda Ms Yael Wurmfeld
Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions Board of Trustees Emeriti
Dr Akbar Ahmed
Rev. Dr Thomas A. Baima
Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati
Rabbi Herbert Bronstein
Dr Jeffrey Carlson
Mr M. Blouke Carus
Dr Irfan Khan
Rabbi Peter Knobel

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Fr Andrew E. Luczak Rev. Dr Richard Luecke Rev. Timothy Lyne Imam A. Rashied Omar Rabbi Herman Schaalman
Dr Devendra Trivedi
Dr Donald E. Wagner
Dr James L. Waits
Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions International Advisory Committee
Dr Saleha Abedin
Rev. Dr Marcus C. R. Braybrooke
Sri Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
Mrs Mairead Corrigan-McGuire
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso
Dr Homi Dhalla
Ven. Dr Dhammananda Bhikkhuni
(Dr Chatsumarin Kabilsingh)
Ms Ela Gandhi
Dr Susannah Heschel
H. E. Dr Abdullah Omar Nasseef
Rabbi David Rosen
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu Mrs Lally Lucretia M. Warren
Dr Tu Weiming
Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions Board of Management
Prof. Rev. Gary D. Bouma FAICD - Chair Ms Nina Bassat AM - Deputy Chair
Rev. William E. Lesher Chair CPWR Rev. Dirk Ficca - Executive Director CPWR Prof. Des Cahill - Local Program Director Ms Janetta Stones - Local Director
Mr Hakan Akyol
Mr Orhan Cicek
Dr B. (Hass) Dellal OAM
Mr Alan Mauger
Archdeacon Philip Newman OAM
Rev. Maureen Postma
Mr Yasser Soliman
Rev. Helen Summers

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Patrons of the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions
Patron in Chief
Prof. David de Kretser AC
Patrons
Rev. Tim Costello
Sheikh Fehmi Naji El-Imam AM
Archbishop Philip Freier
Rabbi Ralph Genende
Sir James Gobbo AC, CVO, KStJ, QC
Prof. Rev. James Haire AM
'Archbishop Denis Hart
Rabbi John Levi AM
Mr Simon McKeon
Mr Ibrahim Dellal AM
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC, DBE
Prof. Joy Wandin Murphy
Ms Susan Pascoe AM
Venerable Phuoc Tan AM
Youth Patrons
Ms Azmeena Hussain
Mr Tristan Mungatopi
Ms Rinchen Norbu
Mr Demetrio Zema
Parliament of the World's Religions Chicago Staff
Rev. Dirk Ficca - Executive Director
Ms Grove Harris - Program Director
Ms Zabrina Santiago - Deputy Executive Director & Partner Cities Director
Ms Alisa Roadcup - Outreach Director and Development Associate
Ms Sushmita Manatt - Office Manager & Database Manager
Ms Ruth Broyde Sharone - Partner Cities Associate
Mr Timothy Manatt - Partner Cities Associate
Ms Amelia Perkins - Executive Associate
Ms Precious Rasheeda Muhammad - Program Associate
Mr Matt Black - Website Development Manager
Ms Connie Sulkin - Volunteer Coordinator
Ms Laura Cathey - Program Assistant/Summer Intern
Ms Honna Eichler - Program Associate/ Summer Intern
Ms Rabab Jejou - Data Entry Specialist Jain Eqita Chattha Dlan - Data Entry Specialist and
Program Assistant
Ms Dena Fokas - Outreach Coordinator Mr Matt Lang - Program Associate Mr Michael Donahue - Bookkeeper Mr Richard Pak - Web Consultant
Mr Connor Coyne - Outreach Manager
Mr Alan Gandelman - Copywriter
Mr Muhammad Khurshid - Web Consultant
Mr Francesco Conte - Partner Cities Summer Intern
Mr James Colten - Partner Cities Summer Intern
Ms Juliana Glassco - Program Assistant
Ms Brittany Loveisky - PWR-M Liaison and Fall Intern Ms Rachel Landau - Client Relations Coordinator
Ms Tracy Nicholas - Technical Director
Ms Katie Lindahl - Program Assistant
Ms Corrinne Peterson - Outreach Summer Intern
Ms Shannon Copp - Program Intern
Mr Mark Schimmelpfennig - Partner Cities Fall Intern
Mr David Schreier - Development Consultant
Ms Brenda Bos - Media Consultant
Ms Petronella Gianocostas -
Graphic Design Consultant
Mr Derek Johnson - Research and Writing Consultant
Ms Heather Gee - Partner Cities Intern
Mr Tom Lillig - Marketing Consultant, Stone Ward Advertising
Sra. Rosalia Lozano Benitez - Liaison for Mexico and 2009 Parliament Ambassador
Parliament of the World's ReligionsMelbourne Staff
Ms Janetta Stones - Local Director
Ms Emma Bridgland - Administration Coordinator
Ms Alex Butler - Community Organiser Leader Ms Molly Rose Elkins-Ryan - Outreach Marketing Assistant
Dr Dzavid Haveric - Program Assistant
Ms Helen Heath - Community Organiser
Ms Chris Hooper - Volunteer Coordinator
Ms Gemma McDonald - Youth Community Organiser Mr Mikael Smith - Indigenous Community Organiser
Mr Petr Svoboda - Program Associate
Ms Julia Torpey - Interfaith Researcher
Mr Parry Williams - Outreach Marketing Coordinator Ms Fran Woodruff - Volunteer Coordinator

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THANKS AND RECOGNITION (continued)
2009
PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS
AMBASSADORS
Melbourne Committees and Community Outreach Presenters
Thank you to the following members of the Melbourne Committees and Working Groups, including the Advisory Council, Arts and Culture Committee, Communities Relations Committee, Finance and Audit Committee, Legacy and Evaluation Committee, Melbourne Bid Team, Melbourne Plenary Working Group, Program Committee, Risk and Compliance Committee, Schools and Universities Committee, Security and Protocol Working Party, Transport Committee, Youth Committee and our Community Outreach Presenters.
Abideh Abdo-Attia Juanita Afamasaga Giovindan Aiyab
Ismail Albayrak Margaret Alexander
Irlande Alfred
lan Allsop
Brian Ashen
Swami Atmeshananda
Abhay Awasthi
Leva Azadi
Gita Azar
Salifu Baba Marianne Bailleu
Marta Balan
John Baldock
Jayant Bapat
Tess Barling
Trevor Batrouney Peter Batten
2009 Parliament Ambassadors
The 2009 Parliament of Religions extends our sincerest thanks to our 2009 Parliament Ambassadors who have generously offered their time, resources and energies to nurture the work of the interfaith movement and to build awareness about the 2009 Parliament. All Ambassadors are invited to attend the International Partner Cities & 2009 Ambassadors Reception on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2:30 to 4pm, Room 212.
Jain Education Inter onal PWR-Pa
ment of the World's Religions
Trudi Beattie Wal Berryman
Anton Block
Annie Bolitho
Jack Bomar
Leonie Boyle
John Broughton
Alana Bruce
Richard Burman
Amanda Burritt
Neil Byrne
Giovanna Campana Shamir Caplan
Nikki Capp
Emre Celik
Nivedita Chaitanya
Laura Chan
Chi Kwang Sunim
Karuppan Chockalingam Saravana Chockalingam

Mary Chrystiuk Arnavaz Chubb Hanne Clermont Marilyn Cobain Margaret Coffey
Juda Cohen-Halleleh
Nicholas Coleman Aziz Cooper
Diana Cousens Christopher Crennan Isobel Crombie
Rosemary Crumlin Kishore Cunningham
John D'Alton
Jacinta Darbishire
Murray Davies
Sarah de Caen Padmasiri De Silva
Yolande Derakshan Mohindar Dhillon
Imelda Dover Perviz Dubash
CONCL

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John Dupuche Margriet Ebben
Steve Einfeld
Molly Rose Elkins-Ryan Gopi Elton
Kath Engbretson
Sylvia Erikson
Gavin Faichney
Lindsay Falvey
Emmanuel Foundas Garry Fowler
Helen Gardner
Brian Garrone
Nikkie Gazenbeek
Haileluel Gebre-Selassie
Michael Glinsky
Adam Goodvach
Eugenia Grammatikakis
lan Grant
Olwyn Gray
Peter Greaney
Frank Gribi
Andrew Grummet Sherene Hassan
Dan Haworth
Berise Heasly
Di Hirsh
Phillip Huggins
Janine Hunter
Nathan Hunter Heba Ibrahim
Hella Ibrahim
John Jepson
Laura John
Sara Jones
Aktar Kalam
Ranjit Kaur
Sue Keren-Black
Maxwell Kettels
Raman Khoosal
Merrill Kitchen Sharon Kloester Qamar Khokhar
Phillip Knight Eugenie Knox

Shashi Kochhar
Michael Korman
Kim Lam
Sheila Lamont-Stacey
Jane Lee
Phylise Lee
Tony Levy
Helen Light
Coralie Ling
J. Murray Lobley
Marlene Lonergan
Mike Lowe
Tim McCowan
Jane McLachlan
Carolyn McSwiney
Aine Maher
Lina Mar
Sarah Mar
Ruth Maserow
Elizabeth Mellor
Ertuze Metehan Constant Mews
Maryna Mews
Georgie Meyer
Rehmet Mohammed
David Moore
Ron Morgon
Peter Moschou
Luke Murphy
Krishnan Nair Adrian Nye
Sibel Orka
Jenny Packard
Sandy Parker
Genevieve Paterson
Helen Perkins
Bev Polzin
Dahlia Rahman
Lily Randal
Sudhir Rastogi Prashanth Ravindran
Lucy Richards
lan Roberts
Stephanie Rocke Jacqueline Russell

Saeed Sabri-Matanagh Shayndel Samuel Govindan Sankaraiyer Visier Sanyu
Cecil Schmalkuche
Junette Schoell
David Schutz
Tim Scott Stewart Sharlow Gary Shaw
Kalvinder Shields
Nur Shkembri
Arvind Shrivastava
Lesley Simons
Jessiee Kaur Singh
Piara Singh
Narinderpal Singh Bhalla
Gurdarshan Singh Gill Rajinder Singh Minhas Christopher Skinner Raina Smith
Sue Smith
Gitachari Srikanthan
Ingrid Stephens
Robert Stickland Darien Sticklen
Bo Svoronos
Catherine Tay
Jacinta Tchen
Dalilah Thalib
Simon Tisher
Paul Tonson
Peter Torey
Mary Tuohy
Ariel Valent
Lynda van-Gaalen Prentice
Mangalam Vasan
Robert Wasner Christine Westbury Shakila Wijenayake
Mary Williams
David Wilson
Bob Winters
Alan Wong
Linda Young
Jim Youngman
Dominique Yu
Miao Yuan

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THANKS AND RECOGNITION (continued)
Volunteers The Parliament of The World's Religions Boards and Staff wish to extend our deepest gratitude to the tireless commitment of our volunteers. We would particularly acknowledge those volunteers who have been on board long term As we know, volunteers are the friendly welcoming face of Parliament of the World's Religions not only for the attendees, crew and staff but also for each other. This enormous international event has been brought together by a small team of dedicated staff both in Australia and USA, and a large team of valued volunteers from varying backgrounds and experience, Without the support and commitment of our valued volunteers, we would be offering you a very different Parliament experience. We value the support of all our volunteers. Thank you. Supporter Profiles AMES For nearly 60 years AMES has worked to empower refugees and newly arrived migrants to reach their full potential. AMES works at macro and micro levels of government, business and community to provide individual pathways for clients to achieve full economic and social participation - and inclusion
Dr. Haruhisa Handa and associated Organisations: Dr. Haruhisa Handa Born in Japan in 1951. Dr. Haruhisa Handa operates more than a dozen companies in Japan and abroad, ranging from management consulting to publishing. He is heavily involved with social causes, currently serving as director of World Faiths Development Dialogue: founder and chairman of Asia Faiths Development Dialogue; president of the International Shinto Foundation; advisor to the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions; and chairman of the International, Foundation for Arts and Culture. Asia Faiths Development Dialogue The Asia Faiths Development Dialogue (AFDD) was set up in December 2006 to mobilise faith groups in the broader Asia-Pacific region to work for development and harmony in order to achieve a peaceful coexistence for people in Asia and beyond. World Faiths Development Dialogue Established in 1998 by James D. Wolfensohn, then President of the World Bank, and Lord George Carey then Archbishop of Canterbury, WFDD bridges between the worlds of faith and secular development. WEDD supports dialogue and conferences, fosters communities of practice, collects case-studies on faith-based organisations, and promotes understanding on religion and development. The International Shinto Foundation The International Shinto Foundation (SF) has been active since 1994 in promoting the academic study and deeper understanding of Shinto. The ISF believes that without such study and understanding, Japanese culture and the Japanese will remain largely unfathomable. To this end, the ISF encourages debate through regular workshops, conferences and the annual Shinto Essay Competitions,
Chung Tai Chan Monastery Founded by Venerable Master Wei Chueh of the Chinese Zen lineage, Chung Tai Chan Monastery in central Taiwan aims to bring forth the compassion and enlightened wisdom inherent in all of us, by providing Dharma teachings, meditation classes, retreats, and related services in its more than one hundred meditation centres around the world.
Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of World Religions The Museum of World religions and the NGO "Global Family for Love and Peace" are both founded by Dharma Master Hsin Tao, a Buddhist monk from Taiwan. Based on the ideals of respect, tolerance, and love, the museum is committed to interfaith dialogue and education; while GFLP NGO is to bring together people and organisations forming a global network of shared resources for peace and charity works.
Kalliopeia Foundation Kalliopeia Foundation's mission is to contribute to the evolution of communities and cultures that honor the unity at the heart of life's rich diversity. Rooted in this mission, our grantmaking goal is to strengthen a collective recognition of the oneness of humanity Funding is for U.S.-based programs.
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK) GNNSJ is a registered UK charity. It fosters cooperation between Sikhs in particular and other communities in general; seeking peace in the world through participation in intra and inter faith work locally, nationally and internationally,
Shinji Shumeikai Shinji Shumeikai is a spiritual organization dedicated to elevating the quality of life of all people. We believe that a world free of sickness, poverty and discord is possible through the spiritual exercise that we call Jyorei, the appreciation of art and beauty, and the practice of Natural Agriculture.
Jain Educationternational
2. PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #15

arinex
ar in ex
arinex has been working with CPWR and the PWR Melbourne teams on the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions since 2006. arinex is the Professional Conference Organiser appointed to bring together the 2009 Parliament in Melbourne, in association with CPWR and PWR Melbourne. We are delighted to have been given this opportunity.
We would like to welcome you all to Melbourne and hope that you enjoy this experience.
www.arinex.com.au
Porter Novelli
PORTER
NOVELLI
Many Minds. Singular Results."
Porter Novelli Melbourne combines the best of local, Australian ownership with an effective Australiawide public relations network, and the resources and connections of Porter Novelli International.
Our collaborative nature, our spirit of innovation, our innate sense of Melbourne and our passion to reach goals set our people and programs apart.
We are proud to be part of the success of the Parliament of the World's Religions Melbourne 2009. www.porternovelli.com.au
Program Task Force
Dr Joseph Prabhu - Chair
Ms Grove Harris
Rev. Andras Corban Arthen
Dr Solomon H. Katz
Dr Kusumita P. Pedersen
Rev. Dr John Pawlikowski
Ms Audrey Kitagawa Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid Swami Varadananda
Dr Hema Pokharna
Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia Ms Mazher Ahmed

Indigenous Task Force
Ms Omie Baldwin
Rev. Andras Corban Arthen
Ms Asayo Horibe
Prof Darlene St Clair
Rev. Dirk Ficca
Mr Doug George-Kanentiio (Akwesasne Mohawk)
Ms Grove Harris
Ms Jennie R. Joe
Dr Kusumita P. Pedersen
Ms Mary Nelson
Mr Mikael Smith
Ms Sushmita Manatt
Ms Chris Hooper
Aboriginal Climate Action Fund
The Aboriginal Climate Action Fund was established for participants to compensate for the climate impact of their travel to Melbourne. The Fund supports projects in Australian Aboriginal communities that both improve the quality of life for the community and achieve measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The Fund is sponsored by the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES), a well-respected Melbourne environmental education organisation. CERES will ensure the integrity of the project selection process, distribute funds to the selected community projects, and report back to the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR) and to donors like you.
The Aboriginal Climate Action Fund Steering Committee will solicit and evaluate proposals and recommend projects for funding to the CERES Board of Directors. The Committee will be comprised of Aboriginal elders, members of the Melbourne Parliament Board of Management, CPWR, and individuals with relevant expertise.
CERES and CPWR will send participants that were part of the Fund a report in early 2010 on the total amount contributed to the Fund and the projects that these contributions have made possible.
Thank you to those that contributed to the Aboriginal Climate Action Fund.

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2009 PARLIAMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth
Every generation is called upon to answer the great challenges of its time. We have the capability - and the responsibility to come together in peace and good will to listen to each other and work together to heal our conflicted communities and our endangered planet. To listen, respond and move forward is to maintain a healthy balance between humility and confidence. The 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions will focus on the struggles and spiritualities of Indigenous peoples around the world, particularly the Aboriginal communities of Australia, who are graciously hosting us in their homeland. Together we will make a commitment to live out the change we want to see in the world. The 2009 Parliament provides an extraordinary opportunity both to make a difference in the world and to make a world out of our differences. By acknowledging and celebrating our differences, this unique international gathering offers an engaging and promising forum to: deepen our spirituality, and experience personal transformation
foster mutual understanding and respect learn to live in harmony in the midst of diversity recognise the humanity of the 'other' and broaden our sense of community
seek peace, justice and sustainability actively work for a better world
By coming together to hear each other, this gathering itself will be a means for making a world of difference and for healing the earth in trying times. The 2009 Parliament will highlight the most effective strategies to help people of faith and goodwill transform the world through real action in their own communities.
Summary of Activities
Major Subthemes
The 2009 Parliament features seven major subthemes of programming that focus on different aspects of our overall mission. All of these are pieces in the puzzle that must be put together if we want to see our visions of peace and justice for people everywhere, of all faiths, become reality. The seven subthemes are:
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
Indigenous People
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World Securing Food and Water for All People
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace See page 71 for more information.
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16 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions
Program Clusters
In addition to the framework of the seven major subthemes, program clusters have emerged around several topic areas to enrich the diversity of the 2009 Parliament. They are:
• Local to Global Interreligious Movements • Partner Cities Network
Islam in the Global Context
Women in Leadership
• Youth
Family
• Media and Religion Interreligious Education • Human Rights
Peace Building
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Disaster Relief
See page 87 for more information.
Evening Plenary Sessions
Complete each day with inspiration and beauty by participating in the Plenary Sessions! Listen to revered religious and spiritual leaders, prominent social activists and luminaries from other guiding institutions. Experience spiritual observances and spectacular music and dance performances from around the world. All are invited to partake in these riveting evening sessions:
Opening Plenary
• Communities Night International Plenary
• Sacred Music Concert Youth Plenary
Melbourne Plenary Closing Plenary
See page 18 for more information.
Intrareligious Sessions
Intrareligious Sessions feature a wide variety of programs focusing on: [1] a basic understanding of religious and spiritual communities, as well as the teachings, practices and dynamics of their traditions; (2) resources and rationales from within the religious and spiritual communities and movements for dialogue, engagement and cooperation; and (3) tools for intrareligious reflection and dialogue. See page 114 for more information.
Interreligious Sessions
Interreligious Sessions feature a wide variety of programs focusing on: [1] structured opportunities for interreligious encounter and dialogue; (2) sharing the convictions and motivations for engaging with each other and the world; and (3) innovative methodologies for interreligious encounter, dialogue and cooperation.

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Engagement Sessions
Engagement Sessions feature a wide variety of programs focusing on: (1) building capacity for religious and spiritual people, communities and organisations to collaborate with guiding institutions in service to a peaceful, just and sustainable future; (2) examples of successful programs and best practices that address critical issues around the world; and (3) creative approaches and tools for effective dialogue and collaboration.
Symposia
Participate in a variety of Symposia, each exploring a particular topic or issue in great depth over multiple days. The following symposia will be offered:
Religion and Ecology
• Connection to Copenhagen
• Poverty and Development
• War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity
• Science and Religion
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future • Australian Schools: Educators and Students
• Voices of Latin America
See page 105 for more information.
Performances
Lectures, workshops and seminars are not the only ways to dialogue about religion! The Parliament also features a rich variety of performances, including music, dance, poetry and drama, by representatives of many religions and faith traditions from all over the world. Opportunities abound to be moved by artistic expression straight from the heart and spirit. See page 133 for more information.
Special Events
The 2009 Parliament features a number of special events that are categorically unique. They are:
• Indigenous Reception
Landscape of Faith
• International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception
• Paul Carus Award
·
Indigenous Assembly
• Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders See page 111 for more information.
Exhibitions
One hundred exhibition booths with a range of vendors, booksellers and representatives of a wide variety of religious, spiritual and service organisations sharing information about their work will be featured in Bays 13 and 14 of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. See page 57 for more information.

Visual Arts Presentations
A fantastic collection of work by international artists will be on display in the Exhibition Hall, Level One Foyer and Room 112. Art from various cultures and origins will be included in the gallery, providing a moving visual expression of the spirit of the 2009 Parliament. See page 57 for more information.
Films
We are pleased to offer a comprehensive line up of film-focused programs for our participants to celebrate the art of filmmaking as a medium for interreligious dialogue. See page 130 for more information.
Morning Observances
There will be opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual observances from your tradition or observe worship or sacred practices of another tradition. See page 126 for more information.
Open Space Sessions
The 2009 Parliament provides opportunities to engage with participants from around the world on topics of special interest through facilitated 'open space' dialogue and working sessions. Spaces are also available for meetings of groups, organisations and delegations. See page 134 for more information.
Partner Cities
The Partner Cities Network is an exciting new program developed by CPWR that seeks to build and connect the interreligious movement world-wide. Partner Cities Network workshops and informational networking sessions will be held at the Melbourne Parliament. All interested cities are invited to attend and participate. See page 90 for more information.
Regional Sessions
Connect with people of your own region of the world, or learn about interreligious movements in another by attending one of our diverse regional sessions. See page 120 for more information.
Offsite Events
What happens at the Parliament does not need to stay at the Parliament! If you feel like getting away from the crowd for a while, the City of Melbourne will offer plenty of offsite interreligious events during the week of the Parliament. See page 47 for more information.
Youth Coffee House
Mix with youth participants, VIP guests, and the locals at the after-hours Coffee House where beverages, entertainment and making new friends will be the order of the night.
Operating hours: Operating days:
Location:

9.00 pm-midnight Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 December
Banquet Room 201

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PLENARY OVERVIEW Celebrate the 2009 Parliament and its principal theme, Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth, every evening at inspirational Plenary Sessions. These sessions will draw upon the wisdom and gifts of a wide array of religious and spiritual leaders, speakers and performers, and will include welcome, blessings and keynote addresses, as well as opportunities to participate in observances, music and performances.
Thursday 3 December: Opening Ceremony • Welcome to Country from senior Wurundjeri elder. Joy
Murphy Wandin • Blessings and performances to celebrate the world's
diverse spiritual traditions Friday 4 December: Communities Night • International participants hosted by local religious and
spiritual communities • Opportunities for dialogue, observances and hospitality Saturday 5 December: International Plenary • Discussion of efforts to establish a United Nations Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace • Testimonials by local interreligious practitioners from
diverse religious and spiritual communities • Recognition of Legacy and Inaugural Partner Cities • Presentation of the 2009 Paul Carus Award for outstanding contributions to the international interreligious movement
Sunday 6 December: Sacred Music Concert, . Performances of the world's sacred music and movement by world-class musicians from diverse religious and spiritual traditions Monday 7 December: Youth Plenary • Presentations and artistic performances by contemporary local and international artists, organised by the Australian multi-faith youth committee Tuesday 8 December: Melbourne Plenary • Presentations and performances celebrating Melbourne's religious and spiritual diversity and its
vision for interreligious dialogue and cooperation Wednesday 9 December: Closing Plenary • Call to Commitment and Action' to foster harmony between diverse communities Keynote address by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
OPENING PLENARY SESSION Thursday 3 December 7.30 pm - 9.00 pm Welcome to the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions!
The 2009 Parliament opens with a "Welcome to Country
Rabbi David Saperstein from Joy Murphy Wandin, senior elder of the Wurundjeri
Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list people, traditional owners of the land on which
as the most influential rabbi in the Melbourne resides. Through a series of blessings and
country, David Saperstein represents performances, the world's diverse religious and spiritual
the national Reform Jewish traditions will be acknowledged and honoured. Hear the
Movement to the US Congress and urgent call to people and communities of faith, spirit and
Administration as the Director good will to 'Make a World of Difference in the midst of
of the Religious Action Center of the pressing challenges facing the global community
Reform Judaism. Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Dr. Sakena Yacoobi founded the
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Afghan Institute of Learning,
is a renowned spiritual leader and a groundbreaking women-led
multi-faceted humanitarian whose grassroots NGO that supported 80
mission of uniting the world into a underground home schools for girls
violence-free family has inspired in the 1990s and continues to work
millions of people worldwide. His to empower girls, women and the
Holiness is the founder of the Art of disenfranchised across Afghanistan.
Living Foundation, an international
non-profit educational and humanitarian organisation, For Private & Peybaleno more than 140 countries.
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COMMUNITIES NIGHT: 'A Night of Hospitality'
Friday 4 December 6.00 pm onward
Baha'i
8.00 pm
The religious and spiritual communities of Melbourne are pleased to offer this 'Night of Hospitality' to people of all faiths and spiritual traditions from around the world. This occasion to come together and share the warmth and welcome of Melbourne and its religious and spiritual communities is a special feature of the Parliament.
Almost all the other Parliament activities involve direct interfaith engagement. The Communities Night provides the only formal opportunity for people from around the world from a single faith or spiritual tradition to come together. It is hoped that this experience will deeply enrich everyone's lives as they share together in this 'Night of Hospitality'.
Anglican 6.30 pm
St Peter Mariner Chapel and Mission to Seafarers
717 Flinders Street Docklands
Upon registration participants will receive specific information and details of the Communities Night they will be attending. All enquiries regarding Communities Night should be directed to the Communities Night Table located in the Melbourne Convention Centre Foyer.
Victorian Baha'i
Community
Melbourne Recital Centre Corner Southbank Boulevard and Sturt Street Southbank
Baptist
7.30 pm
Collins Street Baptist Church
174 Little Collins Street Melbourne CBD
Buddhist 7.30 pm
Brahma Kumaris 7.00 pm
Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre
256 Brunswick Street Fitzroy
Buddhist Compassion Relief, Tzu Chi Foundation 17 Ellingworth Parade Box Hill
7.30 pm
Quang Minh Community Care Centre
18 Burke Street Braybrook
Catholic
8.00 pm
Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Central Hall
22-24 Brunswick Street Fitzroy
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 7.30 pm
285 Heidelberg Road Northcote
Churches of Christ Details available from the Communities Night Table
Hindu 7.00 pm
Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 52 Boundary Road Carrum Downs
Jain
6.30 pm
Moorabbin Masonic Centre 124-126 Rowans Road Moorabbin
Jewish Conservative 6.30 pm
Kehilat Nitzan Conservative (Masorti] Synagogue
99 Hotham Street East St Kilda
Jewish Orthodox 6.00 pm
Melbourne Hebrew Congregation
Cnr Toorak Road West and
Arnold Street Melbourne
For Private
Jewish Progressive 6.15 pm Erev Shabbat, 7.15 pm Oneg Shabbat Temple Beth Israel 76 Alma Road St Kilda
Lutheran 7.30 pm
St John's Lutheran Church Southgate 20 City Road Southbank
Muslim 7.30 pm Huzur Reception 250 Hume Highway Somerton
Pagan 7.30 pm
Melbourne Reclaiming Northcote Uniting Church Hall 251 High Street Northcote
Quakers 6.30 pm
Victorian Quakers (Religious Society of Friends] Friends' House 631 Orrong Road Toorak
Sathya Sai 7.00 pm
Sathya Sai Baba Organisation of Australia and PNG
RMIT Capitol Theatre, 113 Swanston Street Melbourne CBD
Seventh Day Adventist
7.30 pm
Seventh Day
Adventist Church 100 James Street Dandenong
Sikh
7.00 pm
Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha The Sikh Cultural Society of Victoria Gurdwara Sahib Craigieburn 344 Hume Highway Craigieburn
Uniting Church 7.00 pm
St Michael's Uniting Church
120 Collins Street Melbourne CBD
Unity of Melbourne [New Thought)
7.30 pm
4-6 Renown Street Burwood
Zoroastrian 7.30 pm
Zoroastrian Association of Victoria
North Balwyn Senior Citizens Centre 9 Marwal Avenue Balwyn North
Correct at the time of printing
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INTERNATIONAL PLENARY Saturday 5 December 7.30 pm - 9.00 pm Celebrate the exemplary work of a growing, global movement that has cultivated dialogue and relationships among people from a diversity of the world's religions. Learn about the hope-filled efforts of religious and spiritual communities, actively supported by international interreligious organisations. Celebrate the achievements of metropolitan interreligious communities around the world in the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions Partner Cities Network, including the Legacy Partner cities of Chicago, Illinois, USA: Capetown, South Africa: Barcelona, Spain; and Monterrey, Mexico and the 2009 Inaugural Partner City San Jose, California, USA, Hear about the efforts to establish a United Nations Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. Join in honouring the 2009 recipient of the Paul Carus Award, for outstanding contributions to the international interreligious movement.
SACRED MUSIC CONCERT Sunday 6 December 7.30 pm - 10.00 pm
World-class musicians, vocalists and dancers will perform some of the most sacred music and movement from many religious and spiritual traditions. Contemporary and traditional styles will be performed by:
Canon Gideon Byamugisha Canon Gideon Byamugisha is an ordained priest in the Church of Uganda. In 1992, he became the first African religious leader to openly declare his HIV-status and has since devoted his life to an AIDS ministry that has taken him to over 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and around the world.
The Agape International Choir, Christian • Muslim singer-songwriter Zain Bhikha
and Ensemble • Flautist Dr Natesan Ramani and singer Manjiri
Kelkar and Ensembles, Hindu traditions • Contemporary Jewish music and song: Dr Kim Cunio, Heather Lee and Ensemble The Gyuto Monks of Tibet, Harmonic Tibetan Buddhist Chant • Jain Tradition, Classical Indian Dancer, Divya Jain • Cantor Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn and Choir, Traditional Jewish Chant Brahma Kumaris: David Jones and Friends, featuring
James Morrison • Whirling Prayer Ceremony. Naqshbandi Sufi Order
of Australia • Bhai Kultar Singh and Group, Sikh Tradition • Shadi Tolui-Wallace, Baha'i Vocalist and Guitarist
and more to be confirmed
Paul Carus Award The Paul Carus Award seeks to recognise, honour, celebrate and affirm outstanding work in support of the international interreligious movement and the efforts of religious and spiritual individuals, communities and organisations towards a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
education Wemationen enthe World's Redigrags
For RIBE Personal Use Only
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YOUTH PLENARY
Monday 7 December
7.30 pm -9.00 pm
Be inspired by the work being undertaken by young people around the world as they tackle global issues utilising leadership and creativity. Featuring:

Hugh Evans - Director, Global Poverty Project (Aust.) The Global Poverty Project is a presentation and film that communicates the realities of extreme poverty and what we can do about it which Hugh is taking around the world.
Platform Youth Theatre - extract from 'Faith, Diversity and Difference' (Aust.)
Platform Youth Theatre is a company that works with young people (16-26 years of age) to make theatre - this means young people are involved in all stages of the process, not just as audience members. 'Faith, Diversity and Difference' is the company's major project for 2009.
Presentations and artistic
performances by contemporary local and international artists, organised by the Australian multifaith youth committee.
MELBOURNE PLENARY
Tuesday 8 December
7.30 pm -9.00 pm
'Melbourne - River City - Place of Gathering"
Across the world, water and rivers have played a central role in the practices and beliefs of spiritual and religious communities. The Melbourne Parliament is taking place on the banks of the Yarra River, the traditional home of many Aboriginal people, and the new home of successive waves of migrants and refugees.
The Melbourne Plenary will take us on an inspirational spiritual journey to the Yarra as we explore the experiences and interaction of different communities through music, dance, the visual arts, storytelling and blessings, with a particular focus on the power of water.
Presentations will include Gospel and Ethiopian Orthodox choirs, Indian and Greek dancers, Aboriginal and Jewish storytellers, and a Muslim call to prayer.

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CLOSING PLENARY
Wednesday 9 December
2.30 pm - 4.00 pm
The 2009 Parliament concludes with a 'Call to Commitment and Action' in returning home to foster harmony between communities, reverse climate change, alleviate poverty and support the self-determination of Indigenous peoples world-wide. The unique possibilities that religion and spirituality can contribute to 'Make a World of Difference' through dialogue, commitment, vision and service will be highlighted.
His Holiness XIV Dalai Lama His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people and has received many international awards, including the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.
Uncle Bob Randall
Bob Randall is one of the Stolen Generation of the Aboriginal people, a Yankunytjatjara Elder and a Traditional Owner of Uluru. He also works as a teacher and leader for Aboriginal land rights, education, community development and cultural awareness.
of the World's Religions
Disclaimer
Any and all opinions, statements or views expressed by presenters and others attending the Parliament of the World's Religions (Parliament) or attributed to it reflect only the opinions of those who express them. Any and all opinions, statements or views are not necessarily the official opinions, statements, views or endorsement of any other person (including, but not limited to, PWR Melbourne 2009 Limited, the Council of the Parliament of the World's Religions, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Victorian Government, the City of Melbourne, other supporters of the Parliament or their employees, officers and agents). Further, no person (including, but not limited to, PWR Melbourne 2009 Limited, the Council of the Parliament of the World's Religions, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Victorian Government, the City of Melbourne, other supporters of the Parliament or their employees, officers and agents) takes any legal responsibility for any opinions, statements or views expressed by others at the Parliament or attributed to the Parliament. Before relying on the information presented at the Parliament, interested parties should independently evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their own purposes. Interested parties should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. Specific enquiries should be directed to the relevant organisation or agency.
To the extent permitted by law, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Victorian Government, the City of Melbourne and other supporters of the Parliament exclude all liability for loss or damage arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information presented at or attributed to the Parliament, whether or not such loss or damage is caused by any negligence or otherwise on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Victorian Government, the City of Melbourne and other supporters, their employees or their agents.
All attendees of the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions should note: the capture of vision, audio and images of the Parliament of the World's Religions Melbourne event for any purpose other than personal use is prohibited.
This restriction does not apply to professional media accredited by the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions.

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DAILY OVERVIEW AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE From morning to evening, each day at the Parliament of the World's Religions, there will be opportunities to participate in religious observances, sessions on a variety of topics and open space discussions and an inspirational plenary session every night. Below, you will find an overview of the daily schedule and a listing of all the confirmed sessions for the week.
8.00 am - 9.00 am
Observances from diverse religious and spiritual traditions
9.30 am - 11.00 am
Intrareligious Sessions - speakers from a single religious tradition express their identities, discuss their challenges and showcase their messages
11.30 am - 1.00 pm
Interreligious Sessions - speakers from two or more religious traditions engage with each other seeking greater understanding
2.30 pm - 4.00 pm
Engagement Sessions - speakers from diverse religious traditions consider the challenges of our many crucial topics and the resources to meet them
4.30 pm - 6.00 pm
Open Space for informal discussions
7.30 pm - 9.00 pm
Evening Plenary - Keynote presentations, blessings and performances
Jain Education Internationa
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PROGRAM Thursay 3 December
7:30 - 9:00pm
Plenary Hall
Opening Plenary. For details refer to Page 18
Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
PROGRAM Friday 4 December
Plenary Hall
Room 104
Room 105
8:00 - 9:00am
Room 101 Room 102 Room 103 The Prayer of Yoga as a
How a Jain Women for Giving Spiritual Practice Starts the Day: Peace on Earth
The Rituals
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite - Friday
Morning Observance with Dr Haruhisa Handa (Toshu Fukami)
9:30 - 11:00am
Poverty Must No Longer Be With Us Supported by Dr Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Many Meanings of The Divine the Ramayana Purpose of
Life: The Hindu Journey Within
Adapting to Climate Change How, and How Far?
Rev Moon's Vision Framlingham of Global Family Aboriginal Trust.
the Gunditjmara People and Brambuk Cultural Centre
11:30am - 1:00pm
Respecting Interreligious and Defending Partnerships for Human Rights Ending Hunger and Humanitarian Supported by Principles: An Dr Haruhisa Handa Islamic Global
and Associated
Organisations Perspective
Appreciating Turning the and Cultivating Dharma Wheel Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) and Pancasila to Address Religious Radicalisms in Indonesia
Sancta Sophia Meditation Community: Promoting Peace through Interreligious Dialogue
Climate Change and the Question of Overconsumption
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
The Human Face of Climate Change
Climate Change and the Arctic: The Indigenous Perspective
Working Together, The Health of Two Worlds
Our Impact on the Land Has the Same Impact on Us
Sufism and Peace: A Meeting Point for All Religious Traditions
Democracy and Diversity in Global Perspective Dr Din Syamsuddin is supported by the Australia - Indonesia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
4:30 - 6:00pm
Sacred Sites. All We've Got: Sacred Solidarity: A Documentary Working
Film about Hope Session 1 Supported by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
9:00 - 10:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing
Jain 26
For Fate & Personal Usely
w.jainelibrary.org
VRAM onto the World Religions

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Room 106
Pilgrims' Progress 2008: Research on Those who Attended the Sydney World Youth Day
How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems?
Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: The Time is Now Supported by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)

Room 107
Numen: The Nature Reviving Indigenous
of Plants
Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 1]
Green Patriarch' and 'The Arctic: The Consequences of Human Folly'
The Chiefs' Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation
New Muslim Cool
Room 108
Calling Out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And
Its Benefits for Inner Peace
Soldiers of Peace
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
Life of Jesus: Non-Christian Perspectives
Listening With a Heart of Mercy
Room 109
Silent Meditation - Ch'an
Reconciling Religious Values and the Universal Entitlement to Human Rights
Grassroots Community Organisers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity
Not in God's Name

Room 110
Interfaith Understanding in Sikh Theology and History
The Crisis and the Opportunity: Wisdom from Faith Traditions and Communities Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Breaking Through Patriarchy:
New Visions for Women of Faith. Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Room 111 Dancing the Seven Sacred Directions
People Call Us Pagan - The European Indigenous Traditions
2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 1
Repatriation: Reclaiming
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights
Enhancing Religious
Leadership for the Future 1 of 3

www.parliamentstralinione non

Page #26

PROGRAM Friday 4 December
8:009:00am
9:3011:00am
11:30am -1:00pm
1:002:30pm
2:30 -
4:00pm
4:306:00pm
9:0010:30pm
8:009:00am
9:3011:00am
1:002:30pm
2:304:00pm
4:306:00pm
9:0010:30pm
Room 201
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Session
11:30am Perspectives on Conflict -1:00pm Resolution in the
Middle East
Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Two Programs: Naga Chants & Taize Chants
Sung in the Gunai Kurnai Indigenous Language by the Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir
Two Programs: South African Songs for the Soul & Leaps Of Faith
Room 212
Recent Developments in Jewish Christian Dialogue
Amerta Movement: The Gardening of Mandala Salam
DWD
Room 202
The Path of a Multifaith Chaplaincy: Parliament Labyrinth as Spiritual Observance
Building a Sense of Belonging in a Culturally Diverse Australia - The Australian Government's Role Religious Responses to the Ecological Crisis as Climate Change Grows
Friday Jumu'ah Congregational Prayer
Peace at the Heart of the World
Room 213
Achieving Sustainable Peace Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Progenialhe time of printing
Jucation International
New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (Southeast Asia]
Room 203 The Breath of Life
A Religion of Healthy Mindedness - New Thought's Uniquely American Contribution to the Arena of New Religious Community How Spiritual Progressives Can Help Move Both Religious and Secular Communities to Enlarge their Focus Beyond Personal Fulfilment or Individual Salvation toward a Global Transformation
Convening Session - Conflict Resolution Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Room 214 Yoruba Religious Observance
Introduction to Big Mind Big Heart
Cultivations of Solidarity: A Textual Analysis
Being a University Chaplain in the 21st Century
Faith in Action: How FaithBased Organisations Care for People in Need

Room 204
Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human
Rights Commission
Hindu Jewish Leadership Initiative
Reconciling Religious Values and the Universal Entitlement to Human Rights
Room 215
A Celebration of the Cosmos and its Processes from a Mystical, Inclusive Perspective
Sri Aurobindo, a Prophet for the 21st Century
Pilgrimages, Tourism and Meaning
Developing a Dynamic Interfaith Movement for Your City or Area
12 Steps: A Complete, NonDenominational Spiritual Path for the 21st Century

Page #27

Room 209
Room 211
Room 208 Celebrating Diversity and Unity: An Inclusive Spiritual Service
Room 207 The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World Strengthening One's Faith Through Interfaith Dialogue
Room 210 The Mandaeans in Australia: Baptism, Living Water and the Link to John the Baptist
Indigenous Biodiversity
Learning to Forgive: Healing Our Past, Creating Our Future
Indigenous Perspectives The Samoan Experience on Conflict Resolution Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions Globethics.net
Globalisation and Principles: Sharing Spiritual Values Values across Cultures and Religions
Dark to Dawn: Being Creative about Depression
Older People: Revered or Redundant
Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith
we.
Interfaith Engagement: Issues, Reflections and Prospects
AMES: People,
Mother Nature Programs and Pathways Doesn't Do Bailouts - Supported by AMES
Daily Youth Workshop
Praying with Lior (Premier Film Series Selection
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1) Supported by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
Room 219
Room 220
Room 216
Room 217 The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition Islam 101 Series: The Wurundjeri People Reverence for the Virgin of Melbourne Mary and Jesus in Islam
Room 218 Observance on Dene (Indigenous Canadian) Spirituality
Unitarian Universalists - Working for Peace, Civil Rights, and Earth
Sharing Scarce Resources in an increasingly Globalised World
Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths
Muslim Women Securing Meditation: The Heart of Their Own Individuality: All Things Different Societies, Same Struggle Building Peace
Strangers in a Strange in the Pursuit of
Land: Integration of Justice: A Buddhist - Religious Minorities, Muslim Dialogue their Families and their
Identities into Australia
Spiritual Companionship: Listening with a Grateful Heart
There are No Back Row Seats in The Hoop of Life
Caring Practices for the Earth - Australia and USA Green Faith
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 11 A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine
A Listening Place Each Day
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World: The Need for MultiReligious Education for All Religious Leaders

www.parliamentofreligions.org27

Page #28

PROGRAM Saturday 5 December
8:009:00am
9:30- Climate Change 11:00am as a Concern for Justice
11:30am Halting the -1:00pm Spread of
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Challenges for Faith
1:002:30pm
2:304:00pm
Plenary Hall
4:306:00pm
7:30
9:00pm
Supported by
Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Room 101
Taking 'justa-minute': Meditation on the Move
Jain Education internationa
Hindu Meditations for the Earth
Religion, Spirituality and Wellbeing: Implications for Living and Learning
9:0010:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing
Room 102
Preksha Meditation
Violence Finds Refuge in Falsehood: Religion and the Future of Torture
Rivers of the Heart: Indigenous Knowledge and Literature
Plenary Hall
International Plenary. Further details refer to Page 20
Movement Mudra of Traditional Solonese Dance
Room 103
Jewish Morning Observance - Saturday
Interfaith in Australia: The Coordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations
Reconciliation with Land - Reconnecting Spirituality, Ecology and Human Creativity, and Reverence for Earth
For Prive Personal Use Cay
Room 104
Celtic Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions
Challenge of Shinto: An Approach to Living Together in Diversity
Developing an Interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process
Innovative Approaches to Multicultural and Interfaith Education in Schools
Room 105
The Divine Feminine
Men Who Love the Goddess
Vegetarianism - Ethics, Environmental Concerns, and Complex Realities
The Practicalities of Getting from 'Is' to 'Ought': Religion, Science and Ethics
www.jainelibra org

Page #29

Room 106
Room 107
Religious Unity and Nonviolence
History of the Inupiat: Nipaa llitqusipta/The Voice of Our Spirit (Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 108 Room 109 Room 110 Room 111 Given Life by
Sri Sri Yoga: A Gathering of the Heaven and
Celebration of the Spirit of Peace in All Earth: A Shinto
Diversity in Yoga Observance Reviving Indigenous Poverty in
Asian Conference Krishna Spirituality:
Wealthy Countries of Religions for consciousness and Reclaiming Challenges Ahead Peace (Religions for the Environment Strength and Supported by Dr Haruhisa Peace Asia) Identity (Session 2) Handa and Associated Dr Din Syamsuddin Organisations
and Theophilus Bela are supported by the Australia - Indonesia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Divided We Fall
Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion
Multifaith Insights on Deep Ecology
Christian Action interreligious Global Ethics and and Witness For the Dialogue in Conflict Religion Forum: Environment: What Resolution Panel Religion and Post You Can Do When Supported by Global War Reconciliation You Go Home Family for Love &
in a Sustainable Peace/Museum of
and Just World of Worlds Religions
Human Rights
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - The Role of Religion in Post War Treaties Constitutions and International Law
The Last Yoik in Saami Forests?
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Stories from the Frontlines Supported by Guru Nanak Nisham Sewak Jatha
Religious Freedom The Gulen
Interreligious Indigenous and Interreligious Movement's Global Regional Concerns: Perspective on Dialogue: IARF and Peace and Social Africa
Education: Building Its Work in India Reconciliation
Academic Skills Vision and Projects:
with a Strong Lessons Learned
Cultural Grounding from Germany, the
US and Medina Learn Arabic
URI- Global Letters in 90
Community Minutes - An
Gathering Interfaith Cultural Presentation You Can Use
*The Imam and the Pastor' and Australia's Muslim Women
The Sacred Planet
ww.parliamentofreligion sojinelibrary.org
Jain Education latemail
For PEIVCLE & Personal Use Only

Page #30

PROGRAM Saturday 5 December
Room 201
Room 202
8:00 - 9:00 am
Room 203 Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace. Healing Our Earth, Our Faith, and Ourselves
Room 204 Respect for the Earth: A Morning Observance
9:30 - 11:00am
Islam and Politics: Faith, Governance and Society
A Buddhism for Today: Introduction to Rissho Kosei-kai
Ecological Wisdom: Towards a Sustainable and Peaceful Ecology
Two Programs: On the Way of Love: Ruby Performs Music Inspired by Rumi & Om Shanthi Om Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Session
11:30am - 1:00pm
Interfaith and the Future of Africa Supported by Dr Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Religions and the Resolution of Violent Conflict Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
1:00 - 2:30pm
Le Carnaval Spirituel
4:00pm
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 1)
Religion, Conflict, and Talkin' 'Bout My Generation Peacebuilding: The Case of - Daily Youth Workshop Papua New Guinea Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
4:30 - 6:00pm
Two Programs: Agape Choir & Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir
9:00 - 10:30pm
Room 213
Room 215
Room 212 The Art of Qur'an Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
8:00 - 9:00am
Room 214 Solstice Sites and Celebrations
Awakening Meditation
9:30 - Thomas Berry and the Great Neighbourhoods of 11:00am Work of Our Time
Difference: The Uniting Church in Australia and Interfaith Relations
How a Profound Spiritual Theology can Overthrow Poverty
Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones
11:30am Interfaith Dialogue and - 1:00pm Education for a Culture
of Peace: A Workshop for Empowerment and Transformation
Selections from the New Film 'Journey of the Universe
Outreach to Indigenous Aetas in the Philippines
Ending Legalised Violence Against Children - A Religious Imperative
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception
The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win
A String and A Prayer: Creating Universal Peace Beads
Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways
4:30 - 6:00pm
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of the Philippines Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Grassroots Community Organisers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity
Appreciative Inquiry and Healing the Earth: Extending Faith Beyond the Realms of Religion
9:00 - 10:30pm Program is correct at the time of printing
30 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #31

Room 211
Room 209 Invoking Inner Tranquility: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation
Room 210 Observance Session with Father Freeman
Room 207 Room 208 Global Meditation: Experiencing a Powerful Key To Healing Transformation, and Empowerment
Zoroastrianism: Its Stewardship for All Creation, The Animate and inanimate Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in? Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Yoruba Worship of the The Warfare is Over: Working with Self, Earth and Veneration of Science and Spirituality Benefiting Others the Environment
as Allies for the sake of the Planet (Session 11 Science, Spirituality. The Art of Creative and Overcoming
Expression: Religious Conflict Youth Workshop (Session 2)
Striving to Live in a Livable World (Session 1]
Religion, Science, and Environmental Activism (Session 3)
Engaging Faith-Based Protecting Religious Organisations for the Freedom & Sacred Millenium Development Sites: Examples Goals: Comparative from Indigenous UN Experiences
Communities Supported by Dr. Haruhisa (Session 21 Handa and Associated
Supported by Guru Nanak Organisations
Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK) Conversation with Sr Joan Chittister
to HIV/AIDS from the Global to the Local Perspective Supported by Dr Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations
Cultivating Universal Intelligence
Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 216
Room 217 Meditation as a Therapy: How Traditional Techniques Translate into Modern Healing Interfaith and
Sri Chinmoy: Multinational
A Spirituality of Reflections on Aging Transformation and the Human Spirit
Room 218 Room 219
Room 220 Zoroastrian Daily Observance in the Morning Prayers and Haudenosaunee Worship: Day 1
Prophecy and
Spirituality Religious Dimensions Substance and Soul: Landscape of Faith: of the Reconciliation An Exploration of Drug Sharing Wisdom Process in Timor-Leste and Alcohol Abuse in for a New Vision of Supported by Global Family the World's Non-Dual Community - Part I: for Love & Peace/Museum of Religious Traditions Living in Community Worlds Religions Voices of Challenge Colonisation: Indigenous Landscape of Faith: and Wisdom: Gay and Peoples Striving for Sharing Wisdom Lesbian Perspectives on Self-Determination for a New Vision of Faith, Spirituality and
Community - Part II: Embodied Grace
Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice
Youth Spirituality: Join the Evolution! Youth, Spiritual Development and Activism
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Baha'i Approach
Maori Custom Law and Listening to the Land - Australian Aboriginal Meditation
Indigenous Land Rights: African American Struggles and Survival Muslims: Mirrors for (Session 1]
Global Justice
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern: Religious Responses to the Earth Charter
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation
Sri Chinmoy International Music Group Open Space Concert
A Listening Place Each Day
Multifaith Perspectives on Interreligious Holidays and Celebrations
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World: Practical Initiatives and Examples of MultiReligious Education

www.parliamentofreligions.org 31

Page #32

PROGRAM Sunday 6 December
8:00 - 9:00am
9:3011:00am
11:30am - 1:00pm
1:002:30pm
2:304:00pm
4:306:00pm
7:3010:00pm
Plenary Hall
Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition
Room 101
Basic Tenets and Karma in Jainism
BuddhistChristian Dialogue
9:00 - 10:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing
Room 102
Sukyo Mahikari: Light and Principles for Peace and Harmony Whatever the Faith
32 PWR-Partian of the World's Religions
Spirituality and Healing in Melbourne's North
The Necessity of Nuclear Disarmament and Steps Toward its Achievement
Plenary Hall
Sacred Music Concert. Further details refer to Page 20
The Sufism
of Hazrat Inayat Khan:
Universal Sufism
Room 103
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Morning Observance
Creators of Peace Orthodoxy
Panentheism:
God and World in an Ecological Age
Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous People
Room 104

in Australia: Currentand Future Perspectives
Practising Yoga: Covert Conversion to Hinduism or the Key to MindBody Wellness for All?
The Lost & Endangered Religions Project: Preserving the World's Religious Diversity Supported by
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
Room 105
Anglican Sunday Morning Liturgy
Global Poverty Project
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 1]

Page #33

Room 106
Room 107
Room 108
Room 109
Room 110
Room 111
Hindu Meditation: Spirituality in Everyday Life
Shum, A Language Guided Metta of Meditation (Loving-Kindness)
Meditation
Changing the World With One Voice from the Inside Out: Making a Difference through Evolutionary Enlightenment
Integration of Transforming Immigrants and Compassion Refugees into in Science and Australia: Interfaith Religion (Session 11 and Cross-cultural Understanding
Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace Supported by Dr Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Zoroastrians: Their Imperative to be Bridge Builders
Towards a Universal The Dhamma Declaration of Brothers Human Rights (Premier Film by the World's Series Selection) Religions
Who is My Neighbour? Religious Identity and the Limits of Love
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Religion and the Future of Humanitarian Intervention in a Sustainable and Just World
Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities
Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions, Continued
Global Ethics and Religion ForumWhat is Peace in a Sustainable and Just World?
American Outrage
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Teachings of the Traditions Supported by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
Building a Culture of PeaceDevelopment on the ground in El Salvador
The Digital Revolution and the Age of Religious Pluralism
Reality. Religion and Responsibilities: Individual Commitments
In Search of Sustainable Pathways
An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis
Knit Together in Love: Communities Enriched by Altruistic Handicrafting
Education for Successful Societies Supported by Dr Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Burma VJ
espres
Oliva
www.parliamento religions.org 83

Page #34

PROGRAM Sunday 6 December
Room 201
Room 202
Room 203
8:00 - 9:00am
Room 204 Remembrance of Allah and His Prophet Through Song
11:00am
Two Programs: Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati & Walking with Wisdom
Religious Leaders for a Sustainable Future
Who Do We Want To Be: The February 2009 Bushfires Exploring the Mission of the in Victoria: Religious Jewish People in the 21st Response in the Role of Century
Recovery and Renewal Supported by Jewish Community Supported by Buddhist Council Council of Victoria
of Victoria Sacred Envy: Exploring What We Love about Our Own Faith, What We Admire in Others and What Challenges Us in Both
11:30am - 1:00pm
Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Session
A Tale of Two Women: A Multifaith Reading of the Sarah/Hagar Narrative
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Hindu Spirituality in Dance: Islam 101 Series: War and Odissi Performance
Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle
Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding: The Case of Israel-West Bank-Gaza Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions Religious Leadership in a Global Perspective
UN Millennium Development Goals. Challenges and Opportunities for Global Stability
4:30 - 6:00pm
Come into the Presence of God! A Celebration of the Divine in Words, Music and Silence
The Science and Spirituality of Climate Change
9:00 - 10:30pm
Room 212
Room 215
Meditation and Sacred Music
Room 213
Room 214 The Master Key - Unlocking Self-Inquiry: The Yoga of the Inner Treasures Thought and Feeling
9:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
Meditation: the Ultimate Transformative Experience
What Religious Insights Can Taking Our Place in the Decolonising our Hearts Bring to Secular Education Interreligious Movement: and Minds, Healing the Women in Society.
Earth and Ourselves: North Peacemaking, and
American Indigenous Interfaith Dialogue
Perspectives Towards the Heart of Many Religions, One The New Planetary Humankind: Critical Community: The Theory and Narrative; Connecting Considerations of Unity. Practice of Living Together Ecology, Social Justice Diversity and a Declaration in Muslim Spain and India and Cosmology of Global Spirituality
11:30am - 1:00pm
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Religious Identity Formation: The Templars in Australia
Accommodating Indigenous Spirituality in the Contemporary World: Valuing and Respecting the Importance of Indigenous Spirituality Offerings for Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana/World Peace Barong
4:30 - 6:00pm
Exploring the Future of Religion and Spirituality
9:00 - 10:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing

34 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #35

Room 207
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth II
Jain principles for Corporate Social Responsibility
Aboriginal Reconciliation in Melbourne: Working for Land Justice and Reconciliation
Room 216
Guided Gathering of Mind through Seven Steps
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran
The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Role of Youth

Room 208
By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
The Calling to Interfaith Ministry and Interfaith Practice
Discoveries from 'Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge Supported by Dr. Haruhisa
Handa and Associated Organisations
Hear the Voices of the Indigenous Elders
Room 217
Middle Way Meditation Supported by Dhammakaya International Society of Australia
Preservation of Sikh Heritage
Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 2)
Room 209
Baha'i Devotional Gathering: 'The Earth is but One Country'
Spiritual Progressives: Networking Towards a New Bottom Line
The Sacred Journey
One Voice, Many Musics: Many Faiths, One Community
Striving to Live in a Livable World (Session 2)
The Impact of Women in Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction
Conflict Resolution
Room 218 Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 2
The Spiritual Tradition of Scientology
Knowing Home: A Presentation of Indigenous Spirituality
A Listening Place Each Day

Room 210
Sikh Youth Perspectives Our Interreligious
Future
Supported by The Helen and Bori Liberman Family
Religious Dual Belonging: The Future of the Dialogue of Experience?
Removal: The Indigenous RealityDaily Youth Workshop
Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 219
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism
The Challenge of Islamophobia and the Media: How Innovative Dialogue is Changing the Landscape
Our Interreligious Future Part Two
Room 211
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World: Resources for and Obstacles to MultiReligious Education in One's Own Tradition
Role of Religion and Spirituality in the Public Discourse Supported by Union for Progressive Judaism
Religions Respond to Disasters
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 1)
Room 220
Charter of Compassion
The Vision of Humanity: The Components of Peace
Breaking Barriers:
Global Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace
Religions for Peace Gathering

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Page #36

PROGRAM Monday 7 December
Plenary Hall
Room 101
Room 102
Room 103
Room 104
Room 105,
8:00 - 9:00 am
The Power of Spiritual Experience
Seon (Zen) Meditation Practise
Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Monday
9:30 - 11:00am
Gender and Equality and the Sikh Faith
Poverty, Health and Religion in Australia
Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-Peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools
11:30am - 1:00pm
ABC Compass Live Recording
Compassionate Eating for the YouTube Generation
African Religions Sharing Wisdom Talking Faiths: in Latin America in Search of Inner Your Story, My and Outer Peace Story and Our
Story, across Schools and the World Wide Web
Reflections on the Global Financial Crisis
1:00 - 2:30pm
2:30 - 4:00pm
Spanish
Religion and Language Session Belief in 1 of 2
Public Schools
Has Economics Triumphed Over Ethics?
Interpreting the Text: Apostasy and Homosexuality
Spiritual Education and Interreligious Learning for Primary (Elementary) and Secondary Students
4:30 - 6:00pm
Spanish
Pagans and Language Session Religious 2 of 2
Freedom
Spiritual Practice, The Inner Search
Experience the Women's Interfaith Network
7:30 - 9:00pm
Plenary Hall
Youth Plenary Further details refer to Page 21
9:00 -
10:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing
36 PW t of the World's eligions Jan Eucation Internatiepe

Page #37

Room 106
Room 107
Room 108
Room 109
Room 110
Room 111
Catholic Mass. Ukrainian Rite
Uniting Church Prayer Service
Living Ahimsa Meditation: The Power of Harmony in our Thoughts, Speech and Action
Poverty, Health and Journey into Religion in Australia America
Sikh Panel on Principles and Articles of Faith
Transforming Islam 101 Series: Compassion
Applying Islamic in Science and Principles for Religion (Session 2) a Just and
Sustainable World
Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning
Christianity and Ecology
Beyond Beliefs - Muslims and Non- Muslims Living in Australia
Addressing the Shadow in Our Own Traditions
Women's Peace Initiatives
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Rotary International Peace Fellows International Christian University
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel !
Sacred Sites
Migrar o Morir/ Sacred Solidarity: Paying the Price Current Initiatives (Premier Film Supported by Guru Nanak Series Selection) Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
Global Ecological Crisis: A Time for the Reunion of Science and Religion?
Religion, Conflict Media Savvy for and Peacebuilding: Better Coverage The Case of Thailand Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Peacemaking in the Homeland: Four Middle East
Portraits of Native Action Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 2 of 3
Blue Gold: World Water Wars
6
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r

(2GO
www.parliamento regainelibrary.org

Page #38

PROGRAM Monday 7 December
Room 201
Room 202
8:00 - 9:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
A New Ethical Manifesto for the Global Economy
Two Programs: An Exploration of Gurmat Sangeet - Sikh Musical Heritage & Sacred Earth: Music for Inner Peace
Room 203
Room 204 Living in Peace Not Pieces: Criteria for Deciding the How to Find and Remain Eternal Truths Anchored in Joy, Peace, and Bliss Amidst the Waves and Storms of Daily Life Sarvodaya Shramadana The Role of Media in Movement - Grassroots Conflict Resolution - Panel Development, Conflict Supported by Global Family Resolution and Education for Love & Peace/Museum of Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa
Worlds Religions and Associated Organisations The Reality of the
Faith-Consistent Investing Universal Human Family: Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa Interreligious Cooperation and Associated Organisations in Healing the Earth
11:30am - 1:00pm
Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Session
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Two Programs: Shadi Toloui-Wallace & Joanne Shenandoah: Healing Through Music
Is Climate Change the New Slavery?
Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Response and Advocacy by Religious Communities
4:30 - 6:00pm
Sacred Music of India: Natesan Ramani and Manjiri Kelkar
Conversation with Cardinal McCarrick
9:00 - 10:30pm
Room 213
Room 215
Room 212 Five Pillars of Spiritual Life
Room 214 Self-Enquiry Meditation
8:00 - 9:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
Jain Heritage and Education Living Mindfully for Peace and Harmony For A Peaceful And
Sustainable Future
JCMA: A Working Model of Interfaith in Action
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Colombia Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions Conflict Transformation and Peace Building Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
11:30am - 1:00pm
Private Property. Religion and the Environment
Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam (Healing the World)
Let's Shake
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Alternatives to Empire, Another World is Possible
UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations
A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces: Sharing Our Stories of the Human Spirit at Work
4:30 - 6:00pm
The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 1]
Twenty-One Moments of Stillness
Personal and Professional Journeys of Women Leaders: A Worldwide Dialogue
9:00 - 10:30pm
Program is correct at the time of printing
Jain PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #39

Room 208
Room 209
Room 210
Room 211
Room 207 So That You May know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an
The Many Faces of Peace
Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa and Sustainable Living
Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture
Convening Education Session: Schooling, Young People and Social Inclusion
Religion, Spirituality and Life Threatening Illness
Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond
Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media
Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies
Earth Charter as a Global Ethics for a Sustainable Future
Religion's Imperative to present the Other Faithfully (Session 1]
Green Buildings, Green Cities - An Ethical Path Forward
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World
The State and Religious Freedom
Strangers Becoming Sharing Wisdom - Neighbours: Community Fostering Peace Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 1) Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 2]
Sharing the Zoroastrian Dhakiyarr vs the Environmentalist
King (Premier Film Faith: Building Bridges Series Selection) with Indigenous Communities
Room 219
Room 218 The Torah through Paintings and Poetry
Room 220 Gurbani Kirtan: Sikh Sacred Classical Music
Room 216
Room 217 Purifying the Heart Daily Puja: The and Soul through Daily Jain Ritual of Remembrance of Allah: a Shwetambar Jain Dhikr As An Islamic Idol Worshiper Devotional Act for Inner Peace The Tree of Humanity Australian and the One God
Pagans Speak: of All Religions: A Community Forum The Brahma Kumaris
Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam
Islamic Finance: The Compassionate Approach to Market and Money
The New Archaic: Religious Conflict and Interreligious Regional East Asian Perspectives Neuroscience, Spiritual Persecution: The Cases Concerns: Middle Easton Ecology Practice and Healing of Myanmar, Thailand
and Iran
Building Bridges
The Spiritual Dynamics of Hearing/Listening and Healing: Awakening to the Flow Within Between and Among Us
The Muslim Green: Does the Media Muslim Contributions to Have Faith? - Healing the Earth Daily Youth Workshop
A Listening Place Each Day
Ears Wide Open: The Art of Inloquence
2 Jews. 3 Opinions: An Open Conversation on the implications of the Parliament for Our Jewish Communities
Educating Religious Leaders for a MultiReligious World: Virtues and Skills for MultiReligious Education

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PROGRAM Tuesday 8 December
8:009:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
11:30am - 1:00pm
1:002:30pm
2:304:00pm
4:306:00pm
7:309:00pm
9:0010:30pm
Plenary Hall
Islam and the West: Creating an Accord of Civilisations
Room 101
Sing Praise for the Earth
Hindu Perspectives on Interfaith Understanding
Faith-based Education in Human Values for a Sustainable Future
Healing the Earth One Workplace at a Time - Spiritual Paths Through the World of Work
Exploring the Universality of God's Religion
Program is correct at the time of printing
Room 102
40 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions

Worship and Justice
The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education
Darwin in the Dreaming
Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Plenary Hall
Melbourne Plenary. Further details refer to Page 21
The Urantia Papers What's Love got to do with it?
Room 103
Meditation Training and Practice
The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of Muslim-Christian Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria
The Changing Shifts in Religion and Spirituality on the AsiaPacific Rim
The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World (Part 1)
The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World [Part 2]
Room 104
Catholic Mass, Roman RiteTuesday

A Course in Miracles Unleashed: A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment of the Human Species
Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives
Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth
Youth Projects - Sustaining Peace from the Inside Out
Supported by Monash University
Room 105
Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth
Spirituality and the Western World
Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World
Climate Change: the Burden and Challenge for the Next Generation

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Room 106
Praying Together in Not Broken Times of Happiness,
in Times of Sorrow?
The Ongoing
Dilemma for the Interfaith Movement
Proselytisation and Religious Freedom
Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto RicanAmerican and Australian Voices
Room 107
Jain Extrator literat
Tackling Peace and 'SAG (it's all about human rights)
The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: Traces of the Trade
Compassion Rising (World Premiere)
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action:
Room 108
The Still Mind, Emptiness and Divine Love
Sikh Diaspora and Global Sikh Community
Interfaith Marriage: A Workshop
in Working with Difference
Enabling Response: Contributions of the Ecological Humanities toward
an Environmental Culture
For
Room 109
Sikh Observance organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
Living a Good Life: The Secular Way
Interreligious Regional Concerns: Europe
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Myanmar Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
e & Personal Use Only
Room 110
Shinto Prayer for the Sunrise Ritual
Kanyini
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace Panel II
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Open meeting: final assessment and report on project
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 2)
Room 111
International Indigenous Repatriation
2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 2
Environmental Issues Affecting the Health of Indigenous Peoples
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 3 of 3
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PROGRAM Tuesday 8 December
Room 201
Room 203
Room 204
8:00 - 9:00am
Room 202 Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Opening Ceremony
9:30 - 11:00am
Wings of the Spirit in Concert
Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace: A Workshop for the Interreligious Panel
Convocation of Hindu Restoring Peace and Spiritual Leaders: Part One Fostering Dialogue within
Religious Traditions: The Experience of Christian Ecumenism in Australia
and Beyond Convocation of Hindu Universities, Interreligious Spiritual Leaders: Part Two Dialogue, and Social
Justice: A Conversation Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
11:30am - 1:00pm
Sport as a tool for Peace - Daily Youth Session
Towards a Shared Language of Religious Training: Interfaith Education for Religious Leaders
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Religion and Global Media
Simonel!)
Creating a Stress-Free Mind Religion, Conflict, and and a Violence-Free World: Peacebuilding: the Case Violence Ends Where Love of Afghanistan Begins
Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of
Worlds Religions Two Programs: Revelations Hindu Intrafaith Meet: Chapter 1 & The Sacred The Challenges and Fire: The Music of Hildegard Opportunities Facing of Bingen
Hinduism in the Western World
4:30 - 6:00pm
9:00 - 10:30pm
Room 213
8:00 - 9:00 am
Room 212 Observance on (Native American Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality
Room 214 Seeking Heaven on Earth - Our Common Quest
Room 215 Healing the Earth: A Meditation of Universal Oneness
9:30 - 11:00am
Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, Australia and New Zealand
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples
Pure Mind, Pure Land: A New Lifestyle for World Harmony
The Sacred Art of Listening: Hearing From the Heart
11:30am - 1:00pm
The Role of Religion in Mediating Conflict Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Signposts of Engaged Hearing the Other: How Spirituality: Faith and Can Cultural Organisations Interfaith Initiatives for Best Work with Building a Culture of Peace Indigenous Communities? Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Development of Indigenous Foundations: Helping Communities Develop Foundations for Indigenous Peoples
1:00 - 2:30pm 2:30 - 4:00pm
Expressing Our Links with the Environment
Rivers of Life: Community. Ainu Indigenous Spirituality Building Cities of Harmony Water and Spirit in Australia and Culture of Japan
4:30 - 6:00pm
The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 2)
Pray the Devil Back to Hell (Premier Film Series Selection)
Dance Workshop - Expression of Emotions
9:00 - 10:30pm
Jain Educaion Iniemalona Program is correct at the time of printing
TOITURE SENSUGUSLU
www

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Room 208
Room 209
Room 210
Room 211
Room 207 Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat & Inner Peace Cohesion and Unity in the Sikh Community
Observance on Zimbabwe Shona/ Nodebele Spirituality
Jainism and the Environment
Rastafari: the Livity of Spirituality
The Zoroastrian Ethos of Compassion
The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania
Social Cohesion
Aboriginal Women - Healing the Land and its People
Understanding Vodun: A West African Spirituality
Traditional Knowledge: The Value of Teaching and Preserving Traditional Knowledge
Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue
Christian-Muslim
Unity in Diversity Engagement: Action through the Arts and through Understanding Religiosity of Indonesia in the Writings of Said Nursi
Interfaith Australia, The Gift of Global Social Cohesion and the Community Muslim Communities
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Working Session 2 Supported by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK)
Spiritual Intimacy: Taking Interfaith Engagement to the Next Level
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 2)
Room 216
Room 219
Room 217 Devotional Singing and Meditation for Inner Peace
Room 218 Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Tuesday
Room 220 Sunrise Yoga
Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach Veneration of the Ancestors
A Buddhist Story Just for You
Burying and
Islam 101 Series: How Resurrecting Our Tlingit Islam Deals with Social Culture
Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity Dr Din Syamsuddin is supported by the Australia - Indonesia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Interfaith Dialogue in Victorian Schools
The Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Peoples
Religion's Imperative to Present 'the Other Faithfully (Session 2)
The Swami and the Rabbi: A Conversation
Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 2) A Listening Place Each Day
Stop the Traffic, People Sacred Sites, Sacred Islam 101 Series: are Not for Sale: Human Solidarity: A Call for Muslim Women's Trafficking and Slavery Collaboration
Contributions to in the World Today Supported by Guru Nanak a More Just and Supported by Dr Haruhisa
Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK) Sustainable World Handa and Associated Organisations The Holy Scriptures Educating Religious Peace Pole Dedication and Questions of
Leaders for a Multi- Ceremony for Intended Use
Religious World: What Reconciliation Among We've Learned... What Religions and Peace Next Steps We Hope Among Nations to Take
Taking the Initiative... the Role of Youth in Global Interfaith Action

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PROGRAM Wednesday 9 December
Plenary Hall Room 101
8:00 - 9:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
11:30am - 1:00pm
2:304:00pm
8:009:00am
9:30 - 11:00am
11:30am - 1:00pm
8:009:00am
World Subud Association
1:002:30pm
Room 201
Michael Leuning
Plenary Hall
Closing Plenary. Further details refer to Page 22
Room 212
Master Class in Raja Yoga: A Pathway to Healing and Transformation
9:30
East and West:
11:00am Spirituality and Women's Leadership in Different Religious Perspectives
11:30am The Stolen Generation and -1:00pm The Apology
Room 102
Whole SelfWhole Earth
Beyond the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Belief Systems and Their Deeper Philosophic Construct
Program is correct at the time of printing

44 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions
Room 202
Room 213
The Haudenosaunee Prophecy
The Hazards of Writing About Religion
Room 103
Jewish Reform Morning
Observance - Wednesday Plant Perspectives
Reviving and Maintaining Indigenous Languages: Saving Indigenous Languages
in the Face of Globalisation
Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and Melbourne
Room 203
Room 104
Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees
A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran
A New Conscience: Making a World of Difference
Room 214
Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony
Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education

Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse
Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse, Continued
Room 105
Ancient Jain Mantra: Sound and Spirituality
Poverty Symposium Closing Session Supported by
Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Room 204
Viswamitra in Union with the Universe
Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience
Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects
Room 215 Catholic Mass, Coptic Rite
Strengthening Families with Weekly Family Night
The Importance of Family

Page #45

Room 106
Meditation for Better Life
The Black GST (Genocide, Sovereignty, Treaty)
Perspectives on Sustainability: Buddhist
and Jewish Perspectives
Room 207 The Way of Balance
Diversity, Unity and Community: Charting a Course for the Jews under the Southern Cross
Supported by Dr. Haruhisa Handa and Associated Organisations
Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict
Room 216
Contemplative Shacharit (Jewish Morning) Service
Courage to Care: Listening to the Messages of the Holocaust Survivors
108 Bowls:
A Mala of Water

Room 107
The Soul of Kalaupapa
Soldiers of Peace
Room 108
Sunrise Morning Sadhana
Introducing
Quakers: What Canst Thou Say?
Room 208
A Celebration of Urantia, Our Planet Sacred Activism: Cooperative Partnerships Advocating for Global Peace, Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals Health and Healing: Indigenous Healing in the Modern Allopathic Medical World
Room 217 Observance on Tlinglit (Indigenous Alaskan Native) Spirituality
Leadership Among Muslim Males in the Post-9/11 Era
I-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace
Room 109 Sikh Observance by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
Shared Security for the Earth Community
Room 209
Interpreting the Text: Creationism, Intelligent Design and Evolution
Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism
Room 218 Melbourne Buddhist Leaders Observance
Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles

Room 110 Chan Meditation to Ease the Body and Mind at All Times and on All Occasions Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective
Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism [Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 210
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 2).
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue: Dialogue at the Level of Spiritual Practice and Experience
Room 219
Compassion as a Common Value/The Global Food Crisis as a Spiritual Challenge
Closing Remarks on Conflict Resolution Supported by Global Family for Love & Peace/Museum of Worlds Religions
Room 111
Indigenous Food Insecurity
Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family
Room 211
The Common Enterprise of Peace-building: A New Model for Spiritually Motivated Social Action Within, Among & Beyond Communities of Faith
Room 220
A Qur'anic Moral Imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice The Revival of the European Pagan Religions
Healing the Earth: Buddhist and Hindu Theological Perspectives

www.parliamentofreligions.org
45

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ART AND SPIRITUALITY AT NGV
ngv
The lan Potter Centre: NGV Australia Federation Square 10am-5pm Closed Mondays
National Gallery of Victoria
Art can be a profound means to spiritual understanding, helping us to answer the question 'Who am I?' To coincide with the Parliament of the World's Religions. the NGV is pleased to present this special series of talks focusing on art and spirituality
Floor Talk: An introduction to spirituality in aboriginal artwork Fri 4 Dec, 2pm NGV Australia Speaker Brian McKinnon, Indigenous Project Officer, NGV and artist Cost Free Meet Information Desk, Ground Level, NGV Australia
NGV International 180 St Kilda Road 10am-5pm Closed Tuesdays
03 8620 2222 ngv.vic.gov.au
The NGV is Victoria's largest and most comprehensive public gallery of Australian and international art.
Floor Talk: JudeoChristian artistic expressions Sal 5 Dec, 3pm NGV International Speaker David Menzies, Education Officer, NGV Cost Free Meet Information Desk NGV International
scientist who probed NGV International the origins of human Speaker Carol Cains, life (Darwin), an artist Curator Asian Art, NGV whose creativity tapped Cost Free into metaphysical issues Meet Information Desk, (Mondrian) and a great yogi NGV International with a profound spiritual philosophy (Ramana
Floor Talk: Martyrs and Maharshi).
Madonnas - Images of Introduction Isobel
women in eighteenth Crombie, Senior Curator century art Photography. NGV
Wed 9 Dec, 12.30pm Speakers Mahant
NGV International Swami Shankarananda, Speaker Laurie Benson, Director Shiva School of Curator International Art, Meditation, Mt Eliza; Doug NGV McCann, Fellow, History Cost Free and Philosophy of Science Meet Information Desk Department, The University NGV International of Melbourne: Patrick Mahaffey, Chair Mythological Floor Talk: Women's art Studies, Pacifica Graduate and ritual in Papua New Institute (Santa Barbara); and Guinea Jason Smith, Director, Heide Thu 10 Dec, 2pm Museum of Modern Art NGV International Melbourne.
Speaker Sana Balai, Cost Free
Assistant Curator Venue Great Hall, Ground Indigenous Art, NGV Level, NGV International Cost Free
Venue Wisdom of the Floor Talk: The tree of Mountain: Art of the Omie life - between heaven exhibition space, Ground and Earth
Level, NGV International Mon 7
NGV Programs
Floor Talk: Bill Viola's Ocean without a shore Thu 3 Dec, 3.30pm INGV International Speaker Kelly Gellatly, Curator Contemporary Art, NGV Cost Free Meet Information Desk Nain Educationdaternational
Symposium: Who am 1? The visions of Jung, Darwin, Mondrian and Ramana Maharshi Sun 6 Dec, 2-4pm NGV International This symposium explores the responses of a groundbreaking psychologist (Jung), a
FLEMISH Flinders St Jerome 1340 (data) National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne
www.jain Victoria Felton Baquest, 1930

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OFFSITE EVENTS Please note that your Parliament registration fee does not include any costs associated with Offsite Events,
Explore Melbourne's Aboriginal History and Culture
The Koorie Heritage Trust Shop The Koorie Heritage Trust is a not-for-profit Aboriginal community organisation that aims to protect preserve and promote the living culture of Aboriginal people of south-eastern Australia. Its shop offers a wide variety of books, paintings, artefacts, CDs, native bush food, clothing and souvenirs, Location: 295 King Street, cnr of Little Lonsdale Street, City Days and Times: Open from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm daily Enquiries: 8622 2600
Buniilaka at Melbourne Museum Buniilaka is the Aboriginal Centre at Melbourne Museum, developed to empower Aboriginal people to interpret their own cultural heritage for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Bunjilaka holds Aboriginal cultural heritage items from a collection that is one of the most significant in the world. The Museum recognises the rights and perspectives of Aboriginal people, and, through Bunjilaka, aims to further partnerships with Aboriginal communities, promote reconciliation to all visitors and actively support Indigenous rights and perspectives through exhibitions, performances and activities Location: 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton, Inext to the Exhibition Building) Days and Times: Open daily: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm Cost: $8.00 Adults, Concession and Children free Enquiries: 1300 130 152
Tjanabi sa Fed Square Experience Indigenous cuisine at Tianabi Restaurant at Federation Square, Offering fine dining, bistro style foods for casual diners, and bar featuring premium beers and wines, the menu is based on the traditional six seasons and is a fusion between Australian 'wild foods and quality regional Victorian produce from the Gippsland region, Location: The Atrium, Federation Square, Flinders Street, City Days and Times: Open daily. Breakfast from 7.00 am
Lunch 11.00 am - 3.00 pm
Dinner from 5.30 pm Bookings: 9662 1225 or by email to bookings atjanabi.com.au Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones, From Cave to Canvas, Wanjina Gwion Aboriginal Cave Rock Art Exhibition Creative Director Heather Winter with the Ngarinyin Aboriginal Corporation present paintings from the Ngarinyin Lands in North-West Kimberley region of Western Australia, The exhibition comprises 40 works by 30 painters, some as young as eighteen years old. This Cave to Canvas' exhibition has been recognised as one of the most influential movements in Australian Aboriginal Art. The exhibition comprises paintings of the Wanjina, god of the three language groups of the Worroraa, Wanumbal, and Ngarinyin people, The Ngarinyin language group have translated their custodial stories from their clan Wanjina/Gwion cave painting estates as images onto canvas. The pictures and their stories are sacred. In the mid-905 Ngarinyin Elders decided to open access to the traditional rock and cave paintings and began painting their stories onto canvas. Location: Australian Catholic University Gallery, 26 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy Dates and Times: Tuesday 8 December - Friday 18 December. 11.00 am - 4.00 pm Enquiries: 9953 3380
ACU National
Other Offsite Events
Mingary Organisation: St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne Description: Mingary is a quiet place for reflection and is dedicated to healing, restoration, inspiration, vision and
empowerment. Location: St Michaels Church. 120 Collins Street, City Cenr of Collins and Russell Sts! Date:
Sundays - Fridays Time: Weekdays 8.00 am - 5.00 pm
Sunday 8.00 am - 1.00 pm Cost:
FREE Bookings: No bookings required Website: www.stmichaels.org.au Accessibility: Entrance off Russell Street
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OFFSITE EVENTS (continued)
Tours of St Michael's Uniting Church Description: Tours of the church including an explanation of Klaus Zimmer's contemporary stained glass windows
by knowledgeable and friendly members of the church. The tour will also include an outline of the
architectural aspects of the building. Location: St Michael's Church. 120 Collins Street, City Icnr of Collins and Russell Sts) Date:
Monday to Friday Time: 10.30 am - 1.00 pm Cost:
FREE Bookings: No booking required Website: www.stmichaels.org.au
Women in the Bible: Tricksters, Victors & (Mothers Organisation: Jewish Museum of Australia Description: This exhibition will explore a selection of female characters in the Bible, from the mythical characters of
the book of Genesis (such as Eve, the matriarchsl to the historical figures in the Prophets and Writings such as Deborah. Yael. Estherl. The exhibition will also investigate some of the lesser known and nameless women of the Bible and the status and daily lives of ordinary women in biblical society. It will include a diverse range of artworks, some borrowed from major public and private collections around
Australia and some specially commissioned contemporary interpretations of biblical characters, Warren Breninger
Location: Jewish Museum of Australia, 26 Alma Road, St Kilda Expulsion of Eve {No. 5) 1978
Date:
1 October 2009 - 1 March 2010 gelatin silver photograph, acrylic is Time:
Tuesday - Thursday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm, Sunday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm paint, decal lettering Cost:
$10.00 for adults: $5.00 for children and concession National Gallery of Australia
Enquiries: 8534 3600 Image courtesy Website: http://www.jewishmuseum.com.au the artist
Accessibility: Trams 3 and 67 along St Kilda Road
Rhythms and Forms of Existence: Earth, Fire, Air, Water Organisation: Box Hill Baptist Church Description: This art exhibition will creatively explore the elements of existence. How do these elements create a
space in which we engage with God through both ritual and daily life? The intent is to create the sense of
immediacy and presence of existence through artistic expression Location: Chapel on Station Gallery, Corner of Station Street and Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill Date:
26 November 2009 - 10 December 2009 Time: Tuesday - Friday 11.30 am - 3.00 pm
Saturday 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm
Sunday 4.30 pm - 7.00 pm Cost:
FREE Website: www.chapelonstationgallery.org.au Accessibility: Tram 109. Train: Belgrave and Lilydale line
Talking Faiths - My Story, Your Story, Our Story Organisation: Immigration Museum Description: To coincide with the Parliament the Immigration Museum will document two innovative interfaith dialogue
projects involving over 20 schools, during the course of the 2009 academic year. The Melbourne Interfaith Socratic Circle Cluster and the Building Bridges. Eastern Region group will work with visual artists and museum staff in the process of developing interfaith dialogue with Year 9 and 10 students from many faiths
including Catholic, Jewish and Islamic and will provide the basis for an interactive multi-media exhibition. Location: Immigration Museum. 400 Flinders Street, City Date: 27 November 2009 - June 2010 Time: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm every day (Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday) Cost:
Exhibition Ground Floor - No Charge
Museum Entry $8.00: Students, children, concession FREE Enquiries: 13 11 02 Website: www.museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum
Image: Singing Bowl Media Source: Museum Victoria
IMMIGRATION MUSEUM

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Sacred Icons and Other Images - Image Versus Idol Organisation: The Icon School of St Peter Melbourne, in Association with Trinity College, Melbourne Description: This exhibition presents modern sacred icons by members of the School and by other local and
international iconographers. Membership of the School includes people from a variety of Christian traditions including Anglicans, Catholics, Lutherans, Maronite Church, Uniting Church, Interiaith Centre, both lay people and clergy and members of religious orders. Whilst teaching the Byzantine tradition, our inspiration is drawn from sources such as Greece, Russia, Coptic Egypt and Ethiopia, Crete, the Balkans, Italy and Cyprus - anywhere that iconographical traditions
have flourished. Location: Leeper Library, 1st floor of the Burge Building Trinity College, University of Melbourne
Royal Parade, Parkville-entry via Gates B, C and E
www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/about/map/Trinity College Map.pdf Date: Monday 30 November 2009 - Friday 11 December 2009
10.00 am - 5.00 pm (Closed Saturdays and Sundays) Cost:
FREE Enquiries: Judy Bink - judybinklabigpond.com or 9571 5490 Accessibility: Tram 19 INorth Coburg) to Stop 12, Royal Parade
Map:
Time:
Venice, Rumi and the Architecture of the Soul Description: This exhibition is a fundraising event for the Alola Foundation that supports women and children in East
Timor. The artwork was mostly done in Venice and is inspired by the poetry of Rumi. The sacred ambience of
Venice is evoked with whirling dervishes, lovers and ordinary people going about their everyday business. Location: Richmond Town Hall, 333 Bridge Road, Richmond Date:
30 November 2009 - 8 January 2010 Time:
8.30 am - 5.00 pm, Monday - Friday
Extra opening for PWR: Monday 7 December 2009. 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm Cost:
FREE Enquiries: luisamarianni@hotmail.com/0450457027 Bookings: To arrange a viewing time ring Civic Facilities on 9205 5220 Website: sites.google.com/site/luisamariannil Accessibility: Tram 75. Flinders Street - Stop no. 19
Sri Chinmoy Soul-Bird Drawing Exhibition Organisation: Sri Chinmoy Centre Description: Using a wealth of coloured pens and markers and with just a few delt movements, Sri Chinmoy sketches full
bodied Soul-Bird images rich in vigour, personality and charm. He does not strive for representational detail, but rather for the essence of the aspiring consciousness of the soul Each bird represents the eternal cry for
freedom and oneness in each human heart. Location: St Johns, Southgate. 20 City Road, Southgate Date:
1 December 2009 - 14 December 2009 Time:
10.00 am - 6.00 pm Cost:
FREE Bookings: Erika Ashton 0422 511 782 Website: www.us.srichinmoycentre.org/sri_chinmoy/bird-drawings-intro Accessibility: approximately 8 minutes walking distance from MCEC along Yarra River
Daily Walking Meditation Organisation: Green Bamboo Sangha and Quang Minh Temple Description: Walking meditation is a great way to start the day. Many spiritual traditions have found that walking
meditation calms the mind and gives us the clarity we need to enjoy our busy lives. Join us by the river
Beginners are welcome. Location: Batman Park, Melbourne CBD (by the Yarra River off Spencer Street opposite the Crown Casino Date:
Wednesday 2 December 2009 - Wednesday 9 December 2009 Time:
7.30 am - 8.30 am Cost:
FREE Enquiries: idrobertss@bigpond.com Website: http://dailywalkingmeditation.blogspot.com

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OFFSITE EVENTS (continued]
Visions of o new World
Visions of A New World: Art Exhibition and Meditation Space
Organisation: Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centres
Description: The artworks invite the viewer to journey into the essence of their being, and to travel to their most elevated spaces within. The works depict the pure energies of love, peace, innocence, and spiritual power, suggesting that as we draw from these core energies we allow change and exert a powerful renewing effect on our world.
Location: Date: Time:
Cost: Bookings:
Website:
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost:
Enquiries:
Change Yourself and Change the World: The Power of Personal Change Through Meditation
Experience a tranquil meditation (guided meditation/music/silence).
Free transport/light lunch/afternoon tea (vegetarian).
Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre, 256 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Thursday 3 December 2009 - Wednesday 9 December 2009
The times of free pick-ups and drop-offs from and to the MCEC are as follows:
11.05 am-12.30 pm
Organisation: Science of Spirituality
Description:
1.05 pm-2.30 pm
4.30 pm- 6.00 pm
FREE
Location:
Please visit the exhibition booth of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centres (shared with the World Congress of Faiths) during the week of the Parliament. Alternatively, telephone 9417 4883; email: fitzroydau.bkwsu.org.
www.bkwsu.org/au
Date:
Prayer Labyrinth - Walking in Each Other's Footsteps
Organisation: The Labyrinth Society, Inc. - Australian Region in collaboration with The Grove Wholistic Centre for Spirituality, The Melbourne City Council and International networks of The Labyrinth Society, Inc. and Veriditas labyrinth facilitators
Bookings: Website:
Description: The labyrinth enables people of different faiths to share the journey, as we walk together through the
twists and turns of life; acknowledging that we all may have a different path to the Divine, but that we all travel towards the centre, where we receive strength, inspiration, guidance, then re-engage with the world in a new way, as we walk out of the labyrinth."
The Labyrinth is in Batman Park which runs between Kingsway and Spencer Street Melbourne.
The park is a short walk from The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Meditation is the key that unlocks the inner doorway to a life of deep inner peace and spiritual fulfilment. It is the core spiritual practice of all great spiritual and religious traditions. Through meditation, each of us can break through the illusion of separation to see the inherent unity of all life. Speakers: Jim and Sue Rose and Dr Margarete Czerny
Southbank Room, Quay West Suites Melbourne, 26 Southgate Ave, Southbank Thursday 3 December 2009
7.30 pm-9.30 pm
FREE
Etienne de Lavaulx-0425 75 6258
Thursday 3 Dec. 9.00 am - 10.00 am
Walking Sacred Desires - Becoming Contemplatives in Action
Thursday 3 Dec. 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm
Walking Together in Faith and Healing - A Global Healing Walk Promoted Through Labyrinth Networks
World-wide
Friday 4 Dec. 8.30 am - 10.00 pm
Healing the Earth with Traditional Wisdom - A Candlelight Walk with Shane Charles - Yorta Yorta Man of the Kulin Nation Playing the Didgeridoo
Saturday 5 Dec. 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm
Children's Peace Walk - Bubbles of Fun
Saturday 5 Dec. 5.00 pm- 6.00 pm
A Personal Spiritual Journey: Past, Present, Future
Sunday 6 Dec. 1.00 pm-2.00 pm Prayer - A Walking Meditation
Monday 7 Dec. 5.00 pm- 6.00 pm
Interfaith Youth Walking a Pathway to Peace
Geoffrey Rodda 0408 138 065
www.thegrovecentreforspirituality.com. http://labyrinthlocator.com/
Accessibility: Walking distance from the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
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in winter
Other
has a better View
One is Warm in Winter; the Other Has a Better View Organisation: Platform Youth Theatre Description: A theatre performance about the weight of faith in this secular society from the point of view of young
people from across the spectrum of religions and cultures in Melbourne. Writer Adam J. A Cass and
director Caitlin Dullard. Duration 80 minutes. No interval, Location: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, City Date:
3 December 2009 - 13 December 2009 Times: Thursday 3 Dec. 8.00pm - Opening Night
Friday 4 Dec. 8.00 pm Saturday 5 Dec. 8.00 pm Sunday 6 Dec. 4.00 pm - Matinee Tuesday 8 Dec. 8.00pm - Industry night and Artists Forum Wednesday 9 Dec. 8.00 pm Thursday 10 Dec. 8.00 pm Friday 11 Dec. 8.00 pm Saturday 12 Dec. 8.00 pm - Closing night show
Sunday 13 Dec. 4.00 pm - Matinee and community event Cost:
$15.00 Concession, PYT members and PWR 2009 delegates
$20.00. Adult Bookings: fortyfivedownstairs box office 9662 9966 or www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/tickets.php Website: www.pyt.org.au Accessibility: Flinders Lane between Exhibition and Spring Sts (Melway ref. 1B U9)
Walking distance or a quick tram trip up Flinders Street. Nearest train station: Parliament Station, Disability Access: if you have a companion card and/or if you require disability access, please notily fortyfivedownstairs on 9662 9966
Voices for Didgeridoo, Organ and Narrator by Philip Glass Organisation: Interfaith Centre of Melbourne and the City of Melbourne Description: US composer extraordinaire Philip Glass was commissioned to write this piece by the City of Melbourne
to celebrate the re-opening of the Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ in 2001. Together with celebrated didgeridoo artist Mark Atkins and Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy Wandin, Glass created a musical and Spiritual message that speaks of both indigenous and Western cultures, Organist: Dr Calvin Bowman Didgeridoo: Mark Atkins, Ron Murray Narrator: Joy Murphy Wandin
Voices will be complemented by other musical performers from the Parliament, Location: Melbourne Town Hall, Cnr of Swanston and Collins Sts, City Date:
Friday 4 December 2009 Time:
6.30 pm - 8.20 pm with intermission (doors open at 6.00 pm)
General admission seating Cost:
Parliament registrants: $15.00 (ID at door)
Non-registrant prices: $15.00 - $25.00 Bookings and/or enquiries: Easy Tix Email: easytix.com.au Ph:
9639 0096 East Tix office, located at the Melbourne Town Hall, Swanson Street
Opening Hours for this event: Friday 4 December: 11.00 am - 6.30 pm Websites: www.easytix.com.au
www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/grandorgan
www.interfaithcentre.org.au Accessibility: Trams 109. 112 from MCEC to Swanston Street, 10 minutes
Walking distance 30 minutes The Ecology of the Soul - Integrating Spirituality and Meditation into Your Daily Life Organisation: Science of Spirituality Description: Meditation is the key to survival in our modern world, It's your own private retreat, a key that unlocks the
doorway to deep inner peace. When your day begins with meditation, you're calm and peaceful all day long.
Speakers: Jim Rose and Dr Andrew Vidich. Location: Southbank Room, Quay West Suites, Melbourne, 26 Southgate Avenue. Southbank Date:
Friday 4 December 2009 Time:
7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Cost:
FREE Enquiries: Etienne de Lavaulx - 0425 75 6258
Jan Edition tatemational of the World's Religions

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OFFSITE EVENTS (continued]
Living Ahimsa - The Power of Peace World Tour 2009-2011 Satsanga with Mother Maya
Organisation: Wise Earth Monastery
Description: The mission of My Peace Vow is to unite the millions of peace lovers and hundreds of peace organisations
throughout the world through the simple practice of taking The Vow of Ahimsa - the powerful, yet simple intention to pursue peace and harmony in our thoughts, speech, and actions: Ahimsa.
Location:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Bookings:
Website:
Location:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Bookings:
Website:
www.mypeacevow.org
Shabbat Visit to a Suburban Progressive Jewish Congregation
Organisation: Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism
Description: An opportunity to visit a delightful Progressive Jewish congregation in Melbourne's leafy Eastern suburbs to celebrate the Sabbath with us.
Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism, 31-37 Harp Road, East Kew Saturday 5 December 2009
9.00 am - 2.00 pm
Our objective is to get 1 million world citizens to take The Vow of Ahimsa in person at Living Ahimsa -The Power of Peace World Tour 2009-2011 (presented by Mother Maya).
Theosophical Society. 126 Russell Street, City
Saturday 5 December 2009
2.30 pm-4.30 pm
Location:
Date:
Time: Cost:
Donation
meltheos @netspace.net.au or 9650 2315
www.lbc.org.au
Accessibility: Bus service provided
Meditation the Ultimate Transformative Experience
Organisation: Science of Spirituality
Description: Jyoti meditation, meditation on the inner Light, is a universal practice that connects you to your true self. When you develop insight into the profound questions of life who you truly are and what the true purpose of your life is - you have taken the first steps toward personal transformation and spiritual enlightenment. Speakers: Dr Margarete Czerny, Jim and Sue Rose and Dr Andrew Vidich
Southbank Room, Quay West Suites, Melbourne, 26 Southgate Avenue, Southbank
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost:
FREE
9819 7160
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost:
Enquiries:
Quaker Worship Meeting
Organisation: The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Description: Worship followed by discussion. 'We seek a gathered stillness in our meetings for worship so that all may feel the power of God's love drawing us together and leading us."
Australian Volunteers International, 88 Kerr Street, Fitzroy Sunday 6 December 2009
10.30 am-11.30 am followed by refreshments
FREE
Enquires: Bruce 0434 612 919 Website:
Bookings: Website:
Saturday 5 December 2009
7.30 pm-9.30 pm
FREE
Etienne de Lavaulx - 0425 75 6258
Yoga Aid Challenge 2009
Organisation: Yoga Aid
Description: The Yoga Aid Challenge promotes awareness of yoga in the community while raising money for local charities. To complete the Challenge, participants perform 108 sun salutations over two hours and personally raise funds for charity.
www.rsfa.affiniscape.com
Peninsula, Shed 14, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands
Sunday 6 December 2009
8.00 am - 12.00 pm
Free with personal fundraising encouraged Rose Macdonald - rosielaYogaAid.com www.YogaAid.com.au

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Soul Food

Sunday Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral
Organisation: Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Description: The Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Rev. Denis Hart, will celebrate Holy Mass. Location: St Patrick's Cathedral, Cathedral Place, East Melbourne Sunday 6 December 2009
11.00 am
FREE
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Bookings: No bookings required
Website:
www.eic.cam.org.au Accessibility: Trams 109, 112
Soul Food
Organisation: Soul Food Working Group, Baha'i Community of Victoria
Description: Soul Food provides an opportunity to relax in a tranquil environment and reflect on our relationship to our earth and environment. It features music, visuals and readings from faiths and philosophers, authors and Indigenous cultures, from across the world. All welcome.
Location:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Bookings:
Website:
Light On Yoga Retreat; Finding Peace and Lasting Joy in Challenging Times
Organisation: Science of Spirituality
Description: Move from the fast lane of stress, hurry and worry to the vast lane of abiding joy through the practice of
yoga. Surat Shabd Yoga, meditation on the inner Light, reconnects your spirit to its Source. It's more than relaxation - it's connecting with who you are at the level of your soul. Panel of international speakers: Dr Margarete Czerny, Jim Rose, Sue Rose, Dr Andrew Vidich and Dr Art Stein. With an interlude of sacred music (Anne and Caroline Vercoe - classical singers)
The Ruskin Hall, Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust, 46 York Street, Richmond Sunday 6 December 2009
1.30 pm - 6:00 pm
FREE
Etienne de Lavaulx-0425 75 6258
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost:
Enquiries:
State Library of Victoria - Village Roadshow Theatrette,
Cnr Swanston & La Trobe Sts (Entry from La Trobe Street)
Sunday 6 December 2009
10.30 am-11.30 am
FREE
No bookings required
www.soulfood.com.au
Creation, Climate Change, Christians and Copenhagen
Organisation: World Vision
Description: A service of worship, prayer, and story as we meet in support of those joining Archbishop Rowan Williams
and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Copenhagen UN Conference on Climate Change in
Copenhagen Cathedral. Climate Change affects us all, but the poor will clearly suffer the most. As people
of Christian faith, hope and love we need to hear, listen and act with justice and compassion. Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision, will speak.
St Peter's Eastern Hill Anglican Church, 15 Gisborne Street, City Sunday 6 December 2009
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost: Enquiries:
World Vision, 13 32 48, church@worldvision.com.au
Accessibility: Good parking on site and nearby. 109 Tram goes right past. Close to Parliament Station by train
Location: Date: Cost: Bookings:
5.00 pm-6.15 pm
FREE
Dean's Tours of St Paul's Cathedral
Organisation: St Paul's Cathedral
Description: Tours of the Cathedral conducted by the Dean, with particular reference to the symbolic and practical architecture and decoration.
St Paul's Cathedral, 109 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Monday 7 December - Tuesday 8 December 2009
FREE
9563 4333 maximum of 20 people per group, tours will be 40 minutes in duration times according to demand. (Bookings are essential) www.stpaulscathedral.org.au
Website: Accessibility: Tram, walk from MCEC

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OFFSITE EVENTS (continued)
Stitches and Symbols: Substance and the Sacred Organisation: St Paul's Cathedral Description: A selection of ecclesiastical embroideries, garments, and decorative effects used in worship with
particular attention to the use of Christian symbols. Location: St Paul's Cathedral, 109 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Date:
Monday 7 December - Wednesday 9 December Time: 8.00 am - 6.00 pm Cost:
FREE Website: www.stpaulscathedral.org.au Accessibility: Tram, walk from MCEC
The Gothic Cathedral: A Sermon in Stone Organisation: Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Friends of St
Patrick's Cathedral Description: St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral in Melbourne is one of the finest Gothic revival cathedrals in the world. A
reflection on the spiritual meaning of the architecture and design of the Cathedral will be given, followed
by guided tours of the building. Location: St Patrick's Cathedral, Cathedral Place, East Melbourne Dates and Monday 7 December 2009; 10.00 am and 2.00 pm Times: Tuesday 8 December 2009. 10.00 am and 2.00 pm
Wednesday 9 December 2009; 10.00 am and 2.00 pm
Each session lasts one hour Cost:
FREE Bookings: David Schutz 9926 5708
ecumsdmelbourne.catholic.org.au Website: www.stpatrickscathedral.org.au/ Accessibility: Trams: 109 to Box Hill, 112 to West Preston
Please meet your guide at the front of the Cathedral (cnr MacArthur Street and Cathedral Place by the Cardinal Mannix statue).
Basic Principles and Practice of Tibetan Buddhism Organisation: Tara Institute Description: This session is presented by Damian Busby, an experienced Western teacher of Tibetan Buddhism,
Damian will explain some of the basic principles of Buddhism in simple terms and lead a quided non denominational meditation which will provide an opportunity for participants to experience a Buddhist
approach to deep contemplation. Location: Tara Institute. 3 Mavis Avenue, East Brighton Date:
Monday 7 December 2009 Time:
8.00 pm
FREE Bookings: Jill Lancashire 9596 7410 Website: www.tarainstitute.org.au Accessibility: Observe parking restrictions in Mavis Avenue. By train. Sandringham Line to North Brighton station and 10
minutes walk
Cost:
QUAKERSLINT VIGL JUSTICENCE
AUSTERIAS
Quaker Silent Vigil, Supporting Justice for Indigenous Australians Organisation: The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Description: This vigil has been held every Monday for over 10 years. It is a visible sign to the Australian Community
that the concerns of Aboriginal Australians have been heard, and invites passers-by to become informed
and to participate to make a difference. Location: Bourke Street Mall, outside the old GPO, Corner Elizabeth & Bourke Sts, City Date:
Monday, 7 December 2009 Time:
12 noon-1.00 pm Cost:
FREE Enquiries: John 9893 3642 Website: www.rsfa.affiniscape.com Accessibility: Melway ret. 1A LS
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An Interfaith Perspective on 'Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth: A Presentation and Discussion Between Three Faith Communities - Christian Scientists, Sufis, and Baha'is Organisation: Sponsored by Christian Scientists. Sutis and Baha'is Description: The goal of this panel discussion is to illustrate the unity and healing capacity of three very different faith
communities. Specifically through their discussion of the Parliament theme, 'Make a World of Differences Hearing each other. Healing the earth. These three religions are: Christian Science, Sufi, and Baha'l. The unifying factor is their mutual conviction in the power of spirituality to heal the earth of its sorrows and pains. While each tradition is clear about its own wholeness and value to humanity, we look forward to
learning from each other, live! Location: Melbourne University. Elisabeth Murdoch Building 134, Theatre A Date: Monday 7 December 2009 Time:
7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Cost:
FREE Enquiries: Enquiries:
Phone: Wendy Verhagen
0425 775 810 Natalie Mobini-Keshesh 0414 603 145
Shirley Paulson
Arini Beaumaris Safa Hull 0433 075 457
- National - Christian
Secretary for Website: www.christianscience.com www.bahai.org.au
Science lecturer www.suficircle.websyte.com.au
and healer
Australian Bahai
community Accessibility: Allow at least half an hour by public transport from Melbourne
Convention and Exhibition Centre
A Jewish Walk of 19th Century Marvellous Melbourne Organisation: Australian Jewish Historical Society Description: An easy two-hour walk around the eastern side of the city, showing the sites around which the Jewish
community lived, and explaining life in 19th century Melbourne. Plenty of stops along the way, portable
Loudspeaker system used. Tour guide will be Dr Howard Freeman OAM, President AJHS, Location: East Melbourne Synagogue, 488 Albert Street, East Melbourne Date:
Tuesday 8 December & Wednesday 9 December 2009 Time:
10.00 am sharp Cost:
$20.00 per head Bookings: Liz James 9822 2849 Website: www.ajhs.info/Victoria/ Accessibility: Trams: 109 to Box Hill, 112 to West Preston, 100 metres east from cnr of Albert and Victoria Sts, East
Melbourne Reconciliation Bus Ride to Iramoo Organisation: Iramoo Sustainable Community Centre Description: Reconciliation bus ride to Iramoo. Join a Wurundjeri elder on a three-hour bus trip. Visit Wurundjeri sacred
sites at Bullum Bullum. See how the western region of Melbourne's Islamic, Christian and Buddhist multi
faith groups are working together in planting a community garden at Iramoo Sustainable Community Centre, Location: Pick-up and drop-off at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Date:
Tuesday 8 December 2009 Time:
Pick-up at MCEC 9.30 am Drop-off at MCEC at 1.30 pm Cost:
$15.00 (includes lunch) Bookings: engagefiramoo.org 9919 2815 or 0408 032 052 Peace Through Justice - Nobel Peace Prize Celebration Breakfast Organisation: Co-hosted by Australia Tibet Council and Amnesty International Description: On 10 December 1989. His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was presented with the Nobel
Peace Prize, in recognition of his work towards a peaceful resolution to the issue of Tibet. On the twentieth anniversary of his award, in the company of other leading human rights advocates. His Holiness will speak about the importance of justice in the lasting resolution of conflict. The event will highlight the issue of poverty as a violation of human rights, as part of the Demand Dignity campaign by Amnesty International,
itself a Nobel-Prize-winning organisation. Location: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Date:
Thursday 10 December 2009 Time:
8.00 am - 10.15 am includes breakfast) Cost:
$175.00/$ 155,00 Enquiries: (02) 9283 3466 Bookings: www.dalaitamainaustralia.org Website: www.atc.org.au/peace-through-justice & www.amnesty.org.au

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MONASH University
Arts
Interreligious Relations in the 21st Century: A Post-Parliament Reflection Organisation: The UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations Team in partnership with the Centre for Islam and the Modern World, the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilization, the Centre for Studies in Religion & Theology and the Monash Asia Institute, Monash University. Description: A one-day symposium for scholars in the field of interreligious relations following the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions.
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost: Bookings:
Website: Accessibility: 5-minute walk from Caulfield train station
Jewish Environmental Showhouse Tour
Description: There will be a detailed tour of the house and its features. The primary goal is to demonstrate the many
unique water- and energy-saving features.
Private house, Camberwell
Thursday 10 December 2009
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost:
Bookings:
Leo Baeck Centre 9819 7160
Accessibility: The venue and address will be provided upon booking
900 Dandenong Rd, Monash University, Caulfield Thursday 10 December 2009
8.30 am- 5.00 pm
$50.00 (full registration) $30.00 (student concession)
Participation is restricted to those who have attended the Parliament of the World's Religions. If you are interested in receiving an invitation to this symposium, contact Anna.Halafoff@darts.monash.edu.au www.arts.monash.edu.au/psi/post-parliament
World Peace, Who is Responsible? A Public Talk by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
Location:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Organisation: Dalai Lama in Australia
Description:
Bookings: Website:

2.00 pm- 4.00 pm
FREE
Location: Date:
Time:
Cost: Bookings:
Website:
Compassion can heal not only inner anger, but the world's violence."
His Holiness has been a champion of World Peace for over fifty years. Twenty years ago, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his non-violent, middle-way approach to finding a solution to the situation in Tibet.
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - Plenary Hall,
2 Clarendon Street, Southbank
Thursday 10 December 2009
2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Plenary Hall - Platinum $125.00
Plenary Hall - A Reserve $75.00
Plenary Hall - B Reserve $55.00
Banquet Room -C Reserve $35.00 (Talk to be relayed via large screens in room]
The Jewish Journey: A Tour of Jewish Time Through the Artistry of Glass Organisation: Temple Beth Israel
Description: Over a period of ten years, the renowned Australian glass artist David Wright created a series of 23 giant glass medallions for Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, illustrating the major journeys of the Jewish people: through the week, through the year, and through a Jewish life. This tour will introduce the
participants to this remarkable artistic creation and explore its place within the architecture and outlook of the synagogue, Melbourne's largest.
Temple Beth Israel, 76-82 Alma Road, St Kilda
Thursday 10 December 2009
10.30 am-Noon
FREE
Temple Beth Israel 9510 1488
www.dalailamainaustralia.org
www.dalailamainaustralia.org
www.tbi.org.au
Accessibility: Trams 3 and 67 from the City stop at the cnr of Alma and Brighton Rds
Melbourne Believer Slam - Parliament Series Final
Description: The Melbourne Believer Slam is a faith friendly human voice competition dedicated to building social harmony by encouraging responsible freedom of expression. People inspiring people. Baptist Church, 174 Collins Street, City
Location: Date: Thursday 10 December 2009 Time: Doors open 7.30 pm Cost: Check website Website:
www.melbournebelieverslam.com/
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EXHIBTION AND VISUAL ARTS PRESENTATIONS
Location The Exhibition and Visual Arts Presentations will be an integral part of the Parliament activities and will take place in Bays 13 & 14 of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
Golden States of Grace: Prayers of the Disinherited A photo-based multi-media exhibition with audio and text which documents how eleven marginalised communities across California find faith, community and sanctuary across their eight faith traditions. It is being presented here as a unique hour-long projected installation by creator Rick Nahmias and will be published as a book by University of New Mexico Press in 2010. Melbourne Exhibition Centre Level 5, Suite 2
Access All participants displaying a name badge will gain entry to the Exhibition hall. No access will be permitted otherwise. Exhibition and Visual Arts Opening Times Friday 4 December
9.00 am - 5.00 pm Saturday 5 December
9.00 am - 7.30 pm Sunday 6 December
9.00 am - 7.30 pm Monday 7 December
9.00 am - 7.30 pm Tuesday 8 December
9.00 am - 7.30 pm Wednesday 9 December 9.00 am - 2.00 pm Visual Arts Presentations Sand Mandala The monks of Gyuto Tantric University are transmission holders of the Tantric Arts of which their unique deep Harmonic Chanting and Sacred Sand Mandala are integral. Over five days, from 5 - 9 December, they will create the 2m sq. exquisite Mandala of Ghuyasamaja, central to the Buddhist teachings of the Dalai Lama and Gyuto Monastery symbolising a healing cosmos in which we practise kindness and compassion towards ourselves and others; the presence of the monks themselves offers such an immediate experience Melbourne Convention Centre Level 1 Foyer
Irfanspace (Mark Pedersen, Nazid Kimmie & Natalia Gould) Melbourne-based contemporary Muslim artists Mark! Pedersen, Nazid Kimmie and Natalia Gould invite you to take part in their spiritual journey. Irfanspace is an exploration of the pathways and spaces between people, cultures, past, present and eternity. Sound, images (photography and poetry from Islamic cultures and traditions around the world invite reflection and engagement locally, globally, internally. Lose yourself in the deserts of Oman, Yemen and Jordan: discover communities and connections just a tram-ride away! within the city of Melbourne: explore the conceptual spaces of Islamic mystics; sense the presence that is closer than your heartbeat.' Irfanspace Melbourne Convention Centre Level 1 Foyer
The Spirit Within Australian Contemporary Art An exhibition curated by the Arts and Culture Committee of the PWR 2009 in order to showcase the best of Australian Contemporary Spiritual Art to international visitors. This exhibition features works from artists of many different faiths and spiritual traditions because Australia is such a proudly pluralist society. Melbourne Convention Centre Room 112
Mandala Writings (Jenny Funston) Jenny Funston is the Oceanic Representative for the International department of Byakko Shinko Kai. promoting the universal peace message, MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH'. Mandala Writings is an interactive workshop where a fabric community Mandala will be created over the duration of the PWR week. PWR participants are invited to visit Jenny and join in by writing their messages of peace and positive thoughts and contribute to creating this unique Mandala representing different cultures and spiritual traditions. There will also be a colourful display of completed Mandalas for all to enjoy with the revealing of the Parliament of World's Religions very own Mandala upon its completion. All ages welcome. Melbourne Exhibition Centre Bays 13 & 14
Jain Religious Paintings (Mehendra Mehta and the Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust) This series of specially commissioned paintings are faithful replicas of original Jain paintings. Completed with delicate precision by renowned artists the paintings depict the cosmology, mathematics and sciences as practised by ancient Jain scholars. These inspiring works not only represent the universe but also enable the viewer to experience poise and mental calm through their precise symmetry and order. Each painting is accompanied by written text by both renowned Jain scholars and Directors of Indian Museums Melbourne Convention Centre Level 1 Foyer
Blueprint for a Better World The exhibition 'Blueprint for a Better World' invites all people of goodwill to engage in the global Millennium Development Goal campaign to eradicate extreme poverty and work towards positive social change for all. 'Blueprint for a Better World' is presented by Caritas! Australia in cooperation with AusAID. Melbourne Exhibition Centre Bays 13 & 14

For Privals & Personal use only
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EXHIBITING ORGANISATIONS
PWR 2009 would like to acknowledge the following organisations who have exhibited:
30
Share International USA
50
Shinji Shumeikai
14
58
44
Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria SRI Chinmoy Centre Supreme Master TV.com The Gnostic Movement The National Opal Collection Tara Network [Australia) The Laws of Life Group
41
33
38
27
29
21
16
49
32
15
Centre for Interfaith Relations/ Contemporary Prayer Beads 53-54 Chung Tai Chan Monastery 69.72-73 Church of Scientology
56
61
17
22
11
48
23-25
79-82
1372 8
90-93
18
62-64
34
26
8
7
68
3Fish
A Course in Miracles International ACRATH - Australian Catholic
Religions against Trafficking Humans
Adidam Australia
Ansvar Insurance
28
47
66
35
Anuvibha
Australian Baha'i CommunityVictorian Office
Australian Government - Department of Immigration & Citizenship Biame Network
Bible Society Australia (Victoria)
Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centres/ World Congress of Faiths
Dhammakaya International Society of Australia
Dharma Realm Buddhist Association/ UNITED RELIGIONS INITIATIVE Digamber Jain Sangh of North America
Divine Life Society of South Africa Dr Haruhisa Handa - World Faiths Development Dialogue, Asia
Faiths Development Dialogue, and Shinto Foundation
EarthSpirit Community
ETM Travel/Globus
First Church Christ, Scientist, Waverley
Global Family for Love and Peace/
Museum of World Religions
Global New Thought
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewark Jatha UK
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewark Jatha UK
Happy Science Australia
Hartley Film Foundation
Hindu Community Council of Victoria
ICUU- International Council of Unitarians and Universalists
Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Org
Iskcon Melbourne
Koorie Heritage Trust/Aboriginal Tourism Victoria
Melbourne College of Divinity
Norbulingka Institute
Our Sacred Space
Oz Child
Patheos
Readings
Religions For Peace
Rissho Kosei - Kai
52
76-78 Teachings of the Traditions
51
Science of Spirituality Selimiye Foundation Ltd
40
83-84
Dark to Dawn: Being Creative about Depression
Dark to Dawn: Being Creative about Depression
88-89
Jain Education internationa
58
PWR- Parliament of the World's Religions
43 4-6
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59
19
94
78
77
76
66
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48
35
34
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Mandala Writing
Art Display
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93
79
75
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50
47
92
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80
36 37
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33 32
46
19 20
Entry to Melbourne
Convention Centre
14
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↓↑
Entry/Exit
Flag Display
91
For Piwale & Pericia Use Only
81
64
57
38
31
21
Display Panels
13
4
90
82
68
63
56
51
Satchel Collection
62
55
Caritas "Blue Print For Better World" Exhibition
39
30
22
12
ExpoHire Brochure Service Desk Tables
5
60
20
3
55
37
39
9
13
~
89
83
73
45
40
29
The Salvation Army
The Theosophical Society in Australia
The Urantia Book
UBIEE FUTURO-PLAN
Vedanta Centre of Sydney
Victorian Government
Word Vision Australia Inc.
Zoroastrian Association of Victoria
11
6
88
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84
72
69
61
60
52
46
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41
28
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7
87
86
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42
27
26
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25
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Registration
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Registration Desk The registration desk is located in the concourse of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre and will operate during the following times: Thursday 3 December 11.00 am - 8.00 pm Friday 4 December 7.00 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 5 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Sunday 6 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Monday 7 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Tuesday 8 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Wednesday 9 December 7.00 am - 3.00 pm
Performers and presenters are required to visit the Performers and Presenters Room at least 3 hours prior to the start of their session. If you have already sent your presentation, please liaise with the audiovisual technician to ensure that all is in order The Council Hub Main Foyer of the Melbourne Convention Centre Stop by the Council Hub to:
Network with Council staff and volunteers • Make a financial contribution to support the on-going
work of the Council. • Join PeaceNext.org, the Council's premier online social network
Program Enquiries Desk The program enquiries desk is located in foyer of the Melbourne Convention Centre and will operate during the following times: Thursday 3 December 11.00 am - 8.00 pm Friday 4 December 7.00 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 5 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Sunday 6 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Monday 7 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Tuesday 8 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Wednesday 9 December 7.00 am - 3.00 pm Program Changes Program changes will be posted on the program changes board located in the Melbourne Convention Centre Foyer. Please check this board regularly
Airport Transfers Melbourne Tullamarine Airport is located approximately 25km from central Melbourne and will take approximately 30 minutes by car. The airport shuttle bus. Skybus, provides a rapid transit link between the airport and the CBD every 10-15 minutes, with free hotel connection during the day. Fares are A$16.00 per adult one way and A$26.00 return. Alternatively, a taxi ride from Melbourne Airport to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) will cost approximately A$50.00. Banking Facilities/Currency The nearest automated teller machine to the MCEC is located near the cloakroom on the ground level. Alternatively, there are two automated teller machines on the MCEC concourse. Banks are open Monday to Thursday 9.30 am - 4.00 pm and open 9.30 am - 5.00 pm on Friday. Some banks offer extended hours and some are open on Saturday mornings. Decimal currency is used in Australia with the dollar as the basic unit (100 cents = A$1). Notes come in $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5. Coins come in 50, 100, 200, 500 $1 and $2 denominations. Currency exchange facilities are available in most banks, hotels and airports and operate normal business hours. Credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and shops. American Express, Diners, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
Tours & Group Registration Desk The group registration and tours desk will be located on the concourse of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, and will operate during the following times: Thursday 3 December 11.00 am - 8.00 pm Friday 4 December 7.00 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 5 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Sunday 6 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Monday 7 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Tuesday 8 December 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Wednesday 9 December 7.00 am - 3.00 pm
Catering Catering is not included in the PWR registration fee. We have, however, made arrangements for catering to be available for those that have pre-purchased a tickets).
Performers' and Presenters' Preparation Room The performers' and presenters preparation room are located in the Organisers Office 101. This room will operate during the following times: Thursday 3 December 4.00 pm - 7.30 pm Friday 4 December 7.30 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 5 December 7.30 am - 7.30 pm Sunday 6 December 7.30 am - 7.30 pm Monday 7 December 7.30 am - 7.30 pm Tuesday 8 December 9.30 am - 7.30 pm Wednesday 9 December 7.30 am - 2.00 pm

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GENERAL INFORMATION (continued)
Lunch
Participants who have purchased lunch will be provided with their tickets upon registration.
Lunch will be served in the Melbourne Exhibition Centre Bays 15 & 16 during the following times: 1.00 pm-2.30 pm
1.00 pm-2.30 pm
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1.00 pm-2.30 pm
1.00 pm-2.30 pm
1.00 pm-2.30 pm
1.00 pm-2.30 pm
*Tickets must be pre-purchased a minimum of one day in advance and will be subject to availability.
Dinner
Participants who have purchased dinner will be provided with their tickets upon registration.
Dinner will be served in the Melbourne Exhibition Centre Bays 15 & 16 during the following times: Saturday
Sunday
Monday Tuesday
6.00 pm-7.30 pm 6.00 pm-7.30 pm
6.00 pm-7.30 pm 6.00 pm - 7.30 pm
*Tickets must be pre-purchased a minimum of one day in advance and will be subject to availability.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Vegetarianism has been the source of nourishment and energy throughout the past. For over thirty years, World Vegetarian Day has been observed uniting vegetarians from all over the world.
Acknowledging the significant number of participants at the Parliaments who adhere to traditions where a vegetarian diet is essential to their religious or spiritual practices, Tuesday, December 8, 2009 has been designated as "Vegetarian Day".
Catering provided on-site in the Parliament venue will be a gourmet selection of healthy, protein-based vegetarian meals. Local eateries within a short walking distance of our venue will both provide vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to meet all preferences.
Offsite Food and Beverage Options
The closest places to the Melbourne Convention Centre that serve a quick and easy lunch are listed below:
DFO South Wharf Food Court
From the Clarendon Street entrance to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, follow the walkway around the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and continue down Orrs Walk between the Melbourne Convention Centre and the Hilton Hotel, South Wharf. Arrive at DFO. Open 7 days a week from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm

60 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions
1. Health Express - Shop F1 Wholemeal pies, filo pastries, lasagne, gado gado, meat & vegetarian casseroles, soups, garden-fresh vegetables, scrumptious sandwiches, delicious wholemeal cakes & cookies, freshly squeezed fruit & vegetable juices, herbal teas, cappucino & decaffeinated coffee and smoothies.
2. Genki Sushi - Shop F2
Traditional Japanese food, quick and easy!
3. Subway Shop F3
Specialists in submarine sandwiches and salads, SUBWAY® restaurants offer a great tasting alternative to other options with their delicious range of sandwiches, salads, wraps and freshly baked cookies. 4. Café Espresso - Shop F4
Take a coffee break with a toasted sandwich after you have perused the shops!
Tiffins Indian Takeaway
Tiffins will provide fresh, health vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian food at a special price for Parliament participants.
Address: Shop 4, 60 Siddeley Street, Docklands. Tiffins are located only 150 metres from the MCEC. Walk across the footbridge that crosses the Yarra River and they are right there! You will be able to see their tricycles out the front of the shop!
Tiffins also delivers to Docklands, Southbank, and the south side of the Central Business District. Tiffins will open for lunch and dinner during the Parliament. Phone number for delivery orders: 1300 843 346
Crown Casino Food Court - Ground Level To get to the ground level Food Court in the Crown Casino, exit the Melbourne Exhibition Centre onto Clarendon Street. Cross Clarendon Street at the traffic lights directly opposite the Exhibition Centre. Walk along the Yarra River for approximately 150 metres and you will find the main entrance to the Ground Level Food Court located on the right. Enter here for the following food options:
1. Burger Edge
Ph: 9686 7950
One hundred per cent Australian, healthy gourmet burgers - vegetarian available.
Location: Food Court | Ground Floor as you enter the complex from the Yarra River
2. Calatrava
Ph: 9686 5757
Great-tasting coffee and a wide selection of cakes. For something a little cooler, enjoy one of our ice creams or milkshakes.
Location: Food Court | Ground Floor as you enter the complex from the Yarra River

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Crown Casino Food Court - Level 1 Ph: 9686 1031
To get to the Level 1 Food Court, you will enter the Free Trade organic coffee, fresh salads and
Casino via the entrance that is directly opposite the sandwiches.
Melbourne Exhibition Centre via the taxi rank. Take the Location: Food Court Ground Floor as you enter the
escalators up to Level 1. Walk 15 metres and turn right complex from the Yarra River
at the 'Pub Restaurant'. 4. Il Pomodoro
Walk to the end of this corridor and find the 3 outlets Ph: 9686 1644
listed below. Italian cuisine with vegetarian options available,
13. McDonalds Location: Food Court | Ground Floor as you enter the
Ph: 9699 5650 complex from the Yarra River
Takeaway burgers and fries. 5. Iseya
Location: Food Court I Level 1 Ph: 9686 6833
14. Orient Express Japanese cuisine with vegetarian options available.
Ph: 9292 8888 Location: Food Court | Ground Floor as you enter the
Asian takeaway. complex from the Yarra River
Location: Food Court Level 1 6. Little India
15. KFC Ph: 9696 6242
Ph: 9690 1115 Indian cuisine with vegetarian options available.
Kentucky Fried Chicken -takeaway Location: Food Court I Ground Floor as you enter the
Location: Food Court Level 1 complex from the Yarra River
16. Crown Café Corso 7. Mediterranean
Ph: 9292 5350 Ph: 9686 1655
Crown Café Corso offers a wide range of light meals, European flavours.
cakes and drinks from breakfast time until late at night Location: Food Court Ground Floor as you enter the
- and of course the coffee is second to none! complex from the Yarra River
Whether you're after a quick bite or want to come in 8. Shark Fin
and relax for a while, Café Corso is convenient and Ph: 9645 8088
cosy with a welcoming atmosphere in the style of an Chinese cuisine with vegetarian options available.
Italian café. Location: Food Court Ground Floor as you enter the
Location: Level 1 next to The Pub at Crown. To get complex from the Yarra River
here you will enter the Casino via the entrance that is 9. Think Asia
directly opposite the Melbourne Exhibition Centre via Ph: 9686 1766
the taxi rank. Take the escalators up to Level 1 and turn Order from the cook-to-order menu, cooked fresh
right for the Café Corso. within minutes. Or, if you're on the run, select from our
Restaurant Options for participants steaming hot bain marie. Location: Food Court Ground Floor as you enter the
with Halal, Kosher, Vegan and, complex from the Yarra River
Vegetarian requirements 10. Brubakers
Requirement: Halal Ph: 9292 7849 Coffee and pastries, sandwiches.
Restaurant: Curry Vault Indian Restaurant & Bar Location: Ground Floor Riverside
Cuisine: Indian and Pakistani
Weblink: http://www.curryvault.com.au/ 11. Café Baci
Location: 18-20 Bank Place, Melbourne 3000 Ph: 9682 0588
Ph: 9600 0144 Café Baci is the ultimate Italian bar. The best in coffee,
Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from cakes and gelato.
Convention Centre: 26 minutes to walk or 15 minutes Location: Ground Floor Riverside
by tram 12. Automatic Café
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Ph: 9690 8500
Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Automatic Cafe is a casual, funky eatery serving fresh walk about 380 metres to Tram Stop 124A - Casino à la carte meals at reasonable prices. The extensive
Exhibition Centre/Clarendon St (Southbank) menu includes Asian dishes, wood-fired pizzas, pasta
Take the Route 109 tram towards Box Hill or take the & risottos and vegetarian options.
Route 112 tram towards Preston. Get off at Stop 3 - Bookings accepted for large groups, Monday to
William St/Collins St (Melbourne Cityl: From here Walk, Thursday - lunch and dinner.
about 270 metres to 20 Bank Place; Jain Edesation Ground Floor Riverside

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GENERAL INFORMATION (continued
Zone(s): City Saver: trams run every 4 minutes during the week, takes approximately 16 minutes Features: Mon - Fri noon - 3.00pm Mon-Sat 6.00pm 10.00pm: Children's menu available: outside dining, takeaway Restaurant: Empress of India Cuisine: Indian & Asian Weblink: http://www.empressofindia.com.au/ Location: 375 Queen Street, Melbourne Ph: 9670 5521 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 44 minutes to walk or 22 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 150 metres to Tram Stop 125 - Clarendon St/ Normanby Rd (Southbank). Take the Route 96 tram towards East Brunswick. Get off at Stop 4 - Queen St Bourke St (Melbourne Cityl: From here Walk about 670 metres to 375 Queen Street; Zone(s) for ticket purchase: 1; trams run every 7 minutes during the week, takes approximately 22 minutes Features: Daily 11.30am - 3.00pm. 6.00pm - 11.00pm takeaway available, outside dining and wheelchair access Restaurant: Namaste on King Indian Restaurant Cuisine: Indian Halal beef and lamb and chicken Weblink: http://www.namasteonking.com.au/ Location: 225 King Street, Melbourne Ph: 9642 2264 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 26 minutes to walk or 10 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 150 metres to Tram Stop 125 - Clarendon St/ Normanby Rd (Southbank). Take the Route 96 tram towards East Brunswick. Get off at Stop 1 - Spencer St/ Bourke St (Melbourne City): From here walk about 350 metres to 225 King Street: Zonels) for ticket purchase: 1: trams run every 8 minutes during the week, takes approximately 15 minutes Features: Mon - Fri 11.30am - 3.00pm Daily 5.30pm - 10.00pm takeaway
about 220 metres to Tram Stop 124B-Whiteman St/ Clarendon St (Southbank) Take the Route 96 tram towards St Kilda Beach. Get off at Stop 134 - Park St/Fitzroy St (St Kildal: From here Take the Route 16 tram towards Kew - St Kilda Beach: Get off at Stop 41 - Empress Rd/Balaclava Rd (Caulfield North). Walk about 530 metres to 441 Inkerman Street; Zonell for ticket purchase: 1; 96 trams run every 8 minutes, 16 tram runs every 12 minutes during the week, takes approximately 39 minutes, Features: Open for dinner: Sun - Thurs 5.30pm - 9.00pm Restaurant: Daneli's Deli Cuisine: American Deli style & fleishig Location: 328A Carlisle Street, Balaclava (next door to Glick's Balaclava) Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Too far to walk or 40 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 600 metres to Tram Stop 114 - City Rd/Kings Way (Southbank). Take the Route 55 tram towards Domain Interchange. Get off at Stop 20 - Domain Interchange/ St Kilda Rd (Melbourne City: From here Take the Route 3/3a tram towards East Malvern; Get off at Stop 39 - Orange Gr/Carlisle St (Balaclava). Walk about 80 metres to 328A Carlisle Street; Zone(s) for ticket purchase: 1; 55 trams run every 12 minutes, 3/3a tram runs every 12 minutes during the week, takes approximately 36 minutes Features: Opening Sun - Thurs 11.00am-9.30pm. Erev Shabbos/Yom Tov 8am until 2hrs before candle lighting. Motzei Shabbos/Yom Tov, 1 hour after haydalah until late. Daniel's mobile is 0439 018 951 Restaurant: Shemesh Pizza Cuisine: Vegetarian Weblink: http://www.shemesh.com.au/ Location: 813 Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield South Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Too far to walk, 50 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 600 metres to Tram Stop 114 - City Rd/Kings Way (Southbank). Take the Route 55 tram towards Domain Interchange. Get off at Stop 20 - Domain Interchange/ St Kilda Rd (Melbourne City); From here Take the Route 67 tram towards Carnegie; Get off at Stop 50 - Royal, Pde/Glenhuntly Rd (Caulfield). Walk about 20 metres to 813 Glenhuntly Road; Zone(s) for ticket purchase: 1; 55 trams run every 12, minutes, takes approximately 52 minutes Features: Mon - Tues: 4.00pm - 9.00pm, Wed - Thurs 4.00pm - 9.30pm Fri - Sat: Closed, Sun: 4.00pm - 10.00pm Takeaway or delivery Ph: 9523 0444
Requirement: Kosher Restaurant: Kimberly Grill Cuisine: Strictly kosher Weblink: http://www.kimberleygardens.com.au/ restaurant.php Location: 441 Inkerman Street, East St Kilda Ph: 9526 3865 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Too far to walk. 40 minutes by tram/train Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk

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Requirement: Vegan
Restaurant: Enlightened Cuisine Vegetarian Restaurant
Cuisine: Chinese, Asian, Vegetarian Weblink: http://ecuisine.com.au/index.html Location: 113 Queensbridge Street, Southbank Ph: 9686 9188
Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 10-15 minutes over the Yarra River, past the Crown Casino
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) walk about 630 metres to 113 Queensbridge St (Southbank) Features: Corkage per-person: $0.80, BYO, deliveries, limited parking, private dining area, takeaway, wheelchair access; relaxed ambience
Restaurant: Las Vegan Nirvana Cafe
Cuisine: All
Weblink: http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/las_
vegan_nirvana_cafe/
Location: 22 Smith Street Collingwood Ph: 9415 9001 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Hour to walk or 20 minutes by tram
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 150 metres to Tram Stop 125 Clarendon St/ Normanby Rd (Southbank). Take the Route 109 tram towards Box Hill. Get off at Stop 15 - Smith St/Victoria Pde (Fitzroy); From here Walk about 170 metres to 22 Smith Street;
Zone(s) for ticket purchase: 1; trams run every 8 minutes during the week, takes approximately 28 minutes
Features: Seats 20, takeaway available; outside dining and wheelchair access; Open Tues - Wed 11.00am - 3.30pm Thurs - Fri 11.00am - 9.00pm
Famous Nirvana burger (a fragrant biodynamic rice and lentil pattie on house-baked roll with garden salad, ground nuts, organic ketchup, homemade salsa and vegan mayo] and kick back with a full stomach amid the boho bric-a-brac furniture and warmly coloured feature walls
Restaurant: The White Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Vegan and Vegetarian Weblink: http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/the_
white_lotus_vegetarian_restaurant/
Location: 185 Victoria St West Melbourne Ph: 9326 6040
Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 49 minutes to walk or 25 minutes by tram
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) walk about 600 metres to Tram Stop 114 - City Rd/Kings Way [Southbank). Take the Route 55 tram towards West Coburg Get off at Stop 10 - Victoria St/Peel St (West Melbourne); From here Walk about 70 metres to 185 Victoria Street;

Zone(s) for ticket purchase: City Saver; trams run every 12 minutes during the week, takes approximately 23 minutes
Features: Dinner only: Tues-Sat 6.00pm - 10.00pm; BYO (wine only) $1 corkage per person. BYO alcoholic beverages only; Wheelchair access; takeaway available
Requirement: Vegetarian
Restaurant: Gopal's Vegetarian
Cuisine: Vegetarian; Preparations are freshly made and sanctified by offering to Lord Krishna before being served. Hence we provide a truly blessed and karmafree meal.
Weblink: http://www.menulog.com.au/gopals_
vegetarian_restaurant
Location: 139 Swanston Street, Melbourne Ph: 9650 1578
Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 39 minutes to walk or 20 minutes by tram
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 380 metres to Tram Stop 124A - Casino Exhibition Centre/Clarendon St (Southbank)
Take the Route 109 tram towards Box Hill or take the Route 112 tram towards Preston. Get off at Stop 5Elizabeth St/Collins St (Melbourne City); From here Walk about 370 metres to 139 Swanston Street; Zone(s): City Saver; trams run every 4 minutes during the week, takes approximately 21 minutes
Features: A variety of menu offerings including rice, soups, curries, salads, pastas, grain, bean and legumes are there for the choosing, with several daily specials on offer Mon - Sat: 11.00am - 10.30pm Restaurant: The Shakahari
Cuisine: Japanese, Chinese and Thai Weblink: http://www.shakahari.com.au/ Location: 201-203 Faraday Street, Carlton Ph: 9347 3848
Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Over an hour to walk or 30 minutes by tram
Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 500 metres to the Bus Stop at Clarendon St/ City Rd (Southbank); Take the Route 251 bus towards Northland SC or take the Route 253 bus towards Carlton North. Get off at Stop Grattan St/Rathdowne St (Carlton); From here Walk about 460 metres to 201 Faraday Street;
Zone(s): 1; buses run every 9 minutes during the week, takes approximately 32 minutes
Features: Vegan, non-dairy, gluten free options for all courses
Mon - Sat Lunch: 12.00 midday - 3.00pm Mon - Sun Dinner: 6.00pm - 9.30pm

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Restaurant: Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery and Tea House Cuisine: Chinese Buddhist restaurant and meditation hall Weblink: http://www.bliav.org.au/exhibition/ galleryindex.html Location: 141 Queen Street, Melbourne Ph: 9642 2388 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: 30 minutes to walk or 20 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 150 metres to Tram Stop 125 - Clarendon st/ Normanby Rd (Southbank). Take the Route 96 tram towards East Brunswick. Get off at Stop 4 - Queen St/ Bourke St (Melbourne Cityl: From here Walk about 480 metres to 141 Queen Street; Zonels) for ticket purchase: 1; trams run every 7 minutes during the week, takes approximately 19 minutes Features: Open Mon-Sat 10.00am-5.00pm so basically, a lunch place), very nice vegetarian food at reasonable prices. A Shrine where one can pay respect to the Buddha, a gift shop, and classrooms for group meeting and Dharma talks Restaurant: The Vegie Bar Cuisine: All Weblink: http://www.vegiebar.com.au/hifi intro.html Location: 378 Brunswick Street, Fiztroy Ph: 9417 6935 Approximate Walking and Tram Distance from Convention Centre: Hour to walk or 30 minutes by tram Public Transport Directions: From Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Southbank) Walk about 380 metres to Tram Stop 124A - Casino Exhibition Centre/Clarendon St (Southbank) Take the Route 112 tram towards Preston: Get off at Stop 17 - Leicester St/Brunswick St (Fitzroyl: From here Walk about 90 metres to 378 Brunswick Street; Zone(s): 1: trams run every 8 minutes during the week, takes approximately 33 minutes Features: Vegetarian Icon restaurant that gives back to the local community
regarding Communities Night should be directed to the Communities Night table located in the exhibition area. Upon registration participants will receive their Communities Night ticket and related information. Entrance to the Parliament Each registered participant of the Parliament will receive a name badge at the registration desk. This badge will be your official pass and must be worn to obtain entry to all sessions, the exhibition area, catering area, art displays and plenaries. Children 12 years old and under will receive a wristband and must wear this to access the sessions. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a registered guardian/parent, who must be present when the child is receiving the wristband. Please note, each participant may be subject to security screening during the Parliament. Goods and Services Tax (GST), GST is included in all prices, unless otherwise stated, Home Stay enquiries Please visit the Volunteer Registration Desk located in the Melbourne Exhibition Centre Foyer for any enquiries on Home Stay. The Parliament CPWR and PWR Melbourne would like to thank everyone involved in the Home Stay program for their generosity and support. Insurance Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind. It is strongly recommended that you secure appropriate travel and health insurance. CPWR, PWR Melbourne and arinex can not take any responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance.
Cloakroom The cloakroom at the Melbourne Convention Centre is located on the ground level, near the customer service desk. This facility is free of charge. Communities Night Table Communities Night will take place on Friday 4 December. This will be an opportunity for people from one-faith communities or spiritual traditions to provide hospitality to participants of the Parliament to come together. On Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December the community hosts will be in the Melbourne Convention Centre Foyer to provide opportunities for those participants that are attending to visit their chosen community or spiritual tradition. All enquiries
Internet Participants can purchase wireless internet from the Melbourne Convention Centre by credit card via the Melbourne Convention Centre wireless portal. The service is available via two usage plans: • Plan 1:1 hour or 75MB download for A$10.00
(including GST) • Plan 2: 8 hours or 250MB download for A$20.00
lincluding GST) All access hours must be used within 48 hours from the time of purchase. Wireless connection instructions To connect to a wireless network click Start, control panel, then click network connection. Alternatively, click the wireless icon in the lower right of your screen to access the wireless connections available in the area. Refresh network list to connect to 'MCC Service Set Identification (SSID) via 'Wireless Manager'. Once
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connected to 'MCC' SSID, you can open the web browser. The 'MCC credit card page will automatically load. Participants can select the desired plan from the Select Internet Access plan drop-down box Once a plan has been selected, participants will need to click the "Update Total button to confirm selection, Then proceed with the credit card details. Delegates will have to type a password but a username is automatically generated. The 'I accept MCC terms and conditions' checkbox must be selected before you can proceed to the next step. Once you click on 'Purchase Now, the credit card transaction will be processed. If successful, the purchase confirmation page will return with username and password details. Please save this page as a proof of purchase or invoice, After noting your username, click on Continue to Internet' and you will see the login page, enter your username and password you have from Proof of Purchase and you will be able to access the internet.
Messages All messages received during the Parliament will be placed on the message board in the registration area, located in the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. To collect or leave messages please visit the registration desk. Mobile Phones and Pagers Please respect the presenter/performer and other members participating by ensuring your mobile phone and/or pager is switched off or to silent while you are in session,
Parliament Name Badge In line with the Parliament's vision for a collective goal of healing the earth. We would like to bring to your attention the composition of your name badge. Your lanyard is made from recyclable material and your name tag has been made from recycled paper. Whilst the plastic pouches are not recyclable or made from recycled material, we invite you to drop yours off, together with your lanyard, at the registration desk on your last day at the Parliament. We then invite participants who feel that they, or their organisation, could make good use of the plastic pouches and lanyards to come and collect as many as are available. As the lanyards are made from recyclable material, any left-overs will either be recycled or re-used, Parliament Registration Entitlements 7 Day Participants The registration fee entitles all participants to the following: • All sessions during the Parliament • All official documentation • Opening Plenary • Communities Night • International Plenary • Sacred Music Concert • Melbourne Plenary • Closing Plenary • Satchel 3 Day Participants VALID - Friday 4, Saturday 5 & Sunday 6
OR Monday z Tuesday 8 & Wednesday
9 December 2009 The registration fee entitles all participants to the following: . All sessions during the Parliament on the 3 days
of attendance • All official documentation
Satchel 1 Day Participants VALID - Friday 4. Saturday 5, Sunday 6, Monday z
Tuesday 8 OR Wednesday 9 December 2009 The registration fee entitles all participants to the following: • All sessions during the Parliament on the day
of attendance • All official documentation Parliament Photographer By registering to attend the Parliament you grant the organising committee permission to both photograph and video record you during Parliament activities, This footage will possibly be used in relation to future Parliaments and the ongoing work of the Parliament.
Mobility Needs Should you require specific assistance, please see the staff at the registration desk
Parking MCEC has two car parks. The Melbourne Exhibition Centre has 1060 undercover parking spaces managed by Wilson Parking. Entrance is off Normanby Road, This car park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. The early bird rate is A$10.00 Monday to Friday Center 6.00 am - 9.00 am and exit after 3.00 pm and before midnight). The standard rate is A$6.00 for the first hour and a maximum rate of A$28.00. Night rates of A$8.00 apply for entry after 5.00 pm and exit before 6.00 am The weekend rate is A$10.00 per exit, per day The Melbourne Convention Centre has 550 openair parking spaces available managed by Wilson Parking. Entrance is of Normanby Road. The car park operation hours are 7.00 am - 10.30 pm. A flat rate of A$10.00 applies

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GENERAL INFORMATION (continued) Participant List A list of participants will be available on the website post Parliament of the World's Religions. This list will contain all participants. The participant list contains the names, organisations and state or country of origin of registered participants, excluding those who opted out in line with privacy laws. Prayer Rooms The prayer rooms are located on ground level of the Melbourne Convention Centre. They will be open during the Parliament hours.
Privacy Australia introduced the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 in 2001. arinex comply with this legislation which is designed to protect the right of the individual to privacy of their information. Information collected in respect of proposed participation in any aspect of the Parliament will only be used for the purposes of planning and conduct of the Parliament and may also be provided to the organising body or to organisers of future events. PWR may disclose some of the information that is collected in the Registration Form such as your name, organisation and its location and email address for marketing or networking purposes to other Parliament participants, sponsors or exhibitors unless you opt out of this through the provided check boxes. PWR will not otherwise, without your consent, use or disclose personal information for any purpose unless it will be reasonably expected that such purpose is related to the offer, provision and improvement of the PWR or where such purpose is permitted or required by law. It is also standard practice to produce a Participant List of attendees at the Parliament and to include the individual's details in such a list.
Time In December Melbourne is 11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (Daylight Savings Time). Tipping Tipping is not expected in Australia but is appreciated for particularly good service. Tours Meeting Points Details regarding the meeting and departure point for your tour will be included on your ticket provided to you at the Registration desk. Please ensure you are at the departure point at least 15 minutes prior to the departure time All tours (except those listed belowl will be departing from the Convention Centre Place main entrance (off Montague Street), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Please note that delegates will be required to make their own way to the following: • The Docklands & River Gardens Cruise • Williamstown Cruise Experience
Dinner at the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant Please note that delegates will be required to make their own way to the Hilton Hotel South Wharf main entrance (2 Convention Centre Place, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre) to the following: • Puffing Billy with Blue Dandenongs • Mount Dandenong Experience Terms and Conditions These tours, designed by arinex Destination Management (license No. 2 TA001144), are for participating delegates of the Parliament of the World's Religions 2009. All sightseeing tours include informative English speaking commentary, all entry fees and meals where specified. Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended for all tours. For any outdoor tours we recommend that participants bring sun protection cream, sunhat and sunglasses. All tours are based on a minimum number of participants. Il minimum numbers are not reached, alternative arrangements or a complete refund will be made. Places on all tours are limited and will be allocated strictly in order of receipt of payment. Where participants cancel their day tour, no refund will be made.
Disclaimer The organisers have made every attempt to ensure that all information in this publication is correct. The organisers take no responsibility for changes to the program, or any loss that may occur as a result of changes to the program. Some of the information contained in this publication has been provided by external sources. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy, currency and reliability of the content, the organisers accept no responsibility in that regard. Public Telephones Public telephones are located on the MCEC concourse and on each level of the Melbourne Convention Centre, Volunteers There will be volunteers to assist in program or any other queries that you may have. Alternatively please visit the registration desk.
Disclaimer The services specified in these tour descriptions are available at the time of writing. However, in the event that any service(s) become unavailable for any reason, arinex will make every effort to supply alternative services of an equal standard and value but cannot accept any responsibility for failure to provide the specified services.
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Transport Melbourne offers a range of public transport facilities, with a network of trams, trains and buses. Both Flinders Street Train Station and Southern Cross Train Station are within walking distance from the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tram stops are located on Clarendon Street. For information on transport routes and timetables, please visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au Telephone Directory • Emergency Services (Fire/police/ambulance)...
000 • Registration Desk
9235 8829 • Emergency Centre Royal Melbourne Hospital ....
9342 7000 • Directory Assistance
1223 Taxi Services Silver Top ...........
. 131 008 Yellow Cabs..........
....... 132 227 • Tourism Victoria Level 32, 121 Exhibition St.
.9653 9777
ACCOMMODATION CONTACTS
Hilton South Wharf 2 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne Vic 3006 P: 9027 2000 F: 9027 2001
Crowne Plaza Melbourne 1-5 Spencer Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9648 2777 F: 9629 5624
Citigate Melbourne 270 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9654 6888 F: 9654 0368 Citigate Albert Park 65 Queens Road, Melbourne, Vic 3004 P: 9529 4300 F: 9521 3111
10
Grand Hyatt 123 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9657 1234 F: 9650 3491
Crown Promenade 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Vic 3006 P: 9292 6688 F: 9292 6600
17
3
Crown Towers 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Vic 3006 P: 9292 6666 F: 9292 6600
Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne 'Official Hotel 328 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9250 1888 F: 9250 1877
Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne 630 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9622 8888 F: 9622 8818
Langham Hotel Melbourne 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank, Vic 3006 P: 8696 8888 F: 9690 5889
Holiday Inn on Flinders 575 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Vic 3000 P: 9629 4111 F: 9629 4300
Melbourne Short Stay Apartments Southbank 186 City Road, Southbank, Vic 3006 P: 9682 7311 F: 9696 2177
Jain Eden Internet
www.parliamentofreugune.orbrusy.org

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Travelodge Southbank
Cnr Riverside Quay & Southgate Ave, Southbank, Vic 3006
P: 8696 9600
F: 9690 1160
Batman's Hill on Collins
623 Collins Street,
Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9614 6344
F: 9614 1189
Metro Apartments Bank Place
18 Bank Place,
Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9604 4321
F: 9604 4300
Mercure Hotel Welcome
265-281 Little Bourke St, Melbourne Vic 3000
P: 9639 0555
F: 9663 4711
Hotel Enterprize Melbourne
44 Spencer Street,
Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9629 6991
F: 9614 7963
ACCOMMODATION MAP
FOOTSCRAY RO
NEW QUAN
VICTORIA HARBOUR
CENTRAL PIER
WESTGATE FWY
WURUNDJERI WAY

TELSTRA
DOME
BOURKE ST
MONTAGUE ST
YARRA RIVER
LORIMER ST
68 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions
DUDLEY ST
18
19
WESTGATE FWY
20
21
FLAGSTAFF GARDENS
LA TROBE ST
19
22
14
17 8
21
Hotel Ibis Melbourne 15-21 Therry Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
MELBOURNE COHIBITION CENTRE
NORMANBY RD
P: 9666 0000
F: 9666 0050
Hotel Ibis Little Bourke Street
600 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, 3000
P: 9672 0000
F: 9672 0123
Hotel Grand
Chancellor Melbourne
131 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9656 4000
F: 9662 3479
LONSDALE ST
Pensione Melbourne
16 Spencer St, Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9621 3333
F: 9621 1922
QUEEN VICTORIA
MARKET
LT BOURKE ST
BOURKE ST
LT COLLINS ST COLLINS ST
FLINDERS LN FLINDERS ST
6
CROWN ENTERTAINMENT
COMPLEX
24
KINGS WAY
18
YARRA RIVER SOUTHGATE RIVERSIDE QUAY
VICTORIA ST
12
CITY RO
POWER ST

16
FLINDERS STREET STATION
23 FLINDERS ST
13
20
4SOUTHGATE AV
SOUTHBANK BVD
FEDERATION
SQUARE
22 Kingsgate Hotel
131 King Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
10
23 Hotel Unilodge on Flinders
24
ALEXANDRA GARDENS
P: 9629 4171
F: 9629 7110
QUEEN VICTORIA GARDENS
328 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9224 1500
F: 9224 1530
Urban Central Melbourne
334 City Road, Southbank, Vic 3006
25 Hotel Discovery
Melbourne
167 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
P: 9329 7525 F: 9326 7667
P: 9693 3700
F: 9682 7554
TERRARUNG
MARR
KINGS DOMAIN
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

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ABOUT MELBOURNE AND AUSTRALIA Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, has a rich diversity of cultures, languages and religions. There are more than 200 languages spoken in and around the city, with 10 per cent of the population speaking a language other than English at home. More than 100 different religions and faiths are practised by Melbourne residents. There is always something exciting happening in and around Melbourne, be it a festival of one of the world's faiths, special days of religious significance, a world-renowned sporting event such as the Australian Open Tennis Championships, an exciting arts festival or a conference of leading thinkers. Savour the delight of alfresco dining along the banks of the Yarra River, at the Docklands or by the beach in St Kilda. Melbourne's dining spots provide an array of multicultural cuisine in cafes, and restaurants, Within an hour's drive of the city, you'll find spectacular coastlines, wildlife reserves, award-winning wineries, surf beaches, rainforests, coastal villages and rejuvenating hot mineral springs, The Parliament of the World's Religions will be an opportunity for people of all religions to celebrate their faith and build networks with those of different faiths.
MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE (MCEC) The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is Melbourne's newest icon and the largest combined exhibition and convention centre in Australia. The centre is designed to achieve the first six green star environmental rating, making it one of the greenest convention centres in the world. It is a state of the art facility superbly situated on the banks of Melbourne's Yarra River, close to the heart of the central business district and just 30 minutes from Melbourne s International Airport. The new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is part of a $1 billion development including a Hilton hotel, a lifestyle retail precinct and 60,000 m2 of shopping. The MCEC is situated on the river's edge! linking Southbank to Docklands. As well as being visually striking with an 18 metre glass facade facing the Yarra River, it has a 5000 seat plenary hall, which is unparalled in its flexibility. MCEC Chief Executive. Leigh Harry, says the convention centre is an important architectural landmark for Melbourne and emulates what the city stands for. It leaves those who enter the space feeling like they have experienced Melbourne, from its maritime history, to its arts and culture and sporting ethos'.
www.parliamento religions.org 69

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VENUE FLOOR PLAN
Yarra River
Yarra River
101 102
GROUND LEVEL
EH
LEVEL 1
Yarra River
LEVEL 2
Elevators
Entry
Cloakroom.
Jam ECR or Fatemalions of the World's Religions.
103 114 105
Pre-Event
109
Entry
201
Ta
110
Pre-Event
202
106
Performers' and Presenters' Preparation Room
Female Restroom
107 108
Pre-Event
Void)
Void
Foyer
203
Male Restroom
Plenary
Stage
Void
SP
Balcony
205 206 Pre-Event

Plenary
Stage
204 207 208 209
210
BE
GUI
Stage
Plenary
Void
211
Back-of-House Service Area
Foyer
Prayer Rooms
212
213
Enclosed
link to Exhibition Centre
Void
Balcony
216
Entry
214
215
Pre-Event
1/217 218
219
Access area for delegates
220
This way to Exhibition & Catering
Meeting Rooms

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NOTES

Page #72

THE Pencuin PARAD
FAN INTI MATE EVE NI NG" COMMENCES: SUNSET DAILY

Page #73

Phillip Island Real Entertainment
For the best shows nature has to offer visitvictoria.com/phillipisland

You'll love every piece of Victoria

Page #74

NOTES
WR Partiansent of the World's Religions

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Major Subthemes
The 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions features seven programmatic subthemes that focus on different aspects of our overall theme: "Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth." These subthemes have emerged out of the dialogues from previous Parliaments and continue to resonate as urgent matters to address in this time and place by the largest interreligious gathering in the world.
Each of these subthemes is a piece in the puzzle that must be put together if we want to see our visions of peace and justice for people everywhere, of all religious and spiritual traditions, become reality. They represent important ways of integrating personal and communal journeys into an ongoing commitment to make a difference in the world.
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
Indigenous Peoples
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
Securing Food and Water for All People
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace

pages 72-73
pages 74-76
pages 77-78
page 78
pages 79-81
pages 81-83 pages 84-86
www.parliamentofreligions.org 71

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MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
climate change, the growth of green architecture and more. The Parliament is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the partnership between communities and other guiding institutions in pursuing practical approaches for mitigating the many challenges to our environment and implementing new solutions.
Creating a sustainable, healthy world is of paramount concern to many religious and spiritual traditions, and it is a major focus of the Parliament. For Indigenous communities and many others, the natural world is more than home and shelter: it is the heart and essence of sacred spirituality. Caring for the environment is an essential expression of religious conviction. The 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions is a forum to share our hopes, dreams and achievements in protecting, sustaining and repairing the earth. Over the course of the week, you will experience dozens of keynote speakers, seminars, debates, workshops and discussions on topics including local farming, reducing energy consumption, mitigating
Highlights to look for: Religion and Ecology Symposium See page 106 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 103 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 107 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 201 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 106
4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 202
4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 105 Room 218 Room 213
4 Dec 5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Plenary Hall Room 203
5 Dec
Sessions on Healing the Earth Session Title Adapting to Climate Change: How, and How Far? Numen: The Nature of Plants Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Session How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? Religious Responses to the Ecological Crisis as Climate Change Grows Climate Change and the Question of Overconsumption Caring Practices for the Earth - Australia and USA Green Faith New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (Southeast Asia) The Human Face of Climate Change Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace: Healing Our Earth, Our Faith and Ourselves Respect for the Earth: A Morning Observance Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment Zoroastrianism: Its Stewardship for All Creation, The Animate and Inanimate Krishna Consciousness and the Environment Thomas Berry and the Great Work of Our Time Climate Change as a Concern for Justice Multifaith Insights on Deep Ecology Selections from the New Film Journey of the Universe Christian Action and Witness For the Environment: What You Can Do When You Go Home Healing the Earth with Care and Concern: Religious Responses to the Earth Charter Religion, Science, and Environmental Activism (Session 3) Reconciliation with Land-Reconnecting Spirituality. Ecology and Human Creativity, and Reverence for Earth Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways Appreciative Inquiry and Healing the Earth: Extending Faith Beyond the Realms of Religion
ronment 5 Dec
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 204 Room 209 Room 208
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1.00pm
Room 111 Room 212 Plenary Hall Room 111 Room 213 Room 108
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 219
5 Dec 5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 210 Room 103
5 Dec 5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 215 Room 215
72
PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

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MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
6 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 208
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 214
6 Dec 6 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 202 Room 214
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 218 Room 111 Room 210
6 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 202 Room 208 Room 203
7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 214 Room 106 Room 219 Room 215 Room 210 Room 108
By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern Decolonising our Hearts and Minds, Healing the Earth and Ourselves: North American Indigenous Perspectives Religious Leaders for a Sustainable Future The New Planetary Narrative: Connecting Ecology, Social Justice and Cosmology Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction In Search of Sustainable Pathways New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (India) The Science and Spirituality of Climate Change Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa and Sustainable Living The Reality of the Universal Human Family: Interreligious Cooperation in Healing the Earth Private Property. Religion and the Environment Christianity and Ecology East Asian Perspectives on Ecology Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam (Healing the World) Earth Charter as a Global Ethics for a Sustainable Futuro Global Ecological Crisis: A Time for the Reunion of Science and Religion? Green Buildings, Green Cities - An Ethical Path Forward The Muslim Green: Muslim Contributions to Healing the Earth Is Climate Change the New Slavery? Healing the Earth: A Meditation of Universal Oneness The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania Enabling Response: Contributions of the Ecological Humanities toward an Environmental Culture Environmental Issues Affecting the Health of Indigenous Peoples Rivers of Life. Community, Water and Spirit in Australia Expressing Our Links with the Environment Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony Whole Self - Whole Earth Plant Perspectives Perspectives on Sustainability: Buddhist and Jewish Perspectives Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism (Premier Film Series Selection) 1-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace How Spiritual Progressives Can Help Move Both Religious and Secular Communities to Enlarge their Focus Beyond Personal Fulfilment or Individual Salvation toward a Global Transformation Healing the Earth: Buddhist and Hindu Theological Perspectives
7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm
Room 209 Room 219 Room 202 Room 215 Room 211 Room 108
8 Dec
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 111
8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 213 Room 212 Room 214
9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1.00pm
Room 102 Room 103 Room 106
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 110
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 217
9 Dec
Room 211
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 220
www.parliamentofreligions.org 73

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MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Indigenous Peoples
in a spirit of trust by providing a chance for Indigenous Peoples around the world to voice their concerns and aspirations, as well as share their wisdom and insights. Topics include the environment, spirituality, rights and governance, culture lincluding history, education and language), colonization, de-colonization and more.
The Indigenous Australian communities practice the world's longest continuous cultural and religious tradition. going back more than 55,000 years. Like other Indigenous or First Nation Peoples across the world, they live close to the land and its waters. Their traditional knowledge and wisdom guides them in living in harmony with the environment. Across the globe, however, the lands to which Indigenous Peoples belonged were invaded; their families, communities and health were severely disrupted; and their respective cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices were undermined. Leaders of some countries and religious and spiritual communities have started a reconciliation process with the Indigenous peoples whom they have marginalized and mistreated. The Parliament offers the opportunity to continue with the reconciliation process
Highlights to look for: Indigenous Reception See page 112 for more information. Indigenous Assembly See page 112 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date 4 Dec
Time 9:30-11:00am
Location Room 105
4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm
Room 211 Room 217 Room 102 Room 103 Room 215 Room 111
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 216
Sessions on Indigenous Australians Session Title Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, the Gunditjmara People and Brambuk Cultural Centre The Samoan Experience The Wurundjeri People of Melbourne Working Together, The Health of Two Worlds Our Impact on the Land Has the Same Impact on Us Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones Indigenous Perspectives on Education: Building Academic Skills with a Strong Cultural Grounding Maori Custom Law and Listening to the LandAustralian Aboriginal Meditation The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 1) Spirituality and Healing in Melbourne's North Aboriginal Reconciliation in Melbourne: Working for Land Justice and Reconciliation Knowing Home: A Presentation of Indigenous Spirituality Kanyini Spirituality and the Western World The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania Aboriginal Women - Healing the Land and its People Hearing the Other: How Can Cultural Organisations Best Work with Indigenous Communities? The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 2) The Black GST (Genocide, Sovereignty, Treaty] Beyond the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Belief Systems and Their Deeper Philosophic Construct The Stolen Generation and The Apology
5 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 202 Room 102 Room 207
6 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 218 Room 110 Room 105 Room 102 Room 211 Room 207 Room 214
8 Dec
9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 110 Room 106 Room 102
9 Dec
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 212
74 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #79

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Indigenous Peoples
Sessions on Diverse Indigenous Peoples Session Title
Observance on Dene [Indigenous Canadian) Spirituality Yoruba Religious Observance
Indigenous Biodiversity
Indigenous Perspectives on Conflict Resolution
People Call Us Pagan - The European Indigenous Traditions Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity [Session 1]
Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths
Climate Change and the Arctic: The Indigenous Perspective Naga Chants
Repatriation: Reclaiming Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights
Observance in the Haudenosaunee Prophecy and Spirituality History of the Inupiat: Nipaa Ilitqusipta/The Voice of Our Spirit (Premier Film Series Selection}
Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in TimorLeste
Taize Chants Sung in the Gunai Kurnai Indigenous Language by the Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir
The Chiefs' Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation 4 Dec
There are No Back Row Seats in The Hoop of Life
4 Dec 4 Dec
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1]
Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 2)
Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment
Colonisation: Indigenous Peoples Striving
for Self-Determination
Outreach to Indigenous Aetas in the Philippines
Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways
Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 1) Indigenous Perspective on Education: Building Academic Skills with a Strong Cultural Grounding
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 2] Rivers of the Heart: Indigenous Knowledge and Literature Striving to Live in a Liveable World (Session 1]
Decolonising our Hearts and Minds, Healing the Earth and Ourselves: North American Indigenous Perspectives Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition
Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities
Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Session Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Workshop
See back of book for full descriptions. Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec

4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec

8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Location
Room 218
Room 214
Room 208
Room 210
Room 111
Room 108
Room 218
Room 101
Room 201
Room 111
Room 201
Room 107
Room 217
Room 208
Room 219
Room 107
Room 218
Room 108
Room 209
Room 219
Room 214
Room 215
Room 217
Room 111
Room 208
Room 102
Room 209
Room 214
Plenary Hall
Room 111
Room 201 Room 210
www.parliamentofreligions.org 75

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MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Indigenous Peoples
6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 214
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 208 Room 217 Room 209 Room 103
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 111
Accommodating Indigenous Spirituality in the Contemporary World: Valuing and Respecting the Importance of Indigenous Spirituality Hear the Voices of the Indigenous Elders Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 21 Striving to Live in a Liveable World (Session 2] Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth Observance on (Native American) Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality Observance on Zimbabwe Shona/Nodebelo Spirituality Burying and Resurrecting Our Tlingit Culture International Indigenous Repatriation UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Veneration of the Ancestors Development of Indigenous Foundations: Helping Communities Develop Foundations for Indigenous Peoples The Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Peoples Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World Understanding Vodun: A West African Spirituality Traditionat Knowledge: The Value of Teaching and Preserving Traditional Knowledge Ainu Indigenous Spirituality and Culture of Japan Environmental Issues Affecting the Health of Indigenous Peoples Observance on Tlinglit Indigenous Alaskan Nativel Spirituality Indigenous Food Insecurity The Haudenosaunee Prophecy The Revival of the European Pagan Religions Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family Health and Healing: Indigenous Healing in the Modern Allopathic Medical World Reviving and Maintaining Indigenous Languages: Saving Indigenous Languages in the face of Globalisation
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 105 Room 212 Room 208 Room 218 Room 111 Room 213 Room 216 Room 215
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216 Room 105 Room 209 Room 210
8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 214 Room 111
9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 217 Room 111 Room 213 Room 220 Room 111 Room 208
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 103
76 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #81

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
To some, poverty is a word. To others, it is a way of life. While many have escaped the plight of poverty, along with the disease, hunger and other struggles that come with it, too many people have not. The United Nations Millennium Goals have expressed the hope that extreme poverty will be halved by 2015. To help attain this goal, the 2009 Parliament will explore how religious and spiritual communities throughout the world are implementing practical solutions to ensure that basic human rights to adequate food, clean water, housing, education and employment opportunities are available to everyone. Come learn how
Sessions on Overcoming Poverty
Session Title
The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
Poverty Must No Longer Be With Us Interreligious Partnerships for Ending Hunger
The Crisis and the Opportunity: Wisdom from Faith Traditions and Communities
Breaking Through Patriarchy: New Visions for Women of Faith How a Profound Spiritual Theology can Overthrow Poverty Poverty in Wealthy Countries: Challenges Ahead
Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in?
Interfaith and the Future of Africa
Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Challenges for Faith
Engaging Faith-Based Organisations for the Millennium Development Goals: Comparative UN Experiences
Pastoral Responses to HIV/AIDS from the Global to the Local Perspective
Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace Global Poverty Project
Discoveries from 'Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge
Building a Culture of Peace- Development on the ground in El Salvador
UN Millennium Development Goals, Challenges and Opportunities for Global Stability
Education for Successful Societies
A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development
Poverty, Health and Religion in Australia
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement - Grassroots Development, Conflict Resolution and Education
Faith-Consistent Investing
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action
Stop the Traffic, People are Not for Sale: Human Trafficking and Slavery in the World Today
Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment

you can adapt these ideas to your own community. With commitment, creativity and collaboration, people of faith, spirit and goodwill can make poverty a thing of the past.
Highlights to look for:
Poverty and Development Symposium See pages 106-107 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec 6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec

8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 4:30-6:00pm. 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
Location
Room 207
Plenary Hall
Room 101
Room 110
Room 110
Room 214
Room 109
Room 208
Room 202 Plenary Hall
Room 207
Room 211
Room 110
Room 105 Room 208
Room 108
Room 204
Room 109
Room 102
Rooms 105 & 106
Room 203
Room 204
Room 107
Room 218
Room 102
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MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 208
Sacred Activism: Cooperative Partnerships Advocating for Global Peace, Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 207
Securing Food And Water For All People
The problem of securing food and water for all people has never been one of scarcity - but one of access. Even with the recent rises in global food prices and population, there is enough for all, within the means of all. The fact that so many religious and spiritual traditions use food and water as key elements of their most significant observances testifies to their inherent recognition of this basic human need. The 2009 Parliament will explore how this ancient
link between food and spirituality can inspire all of us to make this human need a human right. Come learn what people of goodwill around the world are doing to translate this commitment into realily and what you can do now in your own community and country to ensure that food and water flow wherever people hunger and thirst - not just from time to time, but for all time.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Location Room 101 Room 216 Room 106
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 105
Sessions on Securing Food and Water Session Title Interreligious Partnerships for Ending Hunger Sharing Scarce Resources in an increasingly Globalised World How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? Vegetarianism - Ethics, Environmental Concerns and Complex Realities Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection) A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture Compassionate Eating for the YouTube Generation Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam (Healing the World) Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach Rivers of Life: Community, Water and Spirit in Australia Indigenous Food Insecurity Compassion as a Common Value / The Global Food Crisis as a Spiritual Challenge 108 Bowls: A Mala of Water
6 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1.00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 210 Room 102 Room 209 Room 101 Room 215 Room 216
8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 213 Room 111 Room 219
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216
78 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #83

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
Peace and justice are within the world's grasp. But they must be pursued together. Religious and spiritual communities around the world are increasingly recognizing the intrinsic connection between these two goals. By addressing pivotal issues of social justice, they are becoming more effective at spreading peace than ever before. The 2009 Parliament is proud to offer a wide array of diverse, expert perspectives on how people of all religious and spiritual traditions can move closer to realizing the vision of a just and peaceful world. Come meet real peacemakers from diverse conflict areas around the globe. Hear their success stories and learn practical approaches and strategies that build bonds of trust, cooperation and
Sessions on Peace and Justice
Session Title
Indigenous Perspectives on Conflict Resolution
Sancta Sophia Meditation Community: Promoting Peace through Interreligious Dialogue
Achieving Sustainable Peace
Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
Cultivations of Solidarity: A Textual Analysis
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A BuddhistMuslim Dialogue
Convening Session - Conflict Resolution
Not in God's Name
Religious Unity and Nonviolence
Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in Timor-Leste
Om Shanthi Om
Asian Conference of Religions for Peace [Religions for Peace Asia)
Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in?
Global Ethics and Religion Forum: Religion and Post War Reconciliation in a Sustainable and Just World of Human Rights
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice
Interreligious Dialogue in Conflict Resolution Panel Religions and the Resolution of Violent Conflict
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Baha'i Approach Global Ethics and Religion Forum - The Role of Religion in Post War Treaties, Constitutions and International Law Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Papua New Guinea
The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice

understanding. When we build bridges of dialogue, recognize our shared humanity and work to overcome injustice, peace is not simply a dream - it is an attainable reality.
Highlights to look for:
Peace Building Program Cluster See pages102-103 for more information.
War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World Symposium See page 107 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec

9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 1:00-2:30pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Location
Room 210
Room 104
Room 213
Room 212
Room 108
Room 214
Room 219
Room 203
Room 109
Room 106
Room 218
Room 201
Room 110
Room 208
Room 110
Room 220
Room 109
Room 203
Room 217
Room 110
Room 203
Room 213
Room 218
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Page #84

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
2:30-4:00pm
Room 109
4:30-6:00pm
Room 212
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 207 Room 103 Room 201 Room 217 Room 214
11:30am-1.00pm
Room 207
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 220 Room 110
1:00-2:30pm
Room 110
2:30-4:00pm
Room 105
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 216 Room 203
The Gulen Movement's Global Peace and Social Reconciliation 5 Dec Vision and Projects: Lessons Learned from Germany, the US and Medina Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case
5 Dec of the Philippines The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth ||
6 Dec Creators of Peace
6 Dec Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati
6 Dec The Impact of Women in Conflict Resolution
6 Dec The New Planetary Narrative; Connecting Ecology,
6 Dec Social Justice and Cosmology Aboriginal Reconciliation in Melbourne: Working for Land 6 Dec Justice and Reconciliation The Vision of Humanity: The Components of Peace
6 Dec Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Religion and the Future of 6 Dec Humanitarian Intervention in a Sustainable and Just World Global Ethics and Religion Forum - What is Peace in a
6 Dec Sustainable and Just World? Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and 6 Dec Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 1) The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement 6 Dec Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Israel-West 6 Dec Bank-Gaza The Necessity of Nuclear Disarmament and Steps Toward 6 Dec its Achievement Breaking Barriers: Global Women of Faith Network,
6 Dec Religions for Peace Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Colombia 7 Dec Conflict Transformation and Peace Building
7 Dec Religious Conflict and Persecution: The Cases of Myanmar,
7 Dec Thailand and Iran Women's Peace Initiatives
7 Dec Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Rotary International Peace 7 Dec Fellows, International Christian University Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions
7 Dec Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel I Peacemaking in the Middle East
7 Dec Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Thailand 7 Dec Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace
7 Dec Dhakiyarr vs. the King (Premier Film Series Selection)
7 Dec Blue Gold: World Water Wars
7 Dec Worship and Justice
8 Dec Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender 8 Dec Justice and Religious Diversity Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions
8 Dec Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel II The Role of Religion in Mediating Conflict
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 102
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
Room 212
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 212 Room 217
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 109 Room 110
1:00-2:30pm
Room 110
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:00-10:30pm 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 105 Room 109 Room 208 Room 210 Room 107 Room 102 Room 219
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 110
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 109
80 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #85

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 213
8 Dec
1:00-2:30pm
Room 110
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 217
Signposts of Engaged Spirituality: Faith and Interfaith Initiatives for Building a Culture of Peace Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Open meeting: final assessment and report on project Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 2) Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Myanmar The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: 'Traces of the Trade Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Afghanistan A Qur'anic Moral Imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees Closing Remarks on Conflict Resolution
8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 109 Room 107 Room 203 Room 220
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 110
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 204
9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104 Room 219
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City
For those who live, work and raise families in urban environments, the need for respectful, harmonious relationships among people of diverse ethnicities, cultural values and religious and spiritual traditions is today clearer than ever - but no more easy to achieve. Gaining the full participation of migrant or marginalized populations, without prejudice or discrimination, can be especially challenging. The 2009 Parliament offers an impressive group of speakers and presentations that address the multiple challenges and solutions to creating social cohesion in village and city. Come learn how social harmony can be transformed from an ideal into a reality.
Highlights to look for: Partner Cities Network Program Cluster See page 90 for more information. Global to Local Interreligious Movements Program Cluster See pages 88-89 for more information. International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception See page 112 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 4 Dec
Location Room 204
9:30-11:00am
4 Dec 4 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 214 Room 219
Sessions on Social Cohesion Session Title Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human Rights Commission Introduction to Big Mind Big Heart Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle Globethics.net Principles: Sharing Values across Cultures and Religions Strangers in a Strange Land: Integration of Religious Minorities, their Families and their Identities into Australia Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East Cultivations of Solidarity: A Textual Analysis Interfaith Engagement: Issues, Reflections and Prospects
4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 210
4 Dec
11:30am-1.00pm
Room 220
4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 212 Room 214 Room 208
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Page #86

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City
4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 216 Room 105 Room 212 Room 214
5 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 220
5 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 213
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 218
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 220
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 103
5 Dec 5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 106 Room 101
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
Spiritual Companionship: Listening with a Grateful Heart Democracy and Diversity in Global Perspective Recent Developments in Jewish Christian Dialogue Faith in Action: How Faith-Based Organisations Care for People in Need Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part I: Living in Community Neighbourhoods of Difference: The Uniting Church in Australia and Interfaith Relations Voices of Challenge and Wisdom: Gay and Lesbian Perspectives on Faith, Spirituality and Embodied Grace Developing an Interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice Interfaith in Australia: The Co-ordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion Religion, Spirituality and Wellbeing: Implications for Living and Learning Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation The February 2009 Bushfires in Victoria: Religious Response in the Role of Recovery and Renewal The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism Integration of Immigrants and Refugees into Australia: Interfaith and Cross-cultural Understanding Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India One Voice, Many Musics: Many Faiths, One Community Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction Who is My Neighbour? Religious Identity and the Limits of Love Sacred Envy: Exploring What We Love about Our Own Faith, What We Admire in Others and What Challenges Us in Both Religious Identity Formation: The Templars in Australia Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples Knit Together in Love: Communities Enriched by Altruistic Handicrafting So That You May Know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an Living Mindfully For A Peaceful And Sustainable Future Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond
5 Dec 5 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 209 Room 220
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 204
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 219
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 108
6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 213
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 209 Room 218 Room 108 Room 204
6 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 215 Room 103
6 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 108
7 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 207
7 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 214 Room 207
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Page #87

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City
7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 103 Room 212 Room 207
7 Dec 7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 211 Room 207
7 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 105 Room 203
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 106
8 Dec
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 220 Room 216 Room 204
8 Dec
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 207
8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 201 Room 102
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 106
Sharing Wisdom in Search of Inner and Outer Peace Alternatives to Empire, Another World is Possible Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 1] The State and Religious Freedom Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 21 Experience the Women's Interfaith Network Restoring Peace and Fostering Dialogue within Religious Traditions: The Experience of Christian Ecumenism in Australia and Beyond Praying Together in Times of Happiness, in Times of Sorrow? The Ongoing Dilemma for the Interiaith Movement The Swami and the Rabbi: A Conversation The Doctrine of Discovery and indigenous Peoples Towards a Shared Language of Religious Training: Interfaith Education for Religious Leaders Christian-Muslim Engagement: Action through Understanding in the Writings of Said Nursi Simonel! Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto Rican-American and Australian Voices Building Cities of Harmony Healing the Earth One Workplace at a Time - Spiritual Paths Through the World of Work Interfaith Australia, Social Cohesion and the Muslim Communities Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience Dance Workshop - Expression of Emotions Exploring the Universality of God's Religion Courage to Care: Listening to the Messages of the Holocaust Survivors The Common Enterprise of Peace-building: A New Model for Spiritually Motivated Social Action Within, Among & Beyond Communities of Faith Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and Melbourne Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects How Spiritual Progressives Can Help Move Both Religious and Secular Communities to Enlarge their Focus Beyond Personal Fulfilment or Individual Salvation toward a Global Transformation Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict
8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 215 Room 101
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 209
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 216 Room 215 Room 101 Room 216
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 211
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 104
9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104 Room 204
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 211
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 209
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 207
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Page #88

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
For some, spirituality is personal, quiet and contemplative; for others, it is outward and active. But for all, spirituality implies a deeper involvement with the world and a more empathetic understanding of others. The quest for enlightenment and inner tranquillity is a thread that runs throughout virtually every religious and spiritual tradition - even when the answers vary. At the 2009 Parliament, a wide range of religious and spiritual traditions will
Sessions on Wisdom and Inner Peace Session Title
Silent Meditation - Ch'an
The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition
Calling Out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And Its Benefits for Inner Peace
Sri Aurobindo, a Prophct for the 21st Century
Meditation: The Heart of All Things
Globethics.net Principles: Sharing Values across Cultures and Religions
Globalisation and Spiritual Values
Turning the Dharma Wheel
12 Steps: A Complete, Non-Denominational Spiritual Path for the 21st Century
Preksha Meditation
The Art of Qur'an Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
Awakening Meditation
Taking just-a-minute: Meditation on the Move
Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace: Healing Our Earth, Our Faith and Ourselves
Meditation as a Therapy: How Traditional Techniques Translate into Modern Healing
Invoking Inner Tranquillity: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation Working with Self, Benefiting Others
Sri Chinmoy: A Spirituality of Transformation
Voices of Challenge and Wisdom: Gay and Lesbian Perspectives on Faith, Spirituality and Embodied Grace The Art of Creative Expression: Youth Workshop
A String and A Prayer: Creating Universal Peace Beads Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations Movement Mudra of Traditional Solonese Dance
Shum, A Language of Meditation
Guided Metta (Loving-Kindness) Meditation
Meditation and Sacred Music
Hindu Meditation: Spirituality in Everyday Life
Middle Way Meditation
Sacred Earth: Music for Inner Peace
84 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

share what spirituality means to them and how it affects individuals at their deepest personal level. These sessions will explore how spirituality can provide a framework of meaning, serve as an asset in times of crisis or become an enduring source of personal fulfilment. Come learn about worldwide spiritualities as practiced individually and communally, and begin to understand how wisdom nearly always finds its way from the one to the many.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am

8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am
Location
Room 109
Room 216
Room 108
Room 215
Room 220
Room 210
Room 211
Room 103
Room 215
Room 102
Room 212
Room 215
Room 101
Room 203
Room 216
Room 209
Room 211
Room 217
Room 218
Room 211
Room 214
Room 209
Room 102
Room 110
Room 111
Room 212
Room 108
Room 217
Room 201

Page #89

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 218 Room 215 Room 106
6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 210
6 Dec
11:30am-1.00pm
Room 104
6 Dec 6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 103 Room 106
6 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 211 Room 101 Room 217
7 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 216
7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 214 Room 102 Room 109
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 216
The Spiritual Tradition of Scientology Meditation: the Ultimate Transformative Experience Changing the World from the Inside Out: Making a Difference through Evolutionary Enlightenment Religious Dual Belonging: The Future of the Dialogue of Experience? Practising Yoga: Covert Conversion to Hinduism or the Key to Mind-Body Wellness for All? Panentheism: God and World in an Ecological Age Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions Role of Religion and Spirituality in the Public Discourse Buddhist Christian Dialogue Daily Puja: The Daily Jain Ritual of a Shwetambar Jain Idol Worshiper Purifying the Heart and Soul through Remembrance of Allah: Dhikr As An Islamic Devotional Act for Inner Peace Self-Enquiry Meditation Seon (Zen) Meditation Practise Living Ahimsa Meditation: The Power of Harmony in our Thoughts, Speech and Action The Tree of Humanity and the One God of All Religions: The Brahma Kumaris Religion, Spirituality & Life Threatening Illness The New Archaic: Neuroscience, Spiritual Practice and Healing Sharing Wisdom in Search of Inner and Outer Peace Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces: Sharing Our Stories of the Human Spirit at Work The Spiritual Dynamics of Hearing/Listening and Healing: Awakening to the Flow Within, Between and Among Us Spiritual Practice. The Inner Search 2 Jews, 3 Opinions: An Open Conversation on the implications of the Parliament for Our Jewish Communities Twenty-One Moments of Stillness Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat & Inner Peace Meditation Training and Practice Devotional Singing and Meditation for Inner Peace The Sacred Art of Listening: Hearing From the Heart A Course in Miracles Unleashed: A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment of the Human Species Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace: A Workshop For the Interreligious Panel Unity in Diversity through the Arts and Religiosity of Indonesia The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World, Part 1
7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 211 Room 216 Room 103 Room 208 Room 215
7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 216
7 Dec 7 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 103 Room 218
7 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 215 Room 207
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 103 Room 217 Room 215 Room 104
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 204
8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 208 Room 103
www.parliamentofreligions.org 85
Jain Education Intemational

Page #90

MAJOR SUBTHEMES
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 202
8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 103
8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 208
Creating a Stress-Free Mind and a Violence-Free World: Violence Ends Where Love Begins The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World, Part 2 Spiritual Intimacy: Taking Interfaith Engagement to the Next Level The Holy Scriptures and Questions of intended Use The Urantia Papers-What's Love got to do with it? Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony Whole Self-Whole Earth Master Class in Raja Yoga: A Pathway to Healing and Transformation 1-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace 108 Bowls: A Mala of Water Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse
8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 218 Room 102 Room 214
9 Dec 9 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 102 Room 212
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 217
9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216 Room 214
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Page #91

Program Clusters
In order to give Parliament participants a way to focus their interests and take part in ongoing interdisciplinary dialogues, sessions of varying formats have been organised by topic into program clusters. These organically emerging clusters highlight the ways in which diverse religious and spiritual communities are striving toward shared aspirations and contributing practical solutions to the world's problems.
Local to Global Interreligious Movements
Partner Cities Network
Islam in the Global Context
Women in Leadership
Youth
Family
Media and Religion
Interreligious Education
Human Rights
Peace Building
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Disaster Relief

pages 88-89
page 90
pages 91-93

pages 93-94
pages 95-96
page 97
page 98
pages 99-100
pages 101-102
pages 102-103
page 103
page 104
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Page #92

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Local to Global Interreligious Movements
Since the first modern Parliament of the World's Religions, which expressed the deep desire of religious and spiritual communities to dialogue and engage with each other, local and regional interreligious movements have sprung up around the world. These movements have worked tirelessly to build bridges of trust and understanding among diverse religious and spiritual traditions with
Sessions related to Interreligious Movements
Session Title
2014 Site Selection Orientation Opening Reception
Sancta Sophia Meditation Community: Promoting Peace through Interreligious Dialogue
Interreligious Partnerships for Ending Hunger
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 1
How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems?
Hindu Jewish Leadership Initiative
Developing a Dynamic Interfaith Movement for Your City or Area
Religions for Peace Workshop
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part I: Living in Community
Developing an Interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice
Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue: International Association for Religious Freedom and Its Work in India Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World
International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation
Taking Our Place in the Interreligious Movement: Women in Society, Peacemaking, and Interfaith Dialogue Our Interreligious Future
Towards the Heart of Humankind: Critical Considerations of Unity, Diversity and a Declaration of Global Spirituality
The Work of AIS - 1 of 2
IF Alliance Workshop Religions for Peace Gathering
88 PWR- Parliament of the World's Religions
the goal of tackling common local, regional and global issues. The sessions in this program cluster will tackle the question of how you can use what you have learned from dialogue and collaboration at the global level to foster the interreligious movements in your part of the world. What new tools and strategies for creating and maintaining interreligious communities will you take home with you?

See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
3 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
6 Dec
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and 6 Dec Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 1]
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec 6 Dec

Time
3:00-5:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm.
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Location
Room 103
Room 104
Room 101
Room 108
Room 111
Room 106
Room 204
Room 215
Room 207
Room 220
Room 104
Room 220
Room 108
Room 220
Room 212
Room 220
Room 213
Room 211
Room 212
Room 213
Room 105
Room 218
Room 220

Page #93

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Local to Global Interreligious Movements
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 103
7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 203
7 Dec 7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 217 Room 207
7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 213
7 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 207
7 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 103 Room 204
Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools The Reality of the Universal Human Family: Interreligious Cooperation in Healing the Earth The Work of AIS - 2 of 2 Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 1) UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 2) United Religions Initiative Workshop Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace: A Workshop For the Interreligious Panel Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue 2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 2 Social Cohesion Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 2] Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth The Gift of Global Community Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and Melbourne Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse Monastic Interreligious Dialogue: Dialogue at the Level of Spiritual Practice and Experience
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 211 Room 111 Room 208 Room 217
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 104
8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 210 Room 216 Room 204 Room 104
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 110
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 214
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 210
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Page #94

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Partner Cities Network
more about the network and vibrant city-based interreligious activities around the world, consider attending any of these sessions.
The diversity of the world is increasingly reflected in metropolitan centres, with myriad religious and spiritual communities residing in major cities across the globe. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR) seeks to support and partner with cities fostering interreligious grassroots movements and promoting harmonious and cooperative relationships between communities. In 2009, CPWR launched its enhanced Partner Cities Network and now cordially invites cities from around the world to consider applying to the network through completion of a City Interreligious Case Study. To learn
Highlights to look for: International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception See page 112 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions Date Time
Location 5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm Room 104
Sessions on the Partner Cities Network Session Title Developing an Interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 11 Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 2)
5 Dec 7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 212 Room 207
7 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 207
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 215
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 103
Other Sessions related to Partner Cities Session Title Developing a Dynamic Interfaith Movement for Your City or Area Interfaith in Australia: The Co-ordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations Religions for Peace Gathering Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience
6 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 220 Room 211 Room 216 Room 204
2014 Parliament Site Selection Orientation
These sessions are for city-teams considering hosting the 2014 Parliament of the World's Religions. Private consultation for each city-team focused on their particular approach and specific questions will be available on request at mutually convenient times. Session Title 2014 Site Selection Orientation Opening Reception 2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 1 2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 2
See back of the book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 3 Dec 3:00-5:00pm Room 103 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 111 8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm Room 111
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Page #95

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Islam in the Global Context
At the heart of Islam's social conscience is a shared concern for a "just, peaceful and sustainable world." The Holy Qur'an calls on Muslims to provide for the poor, to protect nature and to come together with diverse peoples to learn from one another. In keeping with this year's theme, "Hearing each other," the Parliament presents a number of sessions designed to break down stereotypes and misunderstandings of Islam and Muslims by providing authentic and diverse expressions of the faith. Muslim sessions will include observances, intrareligious
panels representing diverse aspects of Islam, interreligious panels modelling dialogue with other religious and spiritual traditions on various issues, engagement workshops in multi-religious settings and exhibitions featuring Muslim art, music, painting, poetry and film. The 2009 Parliament also offers Muslim youth the opportunity to participate with young people of all religious and spiritual traditions I see the Youth Program Cluster on pages 95-96 for more info).
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 216
6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 202
Islam 101 Series Session Title Islam 101 Series: Reverence for the Virgin Mary and Jesus in Islam Islam 101 Series: War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam Islam 101 Series: Applying Islamic Principles for a Just and Sustainable World Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World
Room 219
7 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 110
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 219
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 207
4 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 108
4 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 219
4 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 216
4 Dec 4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 209 Plenary Hall
Sessions on Islam Session Title The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World Calling out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And Its Benefits for Inner Peace Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle Islam 101 Series: Reverence for the Virgin Mary and Jesus in Islam Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith Respecting and Defending Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles. An Islamic Global Perspective Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Buddhist Muslim Dialogue Friday Jumu'ah Congregational Prayer Sufism and Peace: A Meeting Point for All Religious Traditions The Art of Quran Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace Islam and Politics: Faith, Governance and Society Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice
4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 108
4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 219
4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec
1:00-2:30pm 2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 202 Room 104 Room 212
5 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 202 Room 106 Room 213 Room 218
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Page #96

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Islam in the Global Context
The Gulen Movement's Global Peace and Social Reconciliation Vision and Projects: Lessons Learned from Germany, the US and Medina
Learn Arabic Letters in 90 Minutes-An Interfaith Cultural Presentation You Can Use
By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
Remembrance of Allah and His Prophet Through Song
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism
Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India
A Tale of Two Women: A Multifaith Reading of the Sarah/Hagar Narrative
The Challenge of Islamophobia and the Media: How Innovative Dialogue is Changing the Landscape
Islam 101 Series: War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle
The Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan: Universal Sufism
An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis So That You May Know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an
Purifying the Heart and Soul through Remembrance of Allah: Dhikr As An Islamic Devotional Act for Inner Peace
Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam Islam 101 Series: Applying Islamic Principles for a Just and Sustainable World
Islamic Finance: The Compassionate Approach to Market and Money
Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media
Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies
The Muslim Green: Muslim Contributions to Healing the Earth Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach.
Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat & Inner Peace
Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity
The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of MuslimChristian Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria Islam and the West: Creating an Accord of Civilisations Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth
Christian-Muslim Engagement: Action through Understanding in the Writings of Said Nursi
Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto Rican-American and Australian Voices
92 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec 7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec 8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec

2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 109
Room 108
Room 208
Room 204
Room 216
Room 219
Room 213
Room 202
Room 219
Room 202
Room 102
Room 107
Room 207
Room 216
Room 219
Room 110
Room 220
Room 208 Room 209
Room 219
Room 216
Room 207
Room 219
Room 103
Plenary Hall Room 104
Room 207
Room 106

Page #97

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Islam in the Global Context
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 209
8 Dec 9 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 101 Room 220
Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World Interfaith Australia, Social Cohesion and the Muslim Communities Exploring the Universality of God's Religion A Qur'anic Moral Imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran Leadership Among Muslim Males in the Post-9/11 Era Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism
9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 203 Room 217 Room 218
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 204
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 209
Women in Leadership
The role of women, in both social and religious settings, has a long history of transformation and evolution. In the present day, the imbalance of women to men in leadership is becoming less dramatic, creating greater opportunity for personal and professional development among individuals. The Women in Leadership Program Cluster will trace the historic trajectory of women's leadership and explore women's transition to more influential roles. By sharing stories of success, these sessions will act as a
catalyst for women to provide needed leadership in their own communities and to reach out as representatives of their religious and spiritual traditions. Both individually and through various networks, women have furthered a synthesis of spirituality and service. By expanding equality between women and men, we can aspire to create a world where all may reach their full human potential.
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 101 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 219
4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 218
Sessions on Women in Leadership Session Title The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith Breaking Through Patriarchy: New Visions for Women of Faith Peace at the Heart of the World A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine The Divine Feminine Creators of Peace Taking Our Place in the Interreligious Movement: Women in Society, Peacemaking, and Interfaith Dialogue
4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 209 Room 110 Room 202 Room 220 Room 105 Room 103 Room 213
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PROGRAM CLUSTER
Women in Leadership
9:30-11:00am
Room 219
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 217 Room 202
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 216 Room 220
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 219 Room 109 Room 214
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 105 Room 212
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular
6 Dec Fundamentalism The Impact of Women in Conflict Resolution
6 Dec A Tale of Two Women: A Multifaith Reading of the Sarah/
6 Dec Hagar Narrative The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement 6 Dec Breaking Barriers: Global Women of Faith Network, Religions 6 Dec for Peace Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam 7 Dec Women's Peace Initiatives
7 Dec Personal and Professional Journeys of Women Leaders: 7 Dec A Worldwide Dialogue Experience the Women's Interfaith Network
7 Dec Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, Australia
8 Dec and New Zealand Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and
8 Dec International Perspectives Indigenous Australian Women - Healing the Land and its People 8 Dec The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women 8 Dec around the World, Part 1 Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women 8 Dec around the World, Part 2 Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Dec Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles East and West: Spirituality and Women's Leadership in Different 9 Dec Religious Perspectives Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai
5 Dec (Premier Film Series Selection)
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 207 Room 103
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
4:30-6:00pm
Room 103
9:30-11:00am
Room 218
9:30-11:00am
Room 212
4:30-6:00pm
Room 211
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PROGRAM CLUSTER
Youth
At the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions, the youth are the future' torch has been kept ablaze with the Youth Program, designed and organised by young people for young people. The Youth Program features four elements: the Youth Plenary Session, Daily Youth Sessions and Workshops, Service Projects and an after-hours Coffee House. Listen, discuss, get active, socialise and network to your heart's content at the 2009 Youth Program.
Daily Youth Sessions and Workshops
Session Title
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Session Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Workshop Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Session Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Workshop Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Session Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Workshop Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Session Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Workshop Sports as a Tool for Peace - Daily Youth Session Sports as a Tool for Peace Workshop
Service Projects
Here's your chance to get your hands dirty and get out into the community to serve others.
Where to meet? At the main entrance to Melbourne Convention Centre (near the Hilton hotel).
What should I bring? Sun-smart clothes, comfortable shoes, hat, sunscreen, water and lunch (except if attending Quang Minh Buddhist Temple). See back of book for full descriptions.
Session Title
Sacred Heart Mission Market Garden
Samaritan's Purse
Quang Minh Buddhist Temple
CERES
Lentil As Anything
Coffee House & Table Talk
Mix with Parliament participants and locals at the afterhours Coffee House where beverages, entertainment and new friends will be the order of the night. Talk to youth from around the world who are involved in organisations and projects centred on young people and interreligious work.
Session Title
DJ FLK and DJ Spinaphix
Culture Club featuring Kundalila, Anise and Behzad Khoshmashrab
Reggae and dub poetry with Yasus Afari and friends direct from Jamaica

Highlights to look for:
Youth Plenary Session
See page 21 for more information.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
Date
4 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
Date
5 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Time
12:15-4:30pm
7:00am-3:00pm
10:30-3:00pm
1:15-5:00pm 6:15-10:00am
Time
9:00pm-midnight 9:00pm-midnight
9:00pm-midnight

Location
Room 201
Room 210
Room 201
Room 204
Room 201
Room 210
Room 201
Room 220 Room 201
Offsite
Location
Offsite
Offsite
Offsite
Offsite
Offsite
Location
Room 201 and Foyer Room 201 and Foyer
Room 201 and Foyer
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Page #100

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Youth
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec
9:30-11:00am Room 106
4 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
5 Dec 5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 211 Room 215
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216
Other Sessions for Youth Session Title Pilgrims Progress 2008: Research on Those who Attended the Sydney World Youth Day The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 11 The Art of Creative Expression: Youth Workshop Ending Legalised Violence Against ChildrenA Religious Imperative Youth Spirituality: Join the Evolution! Youth, Spiritual Development and Activism Sikh Youth Perspectives Footy Training Clinic - Offsite Youth Workshop Role of Youth Convening Education Session: Schooling. Young People and Social Inclusion Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 1) Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth Taking the Initiative...the Role of Youth in Global Interfaith Action The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 2) Youth Projects - Sustaining Peace from the Inside Out The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 2] Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 210 Offsite Room 216 Room 210
7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 207
7 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 212 Room 105 Room 105 Room 104
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 216 Room 212 Room 104 Room 210
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 218
96 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #101

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Family
Across the world, there are many different beliefs and traditions regarding the configuration and extent of a family. Family could be defined as the small nuclear unit of parents and children, or the extended family that includes several generations or even the larger network of kinship. Extended ever further outward, all peoples are related to each other in one global human family. In all societies, the family is a binding and vital social and spiritual unit. This cluster identifies those programs that are especially concerned with family matters: the raising of children
to be grounded in a religious or spiritual tradition but with a spirit of interreligious openness; the rewards and challenges of interreligious marriages and strategies for building harmony within them; ways to strengthen bonding within a family, and prevention and healing strategies for family-destroying traumas like domestic violence and child abuse. Come learn about family dynamics in different traditions, and take new wisdom home to your own family, wherever they may be.
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 104 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 208 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 215
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Sessions on Family Session Title Rev Moon's Vision of Global Family Older People: Revered or Redundant Ending Legalised Violence Against ChildrenA Religious Imperative Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities The Reality of the Universal Human Family: Interreligious Cooperation in Healing the Earth Veneration of the Ancestors Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives Interfaith Marriage: A Workshop in Working with Difference Strengthening Families with Weekly Family Night The Importance of Family Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family
Room 111
7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 203
8 Dec 8 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216 Room 104
8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 108 Room 215 Room 215 Room 111
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Page #102

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Media and Religion
In our modern world, the far-reaching effects of the media have shaped the way we see others and ourselves. These sessions touch upon the negative and positive role the media has played around the world. While mass media has the capacity to simplify and generalize, as with the case of negative portrayals, ostracised religious and spiritual communities can still find a place for interreligious dialogue on the Internet and by creating a new, positive relationship with media outlets. These sessions will explore the desire for a more nuanced and intelligent
Sessions on Media and Religion Session Title
The Challenge of Islamophobia and the Media: How Innovative Dialogue is Changing the Landscape
The Digital Revolution and the Age of Religious Pluralism
The Role of Media in Conflict Resolution - Panel Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Session Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Workshop Media Savvy for Better Coverage
Religion and Global Media
The Hazards of Writing About Religion
98 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions
dialogue in the media sphere, and the impact that such portrayals can have on such sensitive issues as conflict resolution and racism. How can the media become a positive partner of religious and spiritual communities? How can new media provide the depth of dialogue and perspective that will reshape the image of various religious and spiritual traditions in the eyes of various demographics? This series of programs will address such questions, bringing together leaders from religious and spiritual communities and the media around the world.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec

11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Location
Room 219
Room 109
Room 204
Room 208
Room 201
Room 220
Room 110
Room 204 Room 213

Page #103

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Interreligious Education
Interreligious education is a discipline that can hardly emerge fast enough to meet the growing demand. In our ever-changing global society, many parts of the world that were once relatively homogenous are grappling with the rewards and challenges of burgeoning diversity. As some religious and spiritual communities feel threatened by these changing demographics, the possibility for misunderstandings and conflicts increases, which means that the need for establishing trust and understanding among people of different religious and spiritual traditions has never been greater. The Parliament is proud to contribute to this cause with the Interreligious Education Program Cluster. Many of these sessions focus on the education of children and young people - but learning does not end in adulthood. Religious leaders and laypcoplc of all ages can learn from the expert presenters showcased in this cluster. Come learn what you can do to further the cause of interreligious education in your own community.
Highlights to look for: Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community See page 112 for more information. Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World Symposium See page 109 for more information, Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future Symposium See page 109 for more information, Australian Schools: Educators and Students Symposium See page 110 for more information.
Date
Sessions on Interreligious Education
See back of book for full descriptions. Session Title
Time
Location Building a sense of Belonging in a Culturally Diverse Australia - 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 202 The Australian Government's Role Strangers in a Strange Land: Integration of Religious
4 Dec 11:30am - 1:00pm Room 220 Minorities, their Families and their identities into Australia Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: The 4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 219 Need for Multi-Religious Education for All Religious Leaders All We've Got: A Documentary Film about Hope
4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 104 Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision
5 Dec 9:30-11:00 am Room 220 of Community - Part 1: Living in Community Interfaith Dialogue and Education for a Culture of Peace: 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 212 A Workshop for Empowerment and Transformation Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 220 Community - Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion
5 Dec 11:30am-1.00pm Room 106 Indigenous Perspective on Education: Building Academic 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 111 Skills with a Strong Cultural Grounding Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of
5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 220 Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World Innovative Approaches to Multicultural and Interfaith
5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 104 Education in Schools Learn Arabic Letters in 90 Minutes-An Interfaith Cultural 5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 108 Presentation You Can Use Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: 5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 219 Practical Initiatives and Examples of Multi-Religious Education Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of
5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 220 Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation What Religious Insights Can Bring to Secular Education
6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 212 Integration of Immigrants and Refugees into Australia:
6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 108 Interfaith and Cross-cultural Understanding Education for Successful Societies
6 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 109
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Page #104

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Interreligious Education
6 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 210
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 103
7 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 213 Room 209
7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 211
7 Dec
Room 207
7 Dec 7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 107 Room 104
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Resources for and Obstacles to Multi-Religious Education in One's Own Tradition Convening Education Session: Schooling, Young People and Social Inclusion Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-Peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools Jain Heritage and Education for Peace and Harmony Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies Religion's Imperative to Present the Other' Faithfully (Session 1) Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond Beyond Beliefs - Muslims and Non-Muslims Living in Australia Talking Faiths: Your Story. My Story and Our Story, across Schools and the World Wide Web Spiritual Education and Interreligious Learning for Primary (Elementaryl and Secondary Students Religion and Belief in Public Schools Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Virtues and skills for Multi-Religious Education The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education Faith-based Education in Human Values for a Sustainable Future Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue Interfaith Dialogue in Victorian Schools Religion's imperative to Present the Other' Faithfully (Session 21 Towards a Shared Language of Religious Training: Interfaith Education for Religious Leaders Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: What We've Learned ... What Next Steps We Hope to Take Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education
7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 104
7 Dec 7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 102 Room 219
8 Dec 8 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 102 Room 101
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
11:30am-1.00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 211 Room 216
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 204
8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 214
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Page #105

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Human Rights
When the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, it was generally understood to be an ambitious statement of idealism rather than a description of reality. More than 60 years later, the document continues to serve as a vital checklist of work that must still be done. The cry of the world for universal human rights comes into
Sessions on Human Rights
Session Title
Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human Rights Commission
Respecting and Defending Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles: An Islamic Global Perspective
Breaking Through Patriarchy: New Visions for Women of Faith Reconciling Religious Values and the Universal Entitlement to Human Rights
AMES: People, Programs and Pathways
Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones
Violence Finds Refuge in Falsehood: Religion and the Future of Torture
Interfaith Dialogue and Education for a Culture of Peace: A Workshop for Empowerment and Transformation
Global Ethics and Religion Forum: Religion and Post War Reconciliation in a Sustainable and Just World of Human Rights Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition
Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions
Discoveries from 'Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 1)
A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development
A New Ethical Manifesto for the Global Economy
Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa and Sustainable Living Interpreting the Text: Apostasy and Homosexuality UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives
Proselytisation and Religious Freedom
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 2]
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Afghanistan Hindu Intrafaith Meet: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Hinduism in the Western World

conflict with governments, corporations, individuals and sometimes even religious institutions and doctrines. In a sense, nearly every program at the 2009 Parliament is in some respect about human rights. However, the sessions highlighted here are most directly concerned with "the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family."
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec 7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
9:30-11:00am

11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
8 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Location
Room 204
Plenary Hall
Room 110
Room 204
Room 209
Room 215
Room 102
Room 212
Room 110
Plenary Hall
Room 106
Room 208
Room 105
Room 102
Room 202
Room 219
Room 208
Room 105
Room 213
Room 104
Room 106
Room 217
Room 203
Room 202
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Page #106

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Human Rights
Sacred Activism: Cooperative Partnerships Advocating for Global Peace, Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals
Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism
Peace Building
This Program Cluster is presented with the generous support of Ven. Dharma Master Hsin Tao, the Global Family for Love & Peace and the Museum of World Religions in Taipei, Taiwan.
The news is fraught with stories of violence perpetrated in the name of religious and spiritual beliefs; images of death are associated with diverse traditions far too frequently. Ignorance and fear bred by religious discrimination generate hostility and conflict that ranges from
Grassroots Peace Building Teams
Session Title
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Papua New Guinea
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of the Philippines
Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Israel-West Bank-Gaza
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Colombia Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Thailand Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Myanmar Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Afghanistan
Sessions on Peace Building
Session Title
Indigenous Perspectives on Conflict Resolution
Achieving Sustainable Peace
Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East
Convening Session - Conflict Resolution
Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in Timor-Leste
Interreligious Dialogue in Conflict Resolution Panel Religions and the Resolution of Violent Conflict The Impact of Women in Conflict Resolution The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement
102 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions

9 Dec
9 Dec 9 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
workplace tension to holy war. This program cluster will show how religion and spirituality, rather than being divisive forces, can and do serve as avenues for harmony. While much of the violence in our world is attributed to seemingly irreconcilable differences between diverse religious and spiritual communities, courageous people within these communities are working across boundaries to build peace. These unique sessions will analyse conflict transformation, mediation, and resolution as well as peace building and social development.
7 Dec
7 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time 5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
5 Dec 5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec

4:30-6:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 208
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104 Room 209
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
See back of book for full descriptions. Time
Date 4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
Location Room 203
Room 212
Room 203
Room 212
Room 109
Room 109
Room 203
Location
Room 210
Room 213
Room 212
Room 203
Room 218
Room 109
Room 203
Room 217
Room 216

Page #107

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Peace Building
The Role of Media in Conflict Resolution - Panel Conflict Transformation and Peace Building
The Role of Religion in Mediating Conflict
Signposts of Engaged Spirituality:
Faith and Interfaith Initiatives for Building a Culture of Peace Closing Remarks on Conflict Resolution
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Nuclear weapons represent a grave threat to humanity's ability not only to survive but also to hear each other and heal the earth. The threat of violent and devastating destruction that can be caused by even a small nuclear exchange has too often become a tool for demeaning "the other" into compliance rather than engaging "the other" in dialogue. Religious and spiritual people have always been significant participants in the quest to abolish
Sessions on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Session Title
The Necessity of Nuclear Disarmament and
Steps Toward its Achievement
Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Response and Advocacy by Religious Communities

7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm.
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
7 Dec
nuclear weapons, and today their roles are more important than ever. Parliament programming will include panel discussions exploring how diverse religious and spiritual communities are responding to this issue, as well as "From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the Human Spirit," an exhibition created by Sokka Gakkai International.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 204
Room 212
Room 212
Room 213
2:30-4:00pm

Room 219
Location Room 102
Room 204
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Page #108

PROGRAM CLUSTER
Disaster Relief
Before there was an International Red Cross or United Nations Refugee Relief Agency, there were religious and spiritual communities. Over the centuries, these communities have responded to human and ecological disasters brought on by drought, floods, hurricanes, fires, social and political upheaval and war. Today these communities work side-by-side with outstanding local, national and interreligious relief organisations to serve on the first-lines
in providing aid to millions around the world for whom the imminent availability of water, food, shelter and medical care are a matter of life and death. Accounts of the extraordinary relief efforts tied to religious and spiritual motivations will be highlighted at the 2009 Parliament, with special attention paid to the practical ways in which their vital missions can and must be supported.
Scc back of book for full descriptions Date Time
Location 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 204
Sessions on Disaster Relief Session Title The February 2009 Bushfires in Victoria: Religious Response in the Role of Recovery and Renewal Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction Religions Respond to Disasters Not Broken 1-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace
6 Dec 6 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 218 Room 211 Room 107 Room 217
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Page #109

Symposia
The Parliament Symposia offer an opportunity for people of faith, spirit and goodwill to interactively focus in depth on a variety of important issues with leading international scholars and practitioners. All Symposia are closely related to the Parliament theme, “Hearing each other, Healing the earth," and focus on matters of urgent concern to religious and spiritual communities around the world.
Because the different programs build on one another over the course of each day or series of days, we invite participants to consider attending all of the sessions for a particular symposium.
Religion and Ecology
page 106
Connection to Copenhagen
page 106
Poverty and Development
pages 106-107
War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World
page 107
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity
page 108
Science and Religion
page 108
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World
page 109
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future
page 109
Australian Schools: Educators and Students
page 110
Voices of Latin America
page 110
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Page #110

Symposia
Religion and Ecology
tions of climate change, to explore the emerging models seeking to address it and to mobilize religious and spiritual communities in calling for clear-headed and courageous responses to this threat to the human community. See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: Adapting to Climate Change: How, and How Far? 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 103 Climate Change as a Concern for Justice 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Plenary Hall The Science and Spirituality of Climate Change 6 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 202 Is Climate Change the New Slavery? 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 202
Poverty and Development
This symposium is presented in partnership with the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, which is dedicated to bringing religion's symbolic insights to bear on supporting a vibrant earth community. Our planet is on the brink of an ecological crisis that can not be remedied by one group, one religion or one country alone. The participation of all people of goodwill is necessary if our efforts to save our planet are to be successful. The 2009 Parliament's Religion and Ecology Symposium is more than just a call to action; it focuses on both practical action and spiritual motivation to mobilize and sustain environmental efforts. Come learn how you and your religious community can make a difference. See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 106 Thomas Berry and the Great Work of Our Time 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 212 Selections from the New Film Journey of the Universe 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 213 East Asian Perspectives on Ecology 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 219 Earth Charter as a Global Ethics for a Sustainable Future 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 210 Green Buildings. Green Cities - An Ethical Path Forward 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 209 Expressing Our Links with the Environment 8 Dec 2:304:00pm
Room 212 Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism (Premier Film Series Selection) 9 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110
This symposium is presented with the generous support of Mr. Haruhisa Handa, the Asian Faiths Development Dialogue, the International Shinto Foundation and the World Faiths Development Dialogue. The Poverty and Development Symposium will explore how religious and spiritual communities are meeting the many dimensions of contemporary poverty. The Year 2000 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) offer a framework for global action, setting priority goals and targets, but the experience and reflections of diverse communities are not fully part of the MDG process. A central Parliament objective is to jolt this situation with new insights and ideas. This symposium's 20 sessions cover a challenging agenda, exploring the historic shifts from charity and compassion to respect, rights and equity as drivers of social justice, as well as practical approaches to fostering education, health and opportunities for the impoverished. Come learn from experts in the field about how your community can collaborate not only with other religious and spiritual groups, but also with guiding institutions committed to eradicating poverty through international development. See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: Poverty Must No Longer Be With Us 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Plenary Hall Interreligious Partnerships for Ending Hunger 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 101 The Crisis and the Opportunity: Wisdom from Faith Traditions and Communities 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110 How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 106 Breaking Through Patriarchy: New Visions for Women of Faith 4 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 110
Connection to Copenhagen
The tourist island of Maldives is but one example of the consequences of global climate change. For the 300,000 inhabitants who live there, ecological disaster is just around the corner. If the world's sea level rises by just one meter within the next century, which is the scientific forecast, their homeland will lie under the sea. While the developed world debates the validity of such forecasts. and wrestles with the social and economic implications, for nearly 300 million people around the world, the impact of global warming is already a reality in the form of erosion, drought, violent and unpredictable weather patterns. accompanied by escalating poverty, disease, misery and hardship. For all of these reasons, the eyes of the world will be on Copenhagen from 7th to 20th December, where an international gathering to discuss limiting green house gases will take place. Considering this overlap with the 2009 Parliament, participants in Melbourne will be invited to consider the latest analysis of the ecological ramifica
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Symposia
War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World
Poverty in Wealthy Countries: Challenges Ahead 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 109 Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in? 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 208 Interfaith and the Future of Africa 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 202 Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Challenges for Faith 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Plenary Hall Engaging Faith-Based Organisations for the Millennium Development Goals: Comparative UN Experiences 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 207 Pastoral Responses to HIV/AIDS from the Global to the Local Perspective 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 211 Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 110 Discoveries from Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge 6 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 208 Education for Successful Societies 6 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 109 A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 102 Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement - Grassroots Development, Conflict Resolution and Education 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 203 Faith-Consistent Investing 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 204 Universities, Interreligious Dialogue, and Social Justice: A Conversation 8 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 203 Stop the Traffic, People are Not for Sale: Human Trafficking and Slavery in the World Today 8 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 218 Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment 8 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 102 Closing Remarks for Poverty and Development Symposium 9 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 105 Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict 9 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 207
This symposium is presented in partnership with the Global Ethics and Religion Forum, an educational nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting global ethical responsibility Arrayed against deep human aspirations to live in harmony and peace, the persistence of war threatens justice and sustainable living and poses a daunting challenge to the world's religious and spiritual traditions. This symposium aims to address these challenges through an analysis of the theory of just war," a doctrine with a long history of religious reflection. This doctrine holds that armed conflict must be restrained by clearly articulated ethical criteria. In this symposium, experts will address the need for a revised and complete ethics of war ar peace for a just world. The multi-religious panels offered on this subject will explore some of the most salient ways in which the role of religious and spiritual traditions in just war thinking intersect with and can be brought to bear upon important dimensions of human and planetary sustainability See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: Global Ethics and Religion Forum: Religion and Post War Reconciliation in a Sustainable and Just World of Human Rights 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - The Role of Religion in Post War Treaties, Constitutions and International Law 5 Dec 1:00-2:30pm
Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Religion and the Future of Humanitarian Intervention in a Sustainable and Just World 6 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - What is Peace in a Sustainable and Just World? 6 Dec 1:00-2:30pm Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Rotary International Peace Fellows, International Christian University 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel I 7 Dec 1:00-2:30pm
Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel 11 8 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 110 Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Open meeting: final assessment and report on project 8 Dec 1:00-2:30pm
Room 110
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Symposia
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity
This symposium is presented with the generous support of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha.
Throughout the span of human history, civilisations, societies and communities have grounded their religious beliefs and practices with sacred spaces. From shrines and sanctuaries to holy cities and sacred mountains, these sites reflect a diverse spiritual landscape of vast significance both to the traditions that revere them and to a world concerned with preserving its precious heritage. As globalisation sweeps across the planet and contact among diverse peoples grows, so do opportunities to target the sacred sites of religious and spiritual traditions for misguided sectarian and political purposes. In response to the increasing necessity to protect these often-fragile links between the physical and the spiritual, there is a growing international interest in establishing a preservation protocol for sacred sites of religious and spiritual traditions. This symposium will bring together representatives of many diverse traditions, as well as international and non-governmental organisations. Inspiring interdisciplinary perspectives on the mutual respect for and care of sacred sites will be voiced. Practical ways for interested parties to join with existing initiatives - and ways to expand those efforts - will be explored. The use of websites and cutting-edge social networking vehicles to link partners together - across town and across the globe - will also be presented.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Schedule:
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: The Time is Now 2:30-4:00pm Room 106
4 Dec
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1] 4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 208
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Working Session 1 4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 103
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 2)
5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 208
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Stories from the Frontlines 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 106
The Lost & Endangered Religions Project: Preserving the World's Religious Diversity
6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 104 Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Teachings of the Traditions 6 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 106
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Current Initiatives 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 106
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: A Call for Collaboration 8 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 219
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Working Session 2 8 Dec Room 207
4:30-6:00pm
108 PWR- Parliament of the World's Religions
Jain Education Intemational
Science and Religion
This symposium is presented in partnership with the International Society for Science and Religion.
The relationship between science and religion is complex and difficult to navigate. New scientific discoveries can often challenge religious worldviews and present previously unimagined questions about ethics and morality. Yet many religious and spiritual traditions have histories and doctrines fully compatible with the desire to study the natural world and humanity's place within it. With the current ecological crisis, the advent of neuroscience and other developments, religion and science must find ways to become interrelated - not mutually exclusive - paths to knowledge and wisdom about the world. This symposium consists of results-oriented workshops because our planet no longer has time for us to dwell on abstractions. These sessions will examine compassion as an essential principle of interest for diverse traditions and scientific disciplines alike and will facilitate real-world strategies for making change for humanity and for the earth.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Schedule:
The Warfare is Over: Science and Spirituality as Allies for the Sake of the Planet (Session 1]
5 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 210
Science, Spirituality, and Overcoming Religious Conflict (Session 2)
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 210 Religion, Science, and Environmental Activism (Session 3) 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 210 The Practicalities of Getting from 'Is' to 'Ought': Religion, Science and Ethics
5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 105 Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion (Session 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion (Session
1)
Room 109
Room 109
The New Archaic: Neuroscience, Spiritual Practice and Healing
7 Dec
2)
7 Dec 9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm Room 216
Global Ecological Crisis: A Time for the Reunion of Science and Religion?
7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 108
Darwin in the Dreaming
8 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 102
Interpreting the Text: Creationism, Intelligent Design and Evolution
9 Dec
Room 209
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Symposia
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World
This symposium is presented with the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation.
The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with 15 theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interreligious leadership in North American theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interreligious engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of religious and spiritual traditions in the contemporary world. To that end, under the leadership of Dr. Paul Knitter of Union Theological Seminary, each of the 15 institutions engaged students through a course in preparation for the 2009 Parliament and brought a group of students to attend. The selected institutions also designed this symposium to answer this key question: "How might seminaries foster significant teaching/learning opportunities for the development of a new generation of leaders equipped to serve in the challenging milieu of today's multi-cultural, multi-religious world?" Each session will begin with a panel discussion of the day's topic, followed by a small group conversation and a closing reflection.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Schedule:
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: The Need for Multi-Religious Education for All Religious Leaders 4 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Practical Initiatives and Examples of Multi-Religious Education
5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Resources for and Obstacles to Multi-Religious Education in One's Own Tradition 6 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Virtues and Skills for Multi-Religious Education 7 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 219
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: What We've Learned... What Next Steps We Hope to Take 8 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 219

Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future
This symposium is presented in partnership with The Elijah Interfaith Institute.
The Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders, a group of scholars representing diverse religious and spiritual traditions, recently gathered to discuss "The Future of Religious Leadership." They prepared study materials about how leadership is understood in each tradition, addressing questions such as: What is the goal of religious or spiritual leadership? What challenges have leaders always faced or are facing anew today? How should future leaders be trained? These questions are now the focus of a workshop symposium at the 2009 Parliament. In each session, participants will explore what leadership means to another tradition, using the papers produced by the recent gathering as guides. To maintain a continuity of discussion as each tradition is explored in turn throughout the week, this symposium will be held during the Open Space time slot and will require advance registration, limited to thirty participants, with a commitment to participate in all sessions. Priority will be given to religious and spiritual leaders and leaders-in-training. To register, please email enhancing@parliamentofreligions.org before the Parliament or visit the Open Space sign-up table at the Parliament. See page 134 for more information about Open Space sessions.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Schedule:
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 1 of 3 4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 111 Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 2 of 3 7 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 111 Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 3 of 3 8 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 111

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Symposia
Voices of Latin America
Australian Schools: Educators and Students
Inspired by the 2004 Barcelona Parliament, the city of Monterrey, Mexico stepped forward and orchestrated a unique social, cultural and interreligious event that attracted thousands of participants. The 2007 Monterrey Forum invited the Parliament to participate in a significant way, which in turn served as an important bridge toward developing a close relationship between the Parliament and the interreligious communities of Mexico. Since then, through the Partner Cities Network, headed by Zabrina Santiago, the Parliament has sought to deepen and enrich ties with and among the various religious and spiritual communities of Latin America. Partner Cities Associate Ruth Broyde Sharone, who visited four Latin American countries this year - Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Argentina - will facilitate this Symposium dedicated to this year's participants in Melbourne from Latin America. This will be an interactive symposium in Spanish, offering opportunities to network and examine interreligious challenges that are particular to Latin America. The goals are twofold: (1) to develop better communication among the interreligious communities of Latin America and (2) to connect the communities individually and collectively with the global Parliament.
Children and young people are on a journey of spiritual discovery and learning, doubt and questioning, wonder and fear. They have a compelling curiosity about the world, its people and what lies beyond. This symposium provides a major professional opportunity for teachers involved in interreligious and intercultural studies, as well as world religions, values and conflict resolution studies. Educators of many religious and spiritual traditions will share their diverse experiences and expertise with symposium participants. Teachers at all levels of the educational curriculum - primary, secondary slower and upper) and tertiary - will find sessions that are sure to inspire them with new ideas for themselves and for their students. See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: Innovative Approaches to Multicultural and Interfaith Education in Schools 5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 104 Convening Education Session: Schooling, Young People and Social Inclusion 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 210 Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 103 Jewish-Christian-Muslim Association of Australia (JCMA): A Working Model of Interfaith in Action 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 215 Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 207 Talking Faiths: Your Story, My Story and Our Story, across Schools and the World Wide Web 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 104 Spiritual Education and Interreligious Learning for Primary (Elementaryl and Secondary Students 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 104 Religion and Belief in Public Schools 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 102 Interfaith Dialogue in Victorian Schools 8 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 219
En Español: Inspirada por el Parlamento de Barcelona de 2004, la ciudad de Monterrey, México se puso a la vanguardia y orchestró un evento social, cultural e interreligioso que atrajo miles de participantes. El Forum de Monterrey del año 2007 invitó la participación del Parlamento para servir como un puente importante y para desarrollar relaciones estrechas entre el Parlamento y las comunidades interreligiosas de México. Desde aquél entonces, por medio de la Red de Ciudades Hermanas, dirigida por Zabrina Santiago, el Parlamento ha buscado maneras de profundizar y fortalecer los vínculos con las diversas comunidades interreligiosas de America Latina. Facilitará este simposium Ruth Broyde Sharone, la representante de la Red de Ciudades Hermanas, la cual visitó cuatro países de America Latina este año: México, Costa Rica, Colombia, y Argentina. El simposium esta dedicado a los participantes de Latinoamérica que se encuentren en el Parlamento de Melbourne. Esto será un simposium interactivo en español. Ofrecerá oportunidades de "networking" y de examinar los desafios particulares de America Latina. Los objetivos son dos: (1) desarrollar mejor comunicación entre si y (2) vincular las comunidades individualmente y colectivamente con el Parlamento global. See back of book for full descriptions. Vea detrás del libro para las descripciones completas. Schedule/Horario: Spanish Language Session 1 of 2 7 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 101 Spanish Language Session 2 of 2 7 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 101
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Special Events
The Parliament of the World's Religions is pleased to offer these special events. Each provides a unique opportunity to showcase an extraordinary aspect of the global interreligious movement. Don't miss them!
page 112
Indigenous Reception 3 December
Landscape of Faith 5 December
page 112
page 112
International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception 5 December
Paul Carus Award 5 December
page 112
Indigenous Assembly 7 December
page 112
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders 8 December
page 113
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Special Events
for the Council to recognize those who have made unique contributions in support of the 2009 Parliament, and to set in motion the expansion of Partner Cities Network over the course of the next five years.
Indigenous Reception 3 December 2009 2:00-4:00pm Room 105 This Reception is a private event for all international Indigenous speakers, their spouses, Indigenous Peoples in the community, local dignitaries, affiliated boards and staff of the Parliament of the World's Religions. The International Indigenous Task Force and the Indigenous Australian Planning Committee of Melbourne are very pleased to greet such a sizeable and excited group at the Indigenous Reception. The high calibre of these Indigenous speakers will undoubtedly initiate and cultivate some very thrilling endeavours. We anticipate that the bond among all the Indigenous attendees from worldwide will continue to grow and inspire the innovative ideals of the Parliament as well as their surrounding communities.
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community 5 December 2009 9:30am-6:00pm Room 220 This special event is presented in partnership with the Temple of Understanding. This interreligious educational one-day seminar seeks to provide a context for community building by addressing the challenges of prejudice, injustice and alienation from the earth while weaving the possibility of transformation through the arts throughout the day. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. See back of book for full descriptions. Schedule: Part I: Living in Community 9:30-11:00am Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice 11:30am-1:00pm Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World 2:30-4:00pm Part IV: The Arts as Transformation 4:30-6:00pm
Paul Carus Award 5 December 2009 7:30-9:00pm Plenary Hall The Award will be bestowed at the International Plenary on Saturday 5 December. The Council is again honoured to announce the 2009 Paul Carus Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Interreligious Movement, to be presented by the Carus Family on the occasion of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. This award will be given in the amount of $100,000 (USD) to an individual, community or organisation that has contributed in an extraordinary way to the international interreligious movement. Join us for the dedication of this award during the International Plenary as a way of recognizing the nominees and the selected winner. As a capstone special event, the Paul Carus Award will emphasize and celebrate the power of interreligious action to effect change around the world. Members of the Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions' International Advisory Committee have advised the Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions on criteria and selection of the current and future recipients of this prestigious award. The first Paul Carus Award was presented to Bishop McLeod Baker Ochola Il and the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona. This year's award will add yet another deserving recipient to this distinguished list.
International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception 5 December 2009 2:30-4:00pm Room 212
Indigenous Assembly 7 December 2009 9:00am-7:00pm Abbotsford Convent Because the Assembly is designed as a working session, attendance is by invitation only. The gathering, hosted by the Indigenous Australian Planning Committee of Melbourne, will provide a much-needed forum for the Indigenous representatives from several countries to discuss common issues and to strategize on ways to address some of these issues. The Assembly will begin with an of ficial "Welcome to Country" by Indigenous Australian Elders, followed by roundtable discussions covering several key topics, including issues such as shared loss of heritage, identity. language, natural resources and land, as well as desecration of sacred sites. During the Assembly, the Indigenous Australian representatives will also have an opportunity to acquaint attendees with their local history: survival challenges, and current efforts to preserve their land, culture, language and spiritual practices. The roundtable discussion groups will include Indigenous leaders who can address issues, provide models and work to formulate programs that could be shared in future gatherings.
Attendance at this Reception is by invitation only. This special reception will honour Legacy Partner Cities, 2009 Parliament Ambassadors and Pre-Parliament Event hosts from over 70 cities around the world. This unique event provides an opportunity
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Special Events
Break, 11:00-11:30am
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders 8 December 2009 8:00am-1:00pm Room 202 A special feature of the Melbourne Parliament will be an assembly of a number of the most outstanding spiritual leaders of India. The convocation of saints will begin with Vedic chanting, prayers, meditation and music. These opening observances will be followed by a number of eminent speakers on universal themes, such as spiritual values and peace, as well as current issues such as humanitarian work, education and the environment. All are welcome at this very inspiring and enlightening gathering! Schedule: Opening Ceremony, 8:00-9:00am • Welcome
Srimati Tara Rajkumar, OAM • Opening Invocation Rajarathina Sarma Premakantha Kurukkal Bsc,
Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple • Vedic Chanting
Visiting Spiritual Leaders • Rejang Sacred Dance
Ni Ketut Arini, Bali, Indonesia • Address
H. H. Dadi Janki, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University • Kirtan
International Society for Krishna Consciousness • Address
Dada J. P. Vaswani, Sadhu Vaswani Mission • Bharat Natyam
Dr. Chanderabhanu, Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy of Indian Classical dance and Music • Closing Prayer Swami Parameshananda, Bharat Sevashram Sangha
Convocation: Part Two, 11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Presiding: Dr. Arvind Sharma, McGill University • Opening Prayer
Her Grace Taraka Devi Dasi, International Society for Krishna Consciousness • Address
H. H. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, 163rd Preceptor. Kailasha Parampara of the Nadinatha Sampradaya • Address
Sri Paramahamsa Prajnanananda Giri, Kriya Yoga
Prajnana Mission • Address
H. H. Swami Sandeep Chaitanya, School of Bhagavad Gita • Address
Sri Swami Mayatitananda Saraswati, Wise Earth School
of Ayurveda • Address
H. H. Dr. Swami Avdeshanand Giri, Juna Peeth and Acharya Sabha • Reading of the Hindu Declaration on Climate Change Closing Prayer Ida Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, Chief Priest, Indonesian Hindu Council
Convocation: Part One, 9:30-11:00 a.m. Presiding: Dr. Seshagiri Rao, Encyclopaedia of Hinduism and Indic Religions • Opening Prayer
H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living • Address
H. H. Swami Amarananda, Centre Vedantique, Geneva • Address
Amma Sri Karunamayi, Penusila Ashram • Address
H. H. Swami Chidananda Saraswati, Paramarth Niketan and India Heritage Foundation • Address
Yogini Sri Chandra Kali Prasad Mataji, Sri Kali Gardens Ashram • Address
H. H. Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, Jeeyar Educational Trust • Closing Prayer
Sevadevi Glover, Yoga in Daily Life and Ayurveda Yoga Australia
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Intrareligious Sessions
The 2009 Parliament includes the opportunity for religious and spiritual communities to express their values. vibrancy and commitments. Many of these sessions are combined panels, to allow for multiple voices from each religious tradition and to express a variety of perspectives from different geographic locations. A broad variety of religious and spiritual traditions will be included, along with spiritual and secular perspectives.
Baha'i Intrareligious Sessions Session Title Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Baha'i Approach The Sacred Journey A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 217 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 209 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 102
Buddhist Intrareligious Sessions Session Title Introduction to Big Mind Big Heart Pure Mind, Pure Land: A New Lifestyle for World Harmony Turning the Dharma Wheel Working with Self. Benefiting Others A Buddhism for Today: Introduction to Rissho Kosei-kai Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace Living Mindfully For A Peaceful And Sustainable Future A Buddhist Story Just for you
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 214 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 110 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 103 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 211 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 203 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 110 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 214 8 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 217
Christian Intrareligious Sessions
Sec back of book for full descriptions. Session Title
Date Time
Location Meditation: The Heart of All Things
4 Dec 9:30-11:00 am
Room 220 How a Profound Spiritual Theology can Overthrow Poverty 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 214 Christian Action and Witness For the Environment: What You 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 108 Can Do When You Go Home Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir 5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 201 Orthodoxy in Australia: Current and Future Perspectives 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 104 Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous 6 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 103 Peoples Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 111 Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: 'Traces of the Trade 8 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 107 Introducing Quakers: What Canst Thou Say?
9 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 108 Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and 9 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 104 Melbourne
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Intrareligious Sessions
Hindu Intrareligious Sessions
Session Title
Many Meanings of the Ramayana
The Divine Purpose of Life: The Hindu Journey Within
Hindu Meditations for the Earth
5 Dec
5 Dec
Krishna Consciousness and the Environment Om Shanthi Om
5 Dec
6 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
Hindu Spirituality in Dance: Odissi Performance Hindu Perspectives on Interfaith Understanding Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part One Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part Two Hindu Intrafaith Meet: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing 8 Dec Hinduism in the Western World
8 Dec
Indigenous Intrareligious Sessions
Session Title
Indigenous Perspectives on Conflict Resolution
Indigenous Biodiversity
Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 1)
The Wurundjeri People of Melbourne
Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, the Gunditjmara People and Brambuk Cultural Centre
The Samoan Experience
Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths
Working Together, The Health of Two Worlds
Repatriation: Reclaiming Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights
Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 2)
Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones
Colonisation: Indigenous Peoples Striving for Self
Determination
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
Maori Custom Law and Listening to the Land-Australian Aboriginal Meditation
Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways

4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
The Chiefs' Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation 4 Dec Climate Change and the Arctic: The indigenous Perspective Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1]
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
See back of book for full descriptions. Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
Indigenous Perspective on Education: Building Academic Skills 5 Dec
with a Strong Cultural Grounding
Striving to Live in a Liveable World (Session 1)
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
5 Dec
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am

2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Location
Room 101
Room 102
Room 101
Room 111
Room 201
Room 201
Room 101
Room 202
Room 202
Room 202
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
Location
Room 210
Room 208
Room 108
Room 217
Room 105
Room 211
Room 218
Room 102
Room 111
Room 107
Room 101
Room 208
Room 209
Room 108
Room 215
Room 219
Room 111
Room 209
Room 216
Room 215
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Intrareligious Sessions
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 208
5 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 102 Room 217 Plenary Hall
6 Dec 6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 201 Room 111
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
Room 210 Room 209 Room 214
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 21 Rivers of the Heart: Indigenous Knowledge and Literature Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 11 Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Session Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Workshop Striving to Live in a Liveable World (Session 2) Accommodating Indigenous Spirituality in the Contemporary World: Valuing and Respecting the Importance of Indigenous Spirituality Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 21 Knowing Home: A Presentation of Indigenous Spirituality Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education Veneration of the Ancestors UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples International Indigenous Repatriation Kanyini Spirituality and the Western World Burying and Resurrecting Our Tlingit Culture Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World Understanding Vodun: A West African Spirituality Traditional Knowledge: The Value of Teaching and Preserving Traditional Knowledge Development of Indigenous Foundations: Helping Communities Develop Foundations for Indigenous Peoples Aboriginal Women - Healing the Land and its People Indigenous Food Insecurity The Haudenosaunee Prophecy The Black GST (Genocide. Sovereignty. Treaty The Stolen Generation and The Apology Beyond the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Belief Systems and Their Deeper Philosophic Construct Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family Reviving and Maintaining Indigenous Languages: Saving Indigenous Languages in the Face of Globalisation Health and Healing: Indigenous Healing in the Modern Allopathic Medical World
6 Dec 6 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1.00pm
Room 217 Room 218 Room 105 Room 102 Room 216 Room 213 Room 111 Room 110 Room 105 Room 218 Room 105 Room 209 Room 210
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 215
8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 207 Room 111 Room 213 Room 106 Room 212 Room 102
9 Dec
9 Dec
9 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 111 Room 103
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 208
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Intrareligious Sessions
Jain Intrareligious Sessions
Session Title
Jain principles for Corporate Social Responsibility Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa and Sustainable Living Jain Heritage and Education for Peace and Harmony Jainism and the Environment
Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education
Jewish Intrareligious Sessions Session Title
Strengthening One's Faith Through Interfaith Dialogue The Torah through Paintings and Poetry
Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam (Healing the World) Diversity, Unity and Community: Charting a Course for the Jews under the Southern Cross
Muslim Intrareligious Sessions
Session Title
Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle
Islam 101 Series: Reverence for the Virgin Mary and Jesus in Islam
Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith Respecting and Defending Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles: An Islamic Global Perspective
Sufism and Peace: A Meeting Point for All Religious Traditions New Muslim Cool
Islam and Politics: Faith, Governance and Society
Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion
The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice
The Gulen Movement's Global Peace and Social Reconciliation Vision and Projects: Lessons Learned from Germany, the US and Medina
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism
Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India
Islam 101 Series: War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle
The Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan: Universal Sufism
An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis
Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam

See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
7 Dec 7 Dec
9 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 5 Dec
6 Dec
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time 4 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
6 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec

9:30-11:00am 8:00-9:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
Location
Room 207
Room 208
Room 213
Room 208
Room 214
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Location
Room 207
Room 218
Room 215
Room 207
Location
Room 219
Room 216
Room 209
Plenary Hall
Room 104
Room 107
Room 202
Room 106
Room 213
Room 218
Room 109
Room 216
Room 219
Room 213
Room 202
Room 102
Room 107
Room 219
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Intrareligious Sessions
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 110
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 220
7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 208 Room 219 Room 219
Islam 101 Series: Applying Islamic Principles for a Just and Sustainable World Islamic Finance: The Compassionate Approach to Market and Money Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media The Muslim Green: Muslim Contributions to Healing the Earth Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto Rican-American and Australian Voices Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran Leadership Among Muslim Males in the Post-9/11 Era Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 106
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 220
9 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Room 203 Room 217 Room 218
9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 204
Pagan Intrareligious Sessions Session Title People Call Us Pagan - The European Indigenous Traditions Peace at the Heart of the World Celtic Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions Men Who Love the Goddess Australian Pagans Speak: A Community Forum The Revival of the European Pagan Religions
See back of book for full descriptions Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 111 4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 202 5 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 104 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 105 7 Dec 9:30-11:00 am Room 217 9 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 220
Sikh Intrareligious Sessions Session Title Interfaith Understanding in Sikh Theology and History Sikh Youth Perspectives Preservation of Sikh Heritage Gender and Equality and the Sikh Faith Sikh Panel on Principles and Articles of Faith An Exploration of Gurmat Sangeet - Sikh Musical Heritage Sikh Diaspora and Global Sikh Community Cohesion and Unity in the Sikh Community Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective
See back of book for full descriptions Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 110 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 210 6 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 217 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 101 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 108 7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 201 8 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 108 8 Dec 9:30-11:00am
Room 207 9 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 110
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Intrareligious Sessions
Zoroastrian Intrareligious Sessions
Session Title
Zoroastrianism: Its Stewardship for All Creation, The Animate and Inanimate
Zoroastrians: Their Imperative to be Bridge Builders
The Many Faces of Peace
The Zoroastrian Ethos of Compassion
Intrareligious Sessions of Diverse
Traditions
Session Title
Rev Moon's Vision of Global Family
A Religion of Healthy Mindedness - New Thought's Uniquely American Contribution to the Arena of New Religious Community
Unitarian Universalists - Working for Peace, Civil Rights, and Earth
Sri Chinmoy: A Spirituality of Transformation
Cultivating Universal Intelligence
The Spiritual Tradition of Scientology
Meditation: the Ultimate Transformative Experience Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture A Course in Miracles Unleashed: A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment of the Human Species
Living a Good Life: The Secular Way
Rastafari: The Livity of Spirituality
Creating a Stress-Free Mind and a Violence-Free World: Violence Ends Where Love Begins
The Urantia Papers-What's Love got to do with it? I-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace

See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time 5 Dec
6 Dec 7 Dec
8 Dec
Date
4 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec
See back of book for full descriptions.
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am

9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
Time
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm
Location
Room 208
4:30-6:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 111
Room 207
Room 210
Location
Room 104
Room 203
Room 218
Room 217
Room 210
Room 218
Room 215
Room 209
Room 104
Room 109
Room 209
Room 202
Room 102 Room 217
www.parliamentofreligions.org 119

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Regional Sessions
The representation of regional and religious diversity is one of the ongoing aims of the Parliament of the World's Religions. By bringing together individuals of diverse personal and geographic backgrounds, the Parliament hopes to foster a broader understanding with all inhabitants of the earth. These sessions showcase the voices, worldviews, cultures and religious and spiritual traditions that otherwise may go unheard on the global stage. They
focus on local endeavours and on bridging diverse regions through a focus on individual response to global themes. You are invited to explore the different perspectives of fered in these sessions and discover the often multi-faceted means of understanding and tackling issues such as climate change, poverty and conflict around the world.
Sessions related to Africa
See back of book for full descriptions Session Title
Date Time
Location Yoruba Religious Observance
4 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 214 South African Songs for the Soul
4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 201 Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 209 Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: 5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Plenary Hall Challenges for Faith Interfaith and the Future of Africa
5 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 202 Interreligious Regional Concerns: Africa
5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm Room 110 African Religions in Latin America
7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 102 Veneration of the Ancestors
8 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 216 The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of Muslim-Christian 8 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 103 Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria Rastafari: The Livity of Spirituality
9:30-11:00am Room 209 Understanding Vodun: A West African Spirituality
8 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 209 Revelations Chapter 1
8 Dec 4:30-6:00pm Room 201 Catholic Mass, Coptic Rite
9 Dec 8:00-9:00am Room 215
8 Dec
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 5 Dec 8:00-9:00am Room 108 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 104 5 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 110
Sessions related to East Asia Session Title Given Life by Heaven and Earth: A Shinto Observance Challenge of Shinto: An Approach to Living Together in Diversity Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (Religions for Peace Asial Role of Youth Seon (Zen) Meditation Practise Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture East Asian Perspectives on Ecology The Changing Shifts in Religion and Spirituality on the AsiaPacific Rim Ainu Indigenous Spirituality and Culture of Japan The Way of Balance
6 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 216 Room 102 Room 209 Room 219 Room 103
8 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 214 Room 207
120 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #125

Regional Sessions
Sessions related to South Asia
Session Title
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
Naga Chants
Om Shanthi Om
Asian Conference of Religions for Peace [Religions for Peace Asia)
The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue: International Association for Religious Freedom and Its Work in India Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations
Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India
New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (India)
Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection]
Gurbani Kirtan: Sikh Sacred Classical Music
Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies
Sacred Music of India: Natesan Ramani and Manjiri Kelkar Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Opening Ceremony Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part One Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part Two
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Afghanistan
Sessions related to Southeast Asia Session Title
Appreciating and Cultivating Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) and Pancasila to Address Religious Radicalisms in Indonesia
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (Southeast Asia)
Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in TimorLeste
Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (Religions for Peace Asial
Outreach to Indigenous Aetas in the Philippines
Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide:
Where Does Faith Come in?
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of the Philippines
Movement Mudra of Traditional Solonese Dance
Offerings for Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana / World Peace Barong

See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec 7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec 8 Dec
8 Dec
4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am

2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time 4 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
Location
Room 108
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 201
Room 201
Room 110
Room 213
Room 108
Room 209
Room 213
Room 210
Room 210
Room 220
Room 209
Room 201
Room 202
Room 202
Room 202 Room 203
Location
Room 102
Room 108
Room 213
Room 218
Room 110
Room 214
Room 208
Room 212
Room 102
Room 214
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Regional Sessions
Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies
Religious Conflict and Persecution: The Cases of Myanmar, Thailand and Iran
Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Thailand UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations
The Changing Shifts in Religion and Spirituality on the AsiaPacific Rim
Unity in Diversity through the Arts and Religiosity of Indonesia Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Myanmar Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict
Sessions related to Europe
Session Title
People Call Us Pagan - The European Indigenous Traditions Celtic Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India
Catholic Mass, Ukrainian Rite Interreligious Regional Concerns: Europe The Revival of the European Pagan Religions
Sessions related to Latin America
Session Title
Building a Culture of Peace- Development on the ground in El Salvador
Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection)
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: the Case of Colombia
African Religions in Latin America
Sessions related to the Middle East Session Title
Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies
Learn Arabic Letters in 90 Minutes-An Interfaith Cultural Presentation You Can Use
Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations
122 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions
7 Dec
Jain Education Intemational
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
Migrar o Morir/Paying the Price (Premier Film Series Selection) 7 Dec
Spanish Language Session 1 of 2
7 Dec 7 Dec
Spanish Language Session 2 of 2
7-Dec
8-Dec
9-Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm

See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4-Dec
5-Dec
6-Dec
9:30-11:00am
8:00-9:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
8:00-9:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
9:30-11:00am
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 209
Room 217
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date 6 Dec
Time 2:30-4:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 109
Room 213
4:30-6:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
Room 103
Room 208
Room 109
Room 207
Location
Room 111
Room 104
Room 213
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time 4 Dec
4 Dec
Room 110
Room 109
Room 220
Location
Room 108
Room 210
Room 212
Room 102
Room 107
Room 101
Room 101
Location
Room 212 Room 108
Room 108
Room 209

Page #127

Regional Sessions
6 Dec
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
Room 216
6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
Room 203
7 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 217
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran Religion, Conflict and Peace building: The Case of Israel-West Bank-Gaza Religious Conflict and Persecution: The Cases of Myanmar, Thailand and Iran Interreligious Regional Concerns: Middle East Peacemaking in the Middle East Sport as a tool for Peace - Daily Youth Session 'Tackling Peace' and 'SAG (it's all about human rights) A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran
7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 11:30am-1:00pm 11:30am - 1:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 218 Room 105 Room 201 Room 107 Room 203
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 203
4 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 107 Room 219 Room 107 Room 218 Room 214
Sessions related to North America Session Title A Religion of Healthy Mindedness - New Thought's Uniquely American Contribution to the Arena of New Religious Community New Muslim Cool Observance in the Haudenosaunee Prophecy and Spirituality Divided We Fall African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice Decolonising our Hearts and Minds, Healing the Earth and Ourselves: North American Indigenous Perspectives American Outrage Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection) Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples Returning to Right Relations between Christians and indigenous Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning Journey into America Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies Joanne Shenandoah: Healing Through Music Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action Observance on (Native American) Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality Not Broken The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: "Traces of the Trade Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action (Second Showing) The Haudenosaunee Prophecy
6 Dec 6 Dec 6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
Room 107 Room 210 Room 103
7 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 111
7 Dec 7 Dec
9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 107 Room 209
7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 8:00-9:00am 9:30-11:00am 2:30-4:00pm 9:00-10:30pm 9:30-11:00am
Room 201 Room 107 Room 212 Room 107 Room 107 Room 107 Room 213
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Regional Sessions
Sessions related to Oceania
Session Title
The Mandaeans in Australia: Baptism, Living Water and the Link to John the Baptist
Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human Rights Commission
Strangers in a Strange Land: Integration of Religious Minorities, their Families and their Identities into Australia
The Samoan Experience
4 Dec
Building a Sense of Belonging in a Culturally Diverse Australia - 4 Dec The Australian Government's Role
Caring Practices for the Earth - Australia and USA Green Faith The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 1)
Neighbourhoods of Difference: The Uniting Church in Australia and Interfaith Relations
Interfaith in Australia: The Co-ordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations
Religion, Conflict, and Peace building: The Case of Papua New Guinea
'The Imam and the Pastor' and 'Australia's Muslim Women' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir Integration of Immigrants and Refugees into Australia: Interfaith and Cross-cultural Understanding
Orthodoxy in Australia: Current and Future Perspectives Religious Identity Formation: The Templars in Australia Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning
Poverty, Health and Religion in Australia
Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-Peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools Australian Pagans Speak: A Community Forum
Beyond Beliefs - Muslims and Non-Muslims Living in Australia UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 1) 5 Dec
5 Dec
Maori Custom Law and Listening to the Land-Australian Aboriginal Meditation
The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania
Restoring Peace and Fostering Dialogue within Religious Traditions: The Experience of Christian Ecumenism in Australia and Beyond
The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, Australia and New Zealand
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
124 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions
4 Dec

4 Dec
4 Dec 4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec 6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec 7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec 8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec

8:00-9:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
4:30-6:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
2:30-4:00pm 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am
Location
Room 210
Room 204
Room 211
Room 202
Room 220
Room 218
Room 220
Room 213
Room 103
Room 202
Room 216
Room 203
Room 107
Room 201
Room 108
Room 104
Room 215
Room 111
Rooms 105 & 106 Room 103
Room 217
Room 107
Room 213
Room 211
Room 203
Room 102 Room 212

Page #129

Regional Sessions
Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives
The Changing Shifts in Religion and Spirituality on the AsiaPacific Rim
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation [Part 2] Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment.
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 2) Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects
8 Dec

8 Dec
Rivers of Life: Community, Water and Spirit in Australia
Interfaith Australia, Social Cohesion and the Muslim Communities
Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience
9 Dec
Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and 9 Dec Melbourne
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
9 Dec

11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
2:30-4:00pm 2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am
11:30am-1:00pm
Room 104
Room 103
Room 110
Room 102
Room 213
Room 209
Room 204
Room 104
Room 210
Room 204
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Observances
The 2009 Parliament offers the opportunity to deepen your own spirituality and get to know others. Each morning, a wide range of services - Eastern, Western, traditional, creative, theistic, atheistic and more - are offered. Don't miss the opportunity to observe the Parliament's vast array of spiritual offerings while celebrating your own.
Baha'i Observance
Session Title
Baha'i Devotional Gathering: 'The Earth is but One Country'
Buddhist Observances
Session Title
Silent Meditation - Ch'an
Meditation as a Therapy: How Traditional Techniques Translate into Modern Healing
Invoking Inner Tranquillity: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation Guided Metta (Loving-Kindness) Meditation
Middle Way Meditation
Seon (Zen) Meditation Practise
Meditation Training and Practice
Melbourne Buddhist Leaders Observance
Chan Meditation to Ease the Body and Mind at All Times and on All Occasions
Christian Observances
Session Title
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite-Friday
A Celebration of the Cosmos and its Processes from a Mystical, Inclusive Perspective
Observance Session with Father Freeman
Anglican Sunday Morning Liturgy
Catholic Mass, Ukrainian Rite
Uniting Church Prayer Service
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite-Tuesday
Worship and Justice
Catholic Mass, Coptic Rite
Hindu Observances
Session Title
5 Dec
5 Dec
Respect for the Earth: A Morning Observance
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Morning Observance 6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition
126 PWR-Parliament of the World's Religions
See back of book for full descriptions. Date
Time
6 Dec

Date
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
9 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Time

8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 4 Dec
4 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
Location
Room 209
Location
Room 109
Room 216
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 209
Room 111
Room 217
Room 102
Room 103
Room 218
Room 110
Location
Room 104
Room 215
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 4 Dec 4 Dec
Room 210
Room 204
Room 103
Room 105
Room 110
Room 111
Room 104
Room 102
Room 215
Location
Room 101
Room 216

Page #131

Observances
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth I
Yoga as a Spiritual Practice
Sri Sri Yoga: A Celebration of the Diversity in Yoga Taking 'just-a-minute: Meditation on the Move
Shum, A Language of Meditation
Self-Inquiry: The Yoga of Thought and Feeling Meditation and Sacred Music
Hindu Meditation: Spirituality in Everyday Life
Criteria for Deciding the Eternal Truths
Living Ahimsa Meditation: The Power of Harmony in our Thoughts, Speech and Action
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Opening Ceremony
Sunrise Yoga
Viswamitra in Union with the Universe
Master Class in Raja Yoga: A Pathway to Healing and Transformation
Indigenous Observances
Session Title
Yoruba Religious Observance
Observance on Dene (Indigenous Canadian) Spirituality Observance in the Haudenosaunee Prophecy and Spirituality Observance on (Native American) Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality Observance on Zimbabwe Shona/Nodebele Spirituality Observance on Tlinglit (Indigenous Alaskan Native) Spirituality
Jain Observances
Session Title
How a Jain Starts the Day: The Rituals
Preksha Meditation
Daily Puja: The Daily Jain Ritual of a Shwetambar Jain Idol Worshiper
Ancient Jain Mantra: Sound and Spirituality
Jewish Observances
Session Title
Jewish Morning Observance - Saturday Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Monday Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Tuesday Contemplative Shacharit [Jewish Morning) Service Jewish Reform Morning Observance - Wednesday

4 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec 8 Dec
9 Dec
9 Dec
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
9 Dec
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
4 Dec 5 Dec
8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec

8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
See back of book for full descriptions.
Date
Time
4 Dec
5 Dec
7 Dec
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
Room 101
Room 102
Room 110
Room 101
Room 110
Room 214
Room 212
Room 108
Room 204
Room 109
8:00-9:00am
Room 202
Room 220
Room 204
Room 212
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Location
Room 214
Room 218
Room 219
Room 212
Room 208
Room 217
Location
Room 103
Room 102
Room 217
See back of book for full descriptions.
Time
Date 5 Dec
7 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
9 Dec
Room 105
Location
Room 103
Room 103
Room 218
Room 216
Room 103
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Observances
See back of book for full descriptions, Date Time
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am Room 207
4 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 108
4 Dec 5 Dec
1:00-2:30pm 8:00-9:00am
Room 202 Room 212
6 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 208
Muslim Observances Session Title The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World Calling out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And Its Benefits for Inner Peace Friday Jumu'ah Congregational Prayer The Art of Quran Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern Remembrance of Allah and His Prophet Through Song The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth 11 So That You May Know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an Purifying the Heart and Soul through Remembrance of Allah: Dhikr As An Islamic Devotional Act for Inner Peace Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat & Inner Peace A Qur'anic Moral Imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
6 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 204 Room 207 Room 207
7 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 216
8 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 216
8 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 207
9 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 220
See back of book for full descriptions.
New Religious and Spiritual Movement Observances Session Title Gathering of the Spirit of Peace in All I Kuan Tao - Melbourne The Power of Spiritual Experience A Celebration of Urantia, Our Planet
Date 5 Dec 5 Dec 7 Dec 9 Dec
Time 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Location Room 111 Room 217 Room 101 Room 208
Time
Pagan Observances Session Title Dancing the Seven Sacred Directions Solstice Sites and Celebrations Sing Praise for the Earth Whole Self - Whole Earth
See back of book for full descriptions. Date
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 111 5 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 214 8 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 101 Dec 8:00-9:00am Room 102
Shinto Observances Session Title Morning Observance with Dr Haruhisa Handa (Toshu Fukamil Given Life by Heaven and Earth: A Shinto Observance Shinto Prayer for the Sunrise Ritual
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am Room 105 5 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 108 8 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 110
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Observances
Sikh Observances Session Title Gurbani Kirtan: Sikh Sacred Classical Music Sikh Observance organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Devotional Singing and Meditation for Inner Peace Sunrise Morning Sadhana Sikh Observance by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
See back of book for full descriptions Date Time
Location 7 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 220 8 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 109
8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 217 Room 108 Room 109
Zoroastrian Observances Session Title Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 1 Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 2
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 5 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 218 6 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 218
See back of book for full descriptions. Date Time
Location 4 Dec 8:00-9:00am
Room 202
4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 5 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 208 Room 203 Room 215 Room 203
5 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 207
6 Dec 6 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 216 Room 102
Observances of Diverse Traditions Session Title The Path of a Multifaith Chaplaincy: Parliament Labyrinth as Spiritual Observance Celebrating Diversity and Unity: An Inclusive Spiritual Service The Breath of Life Awakening Meditation Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace: Healing Our Earth, Our Faith and Ourselves Global Meditation: Experiencing a Powerful Key To Healing. Transformation, and Empowerment Guided Gathering of Mind through Seven Steps Sukyo Mahikari: Light and Principles for Peace and Harmony Whatever the Faith Self-Enquiry Meditation Five Pillars of Spiritual Life Seeking Heaven on Earth - Our Common Quest The Still Mind, Emptiness and Divine Love Healing the Earth: A Meditation of Universal Oneness Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony for Reconciliation Among Religions and Peace Among Nations Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony The Way of Balance Living in Peace Not Pieces: How to Find and Remain Anchored in Joy, Peace, and Bliss Amidst the Waves and Storms of Daily Life
7 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec
8:00-9:00 am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am 4:30-6:00pm
Room 214 Room 212 Room 214 Room 108 Room 215 Room 220
9 Dec
8:00-9:00am
Room 214
9 Dec 7 Dec
8:00-9:00am 8:00-9:00am
Room 207 Room 203
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Films
chronicles Inupiat history that spans 150 years, starting with the epidemics, followed by the missionaries and what happened to the Inupiat children with the establishment of a boarding school.
Stories are a medium through which we encounter the personal and communal power of religion and spirituality Films provide a vivid way to tell those stories and gain new perspectives and understanding. The 2009 Parliament Program will include screenings of an outstanding array of films. This premier film series was developed in collaboration with the Hartley Film Foundation and Auburn Media and includes the best of current documentaries on the world's religious and spiritual traditions that are also related to 2009 Parliament themes. Parliament attendees will be enriched, informed and delighted by these extraordinary films.
Subtheme: Securing Food and Water for All People Migrar o Morir/Paying the Price: Migrant Workers in the Toxic Fields of Sinoloa 7 December 2009 2:30-4:00pm Room 107 This film examines the lives of impoverished workers from Guerrero, Mexico, who migrate to Sinaloa to pick exotic Chinese vegetables for the export trade. It is a devastating portrait of hardship - from these migrants community of origin, largely abandoned by the local and state governments, to the inhumane and slave-like working conditions of the migrant camp.
Premier Film Series winners include:
Subtheme: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism 9 December 2009 11:30am - 1:00pm Room 110 Across the United States, people of faith, spirit and goodwill are standing up for the environment - from Evangelical Christians fighting mountaintop removal, to Muslims supporting sustainable farming, to Jews helping children experience the bond between nature and spirituality. This documentary portrays the growing movement of religious and spiritual communities united in their efforts to protect the precious life on our planet.
Thirst 6 December 2009 4:30 - 6:00pm Room 210 Is water part of a "shared commons" - a human right for all people? Or is it a commodity to be bought, sold and traded in a global marketplace? Thirst tells the story of communities in Bolivia, India and the United States that are asking these fundamental questions
Subtheme: Indigenous Peoples Dhakiyarr vs. the King 7 December 2009 4:30 - 6:00pm Room 210 The family of the great Yolngu leader Dhakiyarr Wirrpanda is searching for answers. Seventy years after his controversial murder trial and subsequent disappearance, Dhakiyarr's body still has not been found. His descendants know that justice has not been served. They want to restore what was denied to him: his honour. This is their story, told in their own words - of two laws, two cultures and two families coming to terms with the past. Dhakiyarr vs. the King is the story of the Yolngu People of northeast Arnhem Land, Australia.
Subtheme: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice Pray the Devil Back to Hell 8 December 2009 4:30 - 6:00pm Room 214 Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of women - ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim - came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white t-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they took on the warlords and non-violently forced a resolution during the stalled peace talks in their country.
History of the Inupiat: Nipaa Ilitqusipta/The Voice of Our Spirit 5 December 2009 9:30 - 11:00am Room 107 The Voice of Our Spirit follows individuals, young and old, who struggle with the loss of language in their own personal way. "For a long time now I have been wondering why I don't speak my language," says Dora "Aluniq Brower of Barrow, Alaska, in the film's opening minutes. "I would always hear it around me because my parents and my grandparents were speaking, but when it came to us children they would speak to us in English. It wasn't expected of me to speak back in Inupiaq." The film
Subtheme: Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai 5 December 2009 4:30 - 6:00pm Room 211 When rural Kenyan women lacked firewood and clean drinking water, Wangari Maathai suggested they plant trees. Discover how this simple act led to overthrowing a dictator and the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Films
Subtheme: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace The Dhamma Brothers 6 December 2009 11:30am - 1:00pm Room 107 The Dhamma Brothers is a moving story of transformation. Men held in an overcrowded maximum-security prison in Bessemer, Alabama, are forever changed by a meditation program. The Dhamma Brothers has been described as a film where "East meets West in the Deep South," an apt portrait of what happens to a number of hardened criminals who volunteer for a ten-day Vipassana retreat.
Q & A will be hosted by Macky Alston, who serves as Director of Auburn Media at Auburn Theological Seminary, dedicated to informed, engaging coverage of religion in the media. Alston is an award-winning filmmaker and an organiser in the worlds of media and religion. He has received the Sundance Film Festival Freedom of Expression Award, the Gotham Open Palm Award, three Emmy nominations, and appeared widely in the press, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show and The New York Times (www.mackyalston.com).
Praying with Lior 4 December 2009
4:30 - 6:00pm
Room 210
This film series was curated by Macky Alston, Executive Director of Auburn Media; filmmaker, Barbara Abrash, Director of Public Programs at the Centre for Religion and Media, New York University; Faye Ginsburg, David B. Kriser Professor of Anthropology and Co-Director of the Centre for Religion and Media, New York University: Sarah Masters, Managing Director of Hartley Film Foundation; Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Program; Alison van Dyk, Executive Director of The Temple of Understanding: Dean Wilson, Consultant to the Film Studies Program, Vietnam National University in Hanoi; and Angelo Zito, Co-Director of the Centre for Religion and Media, New York University
Praying with Lior challenges our beliefs about whom and how one speaks to God. The film follows Lior Liebling. a thirteen-year-old boy with Down Syndrome nicknamed "the little rebbe," for the four months that lead up to his Bar Mitzvah. The filmmaker brings to life a stirring story of how a community grapples with the particular gifts and handicaps of a special needs child, and how that child views meaning from his particular social location.
All curated film screenings will be followed by a Q & A.
Other Films (not curated)
See back of book for full descriptions. Session Title
Date Time
Location Numen: The Nature of Plants
4 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 107 "The Green Patriarch' and 'The Arctic: The Consequences 4 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 107 of Human Folly The Chiefs' Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation 4 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 107 Not in God's Name
4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 109 New Muslim Cool
4 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 107 Soldiers of Peace
4 Dec 9:00-10:30pm Room 107 Divided We Fall
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm Room 107 Selections from the New Film 'Journey of the Universe
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm Room 213 The Last Yoik in Saami Forests?
5 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 107 "The Imam and the Pastor' and 'Australia's Muslim Women 5 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 107 The Sacred Planet
5 Dec 9:00-10:30pm
Room 107 With One Voice
6 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 107 American Outrage
6 Dec 2:30-4:00pm
Room 107 An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis
6 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 107 Burma VJ
6 Dec 9:00-10:30pm Room 107 Journey into America
7 Dec 9:30-11:00am Room 107 Beyond Beliefs - Muslims and Non-Muslims Living in Australia 7 Dec 11:30am-1:00pm Room 107 Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action
7 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
Room 107 Blue Gold: World Water Wars
7 Dec 9:00-10:30pm Room 107
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Films
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
Room 104
A Course in Miracles Unleashed: A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment of the Human Species Not Broken Kanyini
Tackling Peace and 'SAG (it's all about human rights) The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: "Traces of the Trade Compassion Rising (World Premiere) Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action (Second Showing The Soul of Kalaupapa Soldiers of Peace (Second Showing)
8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec 9 Dec
9:30-11:00am 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm 2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 9:00-10:30pm 9:30-11:00am 11:30am-1:00pm
Room 107 Room 110 Room 107 Room 107 Room 107 Room 107 Room 107 Room 107
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Performances
Come and enjoy musical and performance styles from around the world, across diverse religious and spiritual traditions. Listen to Sufi music, throat music from Nagaland combined with the didgeridoo and drum, Jewish storytelling, Rumi poetry expressed in song, reggae and dub poetry direct from Jamaica, Native American music, classical Indian songs, Baha'i Sacred Writings sung in a contemporary style and a mix of traditional and modern music from South Africa. Watch theatre performances, multi-art-form concert performances and Hindu dancing. Hear the vocal harmonies of choirs hailing from America, Samoa and Australia. Whatever your performance taste, there is something for you at the 2009 Parliament.
See back of book for full descriptions.
Session Title
Naga Chants
Taize Chants Sung in the Gunai Kurnai Indigenous Language by the Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir
South African Songs for the Soul
Leaps Of Faith
On the Way of Love: Ruby Performs Music Inspired by Rumi Om Shanthi Om
The Art of Creative Expression: Youth Workshop
Le Carnaval Spirituel
Agape Choir
Sri Chinmoy International Music Group Open Space Concert Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati
Walking With Wisdom by Jeremy 'Yongurra Yerin' Donovan Hindu Spirituality in Dance: Odissi Performance
Come into the Presence of God! A Celebration of the Divine in Words, Music and Silence
An Exploration of Gurmat Sangeet - Sikh Musical Heritage Sacred Earth: Music for Inner Peace
Let's Shake
Shadi Toloui-Wallace
Joanne Shenandoah: Healing Through Music
Sacred Music of India: Natesan Ramani and Manjiri Kelkar
Rhythmic Experience for Peace
Wings of the Spirit in Concert
Darwin in the Dreaming
Simone[!]
Revelations Chapter 1
The Sacred Fire: The Music of Hildegard of Bingen Michael Leuning

Date
4 Dec
4 Dec
Time
2:30-4:00pm
2:30-4:00pm
4 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
4 Dec
5 Dec
9:30-11:00am
5 Dec
9:30-11:00am
5 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
5 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
5 Dec
5 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
5 Dec
6 Dec 9:30-11:00am
6 Dec 9:30-11:00am
6 Dec
2:30-4:00pm 4:30-6:00pm
6 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
7 Dec
1:00-2:30pm
7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
7 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
7 Dec 4:30-6:00pm
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
8 Dec
9:30-11:00am
8 Dec
11:30am-1:00pm
8 Dec
2:30-4:00pm
8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm
8 Dec
4:30-6:00pm 9:30-11:00am
9 Dec
9:30-11:00am
9:30-11:00am

Location
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 211
Room 201
Room 201
Room 216
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 215
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 102
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
Room 201
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Open Space
Open Space Discussion The experience of the Parliament of the World's Religions is fundamentally about encounters - encounters that shape and expand how we view this world that we all share. To help facilitate this, the 2009 Parliament offers a time of planned encounter called Open Space. Open Space is a flexible, informal time to extend the conversations that you began earlier in the day, to form a discussion group around areas of shared interest or to further explore a topic that you know little about. You may participate in Open Space discussions in two different ways: you can join in discussions that are already hosted by another group or individual or, if you want to begin a new discussion, you can sign up to host a discussion meeting and form a new conversation group.
The Official 2009 Parliament Book Release Celebration The 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne is pleased to showcase and celebrate various book releases by Parliament participants. This program is unique in its conversational element and procedure and will take place daily during the Open Space segment of the day All are encouraged to visit the breathtaking reception area, outside the largest plenary hall, as authors share with Parliament guests their recently published works. This Book Release will feature Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke, Judge Weeramantry, Jessi Kaur, Marian De Souza, Kathleen Engebretson, Prabha Duneja, Samir Selmanovic and Ron Madison. Authors who wish to discuss their recent publication and the contribution it will make to their respective fields are welcome and encouraged to join in with the featured authors. Times to meet these individual authors will be included in the Daily Program Update.
Process From 4:30 to 6:00pm each day is reserved for Open Space meetings. Room assignments will be announced in the Daily Program Update, distributed each morning of the Parliament. Each discussion topic will be hosted in a different room, ranging from large meeting rooms to smaller, more personal gatherings. If you are interested in hosting a discussion during this time, there will be a sign-up period from 1:00 to 2:30pm every day at the Program Enquiries Desk in the foyer of the Melbourne Convention Center, Room assignments will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis,
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PROGRAM DERS
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth I
Ni Ketut Arini
Room 101
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga is a nonprofit public foundation in Bedulu, Bali, Indonesia dedicated to maintaining and supporting the spirit of conciliation that arose in the interfaith meeting at Samuan Tiga Temple in the year 1011. The foundation strives to promote intercultural collaboration through sharing in the arts and religiosity among cultures in Indonesia and among nations throughout the world. In this program, distinguished Balinese performer Ni Ketut Arini will sing Kidung Gayatri. Ni Ketut Arini is one of Bali's most accomplished and versatile dancers and musicians and is one of Bali's most revered teachers and performers.
Ni Ketut Arini, of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, is a distinguished performer, choreographer and teacher of classical and modern Balinese dance. She was a faculty member at the Indonesian Conservatory of Performing Arts [KOKAR) and then a supervisor for national high schools throughout Bali. In 1973, she founded Sanggar Warini, a traditional studio in her birth-village Lebah, where she continues to guide hundreds of young artists. She has toured extensively throughout the world.
Yoga as a Spiritual Practice
Sevadevi Glover
Gita Azar
Swami Gopal Puri
Room 102
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Yoga is vast and full of possibilities. There are 8.4 million asanas, mantras, pranayamas, kriyas, bandhas, mudras, and meditation techniques. A study of the whole is like taking a peek into many rooms along a corridor. Each room holds valuable treasures, unless you fully step into one room-and immerse and explore with your mind, body, heart and soul all of its possibilities-the gems, the wisdom and realisation, are beyond grasp. During this workshop participants will learn about the Yoga in Daily Life system, which is the Master System of Pramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Yoga in Daily Life easily guides practitioners from simple to difficult asanas without torture, without challenge and without competition. Progress is realised with continuous patient practice, with confidence and devotion. This also applies to pranayama and meditation. Relaxation and a new sense of inner freedom are very important aspects of the system of Yoga in Daily Life. Although these techniques seem to be very simple, they have great influence on the physical and pranic body. By practising this system, the student will use the ancient science of yoga to achieve ultimate health.
Sevadevi Glover is a member of the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life, a nonprofit, humanitarian organisation offering a comprehensive master system of classical yoga postures, Pranayama, relaxation and meditation. Sevadevi has been a Senior Yoga Teacher for 12 years. In 2005 she became a Founding Member of Ayurveda Yoga Australia (AYA). The AYA has hosted two International Conferences in Sydney to spread the wisdom and knowledge of the sister sciences of ayurveda and yoga.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Gita Azar is co-director of the Yoga in Daily Life centre in Richmond, Melbourne. She has years of experience sharing her inspiration and conviction of the broad and deep benefits for a wide range of people of yoga. meditation practice, and the yogic way of life.
Swami Gopal Puri is a 'Train the Trainer' Senior instructor for Yoga in Daily Life. Born in Hungary, he holds a degree in Physics and brings a unique perspective on Yoga. He is co-director of the Yoga in Daily Life Centre in Richmond, Melbourne where he conducts classes for a wide range of students, from preschool age to seniors. Many will have seen his popular weekly yoga segments on Melbourne community television Channel 31.
How a Jain Starts the Day: The Rituals Kirit C Daftary
Room 103
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The rituals of Jainism are intended to create harmony among all of the Earth's creatures: plants, animals and fellow human beings. This session will present the daily morning spiritual practice of the two major sects of Jainism. The Shwetamber sect, or white-clad monks, will demonstrate Samayik (meditation), and Pratikraman, the act of seeking forgiveness through the confession of past sins in deed or thought. The program will then present practices of the Digamber sect, or sky-clad monks, which will include worship, meditative music and a theoretical exposition. Through a live demonstration, a slide presentation, and Q&A, this session will bring to light how practitioners of Jainism greet each day.
Kirit C Daftary is President of Anuvibha of North America and past President of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America JAINA), which represents 67 Jain Centres and over 150,000 Jains in North America. He is also the alternative representative to the United Nations of Anuvrat Global Organization (ANUVIBHAI. Mr Daftary regularly lectures on Jainism and Hinduism at several universities and also participates in many interreligious dialogues.
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite-Friday
Bishop Michael Putney
Bishop Christopher Prowse
Room 104
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This observance will include a Eucharist celebrated by the two leading Australian Catholic bishops in interreligious affairs. The ceremony will be explained for the benefit of those observers who are not familiar with it.
Most Rev Michael E Putney is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Townsville in North Queensland. A student of the Gregorian University in Rome and the Catholic University of Louvain, Bishop Putney has taught theology in Pius XII Seminary, Australian Catholic University, University of Queensland, and Gregorian University. Bishop Putney has represented the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at numerous international consultations, dialogues and events. He has been the Chair of Australian Catholic Bishops' Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Relations since 2006.
Most Rev Christopher Prowse, recently appointed as Bishop of Sale in Victoria, was formerly the auxiliary bishop of Melbourne (Western Region of Melbourne; Episcopal Vicar for Justice and Social Services], a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and an alumnus of the Gregorian University and the Lateran University in Rome.

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PROGRAM DES
Friday, December 4, 2009
Morning Observance with Dr Haruhisa Handa (Toshu Fukami)
Dr Haruhisa Handa
Room 105
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This morning observance will be given by Dr Haruhisa Handa, an ordained Zen Buddhist priest in the Rinzai tradition. After completing an arduous program of religious training on Mt. Hiei, one of Japan's oldest monastic centres of Buddhist scholarship and religious practice, Dr Handa formally adopted the Buddhist name 'Toshu Fukami, replacing his secular name for his religious and artistic work.
Born in Japan in 1951, Dr Haruhisa Handa operates more than a dozen companies in Japan and abroad, ranging from management consulting to publishing. He is heavily involved with social causes, currently serving as director of World Faiths Development Dialogue; founder and chairman of Asia Faiths Development Dialogue; president of the International Shinto Foundation; advisor to the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions; and chairman of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture.
Calling Out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And Its Benefits for Inner Peace
Muhsin Canbolat
Room 108
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Allah says in the Qur'an (2:186), 'When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close [to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me..." In this Observance, a speaker to be announced will highlight how du'a (supplication) is used as a form of worship in Islam and a path to inner peace strengthening one's relationship with their Creator. Participants will have the opportunity to observe and participate in du'a that addresses issues of shared concern to all people of faith such as inner peace, peacemaking, alleviating poverty. and reconciliation.
Muhsin Canbolat was born in 1970 in Turkey. He graduated from Ankara Merkez Imam Hatip School in 1987 and graduated from Divinity Faculty in Marmara University in 1993. Since then he has served as a teacher of Islamic Studies: 6 years in Kazakhstan, 5 years in Sydney and 5 years in Melbourne. He currently teaches the subject of Religion and Values in Isik College and voluntarily serves as coordinator for the Serenity Foundation.
Silent Meditation - Ch'an
Dharma Master Hsin Tao Room 109
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this morning observance, Dharma Master Hsin Tao will introduce participants to a guided Ch'an meditation, using a method that focuses on breathing and quieting the mind. The focus of this guided meditation is toward awareness of the silence that lies at the heart of all things, both inside and outside of us. Learning to listen in
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8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
this silence and to enter into it deeply with every breath is a practical and spiritual method to let go of worries and stress. It opens up the dimension of inner peace and compassion that leads to healing of self and others.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age 13. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wu-sheng Monastery on Ling-jiou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 has been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York.
Dancing the Seven Sacred Directions
T Thorn Coyle Room 111
Interactive Workshop
In this workshop participants will move, dance, breathe, and celebrate the sacred all around them. Using sacred movements, together we will call upon Air, Fire, Water, Earth and the Spirit that connects them all. These movements address the Seven Sacred Directions (East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Centre) used by many Pagan traditions. In connecting the sacred directions and elements of life to our bodies, we are placed in a direct, flowing relationship with the sacred earth. By including the physical, we make a connection with all that is sacred to us, transforming ourselves and our relationships. The movements are simple, repetitive meditations designed for non-dancers.
T Thorn Coyle is an internationally respected teacher, mystic, and magic worker. Her practice focuses on the alchemy that occurs when we fully open ourselves to our humanity in our quest for divine knowledge and connection. Founder of Solar Cross, a non-profit temple and educational centre, and the Morningstar Mystery School, her most recent book is Kissing the Limitless: Deep Magic and the Great Work of Transforming Yourself and the World.
The Path of a Multifaith Chaplaincy: Parliament Labyrinth as Spiritual Observance
Rev Di Williams
Room 202
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Walking the labyrinth is a regular spiritual practice for many University of Edinburgh students and staff. This spiritual observance session is designed to make the labyrinth available to Parliament delegates for walking meditation, contemplation, prayer and reflection.
The Rev Di Williams, Anglican priest and currently Chaplain to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK, is an experienced creator. facilitator and Master Teacher of labyrinths in the UK and internationally. She was recently honoured by the Queen (MBE) for her interreligious and labyrinth work in Higher Education and has just completed her book Labyrinths: Landscapes of the Soul".

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PROGRAM DES
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Breath of Life
William Skudlarek
Rev Heng Sure Room 203
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Our first act as human beings-and our last-is to breathe. We all breathe the same air, thereby making human life and human community possible. Awareness of our breathing brings us to a deeper awareness of and appreciation for life as a gift. That grateful awareness deepens our commitment to the well-being of all living things. During this interreligious observance, two monks-one Buddhist, one Catholic-will lead participants in a service that honours both traditions' commitment to healing the Earth. Participants will engage in a guided Buddhist meditation on breath, as well as a Biblically-based ritual involving readings, chants and prayers that celebrate God as the life-giving breath (Spirit) and the universe as filled with the Spirit of God.
William Skudlarek is a Benedictine monk. After serving as President and Executive Director of the North American branch of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, he was appointed Secretary General in 2008. From 1994-2001 he lived in Japan and participated in zazenkai and sesshin offered by the San-un Zendo in Kamakura. In the summer of 2007 he walked with Jotipalo Bhikkhu on a seven-day, 100-mile Tudong in northern Minnesota.
Rev Heng Sure is the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery and a former Global Councilor of the United Religions Initiative. He has been a Buddhist monk for 33 years, and holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union, in Berkeley, California (USA) and an MA from the University of California, Berkeley. An author and musician, Rev Sure recently released the CD 'Paramita: American Buddhist Folk Songs'.
The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs
Room 207
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this session, Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs, an activist Imam of the Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in North Carolina, will discuss the Qur'anic approach to overcoming poverty in an unequal world, especially with regard to the rights of the poor and orphans. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across the six days of the Parliament. Each session will include inspirational recitations of the Qur'an, clear translation, and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. This series will show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims, as they are at the heart of Islam's social conscience. Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs has been the imam of The Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in North Carolina since 1984. He is cochairman of the North Carolina-based Black Leadership Roundtable of Winston-Salem-Forsyth County, Griggs holds a degree in political science and English from Howard University in Washington, DC. He was part of the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s and was involved with the Islamic Party of North America in the 1970s after his conversion.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Celebrating Diversity and Unity: An Inclusive Spiritual Service
Dr Kim Cunio Room 208
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In our troubled world, there is an urgent need to go beyond respectful dialogue between people of different faiths to an authentic experience of spiritual inclusivity. While religion is so often associated with ignorance, divisiveness and even violence, the healing power of such inclusive experiences cannot be underestimated. This service presents 'interfaith' as more than just a way for members of different faith communities to connect respectfully. Rather, it can simultaneously support and transform existing faith communities and reach out to those who have been wounded by, or are not comfortable with, mainstream religion, yet who might genuinely seek communion with the transcendent and with other seekers. Through carefully chosen prayers, readings, music, inspirational talk and the surrender that comes with silence, we have discovered how possible it is for people to have an intense and deeply healing experience of the sacred that is free of even the best-intentioned labels, 'differences' and dogma. This 75-minute service, emphasising content and personal and shared experience, offers a unique opportunity for people to take their understanding and experience of interfaith and interspirituality to a new level.
Dr Kim Cunio is Australia's leading composer and interpreter of sacred traditional music. He has received commissions to investigate the music of a multitude of sacred traditions. Some of those commissions include the Art in Islam exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales; The Sacred Fire: The Music of Hildegard of Bingen; the Temple Project [Music in the Time of Jesus); and The Thread of Life, a reuniting of Arabic and Jewish musicians (New York, 2007).
The Mandaeans in Australia:
Baptism, Living Water and the Link to John the Baptist
Ganzibra Dr Brikha H S Nasoraia
Sandi van Rompaey
Room 210
Living Water is the essential, life-giving ingredient in the baptism of the Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. The Mandaeans, whose Gnostic religion predates Christianity, regard baptism as a crucial element in their quest for enlightenment, inner peace and sacred wisdom. Baptism is conducted in the living waters of a healthy river or spring which is called Yardana (Jordan). As such, baptism is fundamental to Mandaean religious practice and the foundation of its universal redemptive system. Due to the recent wars in Iraq and Iran, a majority of the Mandaeans have migrated to countries of the Diaspora, including Australia, where there are currently more than six thousand Mandaeans, including nine practising priests. Based in western Sydney, this major resettlement is dependent

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on access to the Nepean River in which all the main Australian baptisms are conducted. This presentation will focus on the baptismal practices of the Mandaeans in Australia today and seeks to outline the intricate processes associated with this central rite. It will also consider the origins of Mandaeism in biblical times, looking in particular at the tradition which links these practices to John the Baptist, from whom the Mandaeans believe they are descended. Iraqi born Ganzibra Dr Brikha HS Nasoraia is a high priest of the Mandaean religion now living in Sydney. He earned his PhD from the University of Sydney for research into a previously unpublished Mandaean illustrated manuscript and is currently finishing a second doctoral thesis on the esoteric and mystical concepts of the Mandaean secret scrolls. He is President of the Mandaean Spiritual Council of Australia and of the International Mandaean Nasoraean Supreme Council. Sandi van Rompaey is currently completing a doctoral thesis on the symbolic art of the Mandaean religious manuscripts that are housed in the Bodleian Library. Oxford, and the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. These complex, stylised black ink illustrations, meant only for the knowledge of Mandaean priests, have not been previously researched. Sandi has presented papers at an international level and has conducted research in Israel, London, Paris, Rome and Berlin
A Celebration of the Cosmos and its Processes from a Mystical, Inclusive Perspective William Wallace Room 215 Religious or Spiritual Observance The Cosmos is a blessing which we can receive and share with others. During this observance participants will be asked to think deeply about their place in the Cosmos, acknowledge their failures and misuses of other people and the planet, and let go of illusions, while at the same time affirming the cosmic origin and sacred identity of each person and celebrating the common bonds of humankind. There will be readings from a variety of sources, including a song based on the "Canticle of the Sun by St Francis. William L Wallace, BA Dip Ed, is a New Zealand Methodist Minister and an internationally published writer of hymns and other worship resources. His children's songs, including hymns and Mass of the Universe, are soon to appear on the website of the Centre for Progressive Christianity. Bill has chaired the New Zealand branch of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (CRPI and served on the executive committee of the Asian CRP
Yoruba Religious Observance Baba Wande Abimbola, Nigeria: Yoruba Room 214 Religious or Spiritual Observance Yoruba religion is an Indigenous religion of West Africa that has been transported to the Americas, and from the Americas to other parts of the world as a result of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It is hoped that this program will rekindle an interest in the ancient knowledge of Africa and in the religion of all Indigenous peoples throughout the world. This session will be a demonstration of a typical process of Ifa divination. During this process, a client or clients will consult a priest of Ifa and the priest of Ifa will use his divining instruments to discover the clients' problem. The priest of Ifa will then chant the relevant verses of sacred oral literature and prescribe the appropriate sacrifices. The presenter will use his own sacred emblems of Yoruba religion in this devotional worship service. Professor Wande Abimbola is the current Awise Agbaye, or Spokesperson of Yoruba Religion in the World. He was formerly ViceChancellor of University of lfe Inow Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife from 1982-1989. Senate Majority Leader for the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992-1993; and Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria from 2003-2005. Professor Abimbola has taught at Harvard and Boston Universities. He is currently President of the UNESCO sponsored lra Heritage Institute, Nigeria.
The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition Ellen O'Brian Room 216 Religious or Spiritual Observance Superconscious meditation is a scientifically proven way to cultivate inner peace by allowing restless thought activity to subside. One who knows how to cultivate this inner peace through meditative stillness can truly listen to others. Without this ability, there is often only attachment to one's own thoughts or beliefs. Without inner peace how can we truly listen? How can we heal the earth without the ability to be fully present? This program will offer an experience of meditation as well an overview of its philosophical foundation. It will offer an eight-step method for the practice of superconscious meditation and Spiritually conscious living based on the Kriya Yoga teachings outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. This systematic approach to superconsciousness is built upon universal guidelines for ethical living, insight into the nature of mind and consciousness, and the direct experience of Reality Participants will be given an overview of yoga philosophy that is supportive of meditation practice. This will include a guided meditation experience, explanation of the stages of practice, and clear guidelines for continuing on their own. The workshop will also discuss the relevance of this spiritual practice to personal and planetary healing. Rev Ellen Grace O'Brian is the Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment and a minister in the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga. She was ordained in 1981 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. She serves on the board of trustees of the Parliament, is the President of Meru Seminary, and leads a thriving congregation. She is the author of several books on meditation and spiritual practice.
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Observance on Dene (Indigenous Canadian) Spirituality
Francois Paulette, Canada: Dene Room 218
Religious or Spiritual Observance
During this spiritual observance, Francois Paulette will be offering traditional prayers in Dene.
Francois Paulette is a Dene Suline and member of the Smith's Landing Treaty & First Nation. He became the youngest chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972, along with other chiefs, he challenged the crown to recognise treaty and Aboriginal rights. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, the Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, and the Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee and has spoken internationally on Dene history and Aboriginal rights.
INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00am
Poverty Must No Longer Be With Us
Haruhisa Handa Jim Wallis Katherine Marshall Dr A T Ariyaratne
Tim Costello
Sulak Sivaraksa
Rabbi David Saperstein
Sr Joan Chittister
Plenary Hall
Panel Discussion
In 2000, world leaders came together at United Nations Headquarters in New York and committed their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty. They set out a series of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with a deadline of 2015, ranging from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education. The poverty symposium will explore how faith communities are meeting the many dimensions of contemporary poverty. The MDGs offer a framework for global action, but the experience and reflections of faith communities are not fully part of the MDG process. A central Parliament objective is to jolt this situation with new ideas. This session introduces major themes addressed in the symposium's twenty sessions. The agenda explores the historic shifts from charity and compassion to respect, rights, and equity as drivers of social justice; practical approaches from education and health to finance to healing the earth; provocations and answers to conflict; women as leading partners for successful modern communities; and seizing the opportunity for change in times of crisis. The common thread linking.

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poverty symposium sessions is the search for ideas and paths towards action by faith communities and new forms of partnership, both interfaith and among social actors inspired by faith and the core values of human rights. Born in Japan in 1951, Dr Haruhisa Handa operates more than a dozen companies in Japan and abroad, ranging from management consulting to publishing. He is heavily involved with social causes, currently serving as director of World Faiths Development Dialogue; founder and chairman of Asia Faiths Development Dialogue; president of the International Shinto Foundation; advisor to the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions; and chairman of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture.
Jim Wallis is a best-selling author, public theologian, speaker, and international commentator on faith and public life. He is the author of The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America' and 'God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It'. Wallis speaks around the country, and his columns appear in major newspapers, including The New York Times and Washington Post.
Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions working in development, involving a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners, and a series of reviews of development topics.
AT Ariyaratne is founder and president of Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a nonprofit organisation that involves millions of people in 15,000 villages in development projects. Ariyaratne has won international recognition, including the Sushil Kumar International Peace Award in 2006 and Srilankabhimanya (pride of Sri Lankal, Sri Lanka's highest civilian honor, in 2007, Sri Lanka's largest non-governmental organisation, Sarvodaya plays an important role in the country's ongoing recovery from the 2004 tsunami.
Tim Costello is a leading Australian voice on social justice issues, having spearheaded public debates on gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. As CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim has insisted that the issues surrounding global poverty be on the national agenda. World Vision serves nearly 100 million people around the globe. Tim's many awards include Victorian of the Year. Officer of the Order of Australia. Victorian Australian of the Year, and the Australian Peace Prize Sulak Sivaraksa, of the Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute, is a Nobel Prize nominee and prominent Buddhist social and environmental activist in Thailand. He has founded numerous organisations and has been involved in Buddhist-Christian dialogue for decades. His books include 'Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society' and 'Loyalty Demands Dissent'.
Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as 'the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill, Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Joan Chittister, OSB is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a center for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life'.

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Many Meanings of the Ramayana Srilata Krishnan Mangalam Vasan Room 101 Panel Discussion The great Indian epic the Ramayana is a living, evolving tradition. This program will explore different versions of the Ramayana, including the celebrated Tamil of the medieval poet Kamban and modern retellings which give a voice to unvoiced stories. The Ramayana narratives offer an open-ended space in which to reflect on and engage with issues as diverse as the environment, religious strife, gender and oppression of the marginalised as well as eternal themes of good and evil. The forest can be seen as a sacred and magical place that enables renewal and healing of the self. The Ramayana provides a vision for today of environmental crisis and the threat of climate change, understanding Sita's abduction as the abuse of Mother Earth. To dramatise this ecological interpretation and its ethical and spiritual dimensions, key episodes of the epic will be performed in classical Indian dance. Srilata Krishnan is Assistant Professor of English at the Indian Institute of Technology. Madras and a poet, fiction writer and translator. She has a PhD in literature from Hyderabad Central University. Her books include 'The Other Half of the Coconut: Women Writing Self-Respect History (Zubaanl. 'Rapids of a Great River. The Penguin Book of Tamil Poetry [Penguin) and 'Short Fiction from South India (OUP). Her academic interests now include theories of creativity, spirituality and literary traditions Mangalam Vasan teaches Hinduism in Glen Waverley and Box Hill Tamil Schools and the Shiva Vishnu Temple at Carrum Downs. She has participated in interreligious dialogues in various countries. A highlight of her participation in interreligious dialogues was at the Assembly of World Religions in San Francisco in 1990, when she was chosen to be part of the plenary speakers and congratulated by the chairman Rev Kwak on being an asset to the Assembly
sustainability principles, using as an example the Hindu four-fold path as described in the Purusharthas. The Purusharthas prescribe an experiential path, in obedience to dharma or duty, such that moksha or a state of complete self-awareness is achieved. The program will maintain that self-aclualisation may be considered an ideal state of sustainability. Dr Yamini Narayanan is a lecturer in the Politics and International Relations Program at La Trobe University, Melbourne. Her doctoral thesis investigated how urban sustainability may be grounded in religious wisdom, and her particular interest is in the rapidly developing megapolises of South Asia. Her primary research interests include exploring the connections between spirituality and sustainability, women and development, and creative adaptation to climate change, especially in South Asia. Alan Croker is an architect from Sydney and specialises in conservation and adaptive re-use. Craker has studied Hindu temples and traditions and been a student of Vedanta philosophy for more than twenty years. Alan has presented lectures and written articles on temples and iconography, and regularly visits South India to attend major temple festivals. Dr Kala Acharya is the director of the K J Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham. She has authored two books and edited several additional books. Acharya nas presented papers and organised interfaith dialogue seminars in India and abroad. She is a working group member of the Congress of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan
Adapting to Climate Change: How, and How Far? Miriam Pepper Will McGoldrick Tamasin Ramsay Room 103 Panel Discussion Climate change is no longer just an abstract concept. It is a reality that is negatively affecting many people around the world. Increased incidence of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves, sea level rise, increased food and water insecurity, and greater prevalence of tropical disease have all begun to have a devastating impact on many countries. Adaptation is essential to prevent further climate change. But how can communities adapt and how far should they go? What kind of local and international support is needed for affected communities? What is the role of spiritual practice in community resilience? What are the likely outcomes of the imminent Copenhagen Climate Change Conference and what are the implications for adaptation to climate change? This program will address these and other pressing questions.
The Divine Purpose of Life: The Hindu Journey Within Dr Yamini Narayanan Alan Croker Dr Kala Acharya Room 102 Panel Discussion This program will explore important aspects of the Hindu tradition. It will explain how, particularly in the Shaivite tradition, the traditional South Indian temple embodies a sacred journey from the mundane world to the sanctum within, and towards ultimate union with the Absolute. The program will also explore how religious transcendence and self-actualisation apply to sustainable development. In the question of sustainability there is the tension of reconciling want and need. Development planning and implementation strategies, to genuinely and affirmatively impact human life, need to be meaningful to all aspects of human reality, including the capacity for transcendence and self-actualisation. This program will attempt to make the connection between religious self-actualisation and
Miriam Pepper is secretary of the multifarth network the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and a member of the Faith and Ecology Network. She is a founding member of Uniting Earthweb, and worships at Maroubra Junction Uniting Church in Sydney. She has a PhD examining Christianity and sustainable consumption Will McGoldrick is Policy and Research Manager at The Climate Institute. He specialises in environmental policy, with a particular interest in international climate change law. Current areas of research include international funding mechanisms for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the implications of WTO law for domestic climate policies. Tamasin Ramsay is an Endeavour Research Fellow 2008 and PhD candidate at Monash University. She is a qualified paramedic with a graduate degree in Medical Anthropology and has recently co-authored a report to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the impact of climate change. Her contribution addresses Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being
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phase: renewal. Brambuk, which is shared among five Aboriginal communities, stands as a symbol and affirmation of that process of renewal. Geoff Clarke is the Chairperson of Framlingham Aboriginal Trust. which provides cultural, community and health services to people of the Framlingham community. He is a National Indigenous Leader and traditional owner of South Western Victoria, Jeremy Clarke is the CEO of Brambuk National Park and Cultural Center. He is a National Indigenous Leader and traditional owner of South Western Victoria
Rev Moon's Vision of Global Family Dr Thomas Walsh Room 104 This presentation will explore Rev Dr Sun Myung Moon's lifelong mission, guided by a vision of humanity as one global family under God, called to live in accordance with core, universal principles. Rev Dr Moon teaches that the most important wisdom is to know God's heart and His ideal, the root cause of human conflict, and the destination of the human course towards a common purpose and common destiny, which is peace. His vision, therefore, has compelled him to found a wide range of organisations and programs, including the Unification Church, dedicated to realising the ideal of a 'peace kingdom, a realm in which humankind, centred on God, lives together in harmony as a global family, transcending racial, national and religious barriers. In an innovative way. Universal Peace Federation was founded to develop new models of governance, guided by representatives of religion and government, in a respectful, cooperative relationship for the sake of peace. Projects and programs of UPF are guided by the principle that living for the sake of others is the way to reconcile the divided human family, and that peace will only come through the cooperation beyond the boundaries of ethnicity, race and religious background. Dr Thomas Walsh is the Secretary General of the Universal Peace Federation. He received his Duclorale in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University. He has been a teacher, author and editor, with specialisation in areas of theology, character ethics, social theory, and religious studies. He serves on the board of several nonprofit organisations. As Secretary General of the UPF, he coordinates its worldwide activities. Among other works, Dr Walsh is the executive editor of Renewing the United Nations and Building a Culture of Peace,
Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, the Gunditjmara People and Brambuk Cultural Centre Geoff Clarke Jeremy Clarke Room 105 Panel Discussion Indigenous Leaders Geoff and Jeremy Clarke, father and son, will speak about their people and culture and the challenges of modernity on Australia's Indigenous Leaders. They will present their perspectives on their self-determined future. Geoff will provide insight into his journey as an Aboriginal Leader, locally and nationally, and will speak about his ancestry and spirituality as well as his feelings about the impacts of colonial invasion. Jeremy, who is the CEO of Brambuk National Park and Cultural Center, will discuss how Brambuk brings to life the history and culture of Aboriginal communities of South Western Victoria. Since their dispossession, Aboriginal people have moved through two phasesresistance and persistence-and have now entered a new
Pilgrims' Progress 2008: Research on Those who Attended the Sydney World Youth Day Michael Mason Andrew Singleton Ruth Webber Room 106 Seminar This session presents the findings of a three-year research project which studied the pilgrims attending the Tenth International World Youth Day in Sydney in July 2008 (WYD08). World Youth Day (WYD) is an international youth-oriented Catholic celebration which has been held at intervals of two or three years since 1987, and has become the largest recurring youth event in the world. Approximately 223,000 registered pilgrims from 170 countries participated in a week-long series of events and activities culminating in the Papal Mass, celebrated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and attended by an estimated 400,000 people. The project studied the experiences of pilgrims before, during and after World Youth Day, seeking to discover what WYDO8 meant for its youthful participants, to determine the personal outcomes of the WYD pilgrimage, and to explore the community-building effect of WYD. The methods used were interviews, observation and a large-scale Internet survey of pilgrims both before and after WYD. The presentation will be followed by a discussion Michael Mason PhD is a Senior Research Fetiow at Australian Catholic University's Quality of Life and Social Justice Research Centre in Melbourne. He has been a principal investigator in several national sociological Surveys on religion and spirituality. He has puslyrauuale qualifications in sociology, religion studies and theology. His research interests are in sociology of religion, religion in Australia, and religious experience. He is a Catholic priest of the Redemptorist order. Andrew Singleton PhD is a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology Program, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. His research interests include youth spirituality, alternative religions, and men and masculinity. Andrew has published extensively in these areas both nationally and internationally. He teaches units on contemporary religion and Spirituality: men, masculinity and society, and social research methods Ruth Webber PhD is Professor in the School of Arts and Sciences, and Director, Quality of Life and Social Justice Research Centre, at Australian Catholic University. Her research has focused on youth spirituality, youth violence and substance abuse, intellectual disability, family breakdown, and social policy. She has published extensively on at risk' youth. Social justice is of paramount importance to her research activities and community service. She has postgraduate qualifications in education, psychology and sociology
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Numen: The Nature of Plants
Matthew Hall, Respondent
Room 107
Film
This documentary film explores the healing power of plants around the globe and throughout human history. It focuses on the importance of preserving traditional methods of herbal healing and the plants that provide these remedies. It includes interviews with herbalists, ethno-botanists, naturopaths, journalists, and many other experts from the herbal world. The film was directed by Terrence Youk and Ann Armbrecht.
Matthew Hall is a postdoctoral researcher at the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh's Centre for Middle Eastern plants. Matt's research includes ecological surveying and developing botanical field guides, as well as philosophical work on conservation theory, interspecies ethics and attitudes to plants in religious traditions. He is a founding member of the ecological humanities research group.
Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 1)
Dr Joseph Henry Suina, USA: Cochiti Pueblo, Moderator Constantino Pinto, East Timor: Timorese
Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa, Zimbabwe: Shona/
Ndebele
Room 108
Panel Discussion
For most Indigenous communities, spirituality cannot be separated from culture. However, Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices have been a special subject of persecution over the centuries. These pressures have caused some sacred rites and ceremonial activities to move from the public into the private sphere. Policies of assimilation and cultural pressures have separated Indigenous peoples from their spiritual practices. In this session, panel members will explore the ways in which their respective Indigenous communities are maintaining or reviving their unique spiritual beliefs and practices.
Dr Joseph H Suina is a Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico and has numerous publications on culture and education. He directed the Institute for American Indian Education at UNM for tribes throughout the Southwest. He is a former governor and a current tribal council member, who continues to advocate for Native American tribes in the areas of health, museums, language retention, sacred sites, economic development and housing.
Constantino Pinto is co-founder and current director of Fundacao Lafaek Diak (FLD The Good Crocodile Foundation), an Indigenous Timorese non-profit, non-government community development organisation. He and his family lived through the Indonesian military invasion and occupation of Cast Timor
Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa was born a Svikiro lin Shona, his native tonguel-a carrier of many earth and water spirits, and a Mhondoro-one who is in constant prayer on behalf of others. As a vessel of the Spirits, Mandaza receives visions and dreams, makes offerings, performs healing rituals, and serves as messenger for the Ancient Ones. Mandaza teaches us to become "living prayers in service of the One Spirit.
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Interfaith Understanding in Sikh Theology and History
Dr Balwant Singh Hansra, Moderator Dr Harnam Singh Shan
Dr Sangat Singh Syalee
Dr Devinder Singh Chahal
Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon Room 110
Panel Discussion
Interfaith understanding and respect are an integral part of the Sikh faith. Not only Sikhs but also Hindus and Muslims held the Sikh Gurus in high esteem. A Muslim Sufi saint is said to have laid the foundation of Sri Harmandar Sahib at Amritsar. The Sikh scripture, which includes the writings of the Sikh Gurus as well as Muslim and Hindu saints of South Asia, is the only known interfaith scripture in the world. This session will discuss the universality of the Sikh faith and its theological underpinnings along with the role of interfaith understanding in Sikh history during and after the time of the Sikh Gurus.
Dr Balwant Singh Hansra has been an At-Large Executive Committee Member of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and Chair and Professor of the Natural Science Department at Daley College in Chicago. He has also been Chair of the Sikh Host Committee and Appointed Chair of the Administration & Finance Committee.
Dr Harnam Singh Shan is an eminent Sikh scholar, formerly professor, chairman, Guru Nanak Chair, and head of the departments of Punjabi Studies and Sikh Studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh. He is the author of numerous books on the Sikh faith and was honoured by The Sikh Review journal with a special issue celebrating his scholarship. His forthcoming book is titled 'Universality of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Dr Sangat Singh Syalee has served as Vice President of Guru Nanak Foundation, New Delhi, India and as President of Gurmat Prachar Sabha. He is a Fellow of the Multifaith Organization of Long Island, New York and President of the Interfaith Council of Southwest Queens, New York. He is also the author of many papers and co-author of the book 'Gems of Gurbani. He has participated in the past three Parliaments of the World's Religions.
Dr Devinder Singh Chahal is President of the Institute for Understanding Sikhism and editor-in-chief of the publication Understanding Sikhism. The Research Journal'. He has written many articles on the interpretation of Gurbani. He has also written a few critical analyses of some works on Sikhism and Gurbani and has authored four books on the philosophy of Guru Nanak Sahib
Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He taught at the University of Delhi, Punjab University and at Old Dominion University. Dr Singh has written several articles for distinguished papers and journals. He is a member of the Community Alliance for Respect and Equality.
People Call Us Pagan -
The European Indigenous Traditions Angie Buchanan Andras Arthen Phyllis Curott Room 111
Panel Discussion
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hundreds of years of suppression, most Westerners have forgotten that their ancestors once shared this wisdom as the Indigenous traditions of Europe. Today, people are rediscovering the perennial spiritual wisdom of Mother Earth-by living in harmony with nature, we live in harmony with divinity. This panel offers people the opportunity to learn about this forgotten and often misunderstood spirituality. The panel participants, leaders in their respective traditions, will discuss spiritual principles, practices, rites and ceremonies, experiences, values and challenges, including discrimination. We also look forward to a lively discussion with those who are present.
Rev Angie Buchanan is a Family Tradition Pagan. She is a founder and director of Gaia's Womb, an interfaith spirituality group for women, and Earth Traditions, a Pagan Church that also offers a Training Program for Pagan Ministry. Angie has been a presenter at a number of interfaith events, including the 2004 Parliament and the Buddhist Council of the Midwest Women's Conference. She has worked with CPWR as a Board Member since 2002.
Rev Andras Corban Arthen is the spiritual director of the EarthSpirit Community, a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of Earth-centred spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. He has been a presenter at many interfaith events, including the 1993 and 2004 Parliaments, and the 2007 World Interreligious Encounter. Of Hispanic descent, Rev Arthen teaches and lectures on the Indigenous European pagan religions throughout the US and abroad.
An attorney and Wiccan priestess for almost 25 years, H Ps Phyllis Curott is the author of "WitchCrafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic. An outspoken advocate for the rights of Wiccans, she has been widely profiled in the national and international media, and is a founder of the Temple of Ara.
A Religion of Healthy Mindedness - New Thought's Uniquely American Contribution to the Arena of New Religious Community
Dr Roger Teel, Moderator
Dr Michael Beckwith
Rev Dr Kenn Gordon
Dr Kathy Hearn
Dr Barbara King
Dr James Trapp Rev Dr Mary Tumpkin
Dr Frank zum Mallen
Rev Christian Sorensen
Room 203
Audiovisual Presentation and Discussion
In the book "Varieties of Religious Experience', William James referred to New Thought as the 'only truly American contribution to the world body of religious thought' and 'the religion of healthy mindedness'. The various branches of New Thought include Religious Science, Divine Science, Unity, and Independent Works, all of which teach the principle that humans are endowed with the potential to make this world a place of peace, compassion and abundance. They revere the underlying unity and interdependence of all life, and affirm that our divine Source is called by many names. This panel discus

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sion will bring together representatives from each New Thought denomination, who will explore the Parliament's themes, emphasising the shift in consciousness that can transform negative conditions and challenging physical circumstances at the root level of spiritual law. They will also discuss the idea that those in 'privileged' societies have a responsibility to develop their own spiritual discernment in order to be of service to a world in need. The program will include sacred music interludes and time for questions.
Dr Roger Teel is Senior Minister and Spiritual leader of Mile Hi Church of Religious Science, Denver, Colorado. He holds a degree in psychology and religion, is a Religious Science Fellow, and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1988 and a Doctor of Religious Science degree in 1999. He is co-founder of the Association for Global New Thought and serves on the boards of the Foundation for Affordable Housing and the Community First Foundation.
Dr Michael Beckwith is Founder and Spiritual Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center. A co-founder and President of the Association for Global New Thought, Dr Beckwith is the originator of the Life Visioning Process. He is a noted author and international keynote speaker and has been the recipient of the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award and the Humanitarian Award of the National Council for Community and Justice.
Rev Dr Kenn Gordon is President of Religious Science International and the founding pastor and spiritual leader of the Kelowna Centre for Spiritual Living in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Dr Gordon has served nine years. on the Board of Directors of Religious Science International, and is currently President and CEO. He received a doctorate in Religious Science in 2006.
Dr Kathy Hearn is Community Spiritual Leader (President) of United Church of Religious Science/United Centers for Spiritual Living. She is the publisher of 'Science of Mind' magazine and has served as Chair and Vice Chair of United Clergy of Religious Science. Dr Hearn travelled to the Middle East as part of Harvard University's Abraham Path Initiative. She was the sole female religious leader on this trip.
Dr Barbara King is Minister and founder of the Hillside Chapel and Truth Center, Inc, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, as well as the founder and President of the Barbara King School of Ministry. Her ministry was the first African American New Thought affiliate to establish a sister church in South Africa. In 2003, Savoy magazine recognised Dr King as one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in America. King is the author of seven books and monologues.
Dr James Trapp is President and CEO of the Association of Unity Churches International. He is an ordained Unity minister and holds an AB degree from Princeton University, a JD from the University of Florida, and an Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the South Florida Theological Seminary.
Rev Dr Mary Tumpkin is President of the Universal Foundation for Better Living and Senior Minister of the Universal Truth Center for Better Living in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA. Her books include "Tithing: Are You Ready?", 'Before You Pray-Forgive' and 'Do You Know the Secret?: Understanding the Spiritual Nature of the Law of Attraction. Dr Tumpkin is currently the interim Senior Minister of Christ Universal Temple in Chicago.
Dr Frank zumMallen is President of the Affiliated New Thought Network [ANTN). Founded in 1992 by independent Religious Science ministers, ANTN focuses on heart-centred connection, support and networking for independent Religious Science ministries. Dr zum Mallen currently serves as the Spiritual Co-Leader of the Center for Awakening Ways in Atascadero, California, USA.
Reverend Dr Christian Sorensen, DD is the Spiritual Leader of the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, California, USA. He served as the president of the worldwide United Church of Religious Science and is the director of the nationally accredited Master's Degree program for the Holmes Institute of Consciousness Studies. As a member of the Leadership Council for the Association for Global New Thought, his weekly messages are podcast worldwide. He is author of numerous books.

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Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human Rights Commission
Conrad Gerschevitz
Hass Dellal
Gary Bouma Room 204 Lecture
The freedom to practise freely one's chosen religion and to change one's religious allegiance is one of the most fundamental human rights. Yet the freedom of religion and belief remains under attack in various parts of the world. Challenges have recently arisen in Australia, prompting the Australian Human Rights Commission to appoint the Australian Multicultural Foundation to conduct a project examining freedom of religion and belief. The session will provide an overview of the project, examining the key issues such as religious vilification or hatred laws, the exemptions given from the requirements of the Equal Opportunity legislation for religious organisations regarding gender equality, and the discrimination against personal lifestyles not in accord with certain religious sensibilities.
For the last three years, Conrad Gerschevitz has managed a unit responsible for programs and policies broadly related to racial and religious. discrimination at the Australian Human Rights Commission. Previously, he was the director at FECCA, Australia's peak multicultural NGO. He has worked in a number of Commonwealth agencies with particular responsibilities for programs associated with cultural diversity and human rights. He has also been a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, where he has focused on issues related to sustainable cultural development.
Dr Hass Dellal is the executive director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation. He has over twenty years of experience in policy, management, community development and programming for cultural diversity. He is a special advisor to the National Police Ethnic Advisory Bureau, Committee Member of the European Multicultural Foundation, board member of the Adult Multicultural Education Services and Fellow of the Williamson Leadership Program.
Gary Bouma is the Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Monash University and an Associate Priest at St John's East Malvern. His research has primarily focussed on the interaction between religion and society in Western societies including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. He has been named the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations.
Strengthening One's Faith Through Interfaith Dialogue
Peta Pellach
Jeremy Jones
Room 207
Interactive Workshop
In Australia and around the globe, the experience of interfaith dialogue has enriched the faith of those who have embraced it. The presenters of this workshop have represented their faith, Judaism, and represented their country, Australia, in diverse interfaith settings on five
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continents. Each experience has brought with it rewards and challenges. This interactive workshop will explore what makes a successful dialogue experience and how encountering, listening to and learning from believers of other faiths can enhance one's own faith.
Peta Pellach is a teacher of Judaism and an active participant in interfaith dialogue in Australia, including the Women's Interfaith Network, the Uniting Church-Jewish Dialogue, the Jewish dialogue with the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews. She was an Australian delegate to the Regional Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation in Indonesia in 2004 and in the Philippines in 2006.
Winner of the 2007 Australian Human Rights Medal, Jeremy Jones is highly regarded as an advocate for interfaith dialogue. His award cited his contribution to religious understanding and promoting interfaith cooperation in Australia. He is the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council's Director of International and Community Affairs, Member, Order of Australia, long-time anti-racist and interfaith activist, and a member of key international Jewish bodies dealing with anti-Semitism, interreligious dialogue and global challenges.
Indigenous Biodiversity
Dr Rosita Worl, USA: Tlingit, Moderator Alejandro Argumedo, Peru: Quechua Marcos Terena, Brazil: Terena
Room 208
Panel Discussion
All Indigenous cultures have lived on this earth with the knowledge necessary to sustain our ecosystems. Waste and destruction were not a part of their existence. There was a balance in their cultures but now power, greed and politics have seriously destroyed this delicate balance on Earth. Humans as well as all living beings need a healthy environment in which to survive. The panel members will share some innovative and creative changes that can serve as models to restore biodiversity to the world. Rosita Worl, whose Tlingit names are Yeidiklats okw and Kaa.hani, is Tlingit, Ch'aak (Eagle] moiety of the Shangukeidi Clan from the Kawdliyaayi Hit (House Lowered From the Sun) in Klukwan. She is President of Sealaska Heritage Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to perpetuating the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she has a PhD and MS in Anthropology from Harvard University and a BA from Alaska Methodist University.
Mr Alejandro Argumedo, a Quechua from Peru, is Executive Director of the autonomous international NGO, Cultural Survival Canada, focusing on the connection between cultural and biological diversity and on Indigenous peoples' traditional resource rights. Mr Argumedo is coordinator for the Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN) and is a member of the steering committee and advisory group for IPBN's Indigenous Knowledge Programme. He holds a degree in agriculture from McGill University.
Marcos Terena is a professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International Indigenous. Forum on Biodiversity. He founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first Indigenous movement in Brazil and he was a leader in gaining recognition for Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He is a spokesman for Indigenous rights for the UN and President of the Intertribal Committee and VIATAN, an Indigenous information centre.

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Learning to Forgive: Healing Our Past, Creating Our Future
Michael Henderson Lyndon Harris
Rev Eileen Epperson Dr Tim McCowan Room 209 Panel Discussion
This panel will present models for practising forgiveness from the heart. It will present practical tools for moving beyond grievance, for healing from the past, and for creating a new future. Three different approaches will be offered, along with stories that present forgiveness as a powerful tool in conflict resolution.
Michael Henderson is an English journalist and broadcaster. He has authored ten books, including No Enemy To Conquer: Forgiveness in An Unforgiving World', 'Forgiveness: Breaking the Chain of Hate, and See You after the Duration. He has worked in some 25 countries with Initiatives of Change (formerly Moral Re-Armament) and was for many years on its boards in the US and the UK. He is married and has one daughter and two granddaughters.
The Reverend Lyndon F Harris was the priest in charge of the relief ministries at Saint Paul's Chapel, near Cround Zero, after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For this work, Harris received the 'Blessed are the Peacemakers' Award from the World Council of Churches. Harris is currently Executive Director of Gardens of Forgiveness, an interfaith nonprofit organisation dedicated to teaching forgiveness as a strategy for peacemaking and conflict transformation.
The Reverend Eileen Epperson, a Presbyterian minister, has been a college chaplain, hospital chaplain and parish minister. Eileen has been active in interfaith dialogue for over 35 years and presented programs at both the 1993 and 1999 Parliaments of the World's Religions. She has a private practice in spiritual direction with a specialty in forgiveness. She originated The Forgiveness Process and leads workshops in the northeastern United States.
Dr Tim McCowan is the founding director of Building Bridges, Director of Reconciliation and Peacemaking at the Well Spring Centre, and Lecturer in Spirituality at the Churches of Christ Theological College in Melbourne.
Indigenous Perspectives
on Conflict Resolution
Tonya Gonnella Frichner, USA: Onondaga, Moderator Constantino Pinto, East Timor: Timorese Lilybeth Sulutan, Phillipines: Bagobo Tagabawa Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong Room 210
Panel Discussion
People often ignore or do not hear the voice of the Indigenous person in conflict situations, despite the great effect these situations have on Indigenous communities. In this program, Indigenous persons will discuss their experiences with conflict as members of Indigenous communities. The panel will include Indigenous people from areas around the world, including East Timor, the Philippines and the United States.
Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq is the North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a professor of Native American law and human rights. She is president and founder of the American indian Law Alliance, an NGO in consultative

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert on the legal aspects of Indigenous peoples' rights, she is a veteran activist and advocate with long experience of the United Nations and its systems. Constantino Pinto is co-founder and current director of Fundacao Lafaek Diak (FLD The Good Crocodile Foundation), an Indigenous Timorese nonprofit, non-government community development organisation. He and his family lived through the Indonesian military invasion and occupation of East Timor.
Lilybeth Sulutan is a member of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe of Mindanao and represents Indigenous peoples, a major party involved in local conflicts. She is an expert in post-training PAR-T activities as well as the problems that arise in the field.
Margaret Lokawua is a member of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is also the Chairperson for the Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja, as well as the Director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project.
The Samoan Experience
His Highness Tupua Tamasese Maulolo T Amosa
Room 211
This program will focus on the unique place the Samoan Experience holds in the Pacific culture and way of thinking. Like the making of garlands (ula) and body-oil, [fagu u), the ideas espoused also emit fragrance-Le Manogi-and become lasting contributions to humanity at large. Like their creation, through the intermingling of different flowers and leaves, Pacific thoughts and practices function to inform and transform in spatio-temporal modes our seemingly fixed past, and elusive, yet-to-takeplace future, constantly, yet consciously mediating them in the ever-moving present.
His Highness Tupua Tamasese is the Samoan Head of State. Maulolo T Amosa is Assistant CEO, Internal Division, Samoa.
Building a Sense of Belonging
in a Culturally Diverse Australia - The Australian Government's Role Murray Davies, Chair
Laurie Ferguson Room 202
Panel Discussion
Australians speak 300 different languages and embody 200 different ancestries. Over forty per cent of Australians have at least one parent born overseas. In his address, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services will focus on Australia as a multicultural, multilingual and multifaceted society. One of the great Australian success stories is that Australia compares well with other countries in terms of its low levels of discrimination, social tension or disharmony. Our social cohesion has benefited from a deliberate approach by the Australian Government and its predecessors over the years. This approach recognises that while not all Australians are at the same starting point, the way to cul

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tivate a sense of belonging for all is to have policies and programs that enable all Australians to access opportunities. But Australia cannot be complacent in the face of social unrest and new challenges. Murray Davies, Chair, Faith Communities Forum, Victoria; Member & Treasurer, Baha'i Council for Victoria, and Co-Chair, Communities Relations Committee, Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions The Hon Laurie Ferguson MP. Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, has had a longstanding commitment to reluyees and immigrants within a social justice framework. He was appointed to his present position in 2007 after a long and distinguished career in the New South Wales (NSW) Parliament from 1984 to 1990 and the Australian Parliament, since 1990. In his current role he engages with community and faith groups across Australia and has overseen several major national initiatives, including the Diverse Australia Program, the appointment of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council (AMAC) and the launch of the national strategic settlement framework for refugees and new settlers beginning new lives in Australia
Introduction to Big Mind Big Heart Philip Oude-Vrielink Room 214 Interactive Workshop This workshop session is an introduction to the Big Mind Big Heart method, an interactive workshop using a dialogue method that enables us to communicate and connect with different aspects of ourselves, both psychological and spiritual. Big Mind Big Heart is a facilitated process developed by American Zen Master Genpo Roshi to convey Eastern teachings to Western audiences, Blending Western psychology and science with the Eastern traditions passed down from ancient times, it has been developed for the express purpose of helping us to better understand the mind and the nature of human life. This method allows for direct experience and insight into our true nature, a process that can be personally transformative. In recognising aspects of our own humanity and the community of our own selves, we create the possibility to be in community and relate more effectively with the humanity of others. The Big Mind Big Heart process helps us to connect with aspects of ourselves that spontaneously and naturally scck a world more congruent with love. Philip Oude-Vrielink is a student of Genpo Roshi, the originator of the Big Mind Big Heart process. He is an endorsed Big Mind Big Heart workshop facilitator living in Melbourne, Australia Committed to furthering human dignity, he is passionate about helping people to know and empower themselves through discovering a source of wisdom, love and power in their own lives.
Sri Aurobindo, a Prophet for the 21st Century Hilary Anderson, Moderator Joseph Subbiondo Rudolf Schmitz-Perrin Joseph Prabhu Room 101 Panel Discussion The Indian sage Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) has been acknowledged around the world for his vision of spiritual evolution and the development of consciousness that goes with it. UNESCO paid respect to the depth and scope of his teachings by founding the town of Auroville, which is meant to function as a centre which models this new consciousness, finding similarities with the vision of Teilhard de Chardin, the influential Jesuit and scientist. This panel, drawn from different continents and embodying diverse perspectives, examines the nature, scope and implications of Aurobindo's life and thought. In a planetary age like ours, where religions, cultures and spiritualities are brought closer together, the consciousness of religions needs to move beyond tribalism and self-concern to a more global vision, where people and cultures can encounter one another on a dimension that acknowledges and celebrates truth and harmony while at the same time respecting differences. The panel will also look at the experience of Auroville and its potential for serving as a beacon for the transformation of consciousness. Hilary Anderson, PhD, is Professor Emerita at the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, where she has served as faculty. dean and founding board member. Hilary is a lecturer, therapist, and synthesiser of East-West mythic patterns with Integral psychological approaches, emphasising the Divine Feminine and oracular imagery in ritual and celebrations. In 1992, she founded Universal Way Foundation, Los Angeles, to promote cross-cultural regard for all spiritual pathways. Her publications include numerous articles on Integral Studies and oracular symbolism Joseph Subbiondo is the President of the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIS). CIIS is a university founded in response to Sri Aurobindo's integral vision and committed to the study and practice of multiple spiritual and faith traditions. Mr Subbiondo has published extensively on the history of linguistics, especially regarding the works of John Wilkins and the seventeenth-century philosophical language movement. He presents and publishes on integrative models, spirituality, and interfaith dialogue in higher education, Rudolf Schmitz-Perrin, PhD, ThD, MA, is a psychotherapist and former Chair of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Strasbourg in France. He was a long-term visiting professor at universities in Spain. Rome and Jerusalem and is currently at Northern Arizona University Since 2006, he has been instrumental in creating the University of Human Unity in Auroville, Southern India. He has published and lectured internationally in the fields of medieval philosophy, studies on mysticism. phenomenology and contemporary psychoanalysis Joseph Prabhu is a Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He is the author of Human Rights in CrossCultural Perspective' and 'Liberating Gandhi: Community, Empire and a Culture of Peace' lforthcomingl. He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.
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Unitarian Universalists - Working for Peace, Civil Rights, and Earth Richard Boeke Peter Abrehart Michael McPhee Rev Orlanda Brugnola Pauline Rooney Room 218
Islam 101 Series: Reverence for the Virgin Mary and Jesus in Islam Burhanettin Tatar Najafali Mirzai Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat Room 216 Panel Discussion Many Christians are astonished to learn that Jesus is reverentially mentioned by name in the Qur'an five times more often than the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, 25 times to five, respectively, and that Mary, the mother of Jesus is named 34 times in the scripture of Muslims. Islamic doctrine mandates that Muslims accept Jesus virgin birth, performance of miracles, and return to Earth as evidence of the kinship of the teachings and messages of Jesus and Muhammad. This panel will explore the Islamic doctrine related to Jesus and Mary and how this knowledge can contribute to Muslim/Christian dialogue and facilitate peace between the two traditions in contemporary times. This program is one of six sessions in the Islam 101 Series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice and history that are all too commonly misunderstood. Professor Burhanettin Tatar is the official representative of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey at the 2009 Parliament. He is a professor at Ondokuz Mayis University, in the faculty of Theology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. He is also a member of the Higher Committee of Religious Affairs Burhanettin Tatar received his PhD degree from the Catholic University of America in 1997.
In 1553. Michael Servetus, the first Unitarian in modern history. was burned at the stake for denying the Trinity. He was affirming the 'omnipresence of the Holy in the hope of peace between Christian, Muslim and Jew. Since his death, Unitarians and Universalists have practised freedom, reason and tolerance for ALL. Several of our strong churches with over 1,000 members are named ALL SOULS. Many are dedicated to Peace and Civil Rights such as the Peace Memorial Unitarian Church in Melbourne. Unitarians join in reverence for the Earth, affirming the "Interdependent Web of All Existence of which we are a part'. Our panellists will tell their stories of this witness. Richard Boeke served for three years as a US Air Force Chaplain. After seeing bombers loaded with atomic weapons, he became a peacenik op posing wars in Vietnam and Iraq. He was in Mississippi in the civil rights summer of 1965. Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, California, he now lives in England. He is Vice President of the World Congress of Faiths, and former Secretary of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU). Peter Abrehard will present the witness of the Melbourne Peace Memorial Unitarian Church, founded in 1852. He is an active in the church, which has a long history of witness for peace and civil rights, Michael McPhee is a member of the UU Church of Sydney, and a student of UU History Orlanda Brugnola is an interdisciplinary scholar teaching philosophy and religious studies at John Jay College. She has an MFA in painting and curates art exhibitions for college galleries. She is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister who has worked over the years for the International Association for Religious Freedom Pauline Rooney is currently the Vice President of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists. In her secular Life Pauline ran her own business in rural South Australia being recognised as South Australian Business Woman of the Year in 1996. She has spent a great proportion of her life working on State and National boards and committees focused on housing, the arts and community development,
Najafali Mirzai is Director, Planning Commission for Religious Higher Education and Cultural Counselor of Iran in Lebanon and faculty member and Advisor to the President of the Al-Mustafa International University He has an MA in Philosophy from Islamic Azad University. His publications are 'Dictionary of Contemporary Idioms and Phrases'. An Introduction to Higher Education in Religious Studies, 'The Biography of Sheikh Uthman bin Fawdi, and a number of published papers and treatises. Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat - Graduate of Sharia Law from Damascus University and Imam in the U.S. since 1989. He served as Campus Imam at Johns Hopkins University and Muslim Chaplain for the Baltimore City Police Department. He's the founder of Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, which provides inter laith Exchange programs for students, professionals & clergy, a professor of Islamic Studies, and an international speaker through the US Department of State on Islam and Pluralism in America'.
The Wurundjeri People of Melbourne Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin Room 217 Lecture Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin is a strong and respected Wurundjeri Elder who was born on her traditional country and still lives there today. In this presentation, she will speak about her life's journey, ancestry and traditional homeland Coranderrk. Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin is a senior Aboriginal Woman of the Wurundjeri People, Australia. Aunty Joy has received an honor ary Professorship at Swinburne University. She is Chairperson of the Australian Indigenous Consultative Assembly and has held executive positions in different departments of Government Aunty Joy has been involved in Aboriginal issues for the past 30 years. She is a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria and a member of the Equal Opportunity Commission
Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle Janaan Hashim Hana Bubshait Dr Shohreh Shahsavandi Room 219 Panel Discussion
Despite the vast cultural differences between their respective countries, three Muslim women-a Saudi, an Iranian and an American-will share their common struggle: to secure their individuality. These women come from three countries that have three very different views on Islam and who the Muslim woman is. Society may try to dictate how
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the Muslim woman should behave (from how she should dress to how she should view herself), but the individual woman is the one who wishes to determine this for herself. This panel of Muslim women professionals will compare their different societies in the context of who the Muslim woman is, how society perceives her, and the challenges she faces in defining herself and her individuality. The panellists will explain how taking an active role in society will secure the right of Muslim women to be who they want to be while they also explore the challenges and barriers they face in taking this step. In discussing the actions women are taking to define themselves, attendees will be inspired to help their sisters achieve their goals.
Janaan Hashim is a criminal defense and civil rights attorney practicing in Illinois with Amal Law Group, LLC. She co-founded this firm, the first of its kind in the US, with five other Muslim women. Ms Hashim writes a legal column for Arab Horizon newspaper in Chicago. She is also an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary. From 2004 to 2008 she was the spokesperson for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.
Hana Bubshaitis Special Development Program Coordinator for Communication Engineering with Saudi Aramco. In 2008, the US State Department chose Hana to participate in its Legal and Business Fellowship Program with 27 other Middle Eastern women. She studied Executive Education at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and was then placed with Motorola, Inc as a Human Resources Coordinator. Hana also travelled the US giving talks on cross-cultural Issues.
Dr Shohreh Shahsavandi is an associate professor of English Language in the Ferdawsi University of Mashhad, Iran. She holds a PhD in English Language from the Allameh Tabatabaee University, Tehran. She is an expert on the rights of women and has presented a number of papers on such subjects as 'Feminism, Language and Religion and Translatability of the Glorious Qur'an' at different domestic and international seminars. She has also written a book entitled 'The Qur'anic Lexicon.
Meditation: The Heart of All Things
Laurence Freeman Room 220
Interactive Workshop
Meditation is an ideal tool to promote reconciliation and sustainable global peace. This is because it is such a widely accepted practice. Although different traditions may meditate differently, meditation itself is universal. The Christian tradition of meditation is rooted in the essentially contemplative teachings of Jesus on prayer. The theology of Christian meditation was first developed by the early Fathers of the Church and practised by the Fathers and Mothers in the desert, before flowering in the richness of the Christian mystical tradition. Central to meditation in the monastic tradition is the radical simplicity and poverty of spirit of the 'prayer of one word'. The hesychast tradition, or the prayer of the heart as distinct from mental or liturgical prayer, was refreshed, restored and reintegrated into the mainstream of Christian life as a daily practice by some of the great teachers of our time, such as John Main (1926-82], founder of The World Community for Christian Meditation. During this interactive workshop. Fr Laurence Freeman will explore the many facets of Christian meditation.
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Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto and Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation. Born in England and educated by the Benedictines, he studied English Literature at Oxford University. Before entering monastic life his experience included the United Nations, banking and journalism. In the monastery his spiritual teacher was John Main, with whom he studied and with whom he helped establish the first Christian Meditation Centre in London.
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
Plenary Hall
Panel Discussion
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Respecting and Defending Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles: An Islamic Global Perspective
Dr Mahmud Erol KILIC
In this session, Prof Dr Mahmud Erol KILIC, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Member States (PUIC), will discuss the efforts of the PUIC to foster coordination among peoples of the world in order to respect and defend human rights and humanitarian principles and establish peace based on justice. An interfaith panel of respondents will offer reflections and questions followed by a question and answer period with the audience.
Professor Mahmud Erol KILIC is the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Member States IPUIC). The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations. It is the collective voice of the Muslim world, aiming to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
Interreligious Partnerships
for Ending Hunger
Ray Buchanan
Amjad-Mohammed Saleem
Room 101
Panel Discussion

Twenty-five thousand people die every day from hungerrelated causes. Eradicating poverty is a goal that members of all religious faiths can agree on. This program will challenge participants to move beyond compassion to justice by teaching them how to establish intentional partnerships between interreligious, faith-based, nongovernmental organisations. These partnerships can foster mutual understanding among diverse groups, as well as help broaden the sense of community by demonstrating the power of working together. This program is aimed at creating a strategic interreligious response to ending world hunger. Ending hunger will only happen if people of faith become leaders in creating a just world, which no longer tolerates twenty-five thousand members of the human family dying every day from hunger. Working together as people of faith we can end hunger in our lifetime.

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Ray Buchanan is President and CEO of Stop Hunger Now, a nonprofit organisation based in Raleigh, North Carolina that has distributed over $56 million in direct relief and 11 million meals to hungry people worldwide. Mr Buchanan served in the US Marine Corps in Vietnam, earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Divinity from Shenandoah University and Conservatory. Amjad-Mohammed Saleem is the head of media and public relations for The Cordoba Foundation. He was the architect of a global partnership between Muslim Aid and the United Methodist Committee on
liet, which was hailed by the British Prime Minister as a landmark example of Muslims collaborating with Christians during times of conflict in South Asia.
Appreciating and Cultivating Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) and Pancasila to Address Religious Radicalisms in Indonesia Anand Krishna Maya Safira Muchtar Room 102 Lecture For more than a thousand years, the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversilyl and Pancasila (the kingdoms of Singasari, Srivijaya, Majapahit, Mataram, etc) has guided the Archipelago of Indonesia as a mosaic of diverse peoples, faiths, and cultures. It was this spirit that Mr Soekarno and other founding parents drew upon in building a new Republic of Indonesia in 1945 as a nation that respects each citizen's way of life and upholds spirituality, humanity, nationalism in the frame of international friendshipl, democracy, and social justice. However, the growth of radicalism throughout the country over the last few decades has threatened the tapestry of unity in diversity to the point of national disintegration. This radical movement threatens not only Indonesia, but the entire Asia-Pacific region as well. Anand Krishna, Indonesia's renowned interfaith spiritualist and humanist, will speak about the importance of returning to the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and Pancasila to maintain Indonesia's strategic position as a peacemaker in the Asia-Pacific region. Born in Solo, Central Java, in 1956, Anand Krishna had his early education in Lucknow, North India, where he met his first spiritual mentor, Sheikh Baba, a simple ice vendor and Sufi. Since 1990, Anand has spoken to millions through television shows, radio talks, trainings, books, interviews and articles, as well as meetings and workshops in Indonesia, the United States, Singapore, Brazil and India. Maya Safira Muchtar is a women's activist and Ayurvedic therapist. She chairs the National Integration Movement. A moderate Muslim who has travelled to many countries, she has written several books on spirituality. gender equality, and international friendship.
Turning the Dharma Wheel Ven Thich Phuoc Tan Jinwol Lee Camellia Darmawan Rev Yoshiharu Tomatsu My Ly Nguyen, Moderator Room 103 Interactive Workshop The notion that many paths lead to Rome need not imply that one cannot walk alongside another or benefit from another faith's earlier forged paths without diverting from one's destination. Perhaps this sharing could hasten one's journey. It is common for a Zen practitioner to learn Pure Land practice, a Pure Land practitioner to learn Vajrayana, or a Vajrayana practitioner to learn Theravada. In ancient times, disciples might be sent to study under the tutorship of another Master who had a particular strength. This was done to perfect and benefit the student, who remained loyal to the original guru or Master. The Senior Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan was ordained in the Thien Thai tradition in 1981. He is currently the abbot of Quang Minh Temple and the president of the United Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Victoria. He is a vice president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and a member of the Engaging Buddhism Committee. In 2008, Venerable Phuoc Tan was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in recognition of his services to the community Venerable Professor Jinwol Lee is a Buddhist monk and Seon (Zenl Master of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. He received a PhD in Buddhist Studies from UC Berkeley and now teaches at Dongguk University in Korea. He is a Steering Committee Member of the Coalition for the UN Decade for Peace, an Executive Committee Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and a Global Council Member of the United Religions Initiative. PMy Camellia Darmawan BSc is Director of Organisational Development for the Indonesian Therevada Buddhist Council and is a member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. Rev Yoshiharu Thomatsu is an Executive Council Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, a member of Japan Buddhist Federation, Tokyo; and Senior Research Fellow at the Jodo Shu Research Institute of Buddhism, Tokyo. My Ly Nguyen is a researcher and PhD candidate at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,
Sancta Sophia Meditation Community: Promoting Peace through Interreligious Dialogue Ken Petersen Sr Kathleen Murphy OP Rev Chi Kwang Sunim Brahmacharini Nivedita Chaitanya Room 104 Interactive Workshop This workshop will first describe the Sancta Sophia community, which has been functioning since 1996 on the Carmelite Property 'Karith' in Warburton, Victoria. Its primary aim has been to promote interreligious dialogue through a search for wisdom in the great traditions. Its symbols are The Open Door' and "The Shared Table'. The
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Greg O'Donnell is Executive Officer for the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and coordinator of Gudhara Holistic Sanctuary, an eco-spiritual retreat centre. He is Founder of the Inter laith Forum and initiator of many multifaith events, and a previous representa tive on the World Conference of Religions and Peace. Imam Afroz Ali is Founder and President of Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development, Sydney. He is a qualified Imam in the Islamic Tradition, lecturer and trainer, founding and executive member of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and recipient of the International Ambassador for Peace award. Denise Boyd is the Campaigns Director for the Australian Conservation Foundation. She works with government, Community and business lead ers to achieve the best outcomes for the environment. Previously she was Toxics Campaigner, Oceans Campaigner and Campaign Coordinator for Greenpeace Australia, and head of programs for the International Fund for Animal Welfare in London and Sydney.
fruit of these symbols and programs has promoted in terpersonal relationships with people of many traditions, transforming individuals as well as sparking interreligious dialogue in the wider community. Secondly, speakers will introduce some of the great pioneers-both men and women-of interreligious dialogue in the Catholic tradition who have studied other religious traditions and actively attempted to integrate these traditions into their own lifestyles. Thirdly, speakers will engage the audience in a process of dialogue, deep listening, movement, meditation and ritual. Father Ken Petersen, 0 Carm, is Co-Director and Co-Founder of Sancta Sophia Meditation Community in Warburton, Victoria, founded to promote interreligious dialogue. He is a member of the Formation Team for the Carmelites in Australia and a member of the formation Commission for the Carmelites in Australia and East Timor Ken is a Director of the East/West Meditation Foundation to Promote interreligious Dialogue and a member of the Council and Senate of Yarra Thcological Union. Sr Kathleen Murphy OP is a member of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters and has been an educator in schools for a number of years. Since completing her degree in Theology, Kathleen has been interested in interreligious dialogue. Since 1992 when she lived in a Christian Ashram in the North of India for some months, she has become a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Sancta Sophia Meditation Community She is a teacher of Meditation and a Director of the East/West Meditation Foundation to Promote Interreligious Dialogue. Chi Kwang Sunim has been a Zen Buddhist nun for 30 years. Born in Korea, she now resides in Kinglake, Victoria. She is a founding member of the Buddhist Library in Sydney. Wat Buddha Dharma, and The Seon Centre, and is a seasoned meditation and Buddhist teacher. She is currently Chair of the Australian Sangha Association and recognised in Buddhist and Interfaith circles in Australia and abroad. Brahmacharini Nivedita Chaitanya is a Hindu Nun with the Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide Hindu organisation whose primary aim is the teaching of the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of oneness. Nivedita trained for two years in India and has been teaching in the Melbourne Ashram at Templestowe for the last 10 years. She is committed to the interfaith vision and is secretary of the Manningham Interfaith network.
How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? Solomon Katz Lindsay Falvey Gayle Woloschak Antje Jackelén Mary Evelyn Tucker Room 106 Panel Discussion This session will focus on the critical role that faith communities and spiritual leaders of the world can play in addressing the enormous problems concerning food, water and climate. Although governmental bodies and international secular organisations have initially met their responsibility to identify and begin to address the problems of starvation and poverty, the food crisis of 2007-08 led to a vast increase in the millions of newly hungry people in the world, leaving these traditional organisations overwhelmed in their capacity to respond adequately. Moreover, the recent economic decline has worsened these problems and left a large void in the fabric of support for the poorest of the poor that urgently needs to be addressed. This session is designed to provide clear and concise evidence-based analyses of contemporary scientific data concerning climate change, fresh water access and human food chain problems; and to develop a framework for interreligious dialogue that provides new sources of action and inspiration for spiritual communities and faith leadership to address these problems. We expect that this framework for action will offer new possibilities to explore, renew and restore traditional faith based means for dealing with these crises. Dr Solomon Katz is director of the Krogman Center for Childhood Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania and is a professor of anthropology and a senior fellow at the Wharton School Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics. He was founder and Chairman (1984 to 1986) of the Task Force on the African Famine for the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and is currently Chair of the AAA Task Force on World Food Problems.
Climate Change and the Question of Overconsumption Greg O'Donnell Imam Afroz Ali Denise Boyd Room 105 Panel Discussion In order to combat climate change, we need to better manage our planet's limited resources, particularly in terms of what we take out and what we give back. In this session, we will explore the ideas of taking and giving as they relate to our spiritual development, sense of well-be ing and attitude toward our environment. Is gross domestic product per capita now a redundant measure of our personal and collective success? What is the role of selfsacrifice in reining in our consumption? Can we address the climate crisis and the economic crisis simultaneously through 'green growth, or do we need a more fundamental shift in the way our economies work? This panel will address these and other important questions.
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Friday, December 4, 2009
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Lindsay Falvey is a professor at the University of Melbourne, where he was previously Chair of Agriculture, Dean of Land and Food Resources, and Dean of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture. He is a life member of Clare Hall, Cambridge, at the University of Cambridge and has writ ten extensively on religion, agriculture and issues of sustainability from multi-religious perspectives. Gayle Woloschak is a professor of Molecular Biology at Northwestern University, adjunct professor of Science and Religion at the Chicago Lutheran School of Theology, and co-director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. She is also a water ecology Scientist and has written books on the Orthodox faith, including Challenge Questions on Orthodoxy and Beauty and Unity in Creation Rev Dr Antje Jackelén is Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the first woman bishop to be popularly elected the Church of Sweden. She was previously a professor of systematic theology/religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. She is the author of Time and Eternity (2005) and numerous articles in a variety of languages. Currently, she serves as president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar at Yale University, where she has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department of Religious Studies. She has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program since 1986 and is a member of the Earth Charter International Council. She is a co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies Sadik Kirazli Rasheeda Cooper Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai Room 108 Panel Discussion Peace, justice and human dignity cannot take a back seat; it is the responsibility of everyone operating in the international arena to ensure that these rights are protected. This program will take a close look at three very different ways Muslims are addressing peace, justice and human dignity for all. We will see this first in the success of Peace Generation, an interfaith peacebuilding and conflict resolution initiative in Indonesia that extends to the international stage, second, in the Gulen Movement, an international body of religiously motivated peacebuilders addressing societal problems that often exist independently of religion, such as drugs, crime, poverty and ethnic conflict; and third, in the way the South Asian region, home to nearly one third of the more than one billion Muslims in the world, furnishes undeniable evidence of how the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir and the maintenance of international peace and security are interrelated. Sadik Kirazli is a PhD student in Islamic Studies at the Asia Institute of the University of Melbourne. He is currently working on his dissertation on conflict resolution and peacebuilding within an Islamic context. Kirazli received an MA in Social and Public Policy with a concentration in Policy Analysis and Conflict Resolution from Duquesne University, USA, and a BA in Islamir I aw from Marmara University, Turkey. Rasheeda Cooper is an Australian Muslim who has lived and worked in both Indonesia and India. She is a founding director of the Islamic Centre of Education and Development and has visited projects undertaken in Indonesia by the Centre. She has been on the Committee of Management for the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria since 2000 Ghulam Nabi Fai is the executive director of the Washington-based Kashmiri American Council, the founding chairman of the World Peace Forum, the chairman of the Kashmiri American Foundation and the London-based Justice Foundation, and a member of the board of directors of the Istanbul-based Union of the NGOs of the Islamic World. He has also organised seven international peace conferences.
'Green Patriarch' and 'The Arctic: The Consequences of Human Folly' John Grim Room 107 Film
This film presentation will feature two films with a similar theme: our responsibility for caring for the earth. 'Green Patriarch' follows Patriarch Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, who is a prominent leader in the environmental movement. Since 1997, he has been bringing principle scientists, environmentalists, religious leaders from all faiths, and policy makers from all over the world together to work on the ecological crisis. This film looks at how Bartholomew's activism is inspired by the Orthodox position that we are part of nature, and that God's intention for humans is to be stewards, or caretakers, of all creation. The second film, 'The Arctic: The Consequences of Human Folly, follows the coming together of top experts on the Arctic, politicians, environmental scientists and religious leaders from Christian, Muslim, Hebrew, Buddhist, Hindu. Jain and Sikh traditions - along with Saami and Inuit leaders - as they draw attention to the environmental changes in Greenland that are already affecting the rest of the planet. While the inhabitants of the Arctic have done nothing to contribute to the global ecological crisis, they are first in line to suffer the consequences. Greenland is the canary in the coal mine of immense environmental change in the world. Q and A with John Grim will follow. John Grim is currently a Senior Lecturer and Scholar at Yale University. He is Coordinator of the Forum on Religion and Ecology with Mary Evelyn Tucker, and series editor of World Religions and Ecology, from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions. He has taught at Bucknell University and Sarah Lawrence College and is widely published on the subjects of religion and ecology
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PROGRAM Friday, December 4, 2009
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
The Crisis and the Opportunity: Wisdom from Faith Traditions and Communities Cardinal George Pell Dr Fahad Alhomoudi Others to be Announced Room 110 The 2008 financial crisis prompted re-examination of the broad trust that had been placed in free markets. Faith leaders from many traditions warned from the onset that the crisis revealed fundamental ethical weaknesses in institutions but above all called for a rethinking of underlying values and reforms across the global market system. Central to critiques from faith communities was a concern for the impact of the crisis on the poor, who bore the brunt of the social and economic devastation. This session will explore what has been learned and point to directions for reform. It asks whether there are common lessons from different faith traditions and discusses the significance of differences and the path ahead. Cardinal Pell served as Archbishop of Melbourne before his appoint ment as Archbishop of Sydney He has attended the Asia-Pacific Interfaith Dialogue as part of the official Australian delegation. Cardinal Pell's longstanding commitment to ecumenism was recognised in 1998 with the conferral of the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Saint Lazarus and in 2003 with his promotion to Ecclesiastic Grand Cross of Si Lazarus, the Order's highest ecclesiastical rank. From 2001 to 2007, he served as the Order's National Chaplain. Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi obtained his PhD in Islamic Law from McGill University (2006). He was appointed a Vice-Dean for academic research at Imam University in Saudi Arabia (2007) and was awarded a Fulbright scholar award (2008). In addition to his native Arabic. Alhomoudi speaks English and French and can read Persian Alhomoudi has published two books and several articles. His research covers Islamic Law, Environmental Law, Prophetic Tradition, and Interfaith Dialogue.
2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 1 Helen Spector Zabrina Santiago Ellen Grace O'Brian Speakers from Melbourne, Barcelona and Cape Town organising teams Room 111 Seminar The first of two programs describing the 2014 Parliament Site Selection Process will help teams from interested cities understand the requirements of hosting a Parliament event and prepare them to decide whether to engage in the proposal process. This session will help teams to understand how engaging in the process of bid preparation can positively impact the development of their local interreligious movement. This session will specifically focus on: 1. Details of the 2014 Site Selection Process, including the timeline and criteria for evaluation; 2. The process of self-assessment of the local interreligious movement and the social and civil context of which it is a part. We will also distribute the Request for Proposal document for 2014.
Helen Spector serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions ICPWR). She joined the Board of CPWR in 1990 to help plan the 1993 Partiament Centenary Celebration and has served as co-chair for the Site Selection task forces that selected Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009) for Parliament gatherings. Helen lives in Portland, Oregon. Zabrina Santiago is Depuly Executive Director and Partner Cities Director for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She brings over 15 years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, and relationship management to the Council. She is recognized for her work in over 25 international cities in developing the Partner Cites Network of the Council. The Partner Cities Network serves to connect organizations, guiding institutions, and religious and spiritual communities in cities around the globe who are working toward creating more just cohesive, and sustainable communities. Zabrina, an active leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA), holds a Masters in Theology from McCormick Theological Seminary Rev Ellen Grace O'Brian is the Founding Minister and Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, a ministry rooted in the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga. She was ordained in 1981 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. She serves on the board of trustees of the Parliament as Partner Cties Task Force Chair and is the President of Meru Seminary as well as leading a thriving congregation and maintaining an international teaching outreach
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Friday, December 4, 2009
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Session Alana Smith Miriam Pepper Isobel Arthen Stuart Hall Tony Le-Nguyen Josh Stanton Room 201 Panel Discussion The environment is in crisis and no other generation will be more affected by this crisis in the future than today's youth. What can young people do at home, in the workplace, and in their own faith communities to minimise the impact of this global, environmental reality? This session will highlight the urgency of the global environmental situation and how this will affect young people everywhere. It will then explore what particular faith communities around the world are doing to look after the environment and what young people can do as individuals, at home or on the job, to make a difference. Alana Smith is the National Director of Vision Generation, World Vision Australia's youth movement. She is also a steering committee member on the Australian Youth Forum IAYF), which acts as a communication and engagement channel between the Government and young people, and recently became a committee member of Liberty Victoria, an organisation focused on protecting the human rights and freedoms of those living in Australia Miriam Pepper is a Christian environmental activist working to build environmental awareness and action across communities of differ ent faiths and of none. She is a founding member and secretary of the multifaith network, the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and is also active in the Faith and Ecology Network Miriam has a PhD from the University of Surrey, UK. Her thesis was titled Christianity and Sustainable Consumption: A Social Psychological Investigation. Isobel Arthen is an Environmental Activist and Member of the EarthSpirit Community Stuart Hall is the lead architect of the Tasmanian Baha'i Centre of Learning. opened in the spring of 2009. The design of the building has won accolades for the attention paid to environmental sustainability through the innovative use of materials, the conservation of water, and low energy consumption Tony Le-Nguyen is a Community Development Coordinator at the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple. Josh Stanton is a Rabbinical student at the Hebrew Union College.
slower. However, more recently, the world's religious leaders and laity have been speaking out regarding the moral issues surrounding the ecological crisis in its many forms. The impact of environmental destruction, especially climate change, on both the Earth and on the poor is growing ever more evident and disturbing. This panel will highlight the responses--both in statements and in action-of some of the world's religions to climate change and related environmental issues. With the Copenhagen meeting on climate change following the Parliament, this panel is not only timely but critical. Oren Lyons is the Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan in the Onondaga Nation of the Hau de no sau nee ('People Building a Long House'). He was raised in the traditional life ways of the Hau de no sau nee. In 1982, he helped establish the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations and has participated in the Indigenous Peoples Conference in Geneva. He is a principal figure in the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders. Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp is President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, European Region and co-recipient of the 2005 International Alliance Peace Award with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. He is an award-winning human rights advocate, lecturer, writer, environmental activist and champion of civil society worldwide. Bishop Geoffrey Davies is the coordinator and founding member of the Southern African Faith Communities' Environmental Institute, which works to raise awareness of environmental issues such as climate change among different faith communities. He was one of the overseas marchers in Christian Aid's Cut the Carbon march around the United Kingdom to draw attention to global warming and the urgent issue of reducing our carbon footprint. Sulak Sivaraksa, of the Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute, is a Nobel Prize nominee and prominent Buddhist social and environmental activist in Thailand. He has founded numerous organisations and has been involved in Buddhist-Christian dialogue for decades. His books include 'Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society' and Loyalty Demands Dissent
Religious Responses to the Ecological Crisis as Climate Change Grows Oren Lyons Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp Bishop Geoffrey Davies Sulak Sivaraksa Mary Evelyn Tucker Room 202 Panel Discussion The destruction of ecosystems, the loss of species, the depletion of resources and the impact of climate change around the planet are becoming ever more pronounced. While scientists have been alerting us to these problems over the last few decades, religious responses have been
How Spiritual Progressives Can Help Move Both Religious and Secular Communities to Enlarge their Focus Beyond Personal Fulfilment or Individual Salvation toward a Global Transformation Rabbi Michael Lerner Swami Agnivesh Rabbi Irwin Kula Room 203 Panel Discussion God and religion have often been used as paths to comfort and consolation in the face of powerlessness and suffering, while the task of healing and transforming the planet has traditionally been left to political movements. Unfortunately, those political movements have proven unsuccessful in meeting the survival-threatening challenges of the 21st century, including environmental destruction, cultural and spiritual degradation of human life, and misuse of both science and religion to serve the status quo. This panel discussion will suggest ways in which progressive spiritual and religious communities can pick up where political movements have left off in terms of preserving the environment.
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Friday, December 4, 2009
Rabbi Michael Lerner studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and received mentorship from noted scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel. He received a PhD in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1972 and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in 1977. Michael Lerner serves as the rabbi of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco and is the editor of Tikkun Magazine and author of numerous books.
Swami Agnivesh is the president of the World Council of Arya Samaj 'Society of Nobles, a Hindu reform movement, founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875. He is also Chairperson of United Nations Trust Fund, President of World Council of Arya Samaj and Chairperson of Bonded Labour Liberation Front. Among Swami Agnivesh's immense contributions is his championing of dialogue and peace activities, the anti-caste movement, liberation of bonded labour activities, a movement against alcoholism, and equal rights of women (such as their right to education and reading Indian scriptures].
Rabbi Irwin Kula, also a President of Clal - received the 2008 Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award for his work toward equality, liberty and a truly inter-religious community. Fast Company magazine and 'Religion and Ethics Newsweekly IPBS) both named him one of the leaders shaping the American spiritual landscape. He is the author of Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life, and is currently developing the Clinton Global Initiative commitment, Disruptive Spiritual Innovation.
Hindu Jewish Leadership Initiative
Bawa Jain
Rabbi David Rosen
Room 204
Panel Discussion
In 2007 we convened our first Hindu Jewish Leadership Summit in New Delhi, India. This was followed by the second Hindu Jewish Leadership Summit in Jerusalem, Israel in 2008. We are planning our third gathering, and we will convene at the Parliament to discuss this initiative: how it began, what we have achieved, and where we are going. We will discuss commonalities and concerns of Hinduism and Judaism, with an eye to education.
Bawa Jain is the Secretary-General of The Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. Mr. Jain continues to counsel governmental, business and religious organizations on deeper involvement in interfaith activities and global initiatives. In response to the requests of UN Agencies and governments, Bawa Jain travels around the world to speak on religious diplomacy, spirituality, religion, and peace. He is published and has been the recipient of numerous awards.
Rabbi David Rosen is Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding. He serves on several international interreligious organisations. Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisa tions representing world Jewry to other religions.
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11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Dark to Dawn: Being Creative about Depression
Joseph Camilleri
Liz Bowen
Di Bretherton Louis Roller Greg Johns Room 207 Seminar
Depression plays a large part in many people's life experiences, both currently and historically. This initiative was created to engage people in dialogue by introducing broad-ranging perspectives geared toward relieving the suffering associated with depression. The views expressed are not limited to clinical analysis nor are they promoting the idea of a single 'cure' or solution. Rather, they comprise an approach that it is hoped will open a dialogue about a new way of perceiving depression-not as an anomaly but as a potentially valuable part of the human psyche that can be a driver of creativity and contribute to humanity.
Joseph Camilleri is the founder and director of the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University in Melbourne and one of Australia's leading International Relations scholars. Professor Camilleri has pursued a wide range of research interests in the International Relations discipline. These include regional and global governance, the political economy of Asia-Pacific, the role of religion and culture in international affairs, the politics of oil and the Middle East, and security policy lincluding weapons non-proliferation).
Liz Bowen is Managing Editor and Vice General Director of Soka Gakai International (SGI) Australia. She has a doctorate in Social Policy and Welfare, with a focus on young people, employment and risk. She is the author of numerous articles and edits SGI Australia's monthly magazine.
Di Bretherton is a Quaker. She began her career as a psychologist and for most of her academic career worked at the University of Melbourne, where she became the founding director of the International Conflict Resolution Centre. As director, she was able to combine her academic work with practical work in a number of different countries. In her retirement she is an Honorary Professor at the Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland.
Louis Roller has served as an academic at Monash University for 46 years. He 'humanised the university's pharmacy program by introducing the first course in psychosocial sciences in a pharmacy in Australasia and emphasising the patient over the product. He was on the Pharmacy Board of Victoria for 22 years, has significantly contributed to many editions of various pharmaceutical compendia and is the author of hundreds of scientific and professional articles.

Greg Johns is General Director of SGI Australia. Also a practising musician and formerly an arts manager, his primary role is to provide opportunities for members of SGI Australia and interested friends to learn about the life-philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism and its application to contemporary struggles, including that of depression. Greg writes and speaks extensively on the application of the life-philosophy of Buddhism, drawing on his experience, conveyed through contemporary and accessible language.

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Friday, December 4, 2009
Older People: Revered or Redundant
Mary Braybrooke
Room 208
Panel Discussion
The moral character of a society is reflected in its care for the elderly and the marginalised. This panel discussion focusses on the welfare and care of older people including the issue of dying well.' It will explore how various religious traditions meet the spiritual needs of the dying and also consider the responsibilities of families, local communities, religious congregations, and governments toward the elderly. Particular attention will be given to the hospice movement.
Mary Braybrooke is a Vice-President of the World Congress of Faiths and has worked for fifty years as a social worker in child care, in the community, and in hospitals. She has also published a research paper on the attitude of members of different faiths to organ transplants and presented a program on this subject at the Cape Town Parliament. At present she is working with people suffering from renal failure.
Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith
Ninie G Syarikin
Suad El-Amin
Room 209
Artistic Performance
Muslim women's artistic expressions of faith reach out across racial, ethnic, religious and geographic boundaries because they so often celebrate the spirit of cooperation between all human beings and because they manifest love for God. This program will celebrate the talent and diversity of Muslim women artists from various disciplines. These women will share the motivation and inspiration behind their arts which include poetry reading, storytelling, chanting, faith-based inspirational music and others. They will also demonstrate and express their God-given talents by performing for participants. These performances are designed to provide both enlightenment and spiritual inspiration.
Ninie G Syarikin is a writer, translator/interpreter and broadcaster. Originally from Indonesia, Ninie now lives in the US and has three children. She manages House of Creative Writing, LLC, based in Washington, DC, providing translation, interpreting, writing, language education, and cross-cultural consulting services. Poetry is Ninie's passion and Islamic poetry is her life's work. She is a member of the American Translators Association, the National Writers Union, and the Fulbright Association. Suad El-Amin is an African-American Muslim singer and songwriter with over 30 years of faith-based performance experience with the Honorable Imam WD Mohammed. She performed at the Wisdom University conference 'Sacred Activism: The Power of Inclusion", appeared with Gospel music great Shirley Ceasar, and performed for Ms Rosa Parks, the mother of the Civil Rights movement.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Globethics.net Principles: Sharing Values across Cultures and Religions
Christoph Stückelberger Shanta Premawardhana
Siti Syamsiyatun Heidi Hadsell
Wande Abimbola (TBC) Room 210 Symposium
In an interdependent, globalised world with challenges such as climate justice, there is a great need for a global ethics. But how can global and contextual values be combined? How can diversity be respected without justifying contextual injustices? What are the methods for a fair sharing of values by different cultures and religions? The global ethics network Globethics.net has developed a set of values, principles, means and methods for sharing values for dialogues to become transformative dialogues and to enable joint actions which build communities. The draft principles were elaborated at the international and interreligious Globethics.net conference which took place in Nairobi in 2009. The panel and plenary discussion will help to further develop and enrich them. The draft principles will be distributed at the event and available from 1 December on www.globethics.net.
Professor Christoph Stückelberger is Executive Director and Founder of Globethics.net, Geneva, Switzerland.
Rev Dr Shanta D Premawardhana is the Director of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for the World Council of Churches, Switzerland. Dr Siti Syamsiyatun is the Associate Director of ICRS (Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies), Yogyakarta/Indonesia, an International, Inter-religious and Interdisciplinary Ph D program supported by three leading universities in Yogyakarta. She earned her MA in Islamic Studies from McGill University, Canada, and her PhD in Politics from the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. Australia in 2006. She lectures on History of Islamic Civilization, Gender and Religion, and the History of Indonesian Religions. her main research interests are on gender issues in Islam, women's religious movement, and interfaith relations.
Dr Heidi Hadsell is a member of the Board of Globethics.net and President of Hartford Seminary, USA. Dr Hadsell has worked as a consultant to the dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and also has worked with Plowshares Institute in its pilot immersion project for the globalization of theological education.

Professor Wande Abimbola is the current Awise Agbaye, or spokesperson of Yoruba Religion in the World. He was formerly Vice-Chancellor of University of Ife Inow Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife from 1982-1989, Senate Majority Leader for the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992-1993, and Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria from 2003-2005. Professor Abimbola has taught at Harvard University and Boston University. He is currently President of the UNESCO-sponsored Ifa Heritage Institute, Nigeria.
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| PROGRAMS
Friday, December 4, 2009
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Globalisation and Spiritual Values KL Seshagiri Rao Subhash Kak Rabbi Lance Sussman Joseph Prabhu Harbans Lal Muzammil Siddiqi S Wesley Ariarajah Room 211 Panel Discussion In the contemporary world, excessive materialism has led to corruption, sexism, erosion of values, disintegra tion of families, juvenile crime and so on. Societies of the world are shaken by religious and political conflicts, violence and terrorism. There is an urgent need to protect and preserve spiritual and moral values cherished by all religious traditions. Changing conditions bring new challenges, which must be creatively addressed. One of these challenges is globalisation, which has pitched members of many cultures together in big cities and small towns across the globe. It is a tragedy that so many people continue to be strangers to one another's inner cultural and religious life. Such ignorance promotes distrust and hatred. At this critical period, many are turning toward spirituality in search of meaningful solutions. Although religion is supposed to unite humanity, too often, religions still function as strong divisive forces. During this program, panel members will discuss how religious people can work toward building tolerance in a globalised society, while simultaneously deepening their own faiths. The future of humanity rests in releasing the underlying spirituality and morality of all religions. Dr K L Seshagiri Rao is Professor Emeritus of Religion at the University of Virginia, Chief Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism and Indic Religions, and Co-Editor of the journal Interreligious Insight and its predecessor World Faiths Insight. A Trustee of the World Congress of Faiths, he has been active with interfaith organisations for many years. He is the author of many books and articles and has participated in consultations of UNESCO and the World Economic Forum Professor Subhash Kak will provide perspective on Hindu spirituality. Rabbi Lance Sussman will provide perspective on Jewish spirituality. Joseph Prabhu is a Professor of Philosophy at the California State University at Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He is also the author of Human Rights in CrossCultural Perspective and 'Liberating Gandhi: Community, Empire and a Culture of Peace' (forthcomingl. He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Professor Harbans Lal will provide perspective on Sikh spirituality Professor Muzammil Siddiqi will provide perspective on Islamic spirituality S Wesley Ariarajah is Professor of Ecumenical Theology at Drew University in Madison, NJ, USA
Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East Thomas Daffern Ira Chernus Dr Benjamin MacQueen Room 212 Interactive Workshop The Middle East has seen political, legal, military and economic methods as means to resolve conflicts and achieve peace. This presentation will look at the US invasion of Iraq from a cross-religious and cross-cultural perspective, showing how Christianity and Islam could have cooperated for peaceful relations between the two nations rather than leading to war; it will explore the ongoing ambiquities surrounding these political systems and address the spiritual, intellectual, moral, ethical and philosophical dilemmas that are preventing the discovery of nonviolent solutions to the crises of the region. Israel, Palestine and Iraq present a context where interfaith and intersectarian dialogue must assume great importance. This interactive workshop will engage this vision and focus specifically on conflict resolution, peacemaking skills and mediation. Dr Thomas Daffern, Director of IPSGP, is a global lecturer, having twice spoken at the United Nations headquarters. He has taught the history of ideas, science and religions at the University of Oxford and the University of London, and specialised in the study of different approaches to peace, and the possibility of healing conflicts, both intra- and inter-culturally. In 1990 he founded the International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy, an educational charity. Ira Chernus is a historian of religions in the US who specialises in the role of religion in shaping US foreign policy. He has focused on the impact of Christianity on George W Bush's war policy in Irag as well as Christianbased protest against the Iraq war generated from Bush's own church. He received his PhD in the history of Judaism and now teaches at Colorado University at Boulder. Dr Benjamin MacQueen is Lecturer in the School of Political and Social Inquiry. He holds a BA from La Trobe University and a PhD from Deakin University in Political Science and International Relations His research interests include the theory and practice of conflict resolution, politics and society in the Middle East and North Africa, international relations of the Middle East; international relations theory: US and Australian foreign policy; and the United Nations and Islamic politics.
Achieving Sustainable Peace William F Vendley Pat Walsh Abdul Aziz Naderi Fr Leonel Narvaez Room 213 Panel Discussion Peacebuilding consists of efforts to create sustainable relationships. It is applied conflict prevention and resolution through methods such as mediation, negotiation, and facilitating communication. This panel brings together both international and local-level peacebuilders to discuss their work for peace and conflict resolution. The panel members have significant experience in peacebuilding and bringing reconciliation to situations of instability, violence, or aggression in such parts of the world as Afghanistan, Colombia and Timor-Leste.
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and spiritual purpose is an important segment in global tourism numbers. This program will present various case studies from across the world and present issues concerning ethical and practical engagement with international pilgrimage and interfaith relations. Rev Kim Cain is a Uniting Church Minister and current Director of Communications for the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. He has been a congregational minister and is interested in communications strategy. current affairs and writing. Jeff Wild is Christian World Service Coordinator at the Victorian Council of Churches
Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994 and has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King Abdullah's historic intcrrcligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World League to serve on its Follow-up Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama. Pat Walsh is Senior Adviser to the Post-CAVR Technical Secretariat. CAVR is Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation It was an independent truth commission established in East Timor in 2001 under the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAETI and charged to inquire into human rights violations committed on all sides, between April 1974 and October 1999. and facilitate community reconciliation with justice for those who committed less serious offenses'. Following the dissolution of CAVR in December 2005, President Xanana Gusmao inaugurated a Post-CAVR Technical Secretariat to completo unfinished CAVR projects. Dr Abdul Aziz Naderi was born in Afghanistan and earned an MD from Kabul Medical University in 2007. As Program Manager in charge of the Community Health and Peacebuilding programs at Sanayee Development Organization in Kabul, he has helped develop the Peace Education Curriculum and has assisted in implementing the curriculum in local peace councils, or Peace Shuras, across Afghanistan. Father Leonel Narvaez is a Catholic missionary. He initially worked with the nomadic tribes in Eastern Africa and currently works in the forest of the South Amazon area of Colombia. In 2000, he established the Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (ESPERE is the Spanish acronym). He was a key figure in the Goldin Institute's 2007 global gathering on the topic of reintegration of former child soldiers.
Cultivations of Solidarity: A Textual Analysis John Sheveland Prabha Duneja Rev Dr Robert Cathey Venerable Jian Ying Shifu Room 214 Academic Paper This paper envisions the connection between peace and justice as foundational to solidarity and the building of community. It analyses three sacred texts-the Bhagavad Gita, Dhammapada, and Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians-and argues that these texts can renew minds' (Romans 12:5) by transforming narrow apprehensions of personal and group identity into unitive expressions of moral solidarity focused indiscriminately on the human community as a whole.
Sharing Scarce Resources in an increasingly Globalised World Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Bhai Sukhbir Singh Rev Bill Mathew Avtar S Dhaliwal Room 216 Panel Discussion Since the early 1970s, when the Club of Rome released The Limits to Growth report on the perilous state of the world's ability to feed itself and the subsequent population explosion there has been a debate over the sustainability of water and food. This panel examines the relationship between food and faith and explores how different faiths have dealt with issues of scarcity in the past and how these legacies equip us to deal with this issue in an increasingly globalised world. This session will examine the politics of food and water in a world divided between haves and have-nots. For example, the Sikh ethic of responsibility will be explored through the unique conceptualisation of the institution of langar (community kitchen). An exposition of the Sikh's profound act of serving langar at the 2004 Parliament will be shared.
Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths Darlene St Clair, USA: Dakota Lucy Mulenkei, Kenya: Maasai Ryoko Foose, Japan: Ainu Room 218 Panel Discussion
Pilgrimages, Tourism and Meaning Rev Kim Cain Jeff Wild Room 215 Interactive Workshop Tourism is one of the world's largest industries, and it encompasses a variety of modes and styles and raises many issues both for the visitor and the visited. As pilgrimage sites exist around the world, travel for religious
Colonisation has negatively impacted Indigenous women in many ways. Often they are forced into roles of dependency. Many continue to be victims of discrimination, violence, and exploitation in the workplace. The empowerment of Indigenous women, however, is essential to improving the lives of all Indigenous peoples. This panel will address how some Indigenous women are working together to overcome these challenges.
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Iyekiyapiwin (Darlene St Clair) is an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at St Cloud State University and the director of the Multicultural Resource Center. Her career has focused on the education of Native peoples from early childhood to college, the integration of Native cultures' histories and languages into curricula, and the arts and cultural expressions of Native peoples. She is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and an enrolled member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota.
Lucy Mulenkei is a Maasai from Kenya. She is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Information Network [IIN) in Kenya, and works with the African Indigenous Women's Organisation in the East African Region. She has coordinated training and capacity building for Indigenous, rural nomadic pastoralists and hunter-gatherers on the topics of the environment and sustainable development, with a main focus on biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge.
Ryoko Foose was born in 1962, in Hokkaido, Japan, in the Pacific Ocean coastal town of Niikappu. Her mother Emiko was of Ainu descent. In 1988, Ryoko became a member of the spiritual organisation Shinji Shumeikai. In 2007, Ryoko became a member of the Hokkaido University Centre for Ainu & Indigenous Studies. Her focus of study is 'Ainu Child Raising Traditions and Their Effect on Future Generations'.
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue
Maria Reis Habito, Moderator
Dharma Master Hsin Tao
Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo
Ruben Habito
Amir Al-Islam
Dr Chandra Muzaffar
Room 219
Panel Discussion
This dialogue is part of an ongoing series initiated by the Global Family of Love and Peace (www.gflp.org) in 2002 to foster better understanding and closer cooperation between the Muslim and Buddhist communities of the world. So far, ten dialogues have been held internationally, including at UNESCO in Paris (2003) and the UN headquarters in New York (2008). The world of the 21st century is marked by injustice and discrimination on many fronts. We are called upon to address racial and ethnic injustice, economic injustice, injustice to women and children, and other forms of injustice and discrimination. This panel will consider the following questions: What are Buddhist and Muslim views on situations of poverty, injustice, and discrimination? What are the roots, and is there a cure? What is the relationship between justice and peace? Where and how do we start to make a difference, empowered by our own respective religious traditions? The panellists will be invited to reflect on commonalities and differences in their respective approaches to the topic and on what they can learn from each other.
Maria Reis Habito is the International Program Director of the Museum of World Religions and the Director of the Global Family for Love and Peace. After studying Chinese and Japanese languages and religions in Taiwan, Munich and Kyoto, she completed her PhD at LudwigMaximilians-Universität in 1990. She has organised many international, Interfaith conferences, notably a series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues published under the title of 'Listening: Buddhist-Muslim Dialoques 2002-2004 (Taipei, 20051.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age thirteen. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wu-sheng Monastery on Ling-jiou mountain in 1983. He founded the
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Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 have been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York.
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Karma Lekshe Tsomo is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego, where she teaches Buddhism, World Religions, and Comparative Religious Ethics. She studied Buddhism in Dharamsala, India for fifteen years and received a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is president of Sakyadhita: The International Association of Buddhist Women and director of Jamyang Foundation, an initiative providing educational opportunities for women in developing countries.
Ruben L F Habito, Professor of World Religions and Spirituality at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, is founding Teacher of the Maria Kannon Zen Center, Dallas, Texas. He has been President of the Society for Buddhist Christian Studies and President of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. His publications include 'Healing Breath: Zen for Buddhists and Christians in a Wounded World (2006). Experiencing Buddhism: Ways of Wisdom and Compassion [2005], and Living Zen, Loving God' (2004).
Amir Al-Islam is a Distinguished Lecturer of African American History. Islam and World Civilization at Medgar Evers College (CUNY) in Brooklyn.. He is the former Secretary General of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations, USA. He is chairman of the Board of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network in Chicago, and Vice-Chair of the Malcolm X and Dr Betty Shabazz Memorial Education Center, and the Muslim Women's Institute for Research and Development.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar is a political scientist and founding president of the Malaysian-based NGO International Movement for a Just World (www.just-international.org], which seeks to raise public consciousness on the moral and intellectual basis of global justice. He also served as the first director of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya. In addition to writings on civilisational dialogue, he has published extensively on religion, human rights, Malaysian politics and international relations.
Strangers in a Strange Land: Integration of Religious Minorities, their Families and their Identities into Australia
Deborah Stone
Dr Purushottama Bilimoria
Rachel Woodlock
Michele Bernshaw Padmasiri de Silva
Piara Singh
Room 220
Panel Discussion

This panel discussion brings together Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Buddhist representatives from Melbourne's thriving minority communities to discuss the challenges of settlement and community development, education of their children, and the challenges and benefits of integration into a multicultural society. This panel will explore the significance of preserving and promoting identities of ethnic and religious minority communities by observing their rituals and traditions. The program will emphasise the values of people of different faiths and their contribution to the broader society and humanity. The program aims to find elements of commonality, problem solving, and opportunities for celebration among the anxieties that can accompany the experience of being a minority. By focusing on the positive, this will be a healing experience for both panel and participants, who will come to

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ENGAGEMENT 2:30-4:00pm
acknowledge each other's challenges in maintaining one's own faith, identity and traditions while integrating into the wider community. Deborah Stone is a member of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission, Australia. Dr Purushottama Bilimoria is a Professor of Comparative Religions at Deakin University, Melbourne: Editor-in-Chief of Sophia Philosophy of Religion, Melbourne University: Philosopher, Deakin University and Visiting Professor, University of California at Berkeley and State University of New York at Stony Brook. Rachel Woodlock is a Researcher in the Centre for Islam and The Modern World at the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University Michele Bernshaw is Principal of the King David School in Melbourne. Professor Padmasiri de Silva is a Buddhist philosopher in the Theravada tradition and has written a number of books about Buddhism in the modern context. He has held teaching positions in Sri Lanka, Singapore, the US and New Zealand, and is at present a research assaciate with the School of Historical Studies ai Monash University Piara Singh is a member of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
LUNCHTIME PROGRAMMING 1:00-2:30 pm
Friday Jumu'ah Congregational Prayer Sheikh Isse A Musse Room 202 Religious or Spiritual Observance Every Friday just after noon, Muslims come together for the Jumu'ah prayer, a congregational prayer (salat), in lieu of Dhuhr prayer (one of the five obligatory prayers that Muslims perform dailyl. Before the prayer, a khatib (person who delivers the sermon) gives a khutbah isermon). Sheikh Isse A Musse, Imam of the newly built Virgin Mary Mosque in Melbourne and spiritual leader of Melbourne's Horn of Africa Muslim community. will give the khutbah and lead the prayer. The khutbah will centre on the Parliament themes, with emphasis on dialogue between various religious beliefs and issues such as protection of the environment and the indigent, including refugees. All are most welcome to attend. Sheikh Isse A Musse is Imam of the Virgin Mary Mosque and spiritual leader of Melbourne's Horn of Africa Muslim community. He was Imam at the Islamic Council of Victoria Jeffcott Mosque in Melbourne for thirteen years and is a member of the National Council of Fatwa Sheikh Isse is a member of the Dispute Settlement Centre in the Department of Justice and is an appointed marriage celebrant and a marriage counsellor.
The Human Face of Climate Change Martin Frick Mary Evelyn Tucker Plenary Hall Panel Discussion Climate change is the most serious emerging humanitarian concern of our age. The consequences of climate change will be disastrous for human beings worldwide, but they are especially worrisome for those societies already on the edge of survival. Climate change redefines the very basis of our existence and relationship with the plane. It is exacerbating many of the already difficult challenges we face, such as access to nutrition and health care, natural disasters and ongoing political and religious conflicts. The Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF), established in 2007. aims to build a strong global community to address these pressing challenges. This program, sponsored by GHF, will demonstrate that those societies who contributed the least to climate change are the ones who will suffer the most from its devastating effects. It will challenge participants of all faith traditions to unite in the name of averting the coming environmental crisis. Martin Frick is Deputy CEO/Director of the Global Humanitarian Forum Frick has served as the Deputy Ambassador in Albania and the Cabinet Allairs Advisor to the German Federal Foreign Minister. Frick is the German representative on the NGO committee of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the UN Democracy Fund Board, as well as for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and for human rights resolutions of the UN Security Council Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer in Religion and the Environment at Yale University, holding joint appointments as a Research Scholar in the Divinity School, the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and the Department of Religious Studies. With John Grim, she cofounded the Forum on Religion and Ecology IFORE). Tucker and Grim also coordinated a ten-conference series on World Religions and Ecology at Harvard's Center for the Study of World Religions. Tucker has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1986 and is vice president of the American Teilhard Association. Author of many books on religion and ecology. she has recently published Worldly Wonder: Religions Enter Their Ecological Phase (Open Court Press, 2003). She is the co-editor of books on ecological views of Buddhism Confucianism, and Hinduism. She has published the volume Confucian Spirituality co-edited with Tu Weiming, and, The Record of Great Doubts: The Philosophy of Chi. (http://www.religionandecology.org/About/founders.php?
Climate Change and the Arctic: The Indigenous Perspective Aqqaluk Lynge, Greenland: Kalaallit, Moderator Francois Paulette, Canada: Dene Norma Kassi, Canada: Vuntut Gwich'in First Nation Room 101 Panel Discussion The frontlines of climate change are in the Arctic. The impact of this transformation are being felt in this region today and it is affecting the health and well being of Arctic
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peoples. This panel will focus on the impact of climate change and the efforts of Indigenous peoples of the Arctic to address this crisis.
Aqqaluk Lynge is president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) Greenland and ICC Vice-Chair for Greenland. He has represented the Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and the Far East of Russia as President of the ICC from 1997 to 2006. Mr Lynge was first elected to the Greenland Parliament in 1983 and also served as a minister with various portfolios. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to pan-Inuit unity since the early 1970s.
Francois Paulette is a Dene Suline and member of the Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation. He became the youngest chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972, along with other chiefs, he challenged the crown to recognise treaty and Aboriginal rights. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, the Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, and the Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee and has spoken internationally on Dene history and Aboriginal rights.
Norma Kassi, raised in Old Crow, Yukon, is Vuntut Gwich'in (People of the Lakes). From 1985 until 1992 she was a member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. She has been a spokesperson in the effort to preserve the Porcupine Caribou Herd and serves on the International Gwich'in Steering Committee for the Preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She is Co-director of the Arctic Health Research Network: Yukon, engaged in health research.
Working Together, The Health of
Two Worlds
Ngangkaris (Traditional Healers)
Pat Anderson
Stephanie Bell
Room 102
Panel Discussion
Australian Aboriginal Cultures are rich and vibrant, particularly in the realm of health and healing. They are the oldest surviving cultures in the world. Yet, today, the health of Aboriginal people across Australia is poor, with a 17 year life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australians. Ngangkaris (traditional healers) Andy Tjilari, Rupert Peter and Toby Ginger outline traditional healing methods offered to Anangu (Aboriginal people) in remote communities in the western desert tri state area, as well as those in hospitals, jails, nursing homes and hostels in regional centres. The Ngangkari believe that health outcomes for Aboriginal people are improved by integrating traditional forms of healing with western medicine. They consider that education of health workers about traditional healing practices is essential to this approach. Pat Anderson, a Alyawarre woman, and Stephanie Bell, a Kulilla/Wakka Wakka woman, will provide a discussion on the contemporary Aboriginal health issues based upon their years of experience working with Aboriginal community controlled health organizations and to make comment on the broader social determinants of Aboriginal health. Andy, Toby and Rupert are from the NPY Ngangkari Program; their work is highly valued and the service is in great demand. They are authorised to speak publicly about traditional Anangu culture and Ngangkari practices.
Andy Tjilari, Rupert Peter and Toby Ginger are from the NPY (the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjaral Ngangkari Program; their work is highly valued and the service is in great demand. They are autho
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rised to speak publicly about traditional Anangu culture and Ngangkari practices.
Pat Anderson is an Alyawarre woman renowned nationally and internationally as a powerful advocate of disadvantaged people, with a particular focus on the health of Indigenous peoples. She has extensive experience in all aspects of Aboriginal health, including community development, advocacy, policy formation and research ethics. Ms Anderson has spoken before the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous People, was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of Danila Dilba, the Aboriginal community-controlled health service in Darwin, and has been Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, the peak national Aboriginal health organisation. She is also a prolific writer and has had many essays, papers and articles published. Ms Anderson retired from the position of Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, which is the peak body of the Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations in the Northern Territory and was the co-author of the Little Children are Sacred report into abuse of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory. Most recently Pat was awarded the Public Health Association of Australia's Sidney Sax Public Health Medal at the 2007 PHAA annual conference.
Stephanie Bell, a Kulilla/Wakka Wakka woman, is Director of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, one of the country's largest and longest established Aboriginal Medical Services. Ms Bell is a former Chair of the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance of the Northern Territory, Chair of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum and an executive member of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. She also is a board member of the Central Australian Division of General Practice and the General Practice Division of the Northern Territory. Ms Bell convenes the Community Forum within the CRC for Aboriginal Health.
Our Impact on the Land Has the Same Impact on Us
Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison
Rodney Minicon
Room 103 Lecture
This program will explore how the land teaches us to forgive those who have caused us grief and suffering and the impact of cleansing Aboriginal massacre sites. Uncle Max Harrison, Aboriginal Elder of the Yuin Nation and Rodney Minicon, Cleanser of Aboriginal Massacre Sites, will share how many hundreds of Aboriginal massacre sites across Australia have been cleansed or are being cleansed.
Uncle Max Harrison is an Aboriginal Elder of the Yuin Nation. For the last 30 years, he has been sharing his culture as a teacher and guide for others to appreciate Mother Earth.
Rodney Minicon, Cleanser of Aboriginal Massacre Sites, has worked for many years with Aboriginal communities across the land to assist in cleansing the ancestral people and spirits that have been disturbed by the aggressive colonisation practices of Britain and successive governments across the Australian and Pacific Nations.
Sufism and Peace: A Meeting Point for All Religious Traditions
Dr Golam Dastagir
Dr Sirajul Siraj Farhad Ashktorab Bahar Jamshidi Room 104
Panel Discussion
Sufis believe that the loving attitude popular in religious traditions today is not a new phenomenon, but rather a continuous unbroken movement in the annals of human

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history. It is a phenomenon that allows for a meeting point of all religious traditions. This diverse panel will discuss how that meeting point on the path to peace and unity can be achieved through Sufism. The discussion will include an examination of the impact of Sufism on Bengal Vaisnavism. It will take a critical look at whether Sufi movements, integrated into local customs, can counter Islamic extremism in Bangladesh and maintain communal harmony and social cohesion despite enormous contemporary challenges. It will also highlight Sufism as a means to achieve the peace that lies within each individual, regardless of culture, religion or background.
Dr Golam Dastagir is a visiting research scholar at the University of Toronto. He holds a PhD in Islamic Philosophy. He has also been a Commonwealth Scholar in the UK and a Fulbright Nominee in the US. Dr Dastagir has over 18 years of teaching and research experience in philosophy and world religions at Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and is the former director of the Centre for Philosophical Research.
Dr Sirajul Siraj teaches in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India. His doctoral degree is in Sufism and Bhakti. He has done post-doctoral work on civil society from Sufi and Islamic viewpoints at Catholic University in Washington, DC. He is a widely published author on the subjects of Islam and Sufism.
Farhad Ashktorab has been the returning officer for the MTO Sufi Association at Melbourne University for many years. Farhad has been a member of the Oveyssi School of Islamic Sufism for over ten years. Through the teachings of Hazrat Nader Shah Angha Pir Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi", he has been able to find inner peace. He now teaches regular meditation workshops through the MTO Sufi Association at Melbourne University.
Bahar Jamshidi has been a member of the MTO Sufi Association of Australia for many years and president of the MTO Sufi Association Melbourne University since 2004. Through the teachings of Hazrat Pir Hazrat Nader Shah Angha Pir Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi' from the Oveyssi School of Islamic Sufism, Bahar has participated and presented Sufism at a number of multifaith forums across Melbourne.
Democracy and Diversity in Global
Perspective
Anwar Ibrahim
Pal Ahluwalia
Bishop Peter Elliott
Dr M Din Syamsuddin
Rabbi David Saperstein
Barbara McGraw
Room 105
Panel Discussion
In this session, panellists will explore the role of democracy in protecting religious freedom, managing religious diversity and building social cohesion. How do contemporary societies benefit from the unifying aspects of religious traditions, and is this in tension with protecting religious diversity? Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Parliamentarian, leader of the People's Pact and a leading voice of democracy in Malaysia, will be joined by Dr Dim Syamsuddin of Indonesia, a multireligious country with a majority Muslim population, and by Australian leaders. Anwar Ibrahim was Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1993 to 1998. Highly respected for his principled stance against corruption and his skilful management of the Malaysian economy as finance minister during the Asian financial meltdown, Anwar spearheaded the Asian

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Renaissance movement and remains a leading advocate of civilised dialogue aimed at bridging the gap between East and West. He is currently Leader of the Opposition in the Malaysian Parliament and is a member of the advisory board of the International Crisis Group.
Professor Pal Ahluwalia is Pro Vice Chancellor of Education, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of South Australia. He has published many books and articles and was appointed a UNESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies in 2008. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.
Peter Elliott is Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. He was a member of the Delegation of the Holy See at the United Nations Conference on Population held in Cairo, at the United Nations Social Summit held in Copenhagen, and at the United Nations Conference on Women held in Beijing. Bishop Elliott is well known as a speaker and as the author of books and articles in the fields of theology, Church history. catechetics, liturgy, marriage and the family, apologetics and demography. Dr M Din Syamsuddin is an author and president of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's largest modernist Muslim social and educational organisation. He is vice general chair of the Indonesian Ulama Council, professor of Islamic political thought at the National Islamic University in Jakarta and president of the Asian Conference on Religion for Peace, based in Tokyo.
Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as 'the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill, Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Barbara A McGraw, JD, PhD, an author and speaker on world religions and the role of religious pluralism in the public square, is director of the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism and professor of social ethics, law, and public life at Saint Mary's College of California. She is co-author (with Robert S. Ellwood) of Many Peoples, Many Faiths (several editions): author of Rediscovering America's Sacred Ground (2003); and co-editor/ contributor of/to, Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously (2005).
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity:
The Time is Now
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh
Additional Speakers to be Announced Room 106
Throughout the span of human history, civilisations, societies and communities have grounded their religious beliefs and practices with sacred spaces. From shrines and sanctuaries to holy cities and sacred mountains, these sites reflect a diverse spiritual landscape of vast significance. As globalisation sweeps across the planet and contact among diverse peoples grows, so do opportunities to target the sacred sites of other communities and traditions for misguided sectarian and political purposes. This happens in cities large and small and is expressed through the vandalism and desecration of places of worship and practice. Few examples in recent memory demonstrate the threat to sacred sites more profoundly than the Taliban's wanton destruction of ancient and glorious Buddha statues in Afghanistan. In response to the increasing necessity to protect these often-fragile links between the physical and the spiritual, there is a growing international interest in establishing a preservation protocol for sacred sites of religious and spiritual communities. In this session of the 'Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Symposium, Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Sikh spiritual leader of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, and others in the field will explore the pressing need for collaboration

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among religious and spiritual communities in concert with organisations of civil society in order to safeguard sacred sites across the world.
Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh comes from a line of spiritual leaders, and is Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. He is a retired civil and structurat engineer, with two honorary Doctorates for work in faith, community and education. Bhai Sahib is also a recipient of the Juliet Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding.
The Chiefs' Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation
Leo Killsback, USA: Northern Cheyenne, Director Room 107
Film
Forced onto a reservation in 1884, the Northern Cheyenne began to lose touch with their cultural values and forms of leadership. A Cheyenne Chief prophesied that the Nation would return to its traditional ways after 100 years. This film presents the history of the Northern Cheyenne and how a new generation of leaders hopes to restore the traditional values of this embattled Nation.
Leo Killsback is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation of southeastern Montana (USA). He is also a member of the Northern Cheyenne War Dancers Society and a painter for the sacrificial ceremony of life at Noavose. He is currently completing his dissertation on the history of Cheyenne leadership and also teaches courses, including Tribal Law, Tribal Government and Native Americans in Film, at the University of Arizona and Tohono O'ohdam Community College.
Life of Jesus: Non-Christian
Perspectives
John Lindsay Falvey
Dr Kala Acharya
Jalal Heydari
Sandra Carroll
Room 108
Panel Discussion
At the heart of almost all of Jesus's recorded sayings sits a paradox of language that resonates across many religious traditions. This panel will present Buddhist, Hindu, and Shia Muslim perspectives on the life and teachings of the founder of Christianity. We will also consider the person of Mary, mother of Jesus of Nazareth, and her significance for Muslims and Christians.
Lindsay Falvey is a professor at the University of Melbourne, where he was previously Chair of Agriculture, Dean of Land and Food Resources, and Dean of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture. He is also a life member of Clare Hall, Cambridge, at the University of Cambridge. He has written extensively on religion, agriculture and issues of sustainability from multireligious perspectives.
Dr Mrs Kala Acharya is the director of K J Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, a cultural and research institute. She has authored two books and edited several books, and she has organised interfaith dialogue seminars in India and abroad. She is the working group member of the Congress of World's and Traditional Religions, Kazakhstan.
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Mr Jalal Heydari is the Director of the International World Forum for Islamic Sciences. He is also Director General of the Asia-Pacific, Al-Mustafa International University. He has a Master's degree in Islamic Philosophy and Theology from Imam Sadeq University, Tehran. His publications include 'Possibility and Necessity from the Viewpoints of Sohravardi and Kant' and 'The Infallibility of the Prophets from the Viewpoint of Wisdom and Islamic Traditions".
Sandra Carroll lectures in Religious Education at the Strathfield campus of the Australian Catholic University, Sydney. Her doctoral thesis from San Francisco Theological Seminary was titled 'Teaching about Mary: Professional Development for Religious Educators. She is currently on the Editorial Committee of the Journal of Religious Education. She shared a team award for outstanding contributions to student learning from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education in 2007.
Grassroots Community Organisers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity
Rev Dr Shanta D Premawardhana
Dr A T Ariyaratne Swami Agnivesh PV Rajagopal
Mohammad Tahseen Room 109 Interactive Workshop
In our interconnected world, where conflicts originating in one part of the world have repercussions in another, effective community organizing requires not only building powerful local and national organizations, but also creating strong alliances across regional and international boundaries. Leaders of several interreligious grassroots community organizing movements, particularly from South Asian countries, will engage in a conversation about moving organizations in this direction. These veteran community organizers will address the struggles, the victories and the lessons learned from their experience working for justice, reconciliation and peace. Among the questions they will address are: 'How do we motivate our religious communities to move from interreligious dialogue and cooperation to solidarity?, 'How do we build powerful interreligious movements that have the capacity to challenge systemic injustices?', 'How can people in poor, oppressed and marginalized communities become participants and leaders of such movements?' and 'How do we network to strategically counter the rise of violent groups that claim to be motivated by religion?"
Rev Dr Shanta D Premawardhana is the Director of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for the World Council of Churches, Switzerland. Dr Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is founder and President of Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a non-profit organization that involves millions of people in 15,000 villages in development projects. In 2007, he was recognized as Srilankabhimanya (pride of Sri Lankal, Sri Lanka's highest civilian honor. He has also won international recogni tion for his work in peacemaking and village development including the Gandhi and Niwano peace prizes and the Sushil Kumar International Peace Award.
Swami Agnivesh is the president of the World Council of Arya Samaj. A prominent social activist, he is best known for his work against bonded labour. His campaigns have also led him to fight against alcoholism, female foeticide, child labour, and for the emancipation of women. His current 'mission' includes fighting the consumer culture and the Western model of development in India, opposing Western cultural imperialism, and battling casteism. Swami Agnivesh is the 2004 recipient of the Right Livelihood award, which is also known as the alternative Nobel Prize.

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PV Rajagopal is the founding president of Ekta Parishad, a federation of approximately 11,000 community based organizations, operating in 11 states in India, and working for the land and livelihood rights of India's most marginalized communities. Janadesh, a 350 km march from Gwalior to Delhi that culminated on October 2nd, 2007 brought together 25,000 people to demand that the Indian Government allow full and equal access over the natural resources they depend on for their livelihoods. In 2012, a one million person march is being planned.
Mohammad Tahseen is the Executive Director of South Asia Partnership, Pakistan which came into being in 1987. Following eight years of military rule the opportunity was rife for the development and strengthening of Pakistani civil society. The objective of the organization is to enable the poorest of Pakistan raise their voice for their rights. South Asia Partnership which has similar organizations in other South Asian countries creates the space to bring together civil society activists and organizations both nationally and regionally.
Breaking Through Patriarchy:
New Visions for Women of Faith
Jane Sloan
Jacqueline Ogega
Katherine Marshall
Sr Joan Chittister
Jean Duff
Room 110
Panel Discussion
Gender relations have emerged as one of the central social and political challenges for the 21st century, and they have special significance for the world's religions. New opportunities and roles for women open new vistas and reflect universally agreed-upon human rights, but a host of obstacles still stand in the way of these ideals. This session will lay out specific ideas on the next steps and action roles for faith communities, and will draw inspiration from the December 3rd Asia Pacific Breakthrough summit. The Breakthrough, held on the eve of the Parliament of the World's Religions, aims to build momentum for action with a focus on UN Millennium Development Goals three and five: gender equality and maternal health. A new alliance for women, faith and development in the Asia Pacific region will be launched at Breakthrough to explore opportunities for increased collaboration. The challenges facing women and girls globally are serious and new initiatives for women and their communities are urgently needed. The session aims to highlight the most urgent areas of need for Asia Pacific, Indigenous and refugee women in Australia and to work to end poverty by empowering women.
Jane Sloan is Executive Director of the International Women's Development Agency. Formerly, she was strategic marketing manager with Austrade, the Australian Trade Commission.
Jacqueline Ogega is the Director of the Women's Program at the World Conference of Religions for Peace. She has served as the African Women's Project Director at Religions for Peace in Africa, where she established the African Women of Faith Network. She has experience and skills in gender, peace building and development programming. She holds a Master's degree as well as a post-graduate diploma in gender and development, both from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

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Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions. Katherine's work in development involves a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners and a series of reviews of development topics.
Joan Chittister, OSB, is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a centre for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life.
Repatriation: Reclaiming
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual
Property Rights
Christopher Peters, USA: Karuk, Moderator
Amos Tripp, USA: Karuk
Dr Rosita Worl, USA: Tlingit Room 111
Panel Discussion
From the perspectives of many Indigenous peoples, the legal and moral issues of repatriation and cultural heritage are complex and, in many instances, contentious. Many Indigenous communities face a number of obstacles when they petition for the return of their cultural palimony. Repatriation requests include cultural objects, human remains and sacred objects. Members of this panel will discuss some of the key issues that hamper or facilitate repatriation.
Christopher Peters is the director of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas. Amos Tripp is a Karuk-wuh-uttah-uttah from the middle section of the Klamath River in northwestern California. He studied law at the University of California-Davis and currently works for United Indian Health Services in Arcata, California. His local tribes are 'Fix the World' tribes, who believe in living in balance with their surroundings. Mr Tripp is very proud to be part of the healing after the land grab in California devastated these tribes.
Rosita Worl, whose Tlingit names are Yeidiklats'okw and Kaa.hani, is Tlingit, Ch'aak (Eaglel moiety of the Shangukeidi Clan from the Kawdliyaayi Hit (House Lowered From the Sun) in Klukwan. She is president of Sealaska Heritage Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to perpetuating the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures. Formerly an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she has a PhD and an MS in Anthropology from Harvard University and a BA from Alaska Methodist University.

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Naga Chants
Visier Sanyü
Reg Blow
Tom Duncan
Room 201
Artistic Performance
Naga mystical chants are blessings by the clan elders and prayers to their female God Ukepenuopfü. These chants are originally from Khonoma village in Nagaland and are in the Tenyidie language. The Nagas live in Nagaland in Northeast India and Burma and speak over fifty languages, all of which belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family. Though there are over a thousand chants, songs, prayers and blessings in Khonoma village, these chants and prayers are known by only a few. The presenter is the brother of the late Niyiehu Sanyü, one the most knowledgeable masters of these chants and prayers, who passed away of cancer before his chants could be recorded. His death is a sad reminder that this priceless legacy of an ancient civilisation is in great danger of becoming lost forever and reinforces the importance of keeping the tradition for posterity.
Visier Sanyu is a Naga chanter and singer. He was a cast member of Song of Asia, a musical revue of Asian songs and dance that toured Asia and Europe. In 1996, he came to Australia as a Visiting Fellow at La Trobe University in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. He is currently the Project Manager for Refugee, Act for Peace, Victorian Council of Churches and the director of Naga Yoga Institute in Melbourne. Reg Blow will be accompanying Visier Sanyu on the didgeridoo. Tom Duncan will be accompanying Visier Sanyu on the drum. Taize Chants Sung in the Gunai Kurnai Indigenous Language by the Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir
Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir Room 201
Choir Performance
The Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir of Traralgon, Victoria, has gained permission from the Indigenous Language Elders to translate chants and prayers from the Taize Community in France into the Gunai Kurnai Indigenous language and to sing the chants at public performances. The project was initiated by Choir Director Shane Reid, who sought to find both meaningful and respectful ways of recognising and celebrating the local Indigenous culture through music and song.
Shane Reid is the Director of the Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir.
Lavalla College holds the traditions of the Marist Brothers, founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat in post-revolutionary France; the Brigidine Sisters, founded by Bishop Daniel Delany in Ireland in 1807; and the Presentation Sisters, founded by Nano Nagle in 1718. Through these combined traditions, the college aims to provide an education that nurtures and encourages the dignity, uniqueness and goodness of each person and that strengthens the Christian community.
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Convening Session Conflict Resolution
Dharma Master Hsin Tao
Fr Leonel Narvaez Dr William Vendley Room 203
Convening Session
Is religious commitment a source of conflict and violence or of harmony and peacefulness? While there are ardent believers in-and evidence for-both points of view, the Conflict Resolution Sessions will focus on how religious and spiritual communities, no matter how different, can still serve a common cause and support our natural, human instinct for peace. We will hear real-world scenarios from teams working in Afghanistan, Israel (the West Bank and Gaza), Colombia, Liberia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Thailand, all of whom will show how aggression, once begun, can be mediated, transformed and resolved. Led by internationally esteemed leaders Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Father Leonel Narvaez and Doctor William Vendley, the Convening Session presents an overview of the 24 sessions that comprise a key focus of the 2009 Parliament.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age 13. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wusheng Monastery on Ling-jiou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 has been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York.
Father Leonel Narvaez is a Catholic missionary. He initially worked with the nomadic tribes in Eastern Africa and currently works in the forest of the South Amazon area of Colombia. In 2000, he established the Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (ESPERE is the Spanish acronym). He was a key figure in the Goldin Institute's 2007 global gathering on the topic of reintegration of former child soldiers.
Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994. He has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King Abdullah's historic interreligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World League to serve on its Follow-up Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama.
Reconciling Religious Values and the Universal Entitlement to Human Rights
Helen Szoke
Cardinal George Pell
Mark Durie
Judge Christopher Gregory Weeramantry Room 204
Panel Discussion
In 2006, the State of Victoria introduced a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, and Australian legislators are currently investigating whether a similar charter or bill should be introduced at Federal level. This continues to be a subject of debate between religious and human rights leaders in Australia. During this presentation, Dr Helen Szoke will suggest that with a progressive approach, we can encourage human rights and religion to engage in dialogue as a way to reconcile what are seen as

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of interreligious dialogue for the last three decades in India. He is also the founding member of the Parliament of Religions (Delhi 20071 and was awarded the National Communal Harmony award by the Government of India in 2009 Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, and the Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. She is a practicing Buddhist in the Tibetan FPMT tradition,
differing cultural constructs. Cardinal George Pell, who is opposed to a Charter of Rights, will respond to Dr Szoke's statement, as will Jim Wallis and Judge C G Weeramantry. Dr Helen Szoke has extensive experience in regulation, management, policy and research in the health sector. She spent some time working in the area of consumer advocacy and working with community groups. including serving as a local city councillor. She is a former Chair of Women's Health Victoria, a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council Licensing Committee and a former member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Key Centre for Women's Health. Dr Szoke has post-graduate qualifications in public policy Cardinal Pell served as Archbishop of Melbourne before his appointment as Archbishop of Sydney. He attended the Asia-Pacific Interfaith Dialogue as part of the official Australian delegation Cardinal Pell's longstanding commitment to ecumenism was recognised in 1998 with the conterral of the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Saint Lazarus and in 2003 with his promotion to Ecclesiastic Grand Cross of St Lazarus, the Order's highest ecclesiastical rank. From 2001 to 2007, he served as the Order's National Chaplain. Dr Mark Durie is a human rights activist, theologian and pastor of an Anglican church. He has published many articles and books on the language and culture of the Acehnese, Christian-Muslim relations and religious freedom. A graduate of the Australian National University and the Australian College of Theology, he has held visiting appointments at the University of Leiden, MIT, UCLA and Stanford, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities Judge Weeramantry has been a lawyer, legal educator, international arbitrator and domestic and international judge. He has been Chairman of the Nauru Commission of Inquiry, Coordinator of the United Nations University Project on Technology and Human Rights, and President of the International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms. He has written over twenty books and 200 articles on religious, legal and political topics
Interfaith Engagement: Issues, Reflections and Prospects Douglas Pratt Rev Dr Dominic Emmanuel SVD Anna Halafoff Room 208 Seminar Where is interfaith engagement taking us? Where has it come from? What issues and possibilities does it present? Professor Douglas Pratt, Dominic Emmanuel and Anna Halafoff, three scholars of interreligious dialogue and interfaith relations from the Asia-Pacific region, will present their recent research findings. Professor Pratt will reflect on interfaith engagement from a Christian perspective while Fr Emmanuel will present his theory of dialogue. Ms Halafoff will discuss multi-faith movements and the politics of understanding. These presentations will form the basis of a discussion with the audience to answer these questions. Associate Professor Douglas Pratt has teaching and research inter ests in Christian thought, Istam and Christian-Muslim relations, and interreligious dialogue more generally. He is an ordained Anglican Priest and Canon Theologian Emeritus of the Waikato Diocese in New Zealand, With local, national and international involvements in interfaith activities, in 2007 he was honoured by the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand with a Harmony Award for meritorious service to the Muslim community Reverend Dr Dominic Emmanuel SVD, an Indian Catholic Priest, holds a PhD in Communication As Dialogue. He has been engaged in the work
AMES: People, Programs and Pathways Catherine Scarth Susan Chou Allender Malou Pascual Anes Parsuram Sharma-Luital Margot Hennessy Room 209 Panel Discussion Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) is Australia's largest provider of settlement, education and employment services to refugees and newly arrived migrants and has operated in Victoria for over 50 years. This session focuses on the people working with refugees and the refugees themselves, looking at a range of unique programs that have been developed to facilitate the successful settlement and full participation of individuals, families and communities across Melbourne. These programs focus on life skills, settlement support, English language, work skills, work experience and community capacity building. The session will look at how these programs combine to provide individual pathways for clients building new lives in Australia. Catherine Scarth is General Manager AMES Community & Policy She has over twenty years experience in designing, implementing and evaluating a wide range of innovative community services and programs both in Australia and England. While with the Brotherhood of St Laurence, she developed a range of award-winning partnerships with Business and Government. With AMES, Cath continues to seek innovative ways to partner with employers to achieve positive employment and settlement outcomes for newly arrived migrants and refugees. She is also developing innovative solutions to intractable social issues, she is a founding board member of Social Traders, a new organisation aimed at fostering businesses that trade with a social purpose. Susan Chou Allender is General Manager at AMES Settlement and Community Guides Program. Susan has worked in the area of migrant and refugee settlement for over twenty years. She has extensive experience in strategic planning and policy development in AMES as well as research and program evaluation experience within the community and education sectors focusing on language acquisition, youth programs and cross cultural communication. More recently. Susan has focused on the re-settlement experiences of refugees and the factors impacting successful settlement outcomes during this process. This includes involvement in establishing several social enterprises and other bridging employment / social inclusion programs for new and recent arrivals to Victoria Malou Pascual Anes is Community Manager al AMES Community & Policy. Malou Pascual Anes has over fifteen years of experience in the Community sector. She currently works for AMES as Manager of the Community Unit. More recently, highlights of her work experience in the multicultural setting include managing a Migrant Resource Centre selllement service, setting up AMES Settlement service in the Western region, crisis counselling for victims of sexual assault and family violence, establishing community organisations, and developing a whole of council approach to cultural diversity
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Parsuram Sharma-Luital is Project Officer at AMES Learner Driver Program. Parsuram has over fifteen years of experience in the Agriculture and Horticulture sectors in Bhutan and Australia. He joined AMES to manage a market garden and then a Social Enterprise pioneering growing Shitake Mushrooms in logs in Victoria. Through the Social Enterprise, Parsuram helped his community and many others to train in Horticulture. Parsuram then went on to become a Project Officer for the Learner Driver program, working with different refugee communities across Victoria to help clients gain drivers licenses. Margot Hennessy has coordinated the AMES Youth Program for over 5 years. She has overseen the development of innovative and transitional youth programs in the South East and West, addressing the issues facing newly arrived refugee young people with interrupted schooling Margot has worked in education within the culturally and linguistically diverse sector for over 30 years. Her roles have included Centre Manager. coordination of Individual Learning Centres Site Coordinator, counsellor and classroom teacher. Margot is currently completing her Master of Education at RMIT which informs her thinking and practice
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Workshop Amy Kean Stuart Hall Room 210 Interactive Workshop The environment is in crisis. And no other generation will be more affected by this crisis in the future than today's younger generation. So what can you do at home, in the workplace and in your own faith communities to minimise the impact of this global environmental reality? This interactive workshop will look further at the nature of the environmental problem; using climate change as an example it will explore the need for a global solution. Amy Kean is the General Manager at Pinpoint Earth. She has extensive experience in international clean energy policy and carbon markets and has worked in business, government and nonprofit entities. She estabLished the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership in South East Asia and Pacific and was the International General Manager at the Clean Energy Council. She has also participated in UN climate change negotiations in Bali and Kenya. Stuart Hall is the lead architect of the Tasmanian Bahá i Centre of Learning. opened in the spring of 2009. The design of the building has won accolades for the attention paid to environmental sustainability through the innovative use of materials, the conservation of water and low energy consumption.
of Christians and Jews: A Time for Recommitment: the Twelve Points of Berlin-A Call to Christian and Jewish Communities Worldwide. Each workshop participant will receive a copy of the document as a basis for discussion during the session. In addition, a speaker with long experience in Jewish-Christian relations will provide an Australian perspective, including an account of the history of Jewish-Christian dialogue in Australia and an overview of the current issues. Father John T Pawlikowski is Professor of Social Ethics and Director of Catholic-Jewish Studies at the Catholic Theological Union, University of Chicago. A priest of the Servite order, he is the author or editor of numerous books, including The Challenge of the Holocaust for Christian Theology. Christ in the Light of the Christian Jewish Dialogue Jesus and the Theology of Israel', and 'Reinterpreting Revelation and Tradition: Jews and Christians in Conversation Rabbi Ehud Bandel is Vice-President of the International Council of Christians and Jews and the former president of the Masorti Conservativel Movement in Israel. Active on human rights and interfaith issues, Rabbi Bandel served as executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights. Father Michael Trainor, a Catholic priest, teaches Biblical Studies at Adelaide School of Divinity, part of Flinders University in Adelaide. He is the former President of the Catholic Biblical Association of Australia and he has been chair of the Adelaide section of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews. Rabbi John Levi is a former Deputy President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (2005) and is a Patron of the Council of Christians and Jews Australia). He was the first Australian to be ordained as a rabbi. Rabbi David Rosen is Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding. He serves on several international interreligious organisations, Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisations representing world Jewry to other religions.
Recent Developments in Jewish Christian Dialogue Fr John Pawlikowski Rabbi Ehud Bandel Fr Michael Trainor Rabbi John Levi Rabbi David Rosen Room 212 Interactive Workshop This workshop, led by some of the world's foremost authorities on the subject, will discuss recent developments in Jewish-Christian relations. It will focus on the document published recently by the International Council
New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (Southeast Asia) Donald Swearer Padmasiri de Silva Sulak Sivaraska Dr Chandra Muzaffar Fachrudin Mangunjaya Room 213 Panel Discussion The countries of Asia are some of the most dynamic and rapidly developing regions on the planet. With a vibrant mixture of ancient religious traditions and modern industrialisation these countries are already helping to shape the future of the Earth community. Because of the size of this region in terms of both geography and population, some people are looking to Asia for new leadership in sustainability. How will present generations maintain a viable lifestyle that will not destroy the prospects for future generations? How will the resources of water, air, and soil be distributed equitably for sustainable agriculture and fisheries? How will newly emerging democracies contribute to qlobal governance? And most especially what role will religions play in answering such questions? Beyond
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interreligious dialogue and the public university Sharon Kugler is Chaplain to Yale University and previously to Johns Hopkics University. She holds a Master's degree from Georgetown University. With twenty years of experience in higher education ministry. interfaith collaboration, and pastoral and social ministry. Sharon focuses on further cultivating a chaplaincy that defines itself by serving the needs of people who hold richly diverse religious and spiritual traditions. Sharon is past president of the National Association of College and University Chaplains and the Association of College and University Religious Affairs Imam Abdul Hai Patel shares an Islamic and multifaith perspective. He has the rich experience of chaplaincy in universities, police facilities, correctional facilities, hospitals and the military. He is Muslim Chaplain at the University of Toronto, Chaplain of the York Regional Police, a member of the Canadian Association of Police Chaplains, and President of the Ontario Multifaith Council, responsible for ensuring religious and spiritual care in jails, senior homes and hospitals in Ontario. He also sits on the Interfaith Advisory Council of Federal Jails.
the allure of fundamentalism and the call of terrorism what are Asian religions offering toward a manageable future for humans and the Earth? This session will focus on Southeast Asia. Donald K Swearer is the Director for the Center for the Study of World Religions and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School. He was previously the Charles and Harriet Cox McDowell Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College. His publications on Buddhism, comparative religions and interreligious dialogue include "Dialogue: The key to Understanding Other Religions and 'For the sake of the World: The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism. Professor Padmasiri de Silva is a Buddhist philosopher in the Theravada tradition and has written a number of books about Buddhism in the modern context. He has held teaching positions in Sri Lanka, Singapore, the US and New Zealand, and is at present a research associate with the School of Historical Studies at Monash University. Sulak Sivaraska, of the Sant Pracha Dhamma Institute, is a Nobel Prize nominee and prominent Buddhist social and environmental activist in Thailand. He has founded numerous organisations and has been involved in Buddhist-Christian dialogue for decades. His books include 'Seeds of Peace: a Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society' and 'Loyalty Demands Dissent'. Dr Chandra Muzaffar is a political scientist and founding president of the Malaysian-based NGO International Movement for a Just World [www.just-international orgl, which seeks to raise public consciousness on the moral and intellectual basis of global justice. He also served as the first director of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya, In addition to writings on civilisational dialogue, he has published extensively on religion, human rights, Malaysian politics and international relations. Fachrudin Mangunjaya (Rudyl graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Biology at the National University in Jakarta and was a graduate student in conservation biology at the University of Indonesia He is interested in bringing religion to bear to help conservation goals, Rudy is a member of the Harvard Forum of Religion and Ecology. He has also published more than 100 articles on the environment and conservation in the national Indonesia media.
Developing a Dynamic Interfaith Movement for Your City or Area Paul Eppinger NV Shamasundar Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa John Giles Rev Dr Mitzi Lynton Rev Kyra Baehr Room 215 Panel Discussion This program will explain the main components of the Arizona Interfaith Movement (AIFM) and its 24 different faiths groups. Some of the educational elements include monthly faith forums and presentations to college and university classes, churches, mosques, synagogues and temples. Dialogue opportunities are enhanced by visiting places of Worship, the Experience Interfaith Dinner/ Dialogue Exchange and discussions initiated through our interfaith resource guidebook, Voices of Faith. Services include building Habitat for Humanity Houses and Youth Feed the Hungry workdays. A vital and integral component of our work in AIFM is the Arizona Golden Rule Educational Effort (AGREE). The common thread throughout world religions is the concept of the Golden Rule. AGREE is committed to sharing its philosophy and promoting its implementation through a state-wide educational effort. It initiated a State Resolution that proclaimed Arizona to be a Golden Rule State and to create Arizona license plates that proclaim 'Live the Golden Rule. The session will detail how AIFM is funded and supported and it will also present some of the challenges AIFM has faced as it has expanded.
Being a University Chaplain in the 21st Century Patricia Blundell RSM Sharon Kugler Abdul Hai Patel Room 214 Interactive Workshop Chaplaincies in universities operate from many models and approaches and have adapted to the changing multicultural and multifaith contexts of university campuses. By exploring the possibilities for chaplaincy in the 21st century, chaplains and others will contribute to making a world of difference, particularly through exploring interreligious relations and dialogue. This workshop will explore visions for university chaplaincies in global multifaith contexts, focusing specifically on conditions for community. deepening spirituality, and encouraging personal transformation. The workshop's interactive format will include time for audience contribution and discussion. Dr Patricia Blundell RSM is Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, and President of the Tertiary Campus Ministry Association (Australial, the professional association of Australian University Chaplains. She is Secretary of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education and is Co-ordinating Ecumenical Chaplain at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Her doctoral dissertation is on
Paul Eppinger is the founder and executive director of the Arizona Interfaith Movement. From 1993 to 2002 he was executive director of the Arizona Ecumenical Council and in 1992 he directed A Victory Together, a campaign to establish the Martin Luther King holiday in Arizona. Dr
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Eppinger graduated from William Jewell College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and San Francisco Theological Seminary. He was a missionary in Japan and the pastor of four different American Baptist churches, NV Shamasundar has been an active board member of the Arizona Interfaith Movement for many years Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa has been an ordained Sikh minister since 1974. She is also an artist and a poet. She wrote the book Pure Longing Fulfilled', which combines poetry and art in praise of One God. She is a past chair of the International Khalsa Council. Gurukirn Kaur and her family attend Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Dwara in Phoenix, Arizona She has been an active Arizona Interfaith Movement board member for many years John Giles has been an Arizona Interfaith Movement board member for many years and a representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Rev Dr Mitzi Lynton is the Congregant Care Minister and Chair of the Global Peace in Action Ministry at Creative Living Fellowship in Phoenix, Arizona, a co-leader of the Arizona Department of Peace campaign. She serves on the board of the Arizona Interfaith Movement. She is a co-author of a Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion and also of
Voices of Faith, a book written by 12 different faith leaders. Rev Kyra Baehr has been a Unity Representative and Vice President on the Arizona Interfaith Movement Board for many years.
Kristen Hobby lives in Melbourne and works as a spiritual director and retreat leader. She recently sell published her first book titled 'Nurturing a Gentle Heart -- Exploring Spirituality with Pre-Schoolers. She has a passion for social justice and is a member of the Victorian Council of Churches Act for Peace Commission and a member of the formation team that trains Prayer Guides at Kilbride Spirituality Centre as part of the Week af Guided Prayer program. Chi Kwang is a Zen Buddhist who was born and raised in Perth. She spent fifteen years in a Zen Monastery in Korea, learning the chants and discipline of being a Buddhist nun. She now has her own monastery at King Lake Victoria). Melanie Landau is a lecturer at Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University. She is currently completing her PhD on a feminist analysis of traditional Jewish marriage. She has studied and taught Jewish texts in Australia, Israel and the US. She has diverse interests including facilitating personal transformation and group processes as well as creating community across difference through learning, dialogue and ritual Bernadette Miles BTheol, GDAS (Organisational Dynamics! is director of the Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality in Kew. Victoria. She trained in spiritual direction after twenty years in business management and database consulting. Bernadette is married with four boys and is currently in her final year of a Masters in Applied Science Organisational Dynamicsl. Kava Schafer, MDiv, MA in Holistic Spirituality, certificate in spiritual direction, has worked as a hospice and bone marrow transplant chaplain for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for nine years. She holds a certificate from Upaya Zen Center's "Being with Dying Program in contemplative Buddhist practice and is a certified Reiki Master Openness to contemplative spiritual practices across traditions characterises her interspiritual direction practice and her work as a chaplain. Lynette Dungan is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament within the Uniting Church in Australia. She received her formation as a spiritual director in the Siloam program at 'Heart of Life' in 1997. She is a spiritual director and a supervisor to people in ministry placements and at Wellspring. Lynette is part of the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction and has been a member of Spiritual Directors International since 2002 Peter Bentley is the director of the WellSpring Centre in Ashburton, Victoria. He is a retreat leader and spiritual director with a special interest in Art, Australian spirituality, and the Enneagram.
Spiritual Companionship: Listening with a Grateful Heart Liz Ellmann Kristen Hobby Venerable Chi Kwang Sunim Melanie Landau Bernadette Miles Kava Schafer Lynette Dungan Peter Bentley Room 216 Interactive Workshop Leb Shomea in Hebrew means 'listening heart'. Come learn how the contemplative ministry and service of spiritual companionship, also known as spiritual direction or spiritual guidance, helps people of many spiritual traditions build respect for self, for others, and for God's sacred creation by listening with the heart. A multifaith panel of spiritual companions will share how to cultivate gratefulness through words, silence and sacred movement. Not only will the panel share the history and meaning of the contemplative ministry of spiritual companionship across religious traditions, but they will offer an opportunity to interact and to practise listening with a grateful heart. Together we will explore the role of compassionate listening in cultivating hearts of gratefulness. Liz Budd Ellmann, MDiv, serves as executive director of Spiritual Directors International Iwww.sdiworld.org), a multitaith global learning community. For twenty years, Spiritual Directors International has supported the ministry and service of spiritual direction or companionship through publications, educational contemplative programming, and outreach. More than six thousand members in fifty-three countries tend the holy around the world and across traditions, by offering compassion ate listening that encourages peace, justice, and the integrity of creation.
There are No Back Row Seats in The Hoop of Life Kevin Locke Room 217 Artistic Performance Through the medium of the ancient Native American Hoop Dance, Kevin Locke presents a worldview that includes all cultures and all peoples. Lakota mystic Black Elk called this worldview the 'Great Hoop of Life'. Through words, music, and dance, this presentation will convey Kevin's own voice and the voice of his ancestors, who were stewards of the earth and a people committed to living with the land. This presentation will also emphasize the voice of the marginalized peoples. Historically, these peoples have created sustainable life systems, and knowledge traditions still exist within indigenous beliefs that can enhance our current efforts to create a sustainable world. Teaching through the domain of the arts, Kevin offers a program that will appeal to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners by generating an experience that creates an awareness of our shared humanity.
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Kevin Locke is a preeminent player of Northern Plains flute, inspiring Hoop Dancer, and cultural ambassador. A pivotal force in indigenous flute tradition, he has recorded 12 albums, including Earth Gift, winning Native American Music Award's 2009 Record of the Year. He has performed in 70 countries over 30 years. The National Endowment for the Arts awarded him a National Heritage Fellowship as Master Traditional Artist. In 2009 the Bush Foundation gave him their 'Enduring Visions Award".
Caring Practices for the EarthAustralia and USA Green Faith
Stacey Kennealy
Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black
Dr Miriam Pepper
Room 218 Training Session
Many people feel powerless in the face of the grave threats posed by climate change, but there are practical things that we can do as individuals and communities to address this issue. This demonstration and seminar will equip participants with some basic tools and knowledge on ecologically sound practices and technology for homes, houses of worship, schools and other community gathering places. Participants will return to their communities knowing how to conduct a basic environmental audit and how to tinker with technology and behaviour in ways that affect a real reduction in power and water consumption, pollution and green house gas emissions. We will be linking this demonstration and seminar to examples found in faith communities locally and internationally.
Stacey Kennealy is Director of Sustainability at GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition based in the United States. She directs the GreenFaith Certification Program, North America's first interfaith environmental certification program for houses of worship. This unique program provides guidance, tools and resources to help congregations become religious-environmental leaders over a two-year period. Stacey also helps US faith-based groups 'green' their operations and educate their members about sustainable consumption habits.
Ordained as Rabbi in 1988, Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black has been at the Leo Baeck Congregation in Kew since 2003 and feels it is important to put prayer into practice His interests in environment and interfaith led to his co-founding the Jewish Ecological Coalition, the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia, and GreenFaith Australia.
Miriam Pepper is secretary of the multifaith network the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and a member of the Faith and Ecology Network. She is a founding member of Uniting Earthweb, and worships at Maroubra Junction Uniting Church in Sydney. She has a PhD examining Christianity and sustainable consumption.

2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 1] Archbishop Denis Hart
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson Ven Thich Phuoc Tan Rinchen Norbu Demetrio Zema Nathan Hunter
Room 220 Seminar
This first of two parallel seminars, which will have the participation of the Parliament's senior and youth patrons, will discuss the future of religion in Australia and across the world. Recent decades have seen a very significant decline in mainstream Christianity together with a huge rise in those without a religion. In addition, new religious movements have emerged, adding to the diversity of Australia's multifaith society. This will be a discussion session in which young people, both Christian and nonChristian, will direct questions to some of Melbourne's most important religious leaders.
Archbishop Denis Hart is Chairman of the Bishops Commission for Administration and Information in the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. He is a member of the Permanent Committee and of the Bishops Commission for Liturgy and vice-chairman of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy. In 2001, he was appointed Archbishop of Melbourne and received the Pallium in St Peter's Square, Rome at the hands of Pope John Paul II.
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson Isabel is the Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania of the Uniting Church in Australia, Australia's third largest Christian denomination formed in 1977 when the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches united. Isabel is a lay person with wide experience in the church at local, regional, state and national levels. She has been a teacher, political researcher, religious educator and presbytery minister. She is married with 3 young adult children.
The Senior Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan was ordained in the Thien Thai tradition in 1981. He is currently the abbot of Quang Minh Temple and the president of the United Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Victoria. He is a vice president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and a member of the Engaging Buddhism Committee. In 2008, Venerable Phuoc Tan was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in recognition of his services to the community.
Rinchen Norbu is a Tibetan Buddhist and Youth Patron of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions.
Demetrio Zema is Roman Catholic and is Youth Patron of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions.
Nathan Hunter is an unordained minister in the Baptist Union of Victoria. He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Theology (Hons) through the University of Melbourne and the Melbourne College of Divinity, and is currently completing his Master of Theology through the MCD. He lives. studies and works with his wife Janine at Whitley College, the Baptist college of Victoria.

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4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
OPENSPACE 4:30-6:00pm
Peace at the Heart of the World Rev Angie Buchanan Dierdre Arthen Rev Andras Corben-Arthen Room 202 Religious or Spiritual Observance Leaders from a variety of Pagan paths come together in the old way, under the open sky, at this most potent and fruitful time of year to celebrate their connections with each other, with spirit and with all of creation. Pagan traditions acknowledge that all humans are one and the same with the Earth and honour our responsibility to care for her and all who are a part of her. At this Parliament, Pagans are gathering from many places to listen to one another and to work to heal the Earth to bring peace. The group invites people of all faith traditions to share in a ritual that has the same purpose. The ritual invites everyone to come together in the spirit of the Earth to open hearts, touch souls and take another step toward finding peace at the heart of the world. Rev Angie Buchanan is a Family Tradition Pagan. She is a founder and director of Gaia's Womb, an interfaith spirituality group for women, and Earth Traditions, a Pagan Church that also offers a Training Program for Pagan Ministry, Angie has been a presenter at a number of interfaith events, including the 2004 Parliament and the Buddhist Council of the Midwest Women's Conference. She has worked with CPWR as a Board Member since 2002 Rev Deirdre Pulgram Arthen is the Director of the EarthSpirit Community, a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of earth-centred spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. She has been a leader in the Pagan community in the United States for thirty years and is known as a ritualist, musician, teacher and spiritual counsellor. She has offered presentations at the 1993, 1999 and 2004 Parliaments. Rev Andras Corban-Arthen is the spiritual director of the EarthSpirit Community. a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of Earth-centred spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. He has been a presenter at many interfaith events, including the 1993 and 2004 Parliaments, and the 2007 World Interreligious Encounter. Of Hispanic descent, Rev Arthen teaches and lectures on the Indigenous European pagan religions throughout the US and abroad.
All We've Got: A Documentary Film about Hope MaryCatherine Burgess Jung Wai Hoi Nurul Jihadah Hussain Tamara Knowles Vijay Ramnarace Di Williams David Wilson Room 104 Film and Discussion This experiential workshop centres around a 21-minute documentary film. Over the course of a year, students and staff explored and reflected on their efforts to address issues of religious, spiritual, and cultural diversity in their interactions at the University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy. Starting out as 'a year in the life of a multifaith chaplaincy, the film grew into a deepened appreciation for the importance of friendship and trust, an increased understanding of how significant it felt to be part of a 'caring community, and a greater respect for the challenges inherent in addressing questions that matter' and 'issues that concern' when faced with personal and collec difference. Participants share their thoughts and feelings regarding why this kind of dialogue and collaboration about difference is crucial to the world at this time in history. They represent male and female, ages from 20s to 80s, cultures from East and West, and religious and nonreligious perspectives. The film shows how a modern university Chaplaincy can provide a safe and supportive space for people from diverse backgrounds to find hope in sharing common ground and in appreciating their differences. The workshop will include interactive opportunities for participants to engage with topics generated in the film, reflect on their own experiences, and share responses with each other. Mary Catherine Burgess, PhD. is Associate Chaplain at the University of Edinburgh. Rooted in Vatican II Catholicism and cross-cultural shaman ism, she has extensive international experience facilitating spirituality and Divine Feminine retreats. She is learned in psychodrama, sociometry, and sociodrama training: shamanic learning and healing, and interreligious dialogue. Author of the book A New Paradigm of Spirituality and Religion, MaryCatherine integrates human relations skills, action methods, shamanism, counselling, and music into her work. Jung Wai Hoi, former President of the student Buddhist Society and recent Edinburgh University graduate, is from Malaysia and is the one who suggested making this documentary film. Nurul Jihadah Hussain is a fourth-year Edinburgh University student from Singapore who studies Arabic and genuinely shares her Muslim faith and her enthusiasm for interfaith. Tamara Knowles is Chaplaincy Assistant, providing welcome and support at the Chaplaincy drop-in space. She is from the US has two postgraduate degrees, and is happy to be a Christian. Vijay Ramnarace, a fourth-year student in Sanskrit, is a Hindu priest, Co-founder of the student Vedic Society, and member of the University's Chaplaincy Committee (advisory bodyl. Di Williams, Chaplain to the University, Anglican priest, and experienced labyrinth facilitator and master teacher, is the chaplain who first focused on the need for the Edinburgh University Chaplaincy to provide support for those of all faiths and none
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Working Session Room 103 This session is by invitation only and is designed for individuals and organisations currently engaged in furthering the international movement in support of safeguarding sacred sites. Whether involved directly in sacred sites or more broadly in the preservation of world heritage, this program will highlight the current work being done by each organization, as well as explore diverse views for moving the initiative forward in active collaboration. Stein Villumstad, Deputy Secretary General of Religions for Peace, will moderate this session.
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David Wilson, a Religious Studies PhD candidate, is a Christian Spiritualist medium and a member of the University's Chaplaincy Commillee, an advisory body of staff and students.
New Muslim Cool
Jennifer Maytorena Taylor, Producer/Director Room 107
Film and Panel Discussion
Twelve years ago, Puerto Rican American rapper Hamza Perez renounced his life as a drug dealer and converted to Islam. Moving to Pittsburgh's tough North Side, he founds a religious community, rebuilds his shattered family, and, through his music, takes his message of faith to young people. But when the FBI raids his mosque, Hamza must confront the realities of the post-9/11 world and reach for a deeper understanding of his faith..
American filmmaker Jennifer Maytorena Taylor has won awards at festivals around the world, including two Emmys. Her credits include the documentaries Special Circumstances, Ramadan Primetime', 'Paulina. Home Front" and "Immigration Calculations. She has done several television series and short films, and held fellowships at the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, and the Sundance Institute Documentary Lab. She also serves as a guest lecturer and teacher in documentary film production.
Listening With a Heart of Mercy
Anthony Manousos Ruth Broyde-Sharone Noor-Malika Chishti Room 108
Interactive Workshop
When we listen and speak to others with a heart of mercy. we create a positive connection with our dialogue partner that builds trust, inspires respect, facilitates openness and enhances communication. During this interactive workshop, we will learn how compassionate listening has been effectively used in difficult settings, such as Israel/ Palestine, and also in local interfaith contexts. We will open the workshop by watching a four-minute video called Listening With a Heart of Mercy', followed by a discussion to explore the challenge posed by a Haredi Rabbi: Can one remain loyal to religious beliefs while extending respect and compassion to devotees of other faiths? A short video segment of the Compassionate Listening Project will then show how others have used deep listening to create a space for reconciliation and healing. To close the session, participants will engage in the exercises they have observed, discuss how to deepen their own ability to listen compassionately, and examine how compassion for one another can expand to caring for the earth.
Dr Anthony Manousos travelled to Israel/Palestine with the Compassionate Listening Project and serves on the Christian Interfaith Relation Committee of Friends General Conference and the Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the World's Religions. For twelve years, he was editor of Friends Bulletin, the official publica

tion of Western Quakers, and he has edited several books, including Compassionate Listening and Other Writings by Gene Hoffman. Anthony has also written Islam From A Quaker Perspective'.
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
A public speaker, documentary filmmaker and journalist, honoured internationally for her interfaith activism and her contribution to cultural education, Ruth Broyde-Sharone is a leader in dialogue with the US Muslim community. She travels frequently to college campuses to lead interfaith programs and screen her film God and Allah Need to Talk. Ruth. also serves as Partner Cities Associate for the Parliament of the World's Religions. Her new book, 'Minefields and Miracles: My Global Adventures In Interfaith, will be published in 2010 (www.filmsthatmatter.com). Noor-Malika Chishti serves as an authorised Representative of Pir Zia Inayat Khan, head of the Sufi Order International, and was ordained a Cheraga, or minister of Light, in the Universal Worship. Active in Muslim/ Jewish/Christian dialogue groups for many years, she founded a Muslim community in cooperation with the Village Church and a Jewish congregation. Their program of shared environmental and social action and shared holy days brings together members of the three Abrahamic faiths.
Not in God's Name
Paula Fouce, Director Dr Michael Beckwith Joseph Prabhu Room 109 Film
In India in 1984, filmmaker Paula Fouce was trapped in the religious tumult following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards. Her own life threatened, Fouce could not understand the horrifying conflicts so often spread in the name of God. Inspired especially by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Paula and a team of award winning filmmakers united to create this beautiful documentary on the search for tolerance. Paula Fouce is President of Paradise Filmworks and the director, writer and producer of 'Not in God's Name'. Sent by her university to Nepal to study art and philosophy, she became fascinated with Eastern religions. Not in God's Name' illustrates the importance of religious tolerance in our conflicted world and features leaders from seven different religions.
Paula Fouce is President of Paradise Filmworks and the director, writer and producer of 'Not in God's Name. Sent by her university to Nepal to study art and philosophy, she became fascinated with Eastern religions. Not in God's Name' illustrates the importance of religious tolerance in our conflicted world and features leaders from seven different religions. Dr Michael Beckwith is Founder and Spiritual Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center. A co-founder and President of the Association for Global New Thought, Dr Beckwith is the originator of the Life Visioning Process. He is a noted author and international keynote speaker, and has been the recipient of the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award and the Humanitarian Award of the National Council for Community and Justice.
Joseph Prabhu is a Professor of Philosophy at the California State University at Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He is also the author of Human Rights in CrossCultural Perspective' and 'Liberating Gandhi: Community, Empire and a Culture of Peace (forthcoming!. He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.

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Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 1 of 3
Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein Room 111
What are the newest challenges of religious leaders, and how do they compare with challenges that are longstanding? What should be the goals of religious leaders be? How might religious leaders be trained in light of the above? This is the first session of a three-day open space workshop, based on study materials prepared by a recent gathering of leading interreligious scholars. The session is geared to religious leaders or those in training to become one and is limited to 30 participants. Advanced registration is required, along with a commitment to participate in the entire series.
Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977. Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other.
South African Songs for the Soul Zain Bhikha and Band Room 201
Artistic Performance
Please join Zain Bhikha and his South African group for an inspirational and intimate performance incorporating traditional Zulu Acapella songs, Islamic Nasheed and some soulful, new, acoustic tunes.
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Zain Bhikha is a singer-songwriter who has achieved fame as a performer of Nasheed songs. Bhikha has collaborated on albums with other artists, released several solo albums and performed around the world. He is a pioneer in the Nasheed genre and, as one of the first Islamic singers in the English language, he has opened the door for many other Muslim artists.
Leaps Of Faith
Nobuko Miyamoto Carla Vega
Room 201
Artistic Performance
A woman born both Jewish and Muslim wrestles with god; a comical superhero attempts to save people from their ignorance about the religious practices of others; a woman raised Catholic finds another mother in the Hindu tradition. These are some of the stories in the ensemble theatre piece Leaps of Faith. In a world where religious differences often become divisive and destructive, 'Leaps of Faith' dives into the swirling waters of religion and spirituality to explore how people of multidimensional cultures and religious identities can live side by side.
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Developed through a highly collaborative process with artists of diverse faiths, 'Leaps of Faith weaves together personal stories, dance and music. Together the artists question contradictions, find humour in differences, and search for a common language to express unity within diversity. The aim of this performance is to deepen our resolve for justice by recognising the humanity in those different from us, and to build community across religious boundaries.
Nobuko Miyamoto is a director, performing artist, songwriter, teacher, and Founder and Artistic Director of Creat Leap, which uses the performing arts to bring diverse cultures together. Since 9/11 her art and spiritual practice as a Buddhist have met around the goal of deepening understanding between people of diverse religions. Nobuko has received the Ford Foundation's Leadership for a Changing World award for her work in using art for social change.
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1)
Christopher Peters, USA: Karuk, Moderator Jonas Trinkunas, Lithuania: Romuva Marcos Terena, Brazil: Terena Room 208
Panel Discussion
In the first of two sessions, members of this panel will discuss why sacred sites are a necessary part of the spiritual life of their respective Indigenous communities. The spiritual beliefs and practices of most Indigenous peoples are land based. As such, sacred places are an essential part of the culture. There are many different types of sacred sites and while some bear the mark of the ancestors, another place might be the place of emergence or the home of an important deity. Sacred sites, therefore, can be a community's creation story. Various religious or sacred ceremonies are conducted at these sites and are blessed with songs, prayers, and other offerings.
Chris Peters is the director of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas.
Chris Peters is the director of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas.
Jonas Trinkunas is Krivis (highest priest) of Romuva, the Indigenous pagan religion of Lithuania, and teaches ethics at the Vilnius Pedagogical University. In 1997, he was awarded the National Prize for his work and contributions in the field of Lithuanian culture. The main area of Trinkunas's activity is the revival and popularisation of the ancient Baltic faith of the Lithuanians.
Marcos Terena is a professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. He founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first Indigenous movement in Brazil and he was a leader in gaining recognition for Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He is a spokesman for Indigenous rights for the UN and President of the Intertribal Committee and VIATAN, an Indigenous information centre.

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Praying with Lior
(Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 210
Film
Praying with Lior' challenges our beliefs about whom and how one speaks to God. The film follows Lior Liebling, a thirteen-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome nicknamed 'the little rebbe', for the four months that lead up to his Bar Mitzvah. The filmmaker brings to life a stirring story of how a community grapples with the particular gifts and handicaps of a special needs child, and how that child views meaning from his particular social location. A question and answer period will follow the film. The film was directed by Ilana Trachtman. Q&A to follow.
Amerta Movement: the Gardening of Mandala Salam
Suprapto Suryodarmo Room 212
Artistic Performance
The main intention of the Joged Amerta movement work is to develop a way to lessen the sense of identification in art happenings through movement. Hence, it is more than an approach to improvisation; Joged Amerta is a practice cultivating an attitude towards life. The practice of Joged Amerta originates from the idea of 'from the garden back to the garden'. Improvisation begins with everyday movement, such as resting, sitting, crawling and walking, with variations to find other potential that is not yet awakened. Then, one chooses a composition based on the context of the environment and the ever-changing happenings surrounding it. Some movements include 'Circle', bowing in praying or spiritual language: 'Oval, purification in circulation or nature language; and 'Square', discussion in unity or human language. The goal is to offer oneself for the garden towards diversity in unity.
Suprapto Suryodarmo founded his Padepokan Lemah Putih school in Mojosongo, Solo, Java in 1986. Since 1970, he has studied free movement, Vipassana and Javanese Sumarah meditation. He uses these practices in the nature, temple and human fields. For twenty years, Suprapto Suryodarmo has taught his Joged Amerta method and created ritual art in Indonesia, Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia, the Philippines, Japan and India. He is a founding member of Dharma Nature Time and Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga.

Faith in Action: How Faith-Based Organisations Care for People in Need
Jason Davies-Kildea
Steve Denenberg
Hyder Gulam
Room 214 Seminar
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Social welfare services and community aid programs are being delivered by faith-based organisations around the world. This seminar draws upon recent research involving nearly fifty Christian, Jewish and Muslim services across the United States, the United Kingdom and Africa. It will include a discussion and slideshow presentation of Jason Davies-Kildea's recent Churchill Fellowship trip, visiting Christian, Jewish and Islamic services around the world. This program aims to promote greater appreciation of faith-based organisations unique methods of delivering vital services.
Captain Jason Davies-Kildea is a Salvation Army officer currently appointed as Social Program Secretary for the Melbourne Central Division. Jason has a Master's degree in Theology and is currently studying for a Master of Social Science (Policy and Human Services) degree. In 2007, he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study faith-based social services internationally.
Steve Denenberg is an English-born, Israel-trained social worker. He moved to Sydney in 1986 and later established Plum Partnerships, providing low-cost fundraising and profile raising' for Israel and Australiabased nonprofit organisations. In 2008 he became Executive Director of the Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ). Steve has a Bachelor of Social Work from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He received the Centenary Award for services to the Jewish community, the aged, young people and people with disabilities.
Hyder Gulam was born in Singapore and educated in Melbourne. He is a registered nurse, a qualified lawyer, an accredited mediator as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in Australia. He has post graduate qualifications in business/management, law and nursing. He has served as an officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, both in Australia and overseas. He has published in areas such as trans-cultural nursing, health law, criminal law and military law. Hyder has also worked in indigenous health, paediatric nursing, aged care, as well as emergency and trauma. Prior to accepting a role with Logie-Smith Lanyon Lawyers, Hyder worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for one of the world's biggest law firms. Hyder practices mainly in the areas of Commercial & Corporate, Defence Procurement and Islamic Finance, Hyder is an Executive of the Islamic Council of Victoria, member of the Australian Red Cross - International Humanitarian Law committee, member of the Royal College of Nursing Australia (Vic), as well as co-founder of the Muslim Legal Network and the City Circle (2008 Revival)
12 Steps: A Complete,
Non-Denominational Spiritual Path
for the 21st Century
Doug Childers
Room 215
Interactive Workshop
The 12 Steps were originally designed to free alcoholics from their self-destructive addiction. They subsequently were applied to address a wide range of problematic and self-destructive human addictions and behaviors. But the

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12 Steps are in fact a complete, rigorous spiritual path, comparable with any of the great spiritual traditions of mankind. Non-denominational, principle-based, without theology of any kind, the 12 Steps are compatible with all paths and traditions, and are sufficient, in and of themselves, to deliver all of the spiritual fruits and benefits promised by any of the great spiritual traditions. This program will describe the spiritual journey of the 12 Steps, and will reveal the Steps as a potentially radical, contemporary spiritual tradition for the 21st century. Doug Childers is a published author and meditation teacher. For 30 years, he studied and practiced 'Sadhana in several spiritual traditions. But his rigorous apprenticeship in the 12 Steps of Alanon/AA distilled the practices and understandings of spiritual life in a straightforward, practi cal, non-theological path of awakening to God consciousness through surrender, self-knowledge, and selfless service.
Kava Schafer, MDiv, MA in Holistic Spirituality, certificate in spiritual direction, has worked as a hospice and bone marrow transplant chaplain for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for nine years. She holds a certificate from Upaya Zen Center's 'Being with Dying Program in contemplative Buddhist practice and is a certified Reiki Master Openness to contemplative spiritual practices across traditions characterises her interspiritual direction practice and her work as a chaplain. Rev Jill Manton is a Protestant minister, in addition to parish ministry. she has been actively involved in ecumenical and interfaith activities for many years, including the interfaith seminars at the WellSpring Ecumenical Spirituality Centre in Ashburton, where she was the founding director. Now retired from fulltime ministry, Jill remains a member of the Council of Christian and Jews, with an ongoing commitment to interfaith activities and ecurrienical concerns. She maintains an active ministry of spiritual direction, retreat leadership and professional development of spiritual directors Nola Vanderfeen belongs to the Christian faith tradition and the Catholic denomination. She has great interest and involvement in Multi-Faith Relations. She is a past Convenor of the JCMA Women's Conference and belongs to JCMA Women's Group and the Catholic Interfaith Council and the Port Phillip Multi-Faith Council. She is a trained, active spiritual director, with membership in the Australian Council of Spiritual Directors and International Spiritual Directors. She finds great heart and life in the privilege of accompanying others in their faith life journey.
A Listening Place Each Day Kristen Hobby Lynette Dungan Bernie Miles Kava Schafer Jill Manton Nola Vanderfeen Room 217 Interactive Workshop We welcome you to a safe place where you can simply be. This is a quiet place where you can sit and meditate or reflect on what has touched or challenged you throughout the day of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Spiritual directors will be available in this room: you may talk to them if there is anything you would like to share. Spiritual directors are trained to listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way and are available for people of all faith traditions. Kristen Hobby lives in Melbourne and works as a spiritual director and retreat leader. She recently self-published her first book, "Nurturing a Gentle Heart - Exploring Spirituality with Pre-Schoolers. She has a passion for social justice and is a member of the Victorian Council of Churches Act for Peace Commission. She is a member of the formation team that trains Prayer Guides at Kilbride Spirituality Centre as part of the Week of Guided Prayer program. Lynette Dungan is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament within the Uniting Church in Australia. She received her formation as a spiritual director in the Siloam program at Heart of Life in 1997. She is a spiritual director and supervisor to people in ministry placements and at Wellspring. She is part of the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction and has been a member of Spiritual Directors international since 2002 Bernadette Miles BTheol, GDAS (Org Dynamics) is director of the Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality in Kew, Victoria. She rained in spiritual direction after twenty years in business management and database consulting, Bernadette is married and is the mother of four boys She is currently in her final year of a Masters in Applied Science [Organisational Dynamics).
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: The Need for Multi-Religious Education for All Religious Leaders North American Theological School Students Room 218 Panel Discussion In this session, students and faculty will address the question, 'Why is multi-religious education needed in seminaries and theological institutions?' It will explore the various reasons why the issue of 'the religious other is impinging on the awareness of, and calling for new answers from, believers in all religious traditions. Among the different contexts that are stirring these questions and calling for new forms of interfaith engagement are the following: 1) Pastoral: the growing perplexity many ordinary believers feel about the reality and vitality of so many other religions, 2) Theological: how to reconcile an understanding of other religions with the traditional understanding of one's own, 3) Civic: the complexities of being good multi-religious neighbours' in societies that are becoming ever more multi-religious, and 4) Political: In a world in which religion is playing an ever more significant role in geopolitical relationships, religious believers feel the need to foster interreligious cooperation toward a world of peace, justice and ecological sustainability. This is part of a symposium entitled 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World'. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of The Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with fifteen theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interfaith leadership in North American
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theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interfaith engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of faith traditions in the contemporary world.
A Creative Exploration of
the Sacred Feminine
Meredith Tenney
Kathe Schaaf
Anne Fitzgerald
Room 220
Interactive Workshop
Individuals from religious traditions around the world have come to know and experience the Divine Mother. Her face is reflected in Kuan Yin, Tara, Shiva, the Virgin Mary, and many other forms that express the feminine aspects of deity. Her voice is often missing from formalised religion. We come together to honour and celebrate the Sacred Feminine. We will enjoy a creative, co-created exploration of the Sacred Feminine in the music, dance, poetry and song of many traditions. This program will provide an inspiring experience that promotes spiritual unity, empowers women as spiritual leaders, and acknowledges and celebrates the Sacred Feminine. This session may meet out of doors; please check for final details. Meredith Tenney is a visionary program developer. She has degrees in law, public health and nurse-midwifery. and was the Creator/Director of Adolescent Preventive Services, an innovative program for at-risk youth. She is a Urantia Book reader, who co-founded InnerLife International, Inc, a nonprofit organisation that trains spiritual leaders. She works internationally with women to build spiritual unity and foster a global sisterhood.
Meredith Tenney is a visionary program developer. She has degrees in law, public health and nurse-midwifery, and was the Creator/Director of Adolescent Preventive Services, an innovative program for at-risk youth. She is a Urantia Book reader, who co-founded Inner Life International, Inc, a nonprofit organisation that trains spiritual leaders. She works internationally with women to build spiritual unity and foster a global sisterhood. Kathe Schaaf is one of the original co-founders of Gather the Women Global Matrix and served as President and administrator of that collaborative global community for five years. She currently anchors numerous collaborative conversations connecting women and women's organisations internationally, including six Gather the Women Congresses on six continents, a series of trans-partisan dialogues in 2008 and Constellations of Hope in November 2008, which brought together representatives of 40 North American women's organisations.
Anne Fitzgerald is a co-creator of this session.

9:00-10:30pm EVENING PROGRAMMING
EVENING PROGRAMMING 9:00-10:30pm
Soldiers of Peace
Room 107 Film
Contrary to popular belief, there are fewer armed conflicts in the world today than ever before. However, the world is faced with new challenges, from climate change to a lack of fresh drinking water, to ever decreasing biodiversity, to diminishing oil reserves and an ever-growing population. This documentary film examines the different ways in which governments and individuals can face these problems-through war or peace. The film was directed by Tim Wise.

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Taking just-a-minute": Meditation on the Move
Christine Westbury
Kalvinder Shields
Room 101
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This session will present a creative and practical journey into the art of bringing meditation into the many activities of our daily lives. A great deal of our day is taken up with prosaic activities, and finding the time to maintain our spiritual observances while doing our routine tasks can be quite challenging. If we can maintain an elevated consciousness while we are at work, at home, or while doing mundane things, then we will be better able to achieve peace and happiness in all aspects of our life. The program will be interactive and fully participatory with movement and one-on-one interaction as well as group participation. There will be creative visualisation and guided meditations to take the participant into inner stillness. The session is part of just-a-minute-a global initiative that encourages people to experience the power of a peaceful and calm mind starting with just one minute at a time. The initiative is aimed at people from all faiths and backgrounds and for those who feel the need to quieten and re-energise their mind wherever they are, regardless of what they do or how busy their life is.
Christine Westbury has been studying and teaching B K Raja Yoga meditation for the past 12 years. She currently coordinates their Fitzroy branch and oversees many of their Melbourne activities. She is on the advisory board for a Parliament of the World's Religions and has worked closely with interfaith groups, hosting numerous events. She works as a medical research nurse at Royal Children's hospital. Christine coordinated "just-a-minute' in Melbourne.
Dr Kalvinder Shields currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. She has been a practitioner of Raja Yoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, for over 10 years. Integrating her professional responsibilities and a spiritual lifestyle, she is a facilitator of meditation retreats and has been conducting meditation sessions in the workplace for many years.
Preksha Meditation
Vinay Pragya
Samani Akshay Prajna Room 102
Training Session
Based on ancient texts, modern science and practical experience, Preksha meditation is a technique that changes attitudes, modifies behaviour and integrates the personality. It uses exercises such as relaxation, long breathing, alternate breathing and colour meditation to purify the emotions and consciousness. Preksha meditation enhances mental abilities and creativity, while strengthening willpower and the ability to achieve goals. During this training session, two Jain nuns will teach participants from all faith traditions how Preksha meditation can help them bring about positive change in their personalities and their habits.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Vinay Pragya is a Jain nun and disciple of H.H. Acharya Mahapragya. She holds a BSc and MA in Jainology, as well as an MPhil and NET. Her initiation was in 2002. She speaks several languages including Prakrit, Sanskrit, Hindi and English, and has conducted numerous international workshops and seminars. She has travelled throughout the United States. United Kingdom, and India.
Samani Akshay Prajna is a Jain Nun and disciple of H.H. Acharya Mahapragya. She holds an MA in Jainology and was initiated in 1983. She has travelled to over thirty countries and speaks several languages including Prakrit, Sanskrit, Hindi and English. She has conducted numerous international workshops and seminars.
Jewish Morning Observance - Saturday
Jewish Participants
Room 103
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This morning prayer will be conducted by those who gather on this Shabbat at the designated place for prayer.
Celtic Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions
Michelle MacEwan
Cath Connelly Room 104
Presentation, Observance, and Discussion
This inspirational presentation features storytelling, healing, meditation and discussion based on the path of Celtic mysticism. It will explore family traditions in healing and spiritual work through sharing personal stories, healing journeys and initiations into the mystical pathway. It will also explore the relevance of the Celtic mystical path in the 21st century. The presentation highlights the importance of listening, sharing, and learning to hear and to trust the voice of the heart. It will present the concept of harmonising heart and soul, and how this awakens our instinct and power of sovereignty, enabling us to be co-creators of a sustainable, diverse and harmonious world. To achieve these goals, we must first experience and value our personal genius or creative spark. Our inner transformation occurs as we embrace our wisdom and find the courage to follow our own inner lights. By harmonising heart and soul, compassion for self, for others, and for the planet emerges naturally.
Michelle MacEwan is a Celtic mystic and spiritual activist who continues a line of mysticism in the Scottish and Irish traditions. Descended from an ancient matriarchal lineage, over time Michelle has developed her own unique style of practising these arts. She has found a balance between the old and the new that complements life in the 21st century.
Cath Connelly is an experienced workshop facilitator with a background in counselling, pastoral care and spiritual direction. Her current project involves exploring the Celtic figure of Brigid and her representations as Celtic Saint and as Goddess. Cath is a professional Celtic harpist who performs, records, teaches and facilitates harp and spirituality workshops throughout Australia.

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8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Given Life by Heaven and Earth: A Shinto Observance Rt Rev Yoshinobu Miyake Room 108 Religious or Spiritual Observance This program is a performance in the tradition of Konkokyo, a sect that has played a prominent role in the history of Shinto tradition. In the traditional Shinto worldview, 'Nature' stands as a higher concept than 'Kami (divine being). Kami as well as humans (and all sentient beings! are fully capable of bringing their primary powers into full play under the field of Nature (which could be restated as "Heaven and Earth'). After an explanation of this worldview, Rt Rev Yoshinobu Miyake will outline and perform the traditional Konko-kyo ritual together with traditionally attired, ceremonial assistants and musicians using instruments dating back a millennium and a half. Those assembled will pray in Japanese, the Shinto language, with a brief explanation to follow in English. At the end of the performance, in the resonant aftermath of the observance, Rev Miyake will explain in English both the Konko-kyo theology of salvation, and how the relationship it implies is collaborative in the work between Kami and human beings. Rt Rev Yoshinobu Miyake, Superior General of the Konko Church of Izuo in Osaka, Japan, was born in 1958 in a well-known Miyake family of Shinto priests. He studied at Doshisha University in Kyoto and Harvard University. Having been active worldwide in the field of interfaith dialogue for the past thirty years, he established Reinet Corporation in 1997 and served as General Secretary of the recent G8 Religious Leaders Summit.
Gathering of the Spirit of Peace in All John Morton Leigh Taylor-Young Room 111 Interactive Workshop This workshop will present a series of meditations aimed at cultivating peace in the world, in our hearts, and in all of our activities. The meditation 'Gathering of Peacemakers' is designed to evoke the spirit of peace, leading to a beautiful visualisation where love is the catalyst for creating a healthy, balanced and peaceful planet. This meditation creates an opportunity to let go of the restrictions of the past and move to a nurturing and healing environment that cleanses, purifies, and promotes peace. In the meditation entitled 'Forgiveness: The Key to the Kingdom. participants experience the value of forgiveness as a daily practice which creates both love and peace in their lives. In the final meditation, 'The Spiritual Principles of Abundance and Prosperity. participants learn the deeper spiritual meaning of wealth, abundance, prosperity, and riches. The spiritual principles of seeding and tithing are presented as ways to bring a greater awareness of how God can be our partner in life. As they explore their own perceptions of all of these concepts, participants are given the opportunity to bring Spirit into these areas of their lives. John Morton, Doctor of Spiritual Science (DSS), is the current Spiritual Director of the non-denominational Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. As part of his ministry he has travelled extensively around the world facilitating programs in support of spiritual awareness, peace, and charitable causes. He regularly travels throughout the United States and the world to promote peace and to support people in finding the good in everything
Leigh Taylor-Young is an award-winning actress and an international personality. With fifteen feature films and numerous television series to her credit, Leigh has also become a major spokesperson for many distinguished organisations. She has represented the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as the keynote speaker in Nairobi, Kenya for the 20th Anniversary ceremonies of the Better World Society and the Institute for Individual and World Peace.
Sri Sri Yoga: A Celebration of the Diversity in Yoga Bernice Bailey Room 110 Religious or Spiritual Observance Yoga transcends religion and culture. Its application is universal. Sri Sri Yoga, which was designed by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is a simple and joyful celebration of the diversity in yoga. It combines the essentials of yoga: breathing techniques, stretching and postures, meditation, relaxation and yogic knowledge. By incorpo rating all of these beautiful facets of yoga we are able to look beyond the level of the physical body and sharpen our sensitivity and awareness of subtler levels of existence. Sri Sri Yoga gives us a holistic approach to allend to the body, the mind and the spirit.
transcends religion and culture-its application is universal. Bernice Bailey has 10 years experience as a yoga teacher and is as enthusiastic today as the day she started! With The Art of Living, Bernice has gained experience in the subtle aspects of yoga practices. Her yoga teaching style is energetic and light hearted with an emphasis on strengthening the body and mind. Bernice teaches Sri Sri Yoga at the Art of Living Centre at Abbotsford Convent.
Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace: Healing Our Earth, Our Faith, and Ourselves Sri Karunamayi Vijayeswari Devi Room 203 Religious or Spiritual Observance In this inspiring lecture, Sri Karunamayi will share the secrets of India's ancient philosophy of Vasudeva Kutumbam, which from time immemorial has emphasised universal togetherness: the oneness of all that ever is, all that ever was, and all that ever will be. Brief periods of meditation will provide tools through which participants of all faiths may realise such truths deeply within and unlock knowledge that can lead to increased compassion, understanding, and tolerance. Through the cultivation of such inner knowledge, our world can be transformed into the peaceful home for which we all yearn.
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Revered worldwide as an embodiment of unconditional motherly love, Sri Karunamayi has dedicated her life to the causes of world peace and universal welfare. She often says that her only work in this world is to remove the suffering from the hearts of all people. She does this through her kind, loving words of spiritual guidance and encouragement, her healing touch, her divine insight and her charitable work on behalf of India's poor.
Respect for the Earth: A Morning Observance
Marcus Braybrooke
Sr Maureen Goodman
Rev Johanna (Jopie) Boeke
Rev Dr Richard Boeke
Mary Braybrooke
Room 204
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Nothing less than a spiritual revolution is needed to do justice to our responsibilities for the environment. Respect for the earth is essential for social justice. Reducing our carbon footprint is not enough. We need a truly spiritual relationship to Nature, recognising our interdependence with all life. As Fr Thomas Berry said, 'we are earthlings. The Earth is our origin, our nourishment, our support, our guide. Our spirituality itself is Earth-derived. Astronauts tell us of the magical beauty of Earth as seen from space. Sacrifice, which in Nature is involuntary, is for humans a matter of choice. During this session, readings from different traditions will deepen awareness of Oneness with all life and the Source of Being, inspiring us to seek peace, to alleviate poverty and to protect the Natural world. To share in this spiritual revolution is today's exciting challenge to all people of faith. As Jane Goodall said, 'we are moving toward the ultimate destiny of our species-a state of compassion and love. The observance is arranged by members of the World Congress of Faiths, which has been a pioneer of interfaith celebration and prayer.
Rev Dr Marcus Braybrooke, President of the World Congress of Faiths and Patron of the international Interfaith Centre, Oxford, is an Anglican priest who has been active in interfaith work for over forty years. He is author of many books, including 'A Heart for the World".
Maureen Goodman has worked in interreligious dialogue for over 30 years. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Faiths and was an advisory committee member of Respect -It's About Time, an initiative launched by HRH the Prince of Wales to bring together young people in Britain's faith communities.
Rev Johanna Boeke is a native of the Netherlands and a Unitarian Universalist Minister. She is a past President of the International Association of Liberal Religious Women,
The Rev Dr Richard Boeke was founding President of the US Chapter of the International Association for Religious Freedom and is a Vice President of the World Congress of Faiths. He is the author of 'God is No-Thing. His latest essay is Evolve or Explode? A Lesson From Darwin For Our Time.
Mary Braybrooke is a Vice-President of the World Congress of Faiths and has worked for fifty years as a social worker in child care, in the community, and in hospitals. She has also published a research paper on the attitude of members of different faiths to organ transplants and presented a program on this subject at the Cape Town Parliament. At present she is working with people suffering from renal failure.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Global Meditation: Experiencing a Powerful Key To Healing, Transformation, and Empowerment
Audrey Kitagawa
James J Hurtak, PhD
Ashok Gangadean
Room 207
Religious or Spiritual Observance
When we meditate, we connect to our spiritual nature. We become aware of that quality in ourselves that transcends the mind and when we become aware of it we can harness its constructive, creative power. Now is the time to meditate and pray for healing, transformation, and empowerment on a global basis. Regardless of individual belief, we each have a responsibility to the collective to make positive changes in ourselves and our world. During this meditation session, we will broadcast our collective energies to those parts of the planet that are most in need of healing. We will explore our planet as a multifaceted jewel. We will experience our connection to Mother Earth, who embraces all of us within her cosmic womb. We will acknowledge the human spirit as the one force that can travel around the earth and bring the light of love and the presence of peace to those who dwell in darkness and fear. Together, we can continue to inform and transform our world and our place within it as instruments of Divine expression. The meditation will use visualisations, sacred expressions and prayers from East and West. Participants from all faith traditions are welcome.
Audrey Kitagawa is Co-Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, president of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, adviser to the World Federation of United Nations Association and chair of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, New York. A member of the advisory council for the Toda Institute for Peace and Global Policy Research, she also co-facilitates the United Religions Initiative United Nations Cooperation Circle. James J Hurtak, PhD, is the founder and president of the Academy for Future Science. He has worked in the fields of education, science and spiritual philosophy, applying each to the task of cross-cultural understanding. He is the author of more than 12 books in 15 languages, including his most recent work, End of Suffering, and his films include 'The Voice of Africa: A Study of a Zulu Shaman' and 'The Light Body'. Ashok Gangadean is Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Haverford College, Pennsylvania. He is Founder and Director of the Global Dialogue Institute, Co-Convener of the World Commission on Global. Consciousness and Spirituality, and a member of the World Wisdom Council. He coordinates the Annual Global Philosophy Forum, which brings together visionary and cutting edge thinkers from around the world. His latest book, Awakening the Global Mind, has been recorded for CD by Sounds True.

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8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto and Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation Born in England, he was educated by the Benedictines and studied English Literature at Oxford University. Before entering monastic life he had experience with the United Nations, banking and journalism. In the monastery he studied with his spiritual teacher John Main, who he helped to establish the first Christian Meditation Centre in London
Invoking Inner Tranquility: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation Venerable Jian Wei Venerable Jian Hu Venerable Jian Tan Venerable Jian Zong Venerable Jian Ying Room 209 Religious or Spiritual Observance The graceful and subtle melody in Buddhist chanting resonates with our pure mind and permeates space with harmony and compassion. Using hand-bell, gong, and the wooden instrument muyu, Dharma Masters from Chung Tai Chan Monastery of Taiwan will offer a Chan (Chinese Zen) style Buddhist morning service. It will begin with chanting, followed by guided Chan meditation, and conclude with a dedication and blessing: May all sentient beings attain wisdom and be liberated from suffering. Venerable Jian Wei is the Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery and the Dean of the Chung Tai Buddhist Institute Iboth founded by the Grand Master Wei Chueh, a Zen Buddhism spiritual leader in Taiwan.) A Ph.D. in Material Science from National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, he has taught Buddhism extensively to the monastic in Chung Tai and lay people at meditation centers and college campuses across Taiwan for over ten years. Venerable Jian Hu is a senior monk from the Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Taiwan. He is now the Abbot of the Chung Tai Zen Center in Sunnyvale as well as Buddha Jewel Monastery in Seattle Chung Tai's mission is to teach the truths of Buddhism and promote the practice of Chan Chinese Zen meditation. Venerable Jian Hu has conducted Zen meditation retreats and given lectures at meditation centres and universities throughout Taiwan and the US Venerable Jian Tan is the Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery (founded by the Grand Master Wei Chueh, a Zen Buddhist spiritual leader in Taiwan). He earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University and a Master's degree in English Education in the US in 2009. He has served as the Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale and has given teachings in San Francisco and Las Vegas Ven Jian Zong is the Abbot of the Houston branch of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, founded by the Grand Master Wei Chueh, a spiritual leader instrumental in revitalising Chan (Zen Buddhism in Taiwan. Since joining monastic orders in 1998 and prior to his current position, Master Jian Zong served as Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery: Abbot of Great Enlightened Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan, and administrator and instructor at the Chung Tai Buddhist Institute.
The Art of Qur'an Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace Hajjah Maria Ulfah Room 212 Religious or Spiritual Observance In this session, world-renowned Qur'an reciter Hajjah Maria Ulfah will offer the art of Qur'an recitation as a medium through which wisdom can be shared in the search for inner peace. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across the six days of the Parliament. Each session will include beautiful Qur'anic recitations, clear translation, and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. This series will show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims, as they are at the heart of Islam's social conscience. Hajjah Maria Ulfah is a lecturer and Vice Rector of the Institute for Qur'anic Studies in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1980, she won both the national Qur'an recitation competition in Jakarta and the international Qur'an recitation competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a professional Qur'an reciter, she has appeared all over Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Australia and Japan.
Observance Session with Father Freeman Laurence Freeman Room 210 Religious or Spiritual Observance In this session, Fr Laurence Freeman, OSB, Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation, will speak about the essential Christian meaning of meditation as well as its potential for spiritualising a new global consciousness. He will describe the methodology of this ancient practice and participants will then enjoy a period of meditation. The session will conclude with questions and discussion.
Solstice Sites and Celebrations Patrick McCollum Room 214 Religious or Spiritual Observance A variety of ancient and contemporary sacred sites with Solstice alignments are in use today for celebrations that help humans deepen their connections with each other, the Earth, and the greater Circle of Nature of which we are all a part. This presentation begins with an international look at sacred sites used for celebrating the Summer and Winter Solstices and some examples of the ways the Solstices are celebrated today by practitioners of a variety of Nature religion traditions. This program will include discussion and some ritual, including a Solstice meditation and chant for world peace. Patrick McCollum is the Director and Chair of the National Correctional Chaplaincy Directors Association, and statewide Wiccan chaplain for the California Department of Corrections. McCollum has taught Pagan Chaplaincy Training at the Leadership Institute, part of Circle Sanctuary's annual Pagan Spirit Gathering. He is the National Coordinator of the Lady Liberty League Prison Ministries Program and a member of the National Advisory Council of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
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Awakening Meditation
Ken Mellor
Room 215
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The aim of this observance is to integrate seven simple steps that promote awakening. The first step is Noticing: cultivating awareness of the inside and the outside. The next step is Accepting: accepting the presence of what we are aware of. The following step is Experiencing: opening to the impact of awareness, so we live our responses fully. Next follows Grounding: acknowledging and sensing the physical with every experience, giving our primary attention to physical sensations inside and physical things and events outside. The next step is Centring: aligning with the observer/witness in our systems. Combined with grounding, we are in the 1-Am-here-and-now. Then comes Cherishing: responding with tenderness, love, caring and gratitude to all experiences. The final step is Divining: repeating a mantra or sacred word of our own choice, for example, Om, Love, God, Freedom, Life or Liberation. The observance will involve a brief presentation, followed by a guided meditation. At the end of the meditation there will be ample opportunity for questions, clarification and discussion. Written material on this practice will be handed out at the end of the session.
Ken Mellor is a spiritual mentor and master and a trained psychotherapist. With his wife Elizabeth, he trained for 27 years with three Indian Masters. In 1984, he co-founded Biame Network, a spiritually oriented, non-profit, educational organisation with members and associates in more than 30 countries. He has introduced thousands of people to meditation and bases what he teaches on what he has learned from his own practice. He lives with his wife in Australia.
Meditation as a Therapy:
How Traditional Techniques Translate into Modern Healing
lan Gawler
Room 216
Interactive Workshop
Traditionally, meditation has been focused primarily on spiritual realisation. Only in the last few decades have great pioneers like Dr Ainslie Meares, Dr Herbert Benson and Jon Kabat-Zinn given new emphasis to meditation as a therapy. In recent years, strong, research-based evidence has emerged demonstrating the value of meditation for both physical and psychological healing. Meditation is widely accepted by Australian GPs as a complementary therapy; it has been taught to medical students at Monash Medical School in Melbourne for nearly ten years. While in Western culture meditation is often presented in a secular context, the great spiritual traditions offer the benefit of vast experience and extraordinary lineages in this field. It is on their shoulders that a whole new sphere of healing has opened up in the West. This workshop will present the latest research findings as well as instruction based upon years of experience with teaching meditation. Questions and discussion are encouraged. The session will also include the practice of group meditation.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Dr lan Gawler, OAM, Founder of The Gawler Foundation, is a pioneer in the therapeutic application of mind/body medicine and meditation. A long-term cancer survivor, lan established Australia's first lifestyle-based cancer self-help group over 25 years ago. He works intensively with cancer and MS patients and conducts meditation retreats and wellness programs. He is an author and a student of Sogyal Rinpoche. Initially trained in Veterinary Science, Dr Gawler holds a Master's in Counselling.
Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 1
Ervad Kaivan Antia
Ervad Armin Dumasia Room 218
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Following a brief introductory narrative on Zoroastrianism, the Zarathushtis will perform the daily morning 'Kusti Padyab ritual. First, they will tie and untie the Kusti (hollow woollen cord) worn around their waists, while reciting the farajayat (requisite) prayers. Then they will recite Atash Nyaish (Hymn to the Light Divine) and demonstrate the Jashan ceremony (a commemoration for the Parliament). The worship will end with the group singing a Monajat [devotional song) and offering a short explanation of the worship service. Chasni (fruits and malido, a sweet dish made with flour, sugar and butter displayed during the Jashan to symbolise Ahura Mazda's creation) will be served to all participants, subject to receiving permission from the authorities.
Ervad Kaivan Antia is a Zoroastrian priest. He completed his studies and rituals at Athorvan Madressa in Mumbai.
Ervad Armin Dumasia is a Zoroastrian priest. He completed his studies and rituals at Vatcha Gandhi Fire Temple In Mumbai.
Observance in the Haudenosaunee
Prophecy and Spirituality
Jake Swamp, USA: Mohawk Room 219
Lecture
The Haudenosaunee are also known as the 'People of the Longhouse'. Six nations make up this confederacy: the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga and Tuscarora. They are the oldest living participatory democracy on earth. The Prophecy speaks of a peacemaker who will come and will help to bring the People to a time of peace and sustainability. This is following the wretched times of war, hatred, rape of the environment and attempts to destroy the People. Planting trees of Peace has been a part of rituals to work on returning the earth to a state of living sustainability. There is much to learn from the People who helped to form the laws of a young United States.
Jake Swamp is employed with the Men for Change Program, part of the lethini'sten:ha Family Violence Shelter. He is a former leader of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and was directly involved in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School, an acclaimed Mohawk language immersion school that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the United States and Canada.

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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00am
Climate Change as a Concern for Justice Dr Martin Kaplan Dr Benjamin Burber Plenary Hall Panel Discussion Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, explains the seven key points on climate justice that serve as the centerpiece of the Report on Guidelines for Climate Justice, recently released by the Global Humanitarian Forum. To cast the current debate on climate change in terms of justice is to identify both those most responsible for the current crisis and those who bear the brunt of its impact. The relevance and practicality of these key points have become the basis of a call for a global alliance of leading public figures and organizations of civil society advocating for a just response to climate change. The key role that religious and spiritual communities can play in supporting justice as a fundamental rubric for advocacy on climate change, and the practical ways in which these communities can connect international discussions with grassroots realities, will be explored.
Neeti Aryal Khanal is a Lecturer of Sociology at Tribhuvan University in Nepal. The Australian Leadership Awards Scholarship 2008 enabled her to study at Monash University. Her Master's thesis explores the motherhood experiences of women involved in armed conflict in Nepal. Apart from her research, Neeti is also passionate about issues of sustainability and religion, women and spirituality, women's development, and youth leadership. Pandit Gowrishankar Subramanian is a Vedic scholar with Master's degrees in Sanskrit, astrology, and bharata shastra with special research focus in the area of akasha tarka shastra (sound vibration energy). Pandit is the author of many research works relating to Vedas and Shastras. He has participated in many international conferences including the World Religious Congress for World Peace at Kazakhstan. He has addressed many international academic institutions including Oxford University and Cambridge University Dadhiram Khanal is principal of Hindu Vidyapeeth Nepal-Thali, a charity-based school in Nepal, which is working to promote values based education. He is a yoga teacher and practitioner who has shared yoga teaching with people of different nationalities and age groups. He is interested in issues of spiritual education for children, and in working for sustainable religious and cultural practices for the benefit of future generations.
Hindu Meditations for the Earth Swarnalata Rangarajan Neeti Aryal Khanal Pandit Gowrishankar Subramanian Dadhiram Khanal Room 101 Panel Discussion Hindu traditions contain powerful methods of meditation that can help us acquire a deeper and wider vision of our place in the cosmos and membership in the community of life. In this program, expert presenters will deal in detail with three different contemplative and ritual approaches that aim to heal our relationship with nature. These are: (1) Use of the Shri Chakra Yantra and other mandalas (diagrams which symbolise both the wholeness of the cosmos and of the human psychel; a 'mandalic consciousness' overcomes the illusion of ego-separateness and leads towards reintegration. (2) Receptivity to Cosmic Energy, which, as described in the Vedas and Shastras, is the force of the universe and of our lives; this force grows in us through self-control and right action. (3) Chanting and 'biocentric' ritual practices of multireligious Nepal, which carry a message of the sacramental value of nature and through worship of plants and animals demonstrate that humans are not superior to nature but a part of it.
Challenge of Shinto: An Approach to Living Together in Diversity Rev Munemichi Kurozumi Room 104 Shinto is the indigenous religious tradition of Japan, and thus the original form has no founder, no doctrine, and no sacred scripture, yet its tradition remains deeply rooted in Japanese society today. Rituals and ceremonies are regarded as important, centering around a deep sense of gratitude towards all kinds of blessings from the nature that sustains our existence. This lecture explains one of the main and essential aspects of Shinto and interprets the universality and openness of Shinto, which may possibly contribute to peace in the world. In the latter part of the lecture Rev Kurozumi introduces his concrete efforts of interreligious dialogue and cooperation for world peace that reflect Shinto's openness and broad-mindedness. Rev Munemichi Kurozumi was born as the first son of the present 6th Chief Patriarch of Kurozumikyo Shinta in 1962. In his capacity as the Vice Chief Patriarch, he has devoted himself to providing spiritual guidance to people within and outside his group, and has been energetically involved with various local, national and international initiatives. He has taken part in many interreligious gatherings and interfaith dialogues.
The Divine Feminine Mary-Faeth Chenery, Moderator Sr Joan Chittister Mother Maya Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo Phyllis Curott Room 105 Panel Discussion Female divinity, or feminine aspects to the divine, can be found in many religious traditions. This interfaith panel, with speakers from the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Pagan religious traditions, will offer thoughts and experiences from these traditions, as well as consider theological and social issues of gendering the divine. For
Swarnalatha Rangarajan is Assistant Professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, India. She is deeply interested in Ecosophy, Buddhism and Hinduism. She is editor of the Indian Journal of Ecocriticism and is currently working towards a novel with an econoetic focus.
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some women and men, the Divine Feminine is a source of strength and balance. For some, the feminine aspects of the divine are foundational to their religious practice. For some, redressing the current imbalances of the world-of excessive greed, polarisation, isolation and environmental destruction-requires a new or renewed connection to the feminine energies of the divine. Divinity may be seen as essentially transcending gender, but is often interpreted through gendered social constructions. What reflections and resources does the Divine Feminine offer those who seek relationship with divinity envisioned as female?
Mary-Faeth Chenery holds a Master's degree in Management and a PhD in Psychology. Following a university teaching career of around three decades, where she taught in the fields of outdoor education and qualitative research methods, she moved to the area of spiritual education, where she now does editing, teaching and community development for the cause of global peace. She is the Australian coordinator for the work of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.
Joan Chittister, OSB, is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a centre for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life".
Mother Maya is the spiritual head of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda. As one of only a small circle of women to become Vedic monks (Swamil she brings her healing and wisdom to such projects as the Mother Om Mission (MOM), a charitable organisation in Guyana that teaches Wise Earth's unique inner-medicine healing to at-risk communities. Under the name Maya Tiwari she has written several books, including her latest, Women's Power to Heal through Inner Medicine".
Karma Lekshe Tsomo is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego, where she teaches Buddhism, World Religions, and Comparative Religious Ethics. She studied Buddhism in Dharamsala, India for fifteen years and received a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is president of Sakyadhita: The International Association of Buddhist Women and director of Jamyang Foundation, an initiative providing educational opportunities for women in developing countries.
Phyllis Curott is a Wiccan Priestess and pioneering spiritual teacher of Women's Mysteries and the Divine Feminine. An attorney and author, New York Magazine described Curott as among the culture's most intellectual, cutting-edge thinkers, and Jane Magazine honored her as 'One of the Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year. Curott is the founder of the Temple of Ara, president emerita of the Covenant of the Goddess, and a Trustee of the Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions.
Religious Unity and Nonviolence.
HH Amrender Muniji
Room 106
Forum
This lecture will offer strategies for the adoption of nonviolence in daily living. The speaker, a Jain monk with extensive study in Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga, will highlight practices that foster the nonviolent way of life. Topics will include: mantra recitation for the purification of daily conduct and spiritual elevation; the importance of yoga for healthy mind and body, the application of Lord Mahavir's teachings for enlightenment, and the need for awareness of our daily acts of karma. The concepts of Apararigraha (non-possessiveness) and Anckaantvaad (multiple reality of truth) will receive attention, as will the idea of living in harmony with the environment and respecting nature.

His Holiness Amrender Muniji is one of the few Jain monks who travel outside of India to preach nonviolence. He was initiated at the age of fourteen. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy and Sanskrit, and is a scholar of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist Scriptures. He has undertaken intensive study, practice and teaching of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. His dedicated service to mankind has been recognised by several organisations.
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
History of the Inupiat: Nipaa Ilitqusipta/ The Voice of Our Spirit (Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 107 Film
The Voice of Our Spirit follows individuals, young and old, who struggle with the loss of language in their own personal way. For a long time now I have been wondering why I don't speak my language, says Dora 'Aluniq Brower of Barrow, Alaska, in the film's opening minutes. 'I would always hear it around me because my parents and my grandparents were speaking, but when it came to us children they would speak to us in English. It wasn't expected of me to speak back in Inupiaq'. The film chronicles Inupiat history that spans 150 years, starting with the epidemics, followed by the missionaries and what happened to the Inupiat children with the establishment of a boarding school. The film was directed by Rachel Naninaaq Edwardson. Q & A to follow.
Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 2)
Francois Paulette, Canada: Dene, Moderator Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu elder
Nana Osei Boakyewa Yiadom II, Ghana: Akuapem Room 108
Panel Discussion
For most Indigenous communities, spirituality cannot be separated from culture. However, Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices have been a special subject of persecution over the centuries. These pressures have caused some sacred rites and ceremonial activities to move from the public into the private sphere. Policies of assimilation and cultural pressures have separated Indigenous peoples from their spiritual practices. In this session, panel members will explore the ways in which their respective Indigenous communities are maintaining or reviving their unique spiritual beliefs and practices.
Francois Paulette is a Dene Suline and member of the Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation. He became the youngest chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972, along with other chiefs, he challenged the crown to recognise treaty and Aboriginal rights. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, the Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, and the Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee and has spoken internationally on Dene history and Aboriginal rights.
Tsugio Kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings

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participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture. Nana Osei Boakyewa Yiadom II. a noted African leader, is one of Ghana's queen mothers. Among the first African women to be elected vil lage chief, she is a fellow with the UN Institute for Training and Research, working on a project on refugee women. Since 1986, she has served as a consultant on the UN Decade for Women, an advisor to the Committee on African Women's Affairs, and president of the Pan African Human Rights Association
Poverty in Wealthy Countries: Challenges Ahead Jim Wallis Tim Costello Katherine Marshall Setri Nyomi Room 109 Panel Discussion The economic crisis and catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, unrest in suburban Paris, and Australia's fires highlight that poverty is alive and real in the world's wealthiest societies. For millions of people in societies of great wealth, hunger is a daily reality, and hope is in short supply. This session will focus on why inequality cndures and increases and will take stock of where and how religious leaders and institutions can best serve as advocates and leaders of social change. Additionally. it will consider the request of the Uppsalla Interfaith Climate Manifesto 2008 for 'binding cuts for the rich world on top of their domestic obligations; according to the principles of responsibility and capability countries should pay for international cuts in addition to their own domestic initiatives'. How can climate change be addressed without further impacting the poor? Jim Wallis is a best selling author, public theologian, speaker and international commentator on faith and public life. He is the author of 'The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America' and 'God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It'. Wallis speaks around the United States, and his columns appear in major newspapers, including The New York Times and Washington Post Tim Costello is a leading Australian voice on social justice issues, having spearheaded public debates on gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. As CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim has insisted that the issues surrounding global poverty be on the national agenda, World Vision serves nearly 100 million people worldwide. Tim's awards include Victorian of the Year, Officer of the Order of Australia, Victorian Australian of the Year, and the Australian Peace Prize. Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institu tions working in development, involving a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners, and a series of reviews of development topics. Rev Dr Setri Nyomi is the General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC)--the first non-European to serve in this position. He comes from Ghana, and has studied in the University of Ghana and Trinity Seminary in Ghana as well as Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary in the USA. WARC is the global umbrella body of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Waldensian and some United and Uniting Churches
Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (Religions for Peace Asia) Dr Din Syamsuddin, Moderator Dr Lilian Sison Sunggon Kim Theophilus Bela Azril Mohd Amin Des Cahill Room 110 Seminar The Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, also known as Religions for Peace Asia, is the world's largest regional body of religiously inspired people working for peace, harmony and the well-being of people in their own countries, in the Asian-Pacific region and across the world. The Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, in tandem with its partner and parent, Religions for Peace International, works to coordinate the various Asian religious heritages in pursuing peace and interreligious harmony based on the tenets of truth, justice, compassion and the transcendent dignity of the human person. This seminar will discuss the work of ACRP, building on the statement and recommendations for action from the October 2008 assembly in Manila. It will also focus on selected countries and their interfaith contexts. The session will be led by the ACRP moderator, Prof Din Syamsuddin (Indonesia) and the ACRP deputy moderator, Prof Des Cahill (Australia) Dr Din Syamsuddin is an author and president of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's largest modernist Muslim social and educational organisation. He is vice general chair of the Indonesian Ulama Council, professor of Islamic political thought at the National Islamic University in Jakarta, and moderator and a president of the Asian Conference on Religion for Peace, based in Seoul Dr Lilian Sison is chair of the Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace; a member of the IWCC Global Women of Faith Network, and dean of the Graduate School of the University of San Tomas, Philippines. Dr Sunggon Kim, a member of the South Korean Parliament, 15 Secretary General of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace Theophilus Bela is secretary general of the Indonesian Committee on Religion and Peace IICom RPI and founding chairperson of the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum (JCCF). He also cofounded Catholic Solidarity for Democracy in Indonesia, an NGO. Azril Mohd Amin, a lawyer by profession, is currently the Chairman of Islamic Outreach ABIM, an agency under the patronage of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. He has extensive involvement in interfaithbased initiatives, in particular through the World Council of Muslim for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR) and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia - ABIM - where he was vice president for international affairs (2003-2009). He is currently vice moderator of the Asian Coordinating Team, World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) and has presented views at several of its events, including at the recent International Summit of Religious Youth Leaders on Disarmament for Shared Security held in Kathmandu in July 2009. He lives in Malaysia with his wife and three children Desmond Cahill, Professor of Intercultural Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne, is chair of Religions for Peace Australia and deputy moderator of Religions for Peace Asia. He is the Melbourne program director for the current Parliament.
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Krishna Consciousness and the Environment Dr Yadunandana Swami Taraka Sticha Bhakata Dasa Room 111 Panel Discussion Since its founding in 1966 by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna Movement, has developed both an environmental ethic and effective environmental programs. In this panel, senior international leaders of ISKCON will discuss the principles of sustainability and the ecological worldview of the Hare Krishna movement, based on the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita and Vaishnava tradition. Hungarian ISKCON members will describe the practical application of these principles of sustainability in their sixteen-yearold 'eco-village' where they live as a religious community seeking to establish self-sufficiency. The session will also discuss other rural communities and environmental programs of ISKCON, including those in Krishna's birthplace in India. It will also highlight the importance of vegetarianism and its benefits for the environment. Dr Yadunandana Swami is a Brahminical Priest and renunciate in the Vaisnava Hindu tradition. He is also a senior leader in ISKCON and a Minister of Educational Development. He is principal of Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium and has dedicated much of his teaching efforts to environmental issues including global warming Her Grace Taraka devi dasi has a BA in Education and the Visual Arts and is also a Brahminical Priest within the movement. She is ISKCON Australia's main presenter on environmental issues. Bhakata Dasa, or Albert Lange, is a meditation teacher and Brahminical Priest within the Hare Krishna Movement with 30 years of experience. He is a director of the Hare Krishna Food for Life program in Australia, which on a weekly basis provides thousands of free or low cost nutritious vegetarian meals to those in need. He also established Gopals Vegetarian restaurant in Melbourne. He is an enthusiastic advocate for vegetarianism and animal rights.
never before into a contemporary musical style and idiom. Sheikh Kabir was able to draw upon his many years of experience translating and interpreting Rumi, conveying Rumi's voice, images, and metaphors into English lyrics. Erika's virtuoso guitar, and the melodic skills of Lisa and Erika together create a soulful resonance culminating in a sonic experience that stretches across cultures and time, singing to our universal heart. Erika Luckett is an internationally acclaimed artist who has collaborated with environmental organisations as well as those striving to expand human consciousness and open the heart. From her performance at the 20th Anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, to being honoured as One of the 100 Most Outstanding Women of the Year' by both The Jewish Post and Modern Woman Today Magazine, Erika Luckett shows the power of music to transform and unite people across the planet. Lisa Ferraro's voice has graced diverse venues from jazz con and festivals, to conferences on spirituality and sacred houses of worship A prolific recording artist and performer, she has released seven albums to date and continues to deepen and expand her artistic expression, Dynamic in her performances and gifted in her ability to touch hearts and move audiences, Lisa Ferraro delivers her music with authenticity. passion and a generosity of spirit,
Om Shanthi Om Shobha Sekhar Kalakruthi Senior Students Room 201 Artistic Performance This devotional music performance is arranged and presented by Mrs Shobha Sekhar who is an Indian Classical Vocal and Veena artist of international repute. The Veena is one of the world's most ancient stringed instruments and is mentioned in the Vedas. Om Shanthi Om is the musical offering at the Parliament of the World's Religions by Shobha. OM reverberates with the first sound that emanated from the Earth. Shanthi means Peace in Sanskrit. The program content is steeped in Yoga techniques and includes spiritual and meditative elements drawn from Hindu chants and also inspired by other faiths such as Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism. Shobha will be accompanied by her students, both Vocal and Veena, as well as the Indian Drums that will embellish the soulful music with rhythmic structures. Although Classical Indian Karnatic Music has its roots in Hinduism, it has branched out to neighbouring countries and beyond. Harmony and social cohesiveness through music is this presentation's theme. Shobha Sekhar is a journalist and the Artistic Director of Kalakruthi School of Music, Melbourne She is the recipient of the 'Award of Excellence in Multicultural Affairs from the Victorian Multicultural Commission. She has been honoured with several grants from the Commonwealth Government of Australia and Monash Council for her re search into innovative methods of teaching and mentoring young talents in Australia. She is also a session lecturer teaching undergraduate music students at NMIT, Melbourne. The Kalakruthi students have been mentored by Mrs Shobha Sekhar for several years. Their performances during Kalakruthi Annual Events have received accolades from discerning audiences. They have also won prizes in music competitions held in Australia in almost all categories.
On the Way of Love: Ruby Performs Music Inspired by Rumi Erika Luckett Lisa Ferraro Room 201 Artistic Performance The qualities that have made Rumi the best-selling poet in the world during recent decades, the earthy intimacy combined with a sublime heart are now finding their consummate musical expression through Ruby, an ensemble comprised of Sheikh Kabir Helminski lauthor, translator, musician and representative of the Mevlevi order of Sufism), Erika Luckett (vocalist/guitarist) and Lisa Ferraro (vocalist). Perhaps the greatest spiritual poet of all time, a troubadour of universal love, Rumi has been brought as
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Professor Burhanettin Tatar is the official representative of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey at the 2009 Parliament. He is a professor at Ondokuz Mayis University, in the faculty of Theology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. He is also a member of the Higher Committee of Religious Affairs. Burhanettin Tatar received his PhD degree from the Catholic University of America in 1997
Islam and Politics: Faith, Governance and Society Anwar Ibrahim Dr Tariq Ramadan Dr Siti Musdah Mulia Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi Dr Mahdi Mostafavi Dr Burhanettin Tatar Room 202 Panel Discussion
A Buddhism for Today: Introduction to Rissho Kosei-kai Rev Yasutomo Sawahata Gene Reeves Room 203 Interactive Workshop
What is the role of faith and governance in majority Muslim societies like Malaysia? How does this affect how politics take shape? What happens if the society is also secular or multi-religious, or if it highly values religion as having a primary role in nation building? In this session, Mr Anwar Ibrahim, an internationally respected Muslim leader and politician, will address these issues. Respondents will include voices from Saudi Arabia (Prof Fahad Alhomoudi), Turkey (Prof Burhanettin Tatarl, Indonesia (Dr Siti Musdah Mulia), France (Tariq Ramadan) and Iran (Ambassador Dr Mahdi Mostafavi)-all countries that are challenged with the question of the role of faith and governance in society. Anwar Ibrahim was Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1993 to 1998. Highly respected for his principled stance against corruption and his skilful management of the Malaysian economy as finance minister during the Asian financial meltdown, Anwar spearheaded the Asian Renaissance movement and remains a leading advocate of civilised dia logue aimed at bridging the gap between East and West. He is currently Leader of the Opposition in the Malaysian Parliament and is a member of the advisory board of the International Crisis Group. Dr Tariq Ramadan is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, in the Oriental Institute of St Antony's College. He is also a member of the Oxford Faculty of Theology and a Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He has contributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. He is currently President of the European think tank, European Muslim Network (EMN), in Brussels. Active at both the academic and grassroots levels, he lectures throughout the world Dr Siti Musdah Mulia has been a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences ILIPI) since 2003. She also lectures at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta. Since 2007, Dr Mulia has been the chairperson of the Indonesian Conference on Religion for Peace, an NGO actively promoting interfaith dialogues, pluralism and democracy She is the author of many books and an activist for democracy, human rights and gender issues. Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi obtained his PhD in Islamic Law from McGill University (2006). He was appointed a Vice-Dean for academic research at Imam University in Saudi Arabia (2007) and was awarded a Fulbright scholar award (2008). In addition to his native Arabic, Athomoudi speaks English and French and can read Persian. Alhamoudi has published two books and several articles. His research covers Islamic Law. Environmental Law, Prophetic Tradition, and Interfaith Dialogue. Dr Mahdi Mostafavi is the advisor to the Iranian President and the President of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, the organisation responsible for Iran's cultural relations with the rest of the world. Dr Mostafavi holds a PhD in Strategic Management. He has been the Iranian Ambassador to Austria, Permanent Representative of Iran in the UN Office in Vienna and UNIDO in Germany, Deputy Foreign Minister and the President of the Department of International Affairs of the Office of the Supremne of Iran. He has many books to his credit.
Rissho Kosei-kai is a Buddhist organisation composed of ordinary men and women who have faith in the Buddha and strive to enrich their spirituality by applying his teachings in their daily lives. At both the local and international levels, they are very active in promoting peace and well-being through altruistic activities and cooperation with other organisations. With its headquarters in Tokyo, Rissho Kosei-kai now has some 2 million member households in 245 churches throughout Japan and other countries. In this workshop, Dr Gene Reeves and Rev Yasutomo Sawahata will discuss Rissho Kosei-kai in talks as well as a slide presentation. Discussion is planned and questions will be welcomed. Rev Yasutomo Sawahata is a third generation member of Rissho Kosei-kai (RK). He graduated from RK Seminary in 1993 as a Dharma Teacher Since 1994 he has promoted interreligious dialogue and cooperation through multiple interfaith organisations and events. He served as RK's representative at the Geneva Office from 2004 to 2008. He holds a Master's degree in Peace and Justice in Religion from the Eartham School of Religions. Gene Reeves is a Buddhist scholar, philosopher, teacher and writer living in Tokyo. His most recent book is a translation of the Lotus Sutra. He has taught at universities in China, Japan and the US, and currently serves Rissho Kosei- kai as international advisor and special minister. He is a founder of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and has been active in international interfaith organisations.
Ecological Wisdom: Towards a Sustainable and Peaceful Ecology Harbans Lal Dharma Master Hsin Tao Awori Moody Devinder Singh Chahal Pal Ahluwalia Tatiana Anderosov Room 204 In the recent concern about the environment and climate change, scientific discourse has dominated the debate. Incontrovertible scientific evidence has demonstrated the devastating effects that have wreaked havoc upon the earth resulting in calamitous natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes. In this session, panellists will discuss why the sacred and the secular have been so starkly separated in this debate. Panellists will explore issues of ecological wisdom that are embed
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ded within diverse faith traditions. A central concern is to explore the ethical responsibilities that imply a duty of care for the earth. The relationship between science and religion will also be explored.
Zoroastrianism: Its Stewardship for All Creation, The Animate and Inanimate Rohinton Rivetna, Moderator Rashna Ghadialy Dr Homi Dhalla Homi Gandhi Pervin J Mistry Room 208 Respect for creation and service is the framework of the Zarathushti faith. The practitioner is enjoined to be a Hamkar (co-worker) of Ahura Mazda to move creation to a blissful stage called Frasho Kereti. This makes Zarathushtis uniquely conscious of the environment. The presentation will explore this aspect of the faith and how this Zarathushti imperative may be utilised to promote stewardship of the environment in other faiths. Every faith has scriptural injunctions that need to be researched and explored. Actual examples will be offered of the types of programs that can be implemented within faith communities to promote respect for the environment. Rohinton Rivetna is the founding president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America and a founding trustee of the Council for a Parliament of World's religions. He spearheaded the found ing of the Zoroastrian Association of Chicago and also helped establish the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce. Professionally, Mr Rivetna retired in 1997 as Director of Environmental Engineering at American National Can Corp, where he established a successful environmental engineering department. Rashna Ghadialy is an American Zarathushti of Pakistani descent. She is a demographer, environmentalist and Reiki practitioner. Her current environmental focus is in permaculture and community and corporate level sustainability reporting and planning in the United States. Rashna was the chair of the 2002 North American Zoroastrian Congress in Chicago and has served as the Board Member of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago. She is an active member of Faith in Place, an interfaith environmental group that helps religious communities become sustainable Homi Dhalla holds an MA from Harvard and a PhD from Mumbai University. He has represented the Parsi community at various international conferences, focusing on issues of peace, ecology, human rights, and interreligious dialogue. He was awarded the Mother Teresa National Award for Interfaith Harmony in 2007. As the Founder-President of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Homi has initiated various cultural projects for the Parsi community Homi D Gandhi is the co-chair of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) Interfaith Activities Committee and is FEZANA's main representative to the United Nations. Pervin J Mistry graduated from the University of Bombay with honors in philosophy. She participated in the Second Parliament of the World's Religions held in Chicago in 1993. A student of comparative religions. Mistry has written articles for religious magazines and participates in Zoroastrian congresses and interfaith discourses
Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment Wande Abimbola Ifaboyede Michelle McElwaine Ogunin hun Abimbola Room 209 Panel Discussion Indigenous African religions such as Yoruba, Vodun, and Akan are well known for their abiding interest in the sanctity and preservation of the environment. As far as these religions are concerned, the earth and the forces of nature are greater than humans and therefore it is our sacred obligation to honour them. This is why animals, trees. mountains, earthquakes, and rainbows are the focus of everyday worship and veneration. In the Yoruba religion, the earth, whose name is Ifa, is an important Orisa (divinityl. Ifa is a female divinity worshipped by many people. When people swear oaths in Yorubaland, they either swear in the name of Ogun, the divinity of iron and justice, or they swear in the name of Ifa. This panel will discuss various aspects of the environmental consciousness of Yoruba religion, as practiced in West Africa and in the African Diaspora. It will also examine the all-important issue of respect, with particular reference to qender issues. It will demonstrate how living in harmony with nature and our fellow humans, despite differences of race and religion, can lead to sustainable development and peace in the world. Professor Wande Abimbola is the current Awise Agbaye, or spokesperson of Yoruba Religion in the World. He was formerly Vice-Chancellor of University of Ife Inow Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife from 1982-1989. Senate Majority Leader for the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992-1993, and Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria from 2003-2005. Professor Abimbola has taught at Harvard University and Boston University. He is currently President of the UNESCO-sponsored Ifa Heritage Institute, Nigeria. Ifaboyede Michelle McElwaine Oguninhun Abimbola is a Lecturer at the Ifa Heritage Institute in Oyo, Nigeria where she doubles as an assistant to the president. She holds degrees in Religious and Women's Studies and a Master's Degree in Applied Linguistics. In Oyo, Nigeria, Ifaboyede was initiated as an Iyanifa, priestess of Ifa, and she is actively involved in the practice and propagation of Ifa. She also has an extensive background as an anti-racism/cultural competency trainer.
The Warfare is Over: Science and Spirituality as Allies for the sake of the Planet (Session 1] Philip Clayton Peter Doherty Praveen Chaudhari F Leron Shults Denis Edwards Pauline Rudd Room 210 Panel Discussion The religious traditions will not be able to heal the earth by themselves. Among the various allies we will need, scientists are perhaps the most important. The knowledge of science, combined with the wisdom and motivating power
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of religion, form a partnership that alone will enable us to overcome the challenges that our planet faces today. This is the first of three coordinated sessions on the topic of science and spirituality. A grant from the International Society for Science and Religion enables us to bring leading figures in this field to present and to discuss with the audience. These scientists and religious practitioners will describe how science and spirituality are similar, how they are different, and how they can work in harmony. The later two sessions, Science, Spirituality, and Overcoming Religious Conflict' and 'Science, Spirituality, and Environmental Activism', will then focus on how the partnership can have a positive effect on concrete issues in the world. After an opening presentation on the global dialogue between science and religion today, Peter Doherty, winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine, will present on the global environmental crisis. Following his talk, a panel will engage in a time of open dialogue with the audience.
Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. He specialises in conflicts and connections between the sciences and religion, with particular focus on the biological sciences and the environmental crisis. He is the author or editor of seventeen books and over 100 articles, including the recent 'Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science' and 'In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural World'.
Peter Doherty is one of the world's leading medical researchers. Among many other honours, Doherty received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1996 for his work on the immune system, and he was named Australian of the Year in 1997. In recent years, he has lectured widely on the global environmental crisis.
Dr Chaudhari received his PhD in physical metallurgy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined IBM in 1996. In addition to carrying out his personal research, he has held various management responsibilities in science and technologies. He retired from IBM in 2003 and became the Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory until 2006, when he returned to science. Dr Chaudhari has published over 160 technical papers and holds over three dozen patents.
F LeRon Shults is professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. A leading authority on science and theology, he has published some ten books and dozens of articles in the field. Shults is the editor of the Brill book series 'Philosophical Studies in Science and Religion and scientific director of the Transforming Compassion project at Stiftelsen Arkivet, a peace-building institute in Norway. His other current research interests include ethics, desire, differentiation and religious symbolism.
Denis Edwards is professor of theology at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. An ecological theologian, he has published widely on the interactions among ecology, environmental science and religion. Among his best-known books are 'Breath of Life: A Theology of the Creator Spirit'. The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology, and Jesus and the Cosmos. He will soon publish 'The Holy Spirit and Ecological Theology".
Prof Pauline Rudd, BSc, LRIC, MA (Oxon), PhD, one of the world's leading molecular biologists, is head of the Dublin-Oxford Glycobiology Lab in Dublin, Ireland. She is Honorary Professor at St George's Hospital, London; is affiliated with the SAB Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven; and is Founding Scientist at Wessex Biochemicals (Sigma London). Rudd is a lay member of the Community of St Mary the Virgin in Oxfordshire and an internationally sought-after speaker on the world's mystical traditions.
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Working with Self, Benefiting Others
Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche
Kelvin Koay
Stanley Chun-Wei Lee Room 211
Panel Discussion
Local religious practitioners will share and discuss how we can balance working with ourselves and benefiting others. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, President and Spiritual Director of Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute in Melbourne and the E-Vam Institute in upstate New York, will discuss the importance and impact of interfaith dialogue and the benefits such dialogue brings to all spiritual practitioners. In the second part of this program the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation will moderate discussion focused on how the Tzu Chi way is to walk into the community to help those in need to make the world a better place to live. The aim is to start influencing people around you and your community into engaging work that can help other people, and the earth, such as environmental protection and charity within the community. Through the act of helping others and the earth, we learn from it, and uplift our spirituality.
Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche is President and Spiritual Director of Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute in Melbourne and E-Vam Institute in upstate New York. He was recognised as the ninth incarnation of the Traleg line by His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa and was accorded the title Kyabgon, a significant distinction retained by only a few lineage holders of the Tibetan tradition. Rinpoche has been a leader in Australia in interfaith and Buddhist intrafaith dialogue for over twenty-five years.
Kelvin Koay is a Medical Science student in Melbourne University. Kelvin, who is Malaysian Chinese, was inspired by the teachings of Master Cheng Yen to come to Melbourne to study medicine in 2006. At the age of 8, he became actively involved in volunteer work of Tzu Chi Foundation in Malaysia. Kelvin is currently the president of Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association in Melbourne.
Stanley Chun-Wei Lee comes from a family of Chinese descent. Born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1983, his family migrated to New Zealand in 1995. He has a BS with honours and MS in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Auckland, and is working toward a PhD in Melbourne. Stanley joined Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association in 2002, inspired by the wisdom of Master Cheng Yen. He considers being a Tzu Chi volunteer a lifetime mission.
Thomas Berry and
the Great Work of Our Time
Mary Evelyn Tucker
John Grim
Christopher Key Chapple
Anne Marie Dalton
Room 212
Panel Discussion
The renowned cultural historian and geologian, Thomas Berry, passed away in June of this year at age 94. For decades, he brought a vision of hope and inspiration to so many around the world through his articulation of a new story for our time. He viewed the evolution of the universe, of Earth, and of humans as an immense journey through time. From this unifying journey story he urged us to

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take up the Great Work of creating a sustaining ecological civilisation for future generations. Each person and each religion can contribute to this great transforming work. The panellists will explore Thomas Berry's legacy and show a brief video of his reflections on our critical moment.
Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar at Yale University, where she has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department of Religious Studies. Specialising in Asian religions and ecology, she has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program since 1986 and is a member of the Earth Charter International Council.
John Grim is currently a Senior Lecturer and Scholar at Yale University. He is Coordinator of the Forum on Religion and Ecology with Mary Evelyn Tucker, and series editor of World Religions and Ecology, from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions. He has taught at Bucknell University and Sarah Lawrence College and is widely published on the subjects of religion and ecology.
Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He received his PhD in the History of Religions from Fordham University. A founding member of the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale University), Chris has published more than a dozen books on the religions of India, many with a focus on Hinduism and Ecology. He edits the journal 'Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology' (Brill).
Anne Marie Dalton is a professor of religion and culture at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Canada. She teaches and researches in the areas of religion and ecology, science and religion, and religion and development. She completed her doctoral thesis on the work of Thomas Berry. Anne Marie has participated in environmental, community-based projects in China, Vietnam and Mongolia. Her latest work deals with ecology and the practice of hope. She is also a member of the Canadian Forum on Religion and Ecology.
Neighbourhoods of Difference:
The Uniting Church in Australia and Interfaith Relations
Rev Glenda Blakefield
Rev Seforosa Carroll
Rev Tony Floyd
Rev Elenie Poulos
Rev Kerry Enright
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson
Room 213
Panel Discussion
Migration to Australia has brought together people of different cultures and religions. For the Uniting Church, this has raised new challenges of how to live and express faith in both a multicultural and multireligious context. One challenge comes from the fact that church membership includes a range of people with different life experiences, cultural backgrounds, and perspectives. Our theme, 'neighbourhoods of difference', expresses the simple but integral message that 'loving the neighbour who is different is part of the Uniting Church's identity and mission. In extending its welcome and hospitality both within and beyond its church boundaries, the Uniting Church holds together and values 'neighbourhoods of difference in the Australian context and in our international relationships. A multimedia presentation and a panel of key Uniting Church leaders will explore this theme, demonstrating

how the Uniting Church learns, struggles, embraces and lives with diversity and difference.
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Reverend Glenda Blakefield is the Associate General Secretary of the Uniting Church Australia's National Assembly. Among her responsibilities, she has oversight of the National Assembly Working Group on Relations with Other Faiths. She has been the Uniting Church representative on the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has participated in the Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue in Cambodia as well as various other interfaith activities. Reverend Seforosa Carroll, a Fiji-born Rotuman, is the Convener of the Relations with Other Faiths Working Group. She represents the UCA on the National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews; is part of the Women's Interfaith Network; and has been involved in various interfaith consultations and projects. She has published a number of articles and was formerly a member of the Assembly Working Group on Doctrine. Sef has been a visiting lecturer at the United Theological College since 2000. Reverend Tony Floyd is the National Director of the Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry.
Reverend Tony Floyd is the National Director of the Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry.
Reverend Elenie Poulos is the National Director of Uniting Justice. Reverend Kerry Enright is the National Director of Uniting World. Rev Dr Kerry Enright is National Director of international relationships, including aid and development, for the Uniting Church in Australia. He is from New Zealand and is of Maori and settler descent. He originally trained in law and practised as a barrister and solicitor in Auckland. Kerry then studied theology in New Zealand and USA and became a parish minister in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. Until taking up his present appointment he was for ten years Assembly Executive Secretary Iceolof that Church. With his family he came to Australia last year to take up his present role.
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson is the Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania of the Uniting Church in Australia, Australia's third largest Christian denomination formed in 1977 when the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches united. Isabel is a lay person with wide experience in the church at local, regional, state and national levels. She has been a teacher, political researcher, religious educator and presbytery minister. She is married with three young adult children.
How a Profound Spiritual Theology Can Overthrow Poverty
Shirley Paulson
Room 214
Lecture
Poverty affects every human being on earth, as well as the health of the earth itself. A spiritual solution to the persistent problem of poverty would lift the burden of insufficient resources that are only available to the privileged. Self-made, material resources are made on the premise of lack or insufficiency of resources, and competition for limited resources is unavoidable. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, describes how a shift in focus from the human and the self-made to the God-made image and likeness dissolves the psychological necessity to steal from others. The law of pecking orders ('never enough for everyone'] makes way for the spiritual law of equality ('abundance for everyone'). This program explores this spiritual reality in order to break through the limitations imposed by patriarchal consciousness. It will explore further the spiritual law of equity, and how it provides the means to break down habitual identifications of being either privileged or deprived, either superior or inferior, and either authoritarian or submissive.

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Shirley Paulson's religious practice is a healing ministry open to anyone. As a Christian Science practitioner, she relies on the Bible for spiritual guidance. She is a member of the Board of Governors for the Religion Communicators Council (United States and a classroom speaker for the worldwide Board of Lectureship for the Christian Science Church. She holds an MTS degree.
Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones Heather Winter Paddy Neowarra Pansy Nulgit Matthew Martin Room 215 Religious or Spiritual Observance The spiritual beliefs of the sacred Wanjina are the found ing commandments that govern the Ngarinyin Aboriginal Corporation's model of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Together. Ngarinyin custodians, Paddy Neowarra and Pansy Nulgit, with human rights advocate Heather Winter, mentor Ngarinyin youth to preserve the spiritual beliefs of the Wanjina and Gwion through visual expression. The Ngarinyin elders translate their spiritual laws-depicted in painted images in caves-from their memories onto canvas using the earth pigment, ochre. Removed by the government in the 1950s from their traditional country, where the cave paintings are located, it is difficult for the elders to transmit knowledge to their youth today. Painting is a medium in which elders can focus their spiritual teaching, the 'Mamaa'taboo, which guards this sacred imagery from use by outsiders. As a religious initiative, the projects associated with Mamaa enable the community to advocate their human rights outside their remote communities. In 2005, Julian Burnside QC and AO awarded a national Humanitarian Award to the organisation. Traditionally, the Wanjina were not shown to those outside the family. Today we want to share our history and tell that the Wanjina is our God who created the law in Australia, Heather Winter is a human rights advocate. Paddy Neowarra is the co-founder of the spiritual Ngarinyin initiative at Bush University and chairman for the Ngarinyin Aboriginal Corporation He is a performer at Ngarinyin Jumba and Judmee performances. Mr Neowarra has presented his work internationally at the Museum National Historie Naturelle, Paris. He has been a keynote speaker on Ngarinyin spiritual perspectives at Australian National University, Canberra, from 1995 to 2007 Pansy Nulgit is senior executive Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture. Western Australia and Senior Advisor to the Ngarinyin Aboriginal Corporation on Mamaa. With expertise on women's spiritual law and Jumbaa Ceremonial Dance, she directs as song leader at the Mowanjum Community Festival. She has presented at the Australische Kunstlerinnen in Engiadina, Switzerland, the Australian Embassy in Paris and the Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. Matthew Martin is a Ngarinyin lawman and singer who assists Ngarinyin elders training to be co presenters. He presented at BBC London on the spiritual importance of the Wanjina/Gwion, performing the official cultural Bedgagun smoking singer performance. Matthews second language is English: Heather Winter will co-present and assist with translations,
Interfaith and Multinational Reflections on Aging and the Human Spirit Ronald Nakasone Larry M Taylor Chao-Ti Wu Heng Sure Janet Bregar Pinit Ratanakul Room 216 Interactive Workshop This program is an interactive workshop on elderhood and aging. Aging is a common human experience. Increased longevity offers individuals and communities unparalleled opportunities to cultivate and transform the human spirit, expand their collective moral imaginations, and mentor future elders so as to realign our public and religious institutions to their global responsibilities. In addition to sharing their respective reflections on aging, the multinational, interfaith panel will briefly instruct the audience in exercises such as meditation, tai chi, and journaling that promote spiritual cultivation and transformation. The pilgrimage of self-cultivation and self-transformation in becoming an elder mentors future generations of elders. Elders and their experiences embody the collective wisdom of humanity, which can inspire individuals (the young, middle aged, and old) and communities to forge a better world. Strengthening the rhythm of generations and strengthening their mutual responsibilities is the first step in sustaining communities. Healthy communities in turn are the basis for justice, sustainable living and healing the earth. This is a grave responsibility for present day and future elders. Ronald Nakasone is a Buddhist cleric IJodo, Shinshu, Pure Land). ethicist, calligrapher, and professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, Professor Nakasone is also a member of the faculty at the Stanford University Geriatric Education Center. He is an expert in Okinawan Shamanism, his ancestral tradition. Larry M Taylor is currently a doctoral student of art and religion at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley. His areas of specialisation include American art, minimalism, Native North American art and spirituality in modern art. His most recent publication was an interview with TurkishAmerican artist Fatih Benzer. Mr Taylor has delivered talks on such topics as The Apocalypse through Art and the role of photography in the 1890 Lakota Ghost Dance. He is interested in Native American spirituality Chao-Ti Wu (Dharma name: Hsin Chien) is the founder of the Enlightenment Institute of Buddhist Studies in Taipei, Taiwan. She taught at Dharma Drum Mountain from 1996 to 2001 and currently teaches Buddhist thought and practice at Shih Hsin University and Chin Min Institute of Technology in Miao-Li in Taipei. She practices Chan (Zen and Pure Land traditions. A leading student of Ner-Tien, she actively engages in social welfare in her community Rev Heng Sure is the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery and a former Global Councilor of the United Religions Initiative. He has been a Buddhist monk for 33 years, and holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union, in Berkeley, California USA) and an MA from the University of California, Berkeley. An author and musician, Rev Sure recently released the CD 'Paramita. American Buddhist Folk Songs Rev Dr Janet Bregar is the Pastor of Village Church in Los Angeles and an instructor in Comparative Religions at California State University Fullerton. Dr Bregar is the past executive director of the Santa Monica Bay Interfaith Council and a current Board Member. She has been active in interfaith work both in the United States and internationally for over
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thirty years and is interested in the practical issues of interfaith marriages and caring for elders in a religiously plural society. Pinit Ratanakul is the director of the College of Religious Studies at Mahidol University. Thailand. He is a leading voice in Theravada Buddhist ethics and has written extensively on Thai Buddhist approaches to bioethics
Mrinali Clarke, a student of Sri Chinmoy for 23 years, and teacher of meditation at the Sri Chinmoy Centre, Melbourne, for over 15 years, has also written a minor thesis on the poetry of Sri Chinmoy and published articles in the Asia Pacific Dialogue magazine on the new path of meditation taught by Sri Chinmoy.
Sri Chinmoy: A Spirituality of Transformation Kusumita Pedersen, Moderator Kazem Abhary Vidagdha Bennett Utsahi Neree St-Amand Mrinali Clarke Room 217 Panel with Audiovisual Segments This panel will present the life and work of Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), the world-renowned advocate of a transformative spirituality in which music, poetry, art, athletics, community service, intercultural dialogue and other vocations are spiritual practices. Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is based on love, self-transcendence and dedication to the ultimate goal of world-oneness and universal fulfilment. This session will offer a vivid and inspiring presentation that includes narrative, poetry, music and audiovisuals. We will describe the tireless work for peace and extraordinary creativity of Sri Chinmoy during his life, and also highlight some programs he founded: The World Harmony Run la torch relay reaching 3.5 million people in over 100 countries), the annual Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race, the Songs of the Soul concerts, Jharna-Kala or FountainArt, and the international all-volunteer Oneness-Heart Tears and Smiles humanitarian aid initiative. Throughout our presentation we will seek to show how the inner life of meditation and prayer empowers and guides all these diverse activities of service and manifestation. Our panel will be composed of a group of Sri Chinmoy's long-time students, hailing from the US, Canada, Australia and Iran. Kusumita P Pedersen is a professor of religious studies at St Francis College, New York, and has been active in the global interfaith movement for twenty-five years. She is a scholar of comparative religious ethics with interests in the environment and human rights. The author of several articles on the philosophy of Sri Chinmoy. She has edited a book of his poetry. Here is the Place Kazem Abhary, originally from Iran, is a professor of engineering at University of South Australia and an authority on mechanical design. In his profession, he is committed to the awareness of the social and environmental impact of engineering and the need for engineers to be exposed to spirituality. Also a speaker and author on social and literary topics, Abhary has translated Sri Chinmoy's poetry into Persian Vidagdha Bennett received her PhD from the University of Melbourne. Her dissertation was titled 'Simplicity and Power: The Poetry of Sri Chinmoy. She is currently working on Sri Chinmoy's literary biography and is also an expert on his painting. She has wide-ranging interests in spiritual writing in English and Indian literature. Utsahi Neree St-Amand is a professor of social work at the University of Ottawa, Canada. St-Amand is interested in complementary and alternative approaches to social work, including native, ecological and spiritual approaches. He is the owner of The Garden of Light gift shop in Ottawa and is active with the Sri Chinmoy World Harmony Foundation of Canada.
Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in Timor-Leste Constantino Pinto Inge Lempp Patrick Walsh Room 218 Seminar After centuries of colonial rule and brutal military occupation, how can an Indigenous people heal from these traumas and wounds? Under years of occupation, East Timor faced the destruction of traditional beliefs and customs. Yet, in their struggle for independence, the Timorese found protection in traditional ways and beliefs. Since the 1999 United Nations referendum on independence, there has been a revival of the traditional beliefs in East Timor. The Uma Lulik, a traditional Timorese sacred house, is the legal seat that regulates the lia moris (regulations for the living and the lia mate (regulations for the world of the dead). These two worlds are believed to be intricately connected and they interact with one another. The Uma Lulik regulates law, sacred rituals, and the social and economic activities of a clan. Both the construction and use of the Uma Lulik are a part of communal healing from the violence and trauma of the past. The return and recovery of ancient spiritual roots is a critical part of East Timor's healing process and can serve as a model for other nations. Constantino Pinto is co-founder and current director of Fundacao Lafaek Diak (FLD - The Good Crocodile Foundation), an Indigenous Timorese nonprofit, non-government community development organisa tion. He and his family lived through the Indonesian military invasion and occupation of East Timor Inge Lempp is the translator for Constantino Pinto's presentation. She has lived in East Timor since 1999 and currently works in the Civil Peace Service at Centro Treino Integral e Desenvolvimento, a holistic skills training centre for rural Timorese women, at the Canossian College. Baucau, East Timor. Pat Walsh is Senior Adviser to the Post-CAVR Technical Secretariat. CAVR is Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation It was an independent truth commission established in East Timor in 2001 under the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAETI and charged to inquire into human rights violations committed on all sides, between April 1974 and October 1999, and facilitate community reconciliation with justice for those who committed less serious offenses. Following the dissolution of CAVR in December 2005. President Xanana Gusmao inaugurated a Post-CAVR Technical Secretariat to complete unfinished CAVR projects.
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Substance and Soul: An Exploration of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the World's Non-Dual Religious Traditions
Trent Leighton
Room 219
Lecture
Substance abuse affects virtually every culture and community. The addict's drugging and drinking-from the Wall Street stock broker abusing cocaine to manage stress, to the Chinese labourer's dependence on opiates to block pain-is a spiritual problem, a metaphysical cry for help that local mosques, synagogues, churches and temples are uniquely qualified to address. While the proliferation of drug abuse is commonly considered a modern phenomenon, many of the world's religious traditions have been addressing the impulses underlying addiction since time immemorial. This interactive lecture will focus on the relationship between the compulsion to consume mind-altering chemicals and the desire for transcendence and self-awareness found in such non-dual spiritual practices and teachings as Advaita Vedanta, Chan and Zen Buddhism, Christian mysticism and Taoism. Central to this dialogue will be an in-depth exploration of the correlation between duality and suffering (emphasised by many religious lineages) and the mental health of the addict and their drug use.
Trent Leighton holds a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology and a Doctorate in Depth (or Analytical) Psychology. A lifelong student of many of the world's religious and spiritual traditions, Trent's primary focus is to develop a non-dual model of mental health utilising Jungian psychological principles coupled with the realisations of his Buddhist practice. A seasoned clinician specialising in substance abuse and chronic mental illness, Trent has shifted his focus to lecturing and teaching.
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part I: Living in Community
Janice Marie Johnson Room 220 Seminar
This one-day, interfaith educational seminar seeks to provide a context for community building by addressing the challenges of prejudice, injustice and alienation from the earth, while weaving the theme of the possibility of transformation through the arts throughout the day. Participants are asked to attend all four sessions. This introduction to the day will give educators an experiential skill building exercise for exploring the core issues of belonging to culture, community and religion. Using this interactive exercise, educators can involve high school to adult age groups in the sometimes challenging process of community building. Participants will discover and consider some of their basic reactions to cross-cultural differences within a safe and neutral space.
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Janice Marie Johnson serves as the Director of Lifespan Religious Education at the Community Church of New York. She is also a consultant, working primarily in the areas of interpersonal communication and conflict resolution within an interfaith, anti-racist, cross-cultural, and collaborative context.
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
11:30am-1:00pm
Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Challenges
for Faith
Gideon Byamugisha
Jean Duff
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
Thomas Bohnett
Plenary Hall
Panel Discussion
The role of religion in fighting disease has many dimensions, some inspirational and some obstructive. We will explore examples of work on the ground and moral advocacy for HIV/AIDS as examples of both. Canon Gideon Byamugisha points to the complexity of moral challenges around HIV/AIDS but above all to the powerful potential that religion has within this battle. Interfaith initiatives have great potential to make major contributions. Jean Duff, Executive Director of the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty, and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, long time Board Member of Catholic Relief Services, will describe ongoing efforts, especially in Nigeria, and action steps necessary for forward movement. Thomas Bohnett will describe emerging ideas on engaging faith in relation to the scourge of tuberculosis.
Canon Gideon Byamugisha is an ordained priest in the Church of Uganda. In 1992, he became the first African religious leader to openly declare his HIV-positive status. He has since devoted his life to an AIDS ministry, which has taken him to over forty countries in sub-Saharan Africa and many other parts of the world.
Jean Duff is Executive Director of the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), whose mission is to increase the collective impact of the religious sector on global poverty. From 2005-2008, as Deputy Director of the Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation, she led Washington National Cathedral's global poverty program focusing on Malaria and Gender Justice. She holds graduate degrees in clinical psychology and in epidemiology, as well as certificates of continuing education from Harvard and Wharton Business schools.
Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, has visited many nations as a human rights advocate and to survey humanitarian needs. He has travelled to areas affected by major natural disasters, such as Central America, Sri Lanka and Louisiana and Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina, to ensure people in need would receive assistance, and to bring prayer and financial support. He has been a member of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom.

Thomas Bohnett graduated from Princeton University in 2007, majoring in the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs. He spent 2007-2008 working for the International Rescue Committee in Uganda. He joined WFDD in November 2008 as Program Coordinator.

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Religion, Spirituality and Wellbeing: Implications for Living and Learning
Marian de Souza
Dr James O'Higgins-Norman
Dr Jane Bone
Jacqueline Hodder
Philip Hughes
Dr John W Fisher
Room 101
Panel Discussion
This program will focus on religion and spirituality as an integral part of human experience. Participants will identify the different elements of religion and spirituality which relate to personal and communal identity; foster resilience, empathy and compassion; and promote meaning-making and connectedness. Ultimately, these are elements that contribute to the well-being of individuals and, therefore, their communities. It is hoped that the ensuing discussions will promote further understanding and appreciation of the dual roles of religion and spirituality in the lives of contemporary multifaith and multicultural societies. By the end of this session, participants will be inspired to seek ways to extend this understanding through various educational and community programs.
Dr Marian de Souza is Senior Lecturer at Australian Catholic University. Editor of the Journal of Religious Education and a co-founder of the Spirituality and Wellbeing in Education Research Group. Marian has published extensively on the subject of spirituality as pertaining to the relational dimension of the human person, and the role of non-conscious learning in promoting or impeding connectedness and integration.
Dr James O'Higgins-Norman is a lecturer and researcher at the School of Education Studies in Dublin City University where he is also Chair of Graduate Teacher Education. His research has been concerned with aspects of equality and well-being in schools and his work on homophobic bullying is considered to be seminal in the field of Irish education. He is co-founder of the Spirituality and Wellbeing in Education Research Group at Dublin City University.
Dr Jane Bone specialises in spiritual well-being in early childhood from a New Zealand perspective, with reference to Maori culture.
Jacqueline Hodder has been researching the area of contemporary youth spirituality for the past six years. Her PhD examined youth spirituality within the context of post-secularism and with particular emphasis on the role spirituality can play with regard to young people's well-being. Her research has found that for those for whom spirituality plays a significant role in their lives, there are richer resources from which to draw when making important life decisions.
Philip Hughes is the senior research officer of the Christian Research Association, Australia and has spent his life exploring the relationship between religious faith and cultures. The focus of his research has been on youth culture in Australia and Thailand.
Dr John Fisher is a researcher at Ballarat University.

George Hunsinger
Room 102
Lecture
Violence Finds Refuge in Falsehood: Religion and the Future of Torture
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
This lecture will begin by establishing, through remarks by Solzhenitsyn and Orwell, the theme that violence finds refuge in falsehood. It will then demonstrate that this theme finds broad representation in the Bible, as well. The lecture will argue that the history of US involvement in torture is largely the history of exemptions for the CIA. The program will present an overview of these exemptions from 1975 to the present. In the next portion of the program, the prospects for a Truth Commission in the US will be discussed. It will suggest that, unless the utmost vigilance is exercised, CIA exemptions are likely to continue due to the CIA's power. This lecture, which is addressed primarily to religious communities throughout, will end by addressing the politics of hope and prayer. In conclusion, this program will set forth the examples of Bonhoeffer, as well as Wilberforce who in the 18th century opposed not only slavery but also torture.
George Hunsinger is the Hazel Thompson McCord Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. In January 2006 he founded the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Married with two children and two grandchildren, he is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA and president of the Karl Barth Society of North America. Among his recent books is 'Torture Is a Moral Issue: Christians, Jews, Muslims and People of Conscience Speak Out'.
Interfaith in Australia:
The Co-ordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations
Abd Malak
Josie Lacey OAM Gary Bouma
Therese Sussmilch Brian Ashen Room 103
Panel Discussion

Interfaith activity has mushroomed in Australia, especially in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 and the 2002 bombings in Bali, where 89 Australians were killed. The Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations (APRO) was established in 2003, partly in response to these tragedies, in order to help build interfaith harmony. In this session, participants will learn about the religious profile in Australia, the history of interfaith activity in Australia, and the work of APRO and other interfaith organisations in Australia, particularly in Tasmania. Participants will hear from representatives of various faith perspectives, including Buddhist and Jewish. The session will end with an interactive discussion on the topic 'What are the challenges and the future directions for interfaith activity in Australia?"
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Abd Malak, AM, has worked in the fields of health and social welfare for the past thirty years. He is the Director of the Diversity Health Institute, Honorary President of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, and the Convenor of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations. In 2002, he was included in the Australian Honours List as a Member in the Order Of Australia for his service to migrant communities. Malak is the Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development for Sydney West Area Health Service and an Associate Professor at the University of Western Sydney School of Medicine. Josie Lacey was the Foundation Convenor of the Women's Interfaith Network. She is a lifetime member of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and an executive member of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. Mrs Lacey is the Interfaith Adviser to the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia and to the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations. She is also an NSW Executive member of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Gary Bouma is the Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Monash University and an Associate Priest at St John's East Malvern. His research has primarily focused on the interaction between religion and society in Western societies including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. He has been named the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations. Professor Bouma is one of the leading academic and community leaders of interfaith activity in Australia. He is chair of the Board of Management of the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions Therese Sussmilch is a teacher and community worker, living in Hobart, Tasmania. She has been involved in the organisation Religions for Peace since 2001 and currently convenes the Tasmanian Group. Ms Sussmilch has learned firsthand the difficulties and discrimination faced by minority groups in our communities. She has been studying Raja Yoga meditation with the Brahma Kumaris for over twenty years and has experienced its power to heal at both an individual and group level. Brian Ashen was born in Melbourne and became interested in Buddhism at age sixteen. He is the co-convener of both the Buddhist Council of Victoria and the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils
the interreligious community and provides inspiration for engaged action on social, environmental and interfaith issues. Rev Ellen Grace O'Brian is the Founding Minister and Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, a ministry rooted in the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga. She was ordained in 1981 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. She serves on the board oltrustees of the Parliament and is the President of Meru Seminary as well as leading a thriving congregation and maintaining an international teaching outreach Girish Shah is a member of the Silicon Valley Partner City Committee for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Committee of the Jain Center of Northern California and a co-founder of the Federation of Jain Associations In North America IJAINAI. He co-chaired the National JAINA convention in 1991 and in 2005. Joy-Ellen Lipsky holds a Master of Divinity degree and is a Ministry Intern. She is a member of the First Unitarian Church of San Jose. California, the Silicon Valley Partner City Committee, South Bay Interfaith, the Interfaith Council, and is the Marketing Committee manager for the Pacific Central District of the Unitarian Universalist Association's Lay Leadership School. She works in the high tech industry and has coauthored books and articles on time and life management Rev D Andrew Kille is founder and director of the Interfaith Space in the South San Francisco Bay Area. A participant in interfaith dialogues for over 30 years, he is currently the editor of the Bay Area Interfaith Connect and served as Coordinator of Interfaith Relations for the local National Conference of Christians and Jews. He is ordained in the American Baptist tradition and holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union Dave Cortese is the Supervisor for Santa Clara County, California, a former San Jose, City Council member and 2008 Vice Mayor of San Jose. He is a leader in promoting interfaith activities. His core values include spirituality, family and individual empowerment. For the past five years his office has been instrumental in offering a community-wide interfaith nonviolence conference that brings all sectors of the community together for a common purpose: to build a culture of peace and nonviolence. Philip Boo Riley is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University. where he has been active since 1978. His teaching and research interests focus on the Silicon Valley faith communities and how such organisations are shaped by regional dynamics. He lives in Santa Clara with his wife Mary Beth. Rev Bruce Bramlett is Staff Coordinator for Interfaith Relations for Silicon Valley FACES, an agency with a long history of promoting regional interfaith relationships. Fr Bramlett is an ordained Episcopal priest and a scholar in religious studies. He is a facilitator for intergroup relations and facilitates several Silicon Valley dialogue groups, promoting interfaith community cooperation and conversation. He provides workshops, facilitations and classes on issues of diversity and appreciative community building
Developing an Interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process Rev Ellen O'Brian Girish Shah Joy-Ellen Lipsky Rev Andrew Kille Dave Cortese Dr Philip Riley Rev Bruce Bramlett Room 104 Panel Discussion The demographics of Silicon Valley, shaped by rapid expansion in the technology industry and exponential growth in cultural and religious diversity, have necessitated greater interreligious understanding and cooperation. The interreligious core team from the Silicon Valley Partner City project will discuss the process they followed to build a community engaged around hope and action. This program will share stories about the history of interreligious challenges and breakthroughs in Silicon Valley, including the participation of religious and spiritual communities with other guiding institutions (education, government, nonprofits and business) to facilitate social cohesion. Learn about the philosophy, structure and tools used to create and manage the process of becoming a Partner City and how the process itself enhances and strengthens
Men Who Love the Goddess Drake Spaeth Patrick McCollum Michael York River Higginbotham Don Lewis Room 105 Panel Discussion Notable among contemporary Pagan traditions is the reawakening and re-emergence of the Goddess as a feminine manifestation of the divine. While Pagan women have undeniably been instrumental in bringing the Goddess back into common awareness and spiritual practice within contemporary western cultures, Pagan men have a unique perspective on the divine feminine, as well as a
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variety of ways of connecting with Her as She manifests to them. The panellists, all Pagan men of different traditions, will discuss their experiences, ideas, perspectives, and practices with regard to the Goddess and will respond to questions and facilitate discussion among audience attendees. This panel presentation welcomes audience members of all faith traditions. Drake Spaeth, PsyD is program faculty in the MA Clinical Psychology Department, Counseling Specialization at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He is also an ordained minister of Circle Sanctuary and is affiliated with Gaia's Womb and Earth Traditions. His interests encompass contemporary Paganism, shamanism, mysticism, Western esotericism, Jungian psychology, Humanistic-Existential psychology and Transpersonal psychology. He is intrigued by the places where psychology, religion and spirituality converge. Patrick McCollum is the Director and Chair of the National Correctional Chaplaincy Directors Association and statewide Wiccan chaplain for the California Department of Corrections. McCollum has taught Pagan Chaplaincy Training at the Leadership Institute, part of Circle Sanctuary's annual Pagan Spirit Gathering. He is the National Coordinator of the Lady Liberty League Prison Ministries Program and a member of the National Advisory Council of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Michael York is a Professor of Cultural Astronomy and Astrology the Bath Spa University's Sophia Centre. He directs the New Age and Pagan Studies Programme for the College's Department for the Study of Religions. He co ordinates the Bath Archive for Contemporary Religious Affairs, directs the Amsterdam Center for Eurindic Studies, and codirects the London-based Academy for Cultural and Educational Studies He has authored several books. River Higginbotham is active in teaching, networking, and promot ing Paganism and other earth-centred religions, on a local and national level. He is a founding member of the Council for Alternative Spiritual Traditions. River is an Eclectic Pagan and has been involved in spiritual exploration and earth-centred religions for the past fifteen years. He is a mechanical engineer with a dual degree in solar engineering. His interests include travel, history, aviation and community building Rev Donald Lewis-Highcorrell is First Priest and Paramount High Priest of the Correllian Tradition Don received his training from Rev Krystel High-Correll, Chief Priestess of the Correll Mother Temple. Don also received training from the blv Lady Laveda, the blv Lady Gloria, and Lady Bitterwind, Elders of the Correllian Tradition. In addition Don has studied both formally and informally with a variety of teachers from many Traditions,
minority societies and highlight lessons learned from successful and less than accomplished models. Dr Siti Musdah Mulia has been a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) since 2003. She also lectures at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta. Since 2007, Dr Mulia has been the chairperson of the Indonesian Conference on Religion for Peace, an NGO actively promoting interfaith dialogues, pluralism and democracy She is the author of many books and an activist for democracy, human rights and gender issues. Imam Afroz Ali is the Founder and President of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development. He has received licences to teach in various Islamic Sciences, having learned from the most esteemed Islamic scholars of our time. He has initiated philanthropic as well as sustainable environmental projects in Australia and abroad and continues to advocate peace, acceptance, justice and interpersonal rights. Ali received the International Ambassador for Peace award Ikebal Patel is the President of The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, the peak body articulating the interests of Australian Muslims. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils manages 5even Islamic schools, including one of the largest Australian schools, of which Ikebal is the Board Chairman. Ikebal is the Chair of the Australian Capital Territory Muslim Advisor Council and an Advisory Committee Member to the National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Education. He is a cochairman of the National Dialogue between Australian Christians, Jews and Muslims Tariq Ramadan (www.tarigramadan.com) is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He is currently Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He is active both at the academic and grassroots levels and lectures extensively throughout the world on theology, ethics, social justice, ecology and interfaith as well as intercultural dialogue Through his writings and lectures, he has con tributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Professor Ramadan is currently president of the European think tank, European Muslim Network (EMN). in Brussels. Fuad Effendi was born in Menturo, East Java, Indonesia in 1947. He is a lecturer in Arabic Literature at the State University of Malang. In 1996, he was cofounder of the Padang Bulan religious studies class that promotes plurality and social harmony. As an Ustadz, he has travelled alt over Indonesia and visited Australia, Brunei and Egypt Dr Ali Reza Arafi is the President of the Al-Mustafa International University. Qum. He holds a degree in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh and Usul). He has many research projects to his credit in different fields of Islamic sciences and has been teaching in different universities and seminaries for the past several years. Dr Arati has presented numerous papers at different seminars of world repute and is the author of three books in the field of education,
Divided We Fall Valarie Kaur, Writer and Co-Producer Room 107 Film
Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion Dr Siti Musdah Mulia Imam Afroz Ali Ikebal Patel Dr Tariq Ramadan Fuad Effendi Dr Ali Reza Arafi Room 106 Panel Discussion This panel will explore the ways in which Islamic educa tion has historically been a vehicle for both enlightenment and social cohesion while addressing the contemporary challenges Muslims face when the Islamic educational process is used as a tool for extremism, violence and gender-based oppression. This illustrious group from France, Australia, Indonesia and Iran will also examine debates on this issue within Muslim majority and Muslim
Valarie Kaur, a 20-year-old college student, travelled throughout the United States in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, documenting the reaction against Sikh, Muslim and Arab American communities. In 2005, director Sharat Raju and his crew joined Valarie as she retraced her steps across the country, revisiting her original interviewees and speaking with many others about race and religion in 21st century America
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PROGRAM DES
Saturday, December 5, 2009
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share their personal experiences as members of distinct communities who seek to further interfaith compassion and understanding. Elwyn Neri is the Relationship Building Specialist and Davao PAR-Team Organizer for Peacebuilders Community in the Philippines. He is the primary networker in the field and has significant experience in organising and training Peace and Reconciliation Teams Fr Gerald M Musa is a Catholic Priest from the Diocese of Sokoto, Nigeria. He comes from a predominantly Muslim family. In his ministry as priest, he has worked in communities where Muslims and Christians live together. He has worked with the Nigeria Inter Religious Council (NIREC), as well as the Muslim-Christian Forum in Nigeria. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Journalism and Communication, University of Queensland, Australia Dr Natalie Mobini-Kesheh has been a member of the Australian Bahai community for almost 20 years. She is an active participant in interfaith dialogue on its behalf and convenes a Women's Interfaith Network group in western Sydney. Dr Mobini-Kesheh received her doctorate from Monash University. Her research focused on the Arab minority in Indonesia. She is the author of one book and several papers in this field.
Christian Action and Witness For the Environment: What You Can Do When You Go Home Beth Blissman Philip Wollen Steve Harms Margareta Dahlin Johansson Room 108 Panel Discussion This panel presents three approaches to applying the Christian lessons of social justice, stewardship of the environment, and bearing witness on behalf of the oppressed, to environmental issues. Stories include community-based and individual responses to the environment and describe successful approaches for building community to support the earth. Raised near the Allegheny Mountains in the eastern US, Beth Blissman is a scholar and activist who currently directs the Oberlin College Bonner Center for Service & Learning. Beth enjoys creatively linking people of faith with opportunities for eco-social transformation. Her academic background is interdisciplinary: she holds both an undergraduate degree in architectural engineering and a doctorate in religion and social change. Beth's research interests include emerging ethical frameworks that simultaneously address racial and environmental justice. Philip Wollen is a former Vice President of Citibank and General Manager of Citicorp who left his job at age 40 to dedicated the rest of his life to helping animals, the environment, and poor and impoverished people throughout the world. He is vegan and runs the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, which supports 400 projects in more than 40 countries. He will represent the Christian Vegetarian Association at the Parliament of the World Religions. Reverend Steve Harms is the former president of the Interfaith Council for San Francisco Bay Area County. He is the Senior Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Danville, California Reverend Margareta Dahlin Johansson, ordained in 1981, is a former chapiain at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. Her ministry has to cused on ethics and women's and children's issues. Reverend Johansson serves as a pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Danville, California
Interreligious Dialogue in Conflict Resolution Panel Elwyn Neri Fr Gerald Musa Natalie Mobini-Kesheh Room 109 Panel Discussion Too often, misunderstandings result from a lack of communication. Whether it is language barriers, mistranslations, or insufficient contact, the absence of dialogue only furthers discrimination, a lack of empathy, and the potential escalation to violence. On this panel, speakers from a range of traditions and from different parts of the world will discuss active engagement to increase dialogue between faiths, by creating opportunities for communities to interact and providing translation services. They will
Global Ethics and Religion Forum: Religion and Post War Reconciliation in a Sustainable and Just World of Human Rights Joseph Runzo David Little Judith A Mayotte Nathan Tierney Brian Orend Gerrie Ter Haar Shin Chiba Frank Brennan SJ Room 110 Panel Discussion Series of symposia/panel discussions The human reality of war, its origins and its consequences have long been a matter of concern to the world's religions. Arrayed against deep human aspirations to live in harmony and peace, the persistence of war poses a daunting challenge to justice and sustainable living. One response to that challenge has been the centuries-long development of just war' thinking that has taken place in the context of a number of humanity's religious traditions. While just war thinking has taken a variety of forms in different religious contexts, it has not yet been fully articulated in terms that explicitly place it within the framework of the larger questions of sustainability. This panel will explore the ways in which the traditions of just war thinking intersect with the question of human and planetary sustainability. The panel will make a strong case for the positive, global contribution of the world's religions to a better world of sustainable peace and justice, Dr Joseph Runzo is Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of the Global Ethics and Religion Forum, an educational nonprofit dedicated to global ethical responsibility. He has written and lectured extensively around the world on comparative religion, religious ethics, human rights and the ethics of war and peace. He is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Chapman University, USA, and a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, UK.
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David Little is Professor of the Practice in Religion, Ethnicity, and International Conflict, Harvard Divinity School, USA.
Judith A Mayotte is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation in Cape Town and Professor of Theology at Marquette University, USA and South Africa.
Nathan Tierney is Professor of Ethics at California Lutheran University. USA.
Brian Orend is the Director of International Studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Gerrie Ter Haar is a Professor of Human Rights in The Hague, Netherlands.
Shin Chiba is a Professor of Political Thought at the Institute for Peace Research, International Christian University, Japan.
Frank Brennan SJ is an Order of Australia [AO] Fellow, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at ANU, and Professor of Law in the Institute of Legal Studies at the Australian Catholic University. He is also the chair of the National Community Consultation on Human Rights in Australia.
Multifaith Insights on Deep Ecology
Vidya Sarveswaran
Kiyokazu Okita
Dr Dorji Wangchuk Raymond Ogunade Manjulika Ghosh Room 111
Panel Discussion
Deep Ecology' is a term coined in the early 1970s by the Norwegian environmental philosopher Arne Naess. Deep Ecology calls for a paradigm shift in our consciousness of the natural world, in which we overcome our humancentred attitudes and look upon nature as an end in itself, independent of human needs. The vision of Deep Ecology has had a far-reaching impact on the environmental movement throughout the world. In this panel, participants will make the connections between the core principles of Deep Ecology and their own traditions and perspectives, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Gestalt Ontology and the Yoruba tradition of West Africa. This program provides an opportunity to reflect on how the insights of Deep Ecology can help us to heal the earth and ourselves in a time of crisis.
Vidya Sarveswaran is a research scholar from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India. She was a Fulbright Fellow for the year 2008-2009 and specialises in the field of Literature and Environment. Her other interests include deep ecology, creative writing and film studies. Kiyokazu Okita is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Theology. University of Oxford. His doctoral research focuses on Baladeva Vidyabhusana's philosophy and its relation to other Vedantic schools. He holds a BA in Religious Studies from International Christian University (Tokyo) and a Master's degree in the Study of Religion from Oxford.
Dorji Wangchuk was born in 1967 in East Bhutan. After the completion of his ten-year training in the Tibetan monastic seminary of Ngagyur Nyingma Institute at Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India, he studied Buddhism at the University of Hamburg, where he received his MA [2002] and PhD (2005) degrees. Currently he is on the faculty of the Department. of Indian and Tibetan Studies, Asia-Africa Institute, University of Hamburg.
Raymond Ogunade holds a PhD from the University of Ilorin specialising in Yoruba Religion, Science and Religious Dialogue. He is a recipient of the Science and Religion Course Program, by the Center for Theology

and the Natural Sciences, and John Templeton Foundation, USA. He is also a member of various academic bodies including the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace, and an awardee of the Metanexus Institute on Religion and Science.
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Dr Manjulika Ghosh is Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of North Bengal, Darjeeling, West Bengal. Her specialisation includes Philosophy of Language, Ethics and Phenomenology. Her papers have been published in professional journals in India and abroad. She has coedited the anthology on Meaning and Reference under the SA program of her department.
Talkin' 'Bout My Generation -
Daily Youth Session
Simran Jeet Singh Gurvinder Pal Singh Shakila Wijenayake Mala Wijenayake Heba Ibrahim
Manny Waks
Room 201
Panel Discussion
The parents of many of today's youth grew up in a world very different from the one in which we now live. With the progress of society comes change, and with that change comes challenges. Add religion, culture and migration into the mix and the challenges become even more complex. This session will explore the religious and cultural challenges that arise between the generations. Young people and their parents from Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh and Jewish backgrounds will share their experiences, challenges, and successes with respect to navigating crossgenerational issues.
Simran Jeet Singh is the executive director of the Sikh Spirit Foundation. He is also a PhD candidate in the Department of Religion at Columbia University with a specialisation in Sikh and Punjab studies. In 2009, he received an MA from the Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University, where he focused on devotional traditions of pre-modern South Asia.
Dr Gurvinder Pal Singh is a board member for the Sikh Research Institute and the Sikh Spirit Foundation. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics from Drexel University in the United States. He has published over 50 technical papers and reports in this field, has been awarded six US patents for his innovations and in 1986, founded Karta Technologies.
Shakila Wijenayake is a member of the Youth Committee of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions.
Mala Wijenayake is the founder of the Northern Suburbs Buddhist Temple in Victoria, Australia. She has gained distinction for her outstanding voluntary services to the Sri Lankan and Buddhist community in North West Victoria
Heba Ibrahim is a board member of the Islamic Council of Victoria where her portfolios include interfaith and government, policy and advocacy as well as many other areas affecting the Muslim community. She also recently became a board member of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils taking on the area of youth where she aims to create a network of Muslim youth activists, representatives and workers nationwide.

Manny Waks is a Jewish community activist with a history of religious immersion. He has served in the Israel Defence Forces and subsequently worked in the Israeli security establishment. In Australia, he has com pleted a degree in International Relations (La Trobel and worked with the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. In 2006, he was appointed as Executive Officer of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission.
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on concrete experiences in conflict resolution. In addition to helping to resolve violent conflicts, Dr Vendley will also suggest that religious cooperation can help to forge a new political paradigm of shared security that echoes distinctly religious notions of peace. Dr Vendley is the Secretary General of Religions for Peace, the world's largest coalition of national, regional and global multireligious councils, and women of faith and youth networks. Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994. He has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King Abdullah's historic interreligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World League to serve on its Followup Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama
Interfaith and the Future of Africa Ishmael Noko Lally Lucretia Warren Prabhudas Pattni Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong Setri Nyomi Room 202 Panel Discussion Historically, Africa has always been a home of multi-religiosity. The past and the present are characterised by this reality, and all those working for a New Africa are better advised to take this fact on board. Many good initiatives intended for a better Africa have not succeeded, partly because the religious communities and institutions were either working in isolation or in competition with each other. A New Africa is not possible until there is coordination and unity of purpose with regard to shared values among religious communities and other stakeholders. Ishmael Noko has been the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation since 1994. He is responsible for international affairs in contact with governments and political leaders and has worked with refugee services for various churches. He obtained his MA at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Canada and his PhD from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Lally Lucretia Warren is a nurse and midwife and the chairperson of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i in Botswana. She has led a wide variety of interreligious initiatives and has served as Chairperson of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i in Botswana. She chaired a prominent session at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions entitled
Strategies for Mainstreaming Gender into Peace Building and Inter-Faith Programs Prabhudas Pattni is the General Secretary for the Hindu Council of Africa Margaret Lokawua is a member of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is also the Chairperson for Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja as well as the Director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project Rev Dr Setri Nyomi is the General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches iWARCI -- the first non-European to serve in this position. He comes from Ghana, and has studied in the University of Ghana and Trinity Seminary in Ghana as well as Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary in the USA. WARC is the global umbrella body of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Waldensian and some United and Uniting Churches
Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in? Kim Hourn Kao Prince Sirivudh David Chandler Thomas Bohnett Room 208 Panel Discussion Cambodia's society and economy were shattered by prolonged war and a genocide that took the lives of 1.5 million people. Its religious leadership and institutions were special targets. As Cambodia recovers and rebuilds, religion and religious institutions engage in countless ways. The World Faiths Development Dialogue and Asian Faiths Development Dialogue are exploring the many dimensions of faith in contemporary Cambodia. key areas include Buddhist roles in peace building and forging regional links, reconciliation initiatives, work in health and education, action and advocacy to end abuse and trafficking, and care for the environment. The central question is how faith and faith communities are contributing to the development of a new Cambodia, linking the material needs of its people with their spiritual heritage and the values that make Cambodia unique. Dr Kaos President of the University of Cambodia and Secretary of State of Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among other official positions. He holds a PhD in Political Science and heads the Asian Faiths Development Dialogue. His special interest is in regional affairs, and he has attended many national, regional and international meetings. As a scholar and diplomat, he has contributed to both Cambodia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sirivudh is Chairman of the Board at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, a think tank focused on promoting understanding of national and regional development issues. He is Supreme Privy Counselor to His Majesty the King of Cambodia. Prince Sirivudh has been a firm proponent of political reform in Cambodia, and his extensive career in Cambodian politics includes positions in the Senate and Parliament as well as the positions of Co-Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs David P Chandler is regarded as one of the foremost western scholars of Cambodia's modern history. He has accompanied Amnesty International and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees on Cambodian reSearch and fact-finding missions and has been a researcher in Cambodia archives for the US Department of Defense Office of POW/MIA Affairs. Chandler is a professor emeritus at Monash University Thomas Bohnett graduated from Princeton University in 2007, majoring in the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs. He spent 2007 to 2008 working for the International Rescue Committee in
Religions and the Resolution of Violent Conflict Dr William Vendley Room 203 While religious communities remain perpetually vulnerable to being hijacked by violent extremists, unscrupulous politicians and the sensationalist media, they have extraordinary assets for building peace and transforming violent conflict. During this session, Dr William Vendley, a pioneering leader in advancing multireligious cooperation for conflict transformation around the world, will set forth the key strengths that religious communities can bring to conflict transformation starting with religious visions of peace. Dr Vendley will present his arguments based
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Uganda. He joined the World Faiths Development Dialogue in November 2008 as Program Coordinator.
Science, Spirituality, and Overcoming Religious Conflict (Session 2)
Philip Clayton
Praveen Chaudhari
F LeRon Shults
Dr Sangeetha Menon
Denis Edwards
Pauline Rudd Room 210 Seminar
This second major session on science and spirituality focuses on overcoming religious conflict. Shared spiritual practices help build bridges between religious traditions, even traditions that are deeply at odds due to differences of belief. This session explores the ways that partnerships between science and religion can also help us to 'hear each other' across cultural and religious divides. The speakers represent many different religious and spiritual traditions and a variety of scientific fields. Each is an expert on science, religion, and their relationship. Each has spoken around the world on the power of new partnerships between these two great forces of the human spirit. Each talk will include an honest statement of the difficulties of partnerships between science and religion as well as suggestions for how these difficulties might be overcome. The panel will emphasise the implications for the issues of our day, especially the crisis of global climate change. After the opening presentations, the session will assume a workshop format. Questions and comments from the audience on science and spirituality will conclude the program.
Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. He specialises in conflicts and connections between the sciences and religion, with particular focus on the biological sciences and the environmental crisis. He is the author or editor of seventeen books and over 100 articles, including the recent Oxford Handbook of Religion. and Science' and 'In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural World'.
Dr Praveen Chaudhari received his PhD in physical metallurgy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined IBM in 1996. In addition to carrying out his personal research, he has held various management responsibilities in science and technologies. He retired from IBM in 2003 and became the Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory until 2006, when he returned to science. Dr Chaudhari has published over 160 technical papers and holds over three dozen patents.
F LeRon Shults is professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. A leading authority on science and theology, he has published some ten books and dozens of articles in the field. Shults is the editor of the Brill book series 'Philosophical Studies in Science and Religion' and scientific director of the Transforming Compassion project at Stiftelsen Arkivet, a peace-building institute in Norway. His other current research interests include ethics, desire, differentiation and religious symbolism.
Dr Sangeetha Menon earned her doctorate degree in philosophy from University of Kerala. She is a Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Her core research interests are Indian ways of thinking in classical philosophical schools, Indian psychology and Indian dramaturgy and current discussions on consciousness.

11:30am-1:00pm
Denis Edwards is professor of theology at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. An ecological theologian, he has published widely on the interactions among ecology, environmental science, and religion. Among his best-known books are 'Breath of Life: A Theology of the Creator Spirit. The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology', and 'Jesus and the Cosmos. He will soon publish The Holy Spirit and Ecological Theology'.
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Prof Pauline Rudd, BSc, LRIC, MA (Oxon), PhD, one of the world's leading molecular biologists, is head of the Dublin-Oxford Glycobiology Lab in Dublin, Ireland. She is Honorary Professor at St George's Hospital, London; is affiliated with the SAB Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven; and is Founding Scientist at Wessex Biochemicals (Sigma London!. Rudd is a lay member of the Community of St Mary the Virgin in Oxfordshire and an internationally sought-after speaker on the world's mystical traditions.
Zain Bhikha
Room 211
The Art of Creative Expression: Youth Workshop
Words can change hearts, and changing hearts can change the world. In this workshop, Zain Bhikha will teach youth about the practical and emotional challenges involved with thinking and writing well. Zain will use guided poetry exercises, life experiences, drama, art, visual and audio guides and instructive examples in order to invite inspiration. The main focus of the workshop will be on self-expression, building confidence, and learning the importance of taking responsibility to help others who are less fortunate. The workshop is geared toward teens and young adults.
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Zain Bhikha is a singer-songwriter who has achieved fame as a performer of Nasheed songs. Bhikha has collaborated on albums with other artists, released several solo albums and performed around the world. He is a pioneer in the Nasheed genre and, as one of the first Islamic singers in the English language, he has opened the door for many other Muslim artists.
Interfaith Dialogue and Education
for a Culture of Peace: A Workshop for Empowerment and Transformation
Swee-Hin Toh
Room 212
Interactive Workshop

Social and political injustices abound throughout the world, but so do the opportunities for different faith traditions to come together to promote a culture of peace. This creative, hands-on workshop will discuss the importance of personal spiritual transformation and commitment to social action in the interfaith community. Participants will be challenged to develop a deeper sense of compassion for marginalised peoples and their daily struggles to create a better world for themselves. This program will draw insight from the field of peace education in order to empower interfaith leaders to more wholly embrace the principles of compassion, love, justice, kindness, reconciliation, respect and sustainability. Workshop participants will explore how diverse faiths and spirituality traditions
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can fulfill their ethical responsibility to build a culture of peace at the local, national and international levels. Examples of major issues facing humanity and the earth including violence, local/global injustices, human rights violations, intercultural conflicts, environmental destruction and inner peacelessness will be touched upon during the interactive portion of the workshop. Toh Swee-Hin (S H Toh) is Professor and Director, Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre in Australia, which seeks to promote interfaith dialogue for a culture of peace. He is active in peace education and interfaith dialogue movements including a Parliament of the World's Religions, Religions for Peace, and the Asia-Pacific Interfaith Meetings for peace and cooperation, as a member of the Australian delegation. Swee-Hin was awarded the UNESCO prize for Peace Education in 2009.
Selections from the New Film Journey of the Universe' Mary Evelyn Tucker, Executive Producer John Grim Room 213 Film and Discussion
the Indigenous people of the Philippines, the Aetas. The Interfaith Spiritual Church has had a particularly successful relationship with the Aetas, devoting resources to build schools and provide much-needed poverty relief. Danilo Robles Valerio, a leader of the Aetas will join Rev Cazar to talk about his community, belief systems, and relationship with the Interfaith Spiritual Church. By hearing and responding to the needs and wisdom of the Aetas, a community that is closely tied to the land, the church honours the land and the earth itself. Honouring and supporting those who still move with the rhythms of the earth provides healing for the earth and all peoples. There will be a question and answer period at the conclusion of the discussion, as well as a brief demonstration of magnetic aura healing using a blessing of hot oil. Danilo Robles Valerio, representative of the ancestral domain claims of the Aetas, was born on April 5, 1957 in Mariveles, Bataan Philippines. He became Vice President of the Provincial Association of Aetas in Bataan (Panalalawigang Asosasyon ng mga Aetasas sa Pilipinas PASAMAB). He was chosen as tribal advisor of the Aetas in Mariveles, Bataan and is a very active member in this non-governmental organisation. He practises one of the traditional spiritual practices of the Aetas called Kagun Rev Ruel Cazar was born into a long lineage of Filipino healers. Recognising his natural abilities and enthusiasm at an early age, his grandparents and elders of the church began teaching him healing techniques. He began his formal theology training in 1986 at the Interfaith Spiritual Church, where he studied with Monsignor Marcos L Orbito, a noted faith healer in the Philippines Monsignor Marcos L Orbito was born in Balungao, Pangasinan, Philippines in 1925. He served in World War II and witnessed the carnage of war. In 1955 he attended the congregation of the spiritualists where his parents were involved in a healing ministry. He later became a preacher under the banner of the Spiritual Church. Since that time he has been committed to supporting interfaith efforts throughout the Philippines
The current environmental crisis has its roots in humanity's divisions and lack of planetary consciousness. This new film reconnects us with our shared roots by providing the longest possible view of our common heritage. Beginning with the Big Bang, through the formation of stars, galaxies and planets, and the emergence of life on Planet Earth, this film provides a scientific context for the critical nature of the present moment in human history, The film was directed by David Kennard. Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar at Yale University, where she has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department of Religious Studies. Specialising in Asian religions and ecology, she has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program since 1986 and is a member of the Earth Charter International Council. John Grim is currently a Senior Lecturer and Scholar at Yale University He is Coordinator of the Forum on Religion and Ecology with Mary Evelyn Tucker, and series editor of World Religions and Ecology. from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions. He has taught at Bucknell University and Sarah Lawrence College and is widely published on the subjects of religion and ecology.
Outreach to Indigenous Aetas in the Philippines Rev Ruel Cazar Monsignor Marcos L Orbito Danilo Robles Valerio Room 214 Seminar Since 1980, the Interfaith Spiritual Church has led a successful outreach program in the Philippines, which is home to approximately 2,000 religions. Rev Cazar of the Interfaith Spiritual Church will lead a discussion with slide presentation depicting his church's work with
Ending Legalised Violence Against Children - A Religious Imperative Christine Dodd Rev Cecilia Wikström Mali Nilsson Room 215 Interactive Workshop Violence blights the lives of children and has serious, long-term effects. Children who experience violence often become violent in their own relationships and as adults. As religious communities we cannot promote peace and justice unless we address the problem of violence against children, including corporal punishment. Corporal punishment violates the physical, emotional, and spiritual integrity of the child. It breaches fundamental rights to respect and human dignity, and its legality breaches children's right to equal protection under the law. There is growing faith-based support for halting violent relationships with children. This workshop will discuss the religious imperative to end all corporal punishment of children. It will address the role of religious leaders and communities as advocates for children. Participants will receive resources including information on nonviolent discipline, law reform, and a pack for taking action at
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community, regional and national levels. It will include an overview and update on the global situation, including the results of the United Nations Secretary General's Global Study on Violence Against Children and the report recommendations for 2009. Discussion will include examples of action taken by religious leaders and communities to end this violence.
Christine Dodd is a coordinator of the Churches' Network for NonViolence and Inter-Faith Liaison, a charity which works in partnership with others to end all forms of violence against children, including corporal punishment. Christine also has a background in public health and community development and has been involved in projects designed to prevent violence against women and children.
Rev Cecilia Wikström has been a member of the European Parliament since 2009 and part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDEI. She currently sits in the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Cecilia Wikstróm gained her Master's of theology at Uppsala University in 1993 and has published several books. She is Parish Pastor, Student Pastor, Pastor for Prisoners and Cathedral Canon of Uppsala Cathedral in the Church of Sweden.
Ms Mali Nilsson is the Global Advocacy & Technical Advisor on Child Protection with Save the Children Sweden based in Stockholm. She is also the International Save the Children Alliance Global Focal Point on all forms of corporal punishment. She is responsible for supporting operational programs worldwide: developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating strategies for ending violence against children via legislative change, with a specific focus on all forms of corporal punishment.
Youth Spirituality: Join the Evolution! Youth, Spiritual Development
and Activism
Nina Meyerhof
Yuka Saionji
Jimmy Lama
Karoline Venator Buys
Amorntip Cherry Henderson
Vaibhav Parulkar
Ping Ping Worakate Thangsurbkul
Colin Lee
Room 216
Interactive Workshop
The World Spirit Youth Council is an international youth movement that brings youth, spirituality and activism together. This project is sponsored by Children of the Earth, an 18-year-old, nonprofit organisation recognised as a UN-NGO. Children of the Earth teaches youth from around the world to become conscious leaders in order to bring about a peaceful global society. The youth on this panel are from diverse backgrounds and religious traditions, yet are unified under the Principles and Code of Ethics of Children of the Earth. The youth participants will share stories about their traditional backgrounds, as well as offer suggestions for encouraging unity and examples of how they have put their values into practice. They will demonstrate and involve audience participants in some of the processes that they use to engage other youth. In addition, they will identify local and international projects that further the spiritual youth movement for living ethics.

11:30am-1:00pm
Dr Nina Meyerhof, President of Children of the Earth will facilitate this program.
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Nina Meyerhof is Founder and President of Children of the Earth. Yuka Saionji is a deputy chairperson of a religious organisation Byakko Yuka Saionji is a deputy chairperson of a religious organisation Byakko Shinko Kai, which is dedicated to world peace and raising the consciousness of humanity. Byakko believes in the divinity of all humanity and hosts. interfaith events such as Symphony of Peace Prayers, where a diverse group of religious leaders lead more than 10,000 participants in harmonious prayer. She is also a member of the World Spirit Youth Council. Shinko Kai, which is dedicated to world peace and raising the consciousness of humanity. Byakko believes in the divinity of all humanity and hosts interfaith events such as Symphony of Peace Prayers, where a diverse group of religious leaders lead more than 10,000 participants in harmonious prayer. She is also a member of the World Spirit Youth Council.
Jimmy Lama is an advisor to Youth Society for Peace. Born to a Buddhist family in Nepal, he is a member of World Spirit Youth Council, and coordinates the Nepalese chapter of the UN-NGO Children of the Earth. He works with over 700 children across 10 different local community-run schools, promoting peace and values-based education.
Originally from Colombia, Karoline Venator Buys now lives in Munich, Germany with her South African husband. She has a passion for languages and speaks Spanish, English, German and some Japanese. She is a translator for the Academy for Future Science in various parts of the world. Ms Buys is currently working as Chapter Coordinator for Children of the Earth and is a member of World Spirit Youth Council.
Amorntip Cherry Henderson was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to a Thai mother and Australian father. She attended Chiang Mai primary school for four years before moving to Australia in 2000. Ever since her mother introduced her to the Dhammakaya temple, she has been practicing her religion. She is enthusiastic about promoting the practice of meditation to achieve inner peace.
An engineer by training, Vaibhav Parulkar later chose a spiritual path that was influenced by dreams, paranormal phenomena, intuitive messages, and out-of-body experiences as a child. Vaibhav Parulkar's mission in life is to serve humanity, spread spiritual awareness, raise consciousness and promote world peace.
Ping Ping Worakate Thangsurbkul is a Project Coordinator of Peace Revolution initiated by World Peace Initiative Foundation and supported by Dhammakaya Foundation. This program encourages young adults aged 18 to 30 years old to participate in an online, self-development program. Presently, there are about 700 participants from 115 countries joining the program under the concept of 'World Peace through Inner Peace. She has been a member of the World Spirit Youth Council since its inception. Colin Lee is the founder of Shift International from Australia and is one of the founding members of the World Spirit Youth Council. Born to a Catholic Christian family migrated from Malaysia, Colin engages deeply with other religious groups and promotes interfaith dialogue and the art of spirituality. Colin trains and empowers the next generation of youth in his locality and does the same as he travels around the world with Children of the Earth.
Wendi Momen
Dr Moojan Momen Room 217 Panel Discussion
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Baha'i Approach

Is it possible to build peace without establishing justice? Is it possible to establish justice without securing peace? How do we achieve both? How can we structure society to create social cohesion in the pursuit of peace? The teachings of the Baha'i faith provide insights into the attitudes, values, practices and structures that are needed at every
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level of society, from the individual to the global, to establish peace, social cohesion and justice. Wendi Momen holds a BSc in Economics and a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She is a freelance book editor. She was a member of the national governing council of the Baha'is of the UK from 1982 to 2005. She is Chair of Bedford Council of Faiths. Trustee of the Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby, secretary of the UK National Committee for UNIFEM and the author of twelve books. Dr Moojan Momen was born in Iran but raised and educated in England, attending the University of Cambridge. He has a special interest in the study of the Baha'i laith and Shi i Islam. His principal publications include: Introduction to Shi ilsiam (Yale University Press, 1985) and The Phenomenon of Religion (OneWorld. Oxford, 1999, republished as Understanding Religion, 2008). He has contributed articles to encyclopaedias and academic journals.
Colonisation: Indigenous Peoples Striving for Self-Determination Linda Hogan, USA: Chickasaw, Moderator Marcos Terena, Brazil: Terena Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa, Zimbabwe: Shona/ Ndebele Room 219 Panel Discussion The devastation wrought by Western colonisation continues to run deep in the lives of many Indigenous peoples worldwide. The recovery and self-determination efforts undertaken by Indigenous communities takes many forms, from the simple power of the spoken and written word to inspire a nationalist sense of pride, to formal legislative processes. The panellists in this session will speak to some of the most pressing issues facing their respective Indigenous communities. Linda Hogan is a member of the Chickasaw Nation. She is the author of four novels, as well as a poet, environmental writer, and longtime par ticipant in Native Science Dialogues. She works for the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma as Writerin Residence, and is Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado, Ms Hogan has produced documentaries on Native Religion and has studied ceremonial literature. Her main interest is in the connection between the natural world and spirituality. Marcos Terena is a professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. He founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first Indigenous movement in Brazil and he was a leader in gaining recog. nition for Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He is a spokesman for Indigenous rights for the UN and President of the Intertribal Committee and VIATAN, an Indigenous information centre. Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa was born a Svikiro lin Shona, his native tonguel-a carrier of many earth and water spirits, and a Mhondoro-one who is in constant prayer on behalf of others. As a vessel of the Spirits. Mandaza receives visions and dreams, makes offerings, performs healing rituals, and serves as messenger for the Ancient Ones. Mandaza teaches us to become living prayers in service of the One Spirit.
Voices of Challenge and Wisdom: Gay and Lesbian Perspectives on Faith, Spirituality and Embodied Grace Michael Kelly Chaplain Pamela Yetunde Donald Chalmers Rev Rowland Macaulay Madelaimber Ben Colburn Room 218 Panel Discussion Throughout the history of religion, no group has been more excluded, silenced, condemned and demonised than gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. In order to heal the world's spiritual rifts, we must embrace the unique perspectives on spirituality offered by this community. This panel discussion will explore the spiritual insights, questions and wisdom of gay, lesbian and queer people both in relation to mainstream religious traditions and in the shaping of their own spiritualities. Speakers from a variety of faith traditions will share the experience of coming out as gay in the face of widespread religious condemnation. They will also reflect on new ways to embrace the sacredness of the body and sexuality and the prophetic challenges they offer to institutional religion. The session will include discussion of the situation facing gay and transgender minorities in Africa, with a special focus on Nigeria, Michael Bernard Kelly is an educator, retreat leader, activist and spiritual writer who has worked in Australia, the USA and the UK He is the author of the book 'Seduced by Grace: Contemporary Spirituality, Gay Experience and Christian Faith and creator of the video series "The Erotic Contemplative' He holds professional qualifications in theology. Spirituality, education and creative media and is a doctoral candidate at Monash University Chaplain Pamela Yetunde is a member of Insight Atlanta and is a hos pice and hospital chaplain in the United States. Donald Chalmers is a campaigner for equal rights within religion in Australia. Rev Rowland Macaulay is a campaigner for equal rights within religion. Madelaine Imber is a youth and sexuality educator in Melbourne, Australia. Ben Colburn is a queer student, activist, poet and spiritual researcher in Providence, RI, USA.
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part 11: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey Room 220 Seminar This one-day, interfaith educational seminar seeks to provide a context for community building by addressing the challenges of prejudice, injustice and alienation from the earth while weaving the possibility of transformation through the arts throughout the day. Participants are asked to attend all four sessions. This segment will cxplore the theme of building mutual justice and promoting reconciliation among communities who have suffered from human and civil rights abuses and historical injustices, sometimes leaving them with a sense of alienation and hostility directed against those whom they
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ENGAGEMENT 2:30-4:00pm
consider to be enemies' or oppressors. We will explore different notions of community, the divergent histories and social narratives that separate peoples, and creative methods for promoting transformational dialogue and building trust between historically antagonistic groups. This workshop will emphasize the central tenet of active nonviolence, as well as the recognition of the danger of globalization and new opportunities for promoting global justice that transcends divisions based on race, ethnicity. and religion. Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey is a member of the Board of Directors of the Temple of Understanding and the Director of the Human and Civil Rights Division of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation. He is actively involved in numerous media, interfaith, and social justice projects at the national and international level.
LUNCHTIME PROGRAMMING 1:00-2:30pm
Rivers of the Heart: Indigenous Knowledge and Literature Linda Hogan, USA: Chickasaw Room 102 Literary Reading & Seminar in recognising the humanity of the other, we enlarge our community to the world around us. Ceremony and dance gatherings serve this purpose, but words also have the power to create change. Linda Hogan, an award-winning Indigenous poet, storyteller, academic, playwright, novelist, environmentalist and writer of short stories, will perform a reading from her work and lead a conversation and Q&A, making connections among science, astronomy and ceremonial literatures. Hogan works for the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma as Writer in Residence, reading and speaking internationally at environmental and literary gatherings and conferences. She focuses on Indigenous knowledge systems, ceremonial literatures, and how these contain knowledge of ecosystems in their regions. Linda Hogan, Chickasaw, is the author of four novels. 'Mean Spirit' (Pulitzer finalist), 'Solar Storms' and 'Power' (both International Impact Finalists and award winners), and "People of the Whale', read internationally. She has participated for fifteen years in Native Science Dialogues
Indigenous Knowledge systems and environment). She is Professor Emerita of the University of Colorado and has done documentaries on Native Religion. She has studied ceremonial literature, and her main interest is in the connection between the natural world and spirituality
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - The Role of Religion in Post War Treaties, Constitutions and International Law Hans Corell Philip Towle Masaki Ina Temario River Helen James Frank G Madsen Gerhard Beestermuler Gregor Noll Room 110 Symposium This is Panel #2 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium. Hans Corel is the former Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, as well as the Chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Lund University, Sweden Philip Towle is a Lecturer in International Studies, Cambridge University. England. Masaki Ina is Director at the Center for Rotary Peace Fellows, International Christian University, Japan Temario River is Associate Director at the Center for Rotary Peace Fellows, Japan, Helen James is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Social Research Institute, Australian National University, Australia Frank Madsen is the former Head of Criminal Investigation, Interpol, a Queens College Fellow, and a member of the Program in Religion and Ethics in War and Peace-Making at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge University, England. Gerhard Beestermuler is Associate Director at the Institute for Theology and Peace, Germany. Gregor Noll is Chair in International Law and Refugees at the University of Lund, Sweden.
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Reconciliation with Land - Reconnecting Spirituality, Ecology and Human Creativity, and Reverence for Earth
Catherine van Wilgenburg
Dr Colin Hocking
Helen Rzesniowiecki
Robert Jackson
Mary Tinney
Mary Long
Room 103
Interactive Workshop
This program includes two parts, namely: Reconciliation with Land-reconnecting spirituality, ecology and human creativity, and Reverence for Earth. The first part of the program will provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences of the connection between spirituality and the environment and what it means to take local action to protect biodiversity. They will also compare their conceptions of traditional and contemporary faith perspectives on human and spiritual relationships to land. The second part involves activities and a presentation about how reconciliation with the land means experiencing the reconnection of human creativity with spirituality and the environment. The presenter explores spirituality that envisions the Sacred as intimately embodied in the earth and the cosmos, which brings into force powerful emotions of reverence for all life and commitment to justice for the earth. A deep bonding with nature, and recognition that humankind is only one element in the interdependent web of life, underpins this spirituality.
Catherine van Wilgenburg is a practising visual artist grounded in her local community at Iramoo Sustainable Community Centre at St Albans, Victoria, Australia. She is working to develop arts programs that emerge from a reconnection with the land at Iramoo and within a community of multi-disciplined Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, environmentalists and local multifaith communities living in the western region of Melbourne.
Dr Colin Hocking, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science, Victoria University, has made an outstanding contribution to the university through his critical role in establishing the Iramoo Sustainable Community Centre and Wildlife Park, St Albans; his research on threatened species; and his efforts to negotiate with local community groups and agencies to establish wildlife open spaces. His engagement with the community on behalf of the university includes a range of community education programs.
Helen Rzesniowiecki is Community Engagement Officer at framoo Sustainable Community Centre, Iramoo.
Robert Jackson is a composer, performer, improviser, painter, street performer, saxophonist and guitarist. In 2006, he was Artist-inResidence at The Hunt Club Community Arts Centre for Brimbank City Council. Since 2000, he has played the part of Weasel in the Australian Shakespeare Company's production of 'Wind in the Willows'. In 2005, he toured Northern Australia with the ASC production Much Ado About Nothing'
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Mary Tinney is the coordinator of Earth Link, a community environment centre at Ocean View, about an hour north-west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Mary Long is a member of the Earth Link Core group and a co-presenter in its programs which facilitate deep bonding with Earth. She believes that this bonding is vital if we are to have a world where there is 'respect, reverence and care for earth. She brings her experience as an educator and as a searcher for the sacred in earth.
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Innovative Approaches to Multicultural and Interfaith Education in Schools
Walter Rapoport
Simon Oats Richard Mallaby Room 104 Interactive Workshop
This workshop will explore different approaches to multicultural and interfaith education in schools through a presentation of innovative pedagogies. These educational approaches will focus on encouraging respect for the 'other' through a process of storytelling and respectful listening and the use of gardens and nature in children's education.
Walter Rapoport is the Chairman of the Council of Christians & Jews in Victoria, Australia. He is on the editorial committees of two interfaith journals, Gesher and Dialogue Asia Pacific.
Simon Oats is a qualified teacher, gifted storyteller, songwriter and actor. Richard Mallaby directs a program on 'Children and Gardening, at Church of Christ in Victoria, Australia. Richard is a Church of Christ minister working in a Baptist church in Victoria. He has a degree in Agricultural Science, postgraduate degree in Divinity. Master's degree in Environmental Science and is currently working toward the Doctor of Ministry Studies at the Melbourne College of Divinity. Richard has worked in Community development in Indonesia for seven years.
Vegetarianism Ethics, Environmental Concerns, and Complex Realities
Rabbi David Rosen
Naresh Jain
Room 105
Panel Discussion
Vegetarianism is widely understood to be an environmentally appropriate and humane way of eating, but it is not necessarily widely embraced. Some religious traditions advocate vegetarianism as part of the teaching and practice of non-violence, and for many this lifestyle has deeply religious aspects. This session will present some of the moral religious, scientific and environmental aspects of this diet, and the implcations of this choice for the community, including the larger Earth community.
Rabbi David Rosen is Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs and the Heilbrunn institute for International Interreligious Understanding. He serves on several international interreligious organisations. Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisations representing world Jewry to other religions.

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Naresh Jain represents the Jain community at the national and international levels. He actively works with the religious and spiritual communities in New York and New Jersey to organize interreligious programs. He served as an advisor to the 2004 Barcelona Parliament Program Task Force, 2006 Montreal Global Congress of World's Religions, and 2009 New Delhi Global Congress of World's Religions, and as a member of the 2009 Parliament Site Selection Task Force.
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Stories from the Frontlines Sharon Rosen Additional Speakers to be Announced Room 106 Some of the most perilous and inspiring accounts on the 'frontlines' of the interreligious movement involve facing the threats to sacred sites of the world's religious and spiritual communities. When ethnic, cultural or religious tensions flare, places of Worship and practise are often the first targets for anger and violence. Such attacks can lan flames of rage within and among spiritual communities. But when religious neighbours and others from abroad stand in solidarity with the aggrieved community, cycles of hatred and destruction can be reversed, and the fires may be stopped before they spread beyond control. This session of the Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Symposium will feature the real life encounters that involve sacred sites around the world, the efforts to protect them and the ways in which diverse communities have come together in solidarity
Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue: IARF and Its Work in India Dr Homi Dhalla Dr Thomas Mathew Dr John Taylor Jasbir Singh Rev Johanna Boeke Rev Richard Boeke Orlanda Brugnola Room 108 Panel Discussion The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), founded in 1900 and with chapters in North America, Britain and Europe, now works mostly in Asia. Every four years, it holds an international congress, which in 2010 will be held in Cochin, India. This session will highlight the work of IARF in southern India in fostering friendship and community between Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Jains and Christians. Thomas Mathew is Council President of IARF. Dr John Taylor is a representative of the International Association for Religious Freedom in Geneva and Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Coalition. He holds a PhD from McGill University and for many years worked for the World Council of Churches. Jasbir Singh is chairman of the Rajasthan State Minorities Commission Rev Johanna Boeke is a former International Association for Religious Freedom representative to the UN, Geneva. The Rev Dr Richard Boeke was founding President of the US Chapter of the International Association for Religious Freedom and is a Vice President of the World Congress of Faiths. He is the author of "God is No-Thing. His latest essay is "Evolve or Explode? A Lesson From Darwin For Our Time,
The Last Yoik in Saami Forests? Room 107 Film
Over the last half-century. population growth and logging damage have taken their toll on the forests of Finnish Lapland. These forests are essential to the Indigenous Saami people's reindeer herding and traditional ways of life. This film discusses alternatives to logging as well as more efficient uses for Lappish timber, but the issue of Indigenous land rights is at the root of this story of economic pressure and cultural survival. The film was directed by Hannu Hyvonen.
The Gülen Movement's Global Peace and Social Reconciliation Vision and Projects: Lessons Learned from Germany, the US and Medina Ercan Karakoyun Ibrahim Sayar Ali Riza Candir Room 109 Panel Discussion The life and works of distinguished Turkish-Muslim scholar, Fethullah Gülen, are best described by his deep respect for and connection to all creation. 'Living to let others live is the core principle of his understanding of the service to humanity. In this program, we will hear from three social activists inspired by Gülen, and through their voices we will gain insight into the Gülen Movement's global peace and social reconciliation vision and projects. We will see this first in a presentation about the Gülen Movement's social responsibility and solidarity vision and projects in the US; second, in a presentation about the contribution of the Gülen Movement for the integration of Muslims in Western societies with emphasis on the Gülen Movement
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in Germany, and third, in a presentation about the model society the Prophet Muhammad established in Medina based on universally-recognized moral principles represented at the core of the Gülen Movement works today. Ercan Karakoyun was born in 1980 in Schwerte (Germanyl and studied spatial planning at the University of Dortmund with a focus on urban sociology. Since 2007, he has been working on his PhD on Transnationality among Turkish entrepreneurs in Germany at the Goethe University of Frankfurt/Main. He is a correspondent for the magazine Zukunft and has numerous published writings. His research interests include regional and urban research, residential sociology, integration issues, migration and other subjects. Ibrahim Sayar was born and received his education in Turkey. After graduating with a Theology degree from Harran University, Turkey, he traveled to the USA to received his MA in Psychology at Concordia University, Chicago. In 2003 he started working for TACA as the religious leader of the Turkish community in Chicago. Since 2005 he has been working for the Boston Dialogue Foundation as an Imam and Director, Mr Sayar has been active in interfaith dialogue since 1999. Mr Ali Riza Candir has a BS degree in Electronics Engineering in Turkey and has been working with the Rain Drop Foundation as Executive Director since 2007. He is also President of the Cülen Institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes academic research in global peace, social harmony and social justice. He has actively organized intercultural and interfaith dialogue activities in cities such as Houston, Mexico City and Washington, DC
Indigenous Perspective on Education: Building Academic Skills with a Strong Cultural Grounding Darlene St Clair, USA: Dakota, Moderator Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong Constantino Pinto, East Timor: Timorese Room 111 Panel Discussion It is widely acknowledged that most Indigenous peoples have suffered the impact of colonisation. Today, many Indigenous people continue to struggle to access an education that is respectful and supportive of their rights. Indigenous peoples also wish to learn and to speak the language of their people and to maintain their cultural and spiritual identities while also enjoying the benefits of education. Panellists in this session will discuss these themes within the broader framework of self-determination. lyekiyapiwin (Darlene St Clair) is an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at St Cloud State University, where she is also the director of the Multicultural Resource Center. Her work examines the integration of Native cultures' histories and languages into curricula, the arts, cultural expressions and education of Native peoples. She is dewakantunwan Dakota and a member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota, USA. Margaret Lokawua is a member of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is also the Chairperson for Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja, as well as the Director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project. Constantino Pinto is co-founder and current director of Fundacao Lafaek Diak (FLD: The Good Crocodile Foundation, an Indigenous Timorese non-profit, non-government community development organisation. He and his family lived through the Indonesian military invasion and occupation of East Timor.
Interreligious Regional Concerns: Africa Ishmael Noko, Moderator Lally Lucretia Warren Prabhudas Pattni Setri Nyomi Room 110 How does spirituality-and the interreligious movement in particular-express itself through the prism of geography? In this series of regional conversations, panellists hailing from varying religious traditions but similar areas of the globe engage and investigate. Topics include how water-related issues are reshaping and reconfiguring Africa and the uses of African rituals related to the healing of memories. Rev Dr Ishmael Noko has been the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation since 1994. He is responsible for international affairs in contact with governments and political leaders and has worked with refu gee services for various churches. He obtained his MA at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Canada and his PhD from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Lally Lucretia Warren is a nurse and midwife and the chairperson of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i in Botswana, She has led a wide variety of interreligious initiatives and has served as Chairperson of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'í in Botswana. She chaired a prominent session at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions entitled Strategies for Mainstreaming Gender into Peace Building and Inter-Faith Programs Prabhudas Pattni is the General Secretary for the Hindu Council of Africa, Rev Dr Setri Nyomi is the General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARCI-the first non-European to serve in this position. He comes from Ghana, and has studied in the University of Ghana and Trinity Seminary in Ghana as well as Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary in the USA, WARC is the global umbrella body of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Waldensian and some United and Uniting Churches.
Le Carnaval Spirituel Indradyumna Swami Room 201 Artistic Performance Le Carnaval Spirituel is a joyful, colourful tapestry of theatre, dance, music, song, yoga, martial arts and meditation, bringing forth the timeless spiritual wisdom of ancient India's Vedic culture. Le Carnaval performs 'Bharat Natyam,' an ancient form of divine dance from South India, in its traditional style and in a contemporary East-meets-West fusion dance. "Katak, a dance native to North India, is divinely graceful, each movement imbued with deep spiritual significance designed to elevate our consciousnesses and put us in touch with our inner selves. Classically trained ballerinas from Russia add a magical touch. Le Carnaval also enacts an ancient tale of Divine romance, intrigue, love and war from a time when pious kings ruled the earth and their evil counterparts fought them with mystic powers and supernatural weapons. In 'The dance of the warrior, the audience travels back through centuries to a time when warriors developed
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martial arts to protect lands from marauding invaders. Though lethal, these martial arts were amazingly artistic and graceful in their style. "Yoga Moves' showcases beautiful, stylised yogic movements set to a musical score. In "The Art of Happiness', the audience is guided through a deeply relaxing, illuminating group meditation, putting us in touch with our spirituality.
Indradyumna Swami is a disciple of AC Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He is a sannyasi or celibate monk, travelling preacher and guru, or spiritual teacher, in the Chaitanya Vaisnava tradition. Each year, he circles the globe, teaching the message of the Bhagavad Gita and introducing thou sands to kirtan and chanting. He and his group of spiritual entertainers present concerts. He also assists in various welfare campaigns globally. such as Hare Krishna Food For Life.
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 1) Panel to be Determined Room 202 While the words of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of 'Sorry Day on June 11. 2007 moved Australia a step further on its journey of meaningful co-existence, the troubled legacy of the past it addressed still holds a powerful grip on Australian society. "Reconciliation is often the term used to point to efforts to come to terms with the shared history of Aboriginal peoples with the once-immigrant and now majority populations which now make up mainstream Australian society. It is also the term used to describe the efforts to redress the debilitating conditions hindering Aboriginal communities. What is the ethical responsibility and potentially unique role of mainstream religious communities in Australia in furthering a process of reconciliation? How can it support the struggle of Aboriginal peoples for self-determination in non-paternalistic ways? How can it present new frameworks of mutual respect and collaboration? Hear from representatives of organisations and communities committed to reconciliation about what is happening, and more importantly, what is possible, as Australia strives to make the vision of 'Sorry Day' an everyday reality.
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Papua New Guinea Esther Nokolu Win Ali Bena Seta Room 203 Panel Discussion For decades, there has been significant tension between landowners and the government in Papua New Guinea. In addition, with more than 700 languages spoken in Papua New Guinea, there is a great deal of conflict rooted in differences between tribal cultures. In these situations, mediation is problematic without a deep understanding of cultural traditions. Esther Nokolu, from the Southern Highlands Province, is the CPP coordinator for Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea. She has worked closely with women's groups by teaching self-reliance in village development activities, small income generation projects, and promoting awareness and community participation in improving quality of life in the villages. She has also assisted in assessing the health needs of rural communities. Mr Win Ali has worked with communities in building trust and encouraging them to support and work together for the betterment of the whole He has worked to implement literacy programs in the various regions of the country, it is his belief that learning how to read and write can improve daily life significantly and address social, health and economic issues, Bena Seta is a Civil Servant working in the Public service of Papua New Guinea as a Provincial Culture and Environment Officer. For a number of years Bena was involved in Distribution and Restorative Justice for resources owners and affected Tribal people. She worked with the United Church of Papua New Guinea as a National Program Coordinator of Young Ambassadors for Peace, designed for the Restoration of Southern Highlands and Bougainville
Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Workshop Anna Hutchens Alice Chew Room 204 Interactive Workshop
This program will feature the stories of young people and their parents from Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh backgrounds as they share how they were able to navigate the challenges between the generations. With the progress of society comes change and with that change comes challenges. Add religion, culture and a move to foreign lands into the mix and the challenges become even more complex. The Centre for Multicultural Youth will facilitate this workshop. Anna Hutchens is Project Manager for the Centre for Multicultural Youth, based in Victoria, Alice Chew is a participant in the Multicultural Youth Mentoring Project at the Centre for Multicultural Youth, based in Victoria
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Engaging Faith-Based Organisations for the Millenium Development Goals: Comparative UN Experiences
Dr Azza Karam
Ali Moussa lye Stephen Hanmer Sally Smith
Dr Thomas Uthup
Tim M Rwabuhemba
Quentin Wodon Room 207
Panel Discussion
In 2001, recognising the need to spur development by improving social and economic conditions in the world's poorest countries, 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organisations agreed to achieve eight Millennium Development Goals. These international development goals, to be achieved by 2015, range from reducing extreme hunger to promoting gender equality and environmental sustainability. While not all UN bodies have a policy for engagement with faith-based communities on all issues, several have established different means of doing so with diverse groups. To showcase the range of partnerships and issues with which some UN bodies work. with faith-based communities, this interactive panel will bring together six members of the UN family (UNESCO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA, the Alliance of Civilizations, the World Bank) to introduce their respective areas of work and, specifically, the successes, challenges and ways forward for their faith-based organisation outreach.
Dr Azza Karam serves the Culture mandate at the United Nations Population Fund. A political scientist and economist by training, she has managed international development programs; served as a gender and culture Trainer and Specialist for various international intergovernmental entities; and is a Lecturer on politics and religion in several academic arenas. She has several books and publications to her name. She has worked in the Middle East, western Europe and the United States. Ali Moussa lye is the Chief of the Intercultural Dialogue Section of UNESCO in Paris, where he coordinates the slave routes projects and UNESCO's History of Africa.
Stephen Hanmer, a UNICEF Partnerships Advisor, supports UNICEF's faith-based partnerships.
Sally Smith is a UNAIDS Partnership Adviser.
As research manager, Dr Thomas Uthup coordinates all research and education activities for the UN Alliance of Civilizations project. His major responsibilities include the development of clearinghouses and appropriate networks of clearinghouse partners, the development of a Research Network, and the building of bridges between organisations to understand the 'other. Currently, his major focus is on developing a network of partners for the Education about Religions and Beliefs clearinghouse. Tim M Rwabuhemba is the UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Papua New Guinea. Prior to this, he was the UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Lesotho. He has also worked for UNICEF as Programme Officer. Rwabuhemba has broad experience and knowledge on public health, HIV programming and policy development issues gained over thirteen years in the UN system and five years working with nongovernmental organisations, including faith-based organisations. He holds a degree in Education and post-graduate qualifications in Health.
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Quentin Wodon worked in business after studying engineering and business. In 1988 joined for five years the ATD Fourth World, a interdenominational grassroots and advocacy NGO working with the extreme poor. He later completed a PhD in Economics, taught at the University of Namur, and finally joined the World Bank in 1998. Since November 2008, he heads the Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics, the unit at the World Bank working on faith, ethics and development.
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous
Communities (Session 2)
Amos Tripp, USA: Karuk
Alejandro Argumedo, Peru: Quechua
Aqqaluk Lynge
Room 208
Panel Discussion
In this second session, members of the panel will discuss why sacred sites are a necessary part of the spiritual life of their respective Indigenous communities. The spiritual beliefs and practices of most Indigenous peoples are land based. As such, sacred places are an essential part of the culture. There are many different types of sacred sites and while some bear the mark of the ancestors, another place might be the place of emergence or the home of an important deity. Sacred sites, therefore, can be a community's creation story. Various religious or sacred ceremonies are conducted at these sites and are blessed with songs, prayers, and other offerings.
Amos Tripp is a Karuk-wuh-uttah-uttah from the middle section of the Klamath River in northwestern California. He studied law at the University of California-Davis and currently works for United Indian Health Services in Arcata, California. His local tribes are 'Fix the World tribes, who believe in living in balance with their surroundings. Mr Tripp is very proud to be part of the healing after the land grab in California devastated these tribes.
Mr Alejandro Argumedo, a Quechua from Peru, is Executive Director of the autonomous international NGO, Cultural Survival Canada, focusing on the connection between cultural and biological diversity and on Indigenous peoples' traditional resource rights. Mr Argumedo is coordinator for the Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN) and is a member of the steering committee and advisory group for IPBN's Indigenous Knowledge Programme. He holds a degree in agriculture from McGill University.
Aqqaluk Lynge is President of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) Greenland and ICC Vice-Chair for Greenland. He has represented the Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and the Far East of Russia as President of the ICC from 1997 to 2006. Mr. Lynge was first elected to the Greenland Parliament in 1983 and also served as a Minister with various portfolios. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to pan-Inuit unity since the early 1970s.

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Striving to Live in a Livable World (Session 1)
Dr Joseph Henry Suina, USA: Cochiti Pueblo, Moderator Anna Pinto, India: Meitei
Chief Megaron Txukarramae
Room 209
Panel Discussion
Environmental safety and sustainability of a healthy environment is a global problem for many Indigenous communities. Maintaining a healthy environment is an increasingly difficult challenge as Indigenous communities struggle to protect their land and all those who live around it. The land not only serves as source of sustenance, but also provides materials for homes, feed for livestock and herbal medicine for health. This land also contains special or sacred places. Panellists representing the Cochiti Pueblo tribe of the American Southwest, the Meitei of India, and the Kayapo of Brazil will discuss the challenges and the spiritual significance of their environments.
Dr Joseph H Suina is a Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico and has numerous publications on culture and education. He directed the Institute for American Indian Education at UNM for tribes throughout the Southwest. He is a former governor and a current tribal council member, who continues to advocate for Native American tribes in the areas of health, museums, language retention, sacred sites, economic development and housing.
Anna Pinto is Executive Director of the Centre for Organisation, Research and Education (CORE), an Indigenous peoples' policy research and advocacy organisation based in the North East of India. An active member of the Indian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initiatives by the government of India and international agencies such as the World Bank.
Megaron Txucarramãe is grand chief of the Kayapó people from the Amazonian Basin of Brazil, the head administrator of the National Indigenous Foundation (FUNAI) in his region, and a board member of Conservation International. The traditional lands of the Kayapó represent the single largest tract of protected tropical forest in the world. Chief Megaron works toward the preservation of his people's lands, culture and identity, and to promote their economic and political autonomy.
Religion, Science, and Environmental Activism (Session 3)
Philip Clayton
Praveen Chaudhari
F LeRon Shults
Denis Edwards
Pauline Rudd
Room 210
Panel Discussion
Healing the Earth will require partnerships not only among all the world's faith traditions but also with the scientific experts who best understand the problems and potential solutions. The first two sessions on science and spirituality, also sponsored by the International Society for Science and Religion, have focused on ways to

2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
form constructive partnerships between these two great social forces. In this final, hands-on session, we turn to specific examples of environmental activism, exploring concrete examples of religion-science partnerships that can help heal the Earth. Environmental activists and heads of organisations will be present both on stage and in the audience. After the opening presentations on how to foster constructive partnerships between scientists and religious leaders, we will move into workshop format. Leading activists and other audience members will describe their experiences with these sorts of collaborations. The invited experts will present models for successful alliances. Together we will then explore ways to implement such alliances both at the local level and in high-visibility international projects that address the global environmental crisis.
Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. He specialises in conflicts and connections between the sciences and religion, with particular focus on the biological sciences and the environmental crisis. He is the author or editor of seventeen books and over 100 articles, including the recent 'Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science and In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural World,
Dr Praveen Chaudhari received his PhD in physical metallurgy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined IBM in 1996. In addition to carrying out his personal research, he has held various management responsibilities in science and technologies. He retired from IBM in 2003 and became the Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory until 2006, when he returned to science. Dr Chaudhari has published over 160 technical papers and holds over three dozen patents.
F LeRon Shults is professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. A leading authority on science and theology, he has published some ten books and dozens of articles in the field. Shults is the editor of the Brill book series 'Philosophical Studies in Science and Religion and scientific director of the Transforming Compassion project at Stiftelsen Arkivet, a peace-building institute in Norway. His other current research interests include ethics, desire, differentiation and religious symbolism.
Denis Edwards is professor of theology at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. An ecological theologian, he has published widely on the interactions among ecology, environmental science, and religion. Among his best-known books are 'Breath of Life: A Theology of the Creator Spirit'. 'The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology, and Jesus and the Cosmos'. He will soon publish The Holy Spirit and Ecological Theology".
Prof Pauline Rudd, BSc, LRIC, MA (Oxon), PhD, one of the world's leading molecular biologists, is head of the Dublin-Oxford Glycobiology Lab in Dublin, Ireland. She is Honorary Professor at St George's Hospital, London; is affiliated with the SAB Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, and is Founding Scientist at Wessex Biochemicals (Sigma London). Rudd is a lay member of the Community of St Mary the Virgin in Oxfordshire and an internationally sought-after speaker on the world's mystical traditions.

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2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Pastoral Responses to HIV/AIDS from the Global to the Local Perspective Antje Jackelén Margaret Hayes Adam Breasley Room 211 Seminar
Zabrina Santiago is Deputy Executive Director and Partner Cities Director for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She brings over 15 years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, and relationship management to the Council. She is recognized for her work in over 25 international cities in developing the Partner Cites Network of the Council. The Partner Cities Network serves to connect organizations, guiding institutions, and religious and spiritual communi ties in cities around the globe who are working toward creating more just cohesive, and sustainable communities. Zabrina, an active leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA), holds a Masters in Theology from McCormick Theological Seminary.
Alisa Roadcup is Outreach Director and Development Associate for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She brings seven years of non-profit experience in strategic communications, programming and development to the Council Alisa holds a BA in Humanities, an MA in Religious Studies and wrote her thesis on Thomas Merton's Theology of the Self as Influenced by Christian Mysticism and Zen Buddhism. She went on to study contemplative Social Action at Naropa University
This program features pastoral responses to HIV/ AIDS from the Bishops Conference of Sweden and the Melbourne Church of Australia. The Bishops' Conference of the Church of Sweden published a pastoral letter on HIV in the Global Perspective. This letter offers suggesLions for the religious communities to work with politicians, international organisations, health care providers and pharmaceutical providers around the world. The Melbourne Church has taken pastoral care initiatives with people suffering with HIV/AIDS and will look at programs that the Catholic HIV/AIDS Ministry offers to address the practical issues that people living with HIV/AIDS face. Together, these prominent institutions will discuss an issue that must be addressed and brought to the attention of people from all faiths. Rev Dr Antje Jackelén is Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the first woman bishop to be popularly elected the Church of Sweden, She was previously a professor of systematic theology/religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. She is the author of 'Time and Eternity (2005) and numerous articles in a variety of languages Currently, she serves as president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology Marg Hayes coordinates Catholic HIV/AIDS Ministry in Melbourne. She is a trained social worker and holds a degree in theology. Marg has been privileged to work at Catholic HIV/AIDS Ministry for eight years and is often challenged and humbled by the situations many people living with HIV/AIDS confront on a daily basis. Adam Breasley is a graduate student in Human Rights at Australian Catholic University
The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win Abdul Malik Mujahid Dr Muhammad Shafiq Room 213 Panel Discussion This panel will look into the discourse of anger in the world and the strategic logic of suicide terrorism. It will examine how traditional Islamic concepts and terminology are being used in new meanings to justify the fight against real or perceived injustice, as well as the internal and external enemies of Islam and Muslims. It will also compare Indian Naxalites with the Pakistani Taliban to see how poverty and socioeconomic injustice are contributing to armed insurgencies against governments in South Asia. The panel will interweave sociological and empirical evidence to increase our understanding of social movements, rebellion and theology. Abdul Malik Mujahid is the founder of Sound Vision Foundation and executive producer of the daily Radio Islam show. He served two terms as the Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and is currently Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. As national coordinator of Bosnia Task Force, USA, he successfully led efforts in collaboration with the National Organization of Women INOW) to declare rape a war crime. Dr Muhammad Shafiq is executive director of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue ICISDI, professor of Islamic and religious studies at Nazareth College and Imam of the Islamic Center of Rochester Dr Shafiq has written several books, including Interfaith Dialogue: A Guide for Muslims. His latest article is Abrahamic Faiths: Models of Interfaith Dialogue in the United States IA Case Study of Rochester, New York'. published in Peace-Building By, Between, and Beyond Muslims and Evangelical Christians
International Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception Zabrina Santiago Alisa Roadcup Room 212 Networking Event This special networking reception will honour Legacy Partner Cities, 2009 Parliament Ambassadors and Pre-Parliament Event hosts from over 70 cities around the world. This unique event provides an opportunity for the Council to recognize those who have made unique contributions in support of the 2009 Parliament, and to set in motion the expansion of Partner Cities Network over the course of the next five years..
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A String and A Prayer: Creating Universal Peace Beads
Eleanor Wiley
Room 214
Interactive Workshop
This experiential, non-denominational workshop brings together people of all ages and spiritual traditions to create a personal prayer strand. Participants will receive a Sacred Wheel of Peace (a mandala based on a talk by Jim Kenny at the Chicago Parliament in 1993) and will choose beads from a common bowl to create their prayer strand. The act of creation gives each person the experience of present moment practice while working in community with people of many faiths. Participants will also share their traditional use of prayer beads, revealing interfaith connections. Participants may then take home a physical tool to support their personal prayer practice and deepen their spirituality. It will also serve as a reminder of the gifts of understanding and global community. The personal prayer strand will be a tangible sign of the creator's commitment to generate justice, sustainable living, and a better world. Creating a personal prayer strand is an opportunity to learn to listen and hear in a new way, to see our similarities and the ways we can unite to make a difference. All materials are free and the workshop requires no artistic background.
Eleanor Wiley has been creating interfaith prayer beads since 1994. She has presented workshops in such countries as the US, Turkey, Ireland, UK, Spain, and South Africa. She is the author of A String and A Prayer' and 'There Are No Mistakes. Wiley's interfaith beading workshops allow participants to find a new way of understanding diverse spiritual paths. learn about commonalities and create community.
Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways
Norma Kassi, Canada: Vuntut Gwitch'in First Nation, Moderator
Minnie Lucy Naylor, USA: Inupiaq Eskimo Room 215
Special Panel
The cultures, languages and spiritualities of Indigenous peoples of the Arctic reflect the Arctic environment. Traditional values provide instruction on how we should live on this planet. The ability of Indigenous peoples to practise traditional ways and subsist in the face of climate change will be the focus of this panel.
Norma Kassi, raised in Old Crow, Yukon, is Vuntut Gwich'in [People of the Lakes). From 1985 until 1992 she was a member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. She has been a spokesperson in the effort to preserve the Porcupine Caribou Herd and serves on the International Gwich'in Steering Committee for the Preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She is Co-director of the Arctic Health Research Network: Yukon, engaged in health research.
Minnie Naylor, an Inupiaq Eskimo raised in Kotzebue, Alaska, works with the Sivuliq Youth Media Group, which is finishing its current production, The Lost Dances, a film about Eskimo dances exchanged between Alaska and Russia. She has been an academic advisor at the local university branch campus and has been involved in local government. She is a recent graduate of the Rural Development Program at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Maori Custom Law and Listening to the Land - Australian Aboriginal Meditation Merekaraka Caesar
Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann
Room 216
Interactive Workshop
Merekaraka Caesar, Wahine Maori of Queensland, will explain Tikanga, or Maori Custom Law, a practical, vibrant, living part of the Maori Culture that has been handed down from our Tipuna, or Ancestors. Tikanga is from our God and our Ancestors and gives spiritual guidelines for our daily lives and interaction. From the very beginning of time, when once we stood as eternal brothers and sisters, it has helped to remind us of our sacred cultural and spiritual values. Next, Miriam-Rose UngunmarrBaumann, Aboriginal artist, will present Dadirri, a form of Australian Aboriginal meditation that is based on listening deeply to the land and reconnecting to the Earth, our mother. A unique gift of the Aboriginal people, Dadirri is inner deep listening and quiet still awareness. Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. The contemplative way of Dadirri spreads over our whole life. It renews us and brings us peace. It makes us feel whole again. In our Aboriginal way, we learned to listen from our earliest times. Our Aboriginal way has taught us to be still and wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them follow their natural course-like the seasons.
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Merekaraka Caesar is Founder and President of a nonprofit cultural humanitarian organisation, Wahine Maori of Queensland Inc, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It has a humanitarian arm and plans to build orphanages in third world countries, commencing with Thailand. Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, a member of the Ngangiwumirri language group, was born in the bush near Daly River in 1951. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education, with High Distinction. In acknowledgment of her leadership and example in the fields of Aboriginal education and the visual arts, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Northern Territory University.
Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 1]
Tonya Gonnella Frichner, USA: Onondaga, Moderator Marcos Terena, Brazil: Terena
Room 217
Panel Discussion
In the first of two session, the participants on this panel will give examples of their struggles for land rights. The survival and livelihood of most Indigenous communities depend on their land rights and ownership of their land base. Dispossession of these ancestral homelands is a major problem confronting Indigenous peoples worldwide. Economic development and various forms of governmental policies pose the threat of weakening or dispossessing Indigenous peoples of their rights to their homelands. Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq is the North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a professor of Native American law and human rights. She is president and founder of the American Indian Law Alliance, an NGO in consultative

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status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert on the legal aspects of Indigenous peoples' rights, she is a veteran activist and advocate with long experience of the United Nations and its systems. Marcos Terena is a professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. He founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first Indigenous movement in Brazil and he was a leader in gaining recognition for Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He is a spokesman for Indigenous rights for the UN and President of the Intertribal Committee and VIATAN, an Indigenous information centre.
African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice
Imam Khalid Griggs
Amir Al-Islam
Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu
Dawud Walid
Room 218
Panel Discussion
In this session, African-American Muslims from diverse backgrounds and generations will trace the quest for justice by African Muslims in America. The panel will focus first on the history of African-Americans as slaves, then as souls disconnected from the religion of Islam, before proceeding to the movement of millions returning to the faith, and concluding with a look at African-American Muslims as advocates for justice, nationally and globally. Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs has been the imam of The Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in North Carolina since 1984. He is cochairman of the North Carolina-based Black Leadership Roundtable of Winston-Salem-Forsyth County, Griggs holds a degree in political science and English from Howard University in Washington, DC. He was part of the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s and was involved with the Islamic Party of North America in the 1970s after his conversion. Amir Al-Islam is a Distinguished Lecturer of African American History, Islam and World Civilization at Medgar Evers College (CUNY) in Brooklyn. He is the former Secretary General of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations, USA. He is chairman of the Board of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network in Chicago, and Vice-Chair of the Malcolm X and Dr Betty Shabazz Memorial Education Center, and the Muslim Women's Institute for Research and Development.
Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu is currently an assistant at the 'Muslim Journal'. She worked directly for world leader Imam W Deen Mohammed as Coordinator of his Islamic training program and joined the first delegation from his community to study at Abu Nour University in Damascus, Syria under late Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro. Ndidi works closely in interfaith efforts with the Catholic organisation Focolare Movement and was a Muslim American delegate at their conference in Castelgandolfo, Italy. Dawud Walid is currently the Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a chapter of America's largest advocacy and civil liberties organisation for Muslims. Walid also serves as assistant Imam at Masjid Wali Muhammad in Detroit, MI and board trustee for the Metropolitan Detroit Interfaith Worker's Rights Committee. Walid also served in the United States Navy under honourable conditions earning two United States Navy and Marine Corp Achievement medals.
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Healing the Earth with Care and Concern: Religious Responses to the
Earth Charter
Michael C Slaby Dr Rick Clugston Bhakti Johnson Joan Anderson
Dr A T Ariyaratne (TBC)
Room 219
Panel Discussion
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a vision of hope and a call to action. Since its launch in the year 2000, hundreds of religious organizations use the Earth Charter in their efforts of conducting environmental education and teaching the vision and values of eco-justice ethics; raising awareness of the meaningful linkages between the environment, justice and faith; enacting environmentally inspired liturgy and forming interreligious alliances to safeguard our planet. The panel will discuss best practice examples of how religious institutions are using the Earth Charter in their engagement to heal the Earth with care and concern. A special focus will be on available Earth Charter materials and resources specifically designed for religious institutions, such as the Earth Charter Guide to Religion and Climate Change - Generating the Renewable Energy of Hope'.
Michael C Slaby works for the Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values and assists Earth Charter International in its outreach to religious institutions and leaders. He holds a Master in Comparative Religion, Political Science and International Law from Heidelberg University, Germany, and has written his thesis on the history of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Michael lives in Heidelberg with his wife and 6-months old daughter Maili
Richard M Clugston serves on the Steering Committee of the Earth Charter Initiative. He is Executive Director of the Center for Respect of Life and Environment (CRLE), and publisher and editor of Earth Ethics. Rick has taught and published on human development, strategic planning, educational reform, and most recently on environmental ethics, spirituality, and sustainability
Bhakti Johnson works as National Coordinator for the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life. Yoga in Daily Life is based on original yoga tradition and specially directed to the situation and needs of modern civilization. The system can be lived and practiced independently of age, social status, nationality and denomination. Swamiji has inspired the creation of thousands Yoga in Daily Life Centres world-wide, where Yoga and Meditation is taught on a voluntary basis by professionally trained teachers. Classes and courses are conducted for the general public and specific groups such as community organisations, hospitals, schools, retirement homes, drug rehabilitation centres and companies.
Joan Anderson is based in Tokyo, where she is the focal point for Earth Charter activities within the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist association. Following a career in international development with Save the Children Fund, including several years spent in Cambodia, she joined SGI in 1997. She first became involved with the Earth Charter in 1999, and in 2000 visited eight Asian countries as part of an 'Earth Charter Asia Tour' to increase awareness and activities in Asia. She is involved with producing the SGI Quarterly magazine and with creating SGI's educational materials on themes related to sustainability and peace.

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4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
OPENSPACE 4:30-6:00pm
Dr Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is the founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement. He was the recipient of the 1996 Gandhi Peace Prize, the Niwano Peace Prize, the King Beaudoin Award and many other international honours for his work in peacemaking and village development in Sri Lanka,
Movement Mudra of Traditional Solonese Dance Eko Kadarsih Room 102 Interactive Workshop
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World Oren Lyons Jake Swamp Room 220 Seminar This one-day, interfaith educational seminar seeks to provide a context for community building by addressing the challenges of prejudice, injustice and alienation from the earth while weaving the theme of the possibility of transformation through the arts throughout the day. Participants are asked to attend all four sessions. Chief Lyons will give the history of colonialism in the United States during which time the First Peoples were stripped of their rights as stewards of the land they had been living on for generations. In 1493 the Doctrine of Discovery was the legal document that set the precedence for disenfranchising Indigenous peoples. The loss of stewardship by the First Peoples created a number of problems, resulting in an alienation that has had serious ecological consequences. Jake Swamp will describe his environmental nonprofit organisation, 'The Tree of Peace Society, and his work to inspire the planting of over 200 million trees. He will also explain the work that he and Chief Lyons began at the Grand Council meeting in July of 2009 of the Haudenosaunee Six Nations. During this session they will call for action from the religious community to address these legal and ecological issues. Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, is a powerful and passionate spokesperson for Indigenous human rights and spiritual perspectives. An environmental champion, he speaks around the world, is active at the United Nations, and is widely known through his writings. He is a Professor Emeritus, in American Studies, SUNY Buffalo and the co-author of 'Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the U.S. Constitution'. Jake Swamp is employed with the Men for Change Program, part of the lethini'sten ha Family Violence Shelter. He is a former leader of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and was involved directly in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School - an acclaimed Mohawk language immersion school that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the United States and Canada.
Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga is a nonprofit public foundation in Bedulu, Bali, Indonesia dedicated to maintaining and supporting the spirit of conciliation that arose in the interfaith meeting at Samuan Tiga Temple in the year 1011. The foundation strives to promote intercultural collaboration through sharing in the arts and religiosity among cultures in Indonesia and among nations throughout the world. In this program, Eko Kadarsih will guide participants through a sequence of movement mudras from the traditional Solonese dance of Central Java. Meditative silence transforming in posture and gesture cultivates fluid equanimity, awareness, dignity and inner and outer harmony. Eko Kadarsih, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is a leading performer of classical palace dances of the Karaton Surakarta. Since 1986, Eko has performed with the karaton artist's delegation and as an independent artist in several Indonesian provinces, and in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the USA. She holds a degree in literature.
The Practicalities of Getting from 'Is' to 'Ought': Religion, Science and Ethics James Doty Antje Jackelén Soloman Katz Nomanul Haq Room 105 As social, political and ecological crises mount round the world, the collaboration between religion and science is urgently needed to address these challenges. Sadly much of the current public debate about the relationship between religion and science deals with outmoded categories, paradigms and trains of thought from two hundred years ago or more. The proper and practical roles that religion and science each needs to play in today's world are still linked by the discipline of ethics, and the perennial underlying philosophical question of the relationship of 'is' to 'ought. While this question may be ultimately philosophical in nature, now implications of how we answer it could not be more practical. What do science and religion each bring to contemporary ethical deliberations? Using case studies examples, this program will highlight the relevance of a proper understanding of the relationship of religion to science, and its practical application, in matters of public discourse, societal values, and humane progress. James Doty is the director and founder of Project Compassion and a Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University. In addition to being a neurosurgeon, he is also an inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. As founder of Project Compassion, Dr Doty works with both the
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4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Stanford Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neuroscience and a variety of scientists from a number of disciplines examining the neural bases for compassion and altruism. Rev Dr Antje Jackelén is Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the first woman bishop to be popularly elected the Church of Sweden. She was previously a professor of systematic theology/religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. She is the author of Time and Eternity' (2005) and numerous articles in a variety of languages. Currently, she serves as president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology
'The Imam and the Pastor' and 'Australia's Muslim Women' Shazia Fiaz, Director Tasneem Chopra Paul A Wee Room 107 Film Two films will be shown in this session. The first will be 'The Imam and the Pastor', directed by Alan Channer. This stirring documentary tells the story of Pentecostal Pastor James Wuye and Muslim Imam Mohammed Ashafa, former ringleaders of militias involved in the Christian/ Muslim strife in Nigeria. Pastor James loses a hand in the fighting, while Imam Ashafa's two cousins and his spiritual leader fall victim to the unrest. Realising that forgiveness is a principle held in common by both Islam and Christianity, the two men lay down their weapons and establish a Christian-Muslim Interfaith Mediation Centre in the northern state of Kaduna. A separate follow-up discussion of the issues the film addresses, 'The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of Muslim-Christian Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria', will take place later in the Parliament.
Learn Arabic Letters in 90 Minutes - An Interfaith Cultural Presentation You Can Use John Myers Room 108 Interactive Workshop Humans fear that which they do not understand. Fear of the Islamic and Arabic cultures is a top problem being pushed by demagogues in Western nations. The inability to even perceive Arabic script, let alone read it, promotes learned helplessness. The language is seen as an incomprehensible cloud of scribbles, projecting a poor image on those who use the language. This seminar aims to cut this Gordian Knot by making Arabic script comprehensible and familiar. In one whirlwind 90-minute tour, 41 letters and diacritics will be presented using kooky, fun and memorable cartoons and poems. The workshop is suitable for children, teens and adults who don't mind having lots of fun while they learn simple lessons. The session is based on the program Actually Learn Arabic Letters: A Fun Course That Works-In Three Weeks', which aims to enforce the principle that everyone is human by showing that what was once incomprehensible can be easily understood and mastered. John Myers is the Director of Real World Peace, a grassroots organisation dedicated to making a difference in the world by promoting effective communication. He lived in Japan for almost five years and learned how to respect and understand the culture and writing systems of a completely different traditionJohn leads workshops and presents at speaking engagements
URI - Global Community Gathering Charles Gibbs Room 110 Join the United Religions Initiative for the global community gathering of all their members and friends.
The second film shown will be Australia's Muslim Women'. For many Australians, the Muslim women in their midst remain a mystery. This short film demystifies Australian Muslim women and allows their individual voices to be heard. It features a group of vibrant women who describe what it is like to be a participant in two different cultures. A discussion with director Shazia Fiaz and Tasneem Chopra will follow the screening. Shazia Fiaz works as an independent filmmaker and writer. She produces and directs documentaries about multicultural issues Tasneem Chopra is Chair of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria and an independent Cross Cultural Consultant specialising in diversity training. She was recently acknowledged in the Weekend Australian Magazine's listing of Emerging 100 Young Leaders 2009. Paul Wee is presently adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC He served as program officer for the United Sates Institute of Peace where he worked primarily on interfaith conflict resolution in Nigeria and Colombia. He received his BA from Harvard University, a Masters of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary and a PhD, magna cum laude, in Philosophy and Social Science from the University of Berlin.
Agape Choir Rickie Byars, Music Director Room 201 Artistic Performance The Agape Choir is a multiethnic group with an average roster of 200 members. It began with a thirty-voice holiday season presentation in December of 1988. Rickie Byars is the Music and Arts Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, California, where she directs the Agape International Choir. Together with her
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4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations Dr Thillayvel Naidoo Room 209 Panel Discussion
husband, Rev Dr Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, their powerful partnership has resulted in a dynamic catalogue of songs that enable transformational healing through the power of music. With the combined writing and composing talents of Byars and Beckwith, the choir early on began performing original Beckwith/Byars compositions. As the choir has developed and grown in membership, so has the com- plexity of Byars' vocal and instrumental arrangements. Over the past six and a half years, Agape Choir music has become known for its signature sectional harmonies, counterpoint, tempo-patterns, devotional power, and energetic enthusiasm.
One of the focal points in the study of religions is the mul tiplicity of claims about their origins. Religions with their origins in India are referred to as Wisdom Religions and those that originated in the Middle East as Religions of Revelation. These religions differ not only in their origins. but also in the basis of their content. This discussion will take a look at some of these differences and others that divide religions. Presenter Thillayvel Naidoo will specifically explore the claims and contentions surrounding the idea that God is responsible for their origins through revelation
Dr Naidoo was a lecturer specialising in Eastern Religions in the Department of Science of Religion at the University of Durban Westville in South Africa for many years before his retirement. He participated in the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, Cape Town and Barcelona and is very familiar with the first Parliament in Chicago 1893 because of his interest in Swami Vivekananda, who played a prominent role in making that Parliament a success.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir David Cray, Music Director Room 201 Artistic Performance Established in 2002, this 80-voice choir has inspired love and harmony between people of many faiths and cultures. Sometimes accompanied by Polynesian dancers, the choir has performed at the Commonwealth Games Victorian Premier's Award Concert, and were featured artists at the City of Greater Dandenong First Annual Gathering, and at Australia Day celebrations and flag raising ceremonies. The Samoan choir is comprised of 80 Polynesian singers from the Melbourne area from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It presents spiritually uplifting programs of songs that cross a range of faiths and cultures. The choir uses its music to promote feelings of peace and harmony.
Cultivating Universal Intelligence Sheila Keene-Lund Room 210 Interactive Workshop Our efforts to hear each other, heal the earth, and procure world peace are destined to fall short if we don't progresSively cultivate the cosmic awareness and capacity to love that is vital for a moral and spiritual culture. To make a world of difference that is far reaching and long lasting requires that we discover higher spiritual meanings in what we know and increasingly embody higher values in our daily living. This workshop will provide an experiential roadmap for living that is a prototype for progressively developing the character and the cosmic perspective essential to living the golden rule from its highest level of interpretation.
Conversation with Sr Joan Chittister Sr Joan Chittister Room 207 In this Open Space program, Parliament attendees are invited to enter into informal conversation with Sister Joan Chittister, the well-known Benedictine nun, and author who has recently published The Breath of the Soul. She is the founder and executive director of Benetvision, a resource and research centre for contemporary spirituality. She also co-chairs the Global peace Initiative, a UN-sponsored organization of women faith leaders. The conversation could cover the power of faith and spirituality from global and feminist perspectives, the monastic way and the nature of community life, the imperative and difficulty of loving one's neighbour in a world interconnected and disconnected and the issues that the Church must face. The focus will be on dialogue and exchange of ideas in a complex and globalizing world. Joan Chittister, OSB, is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a centre for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including "Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seckers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Lite
Two childhood near-death experiences propelled Sheila Keene-Lund onto an exploratory path that included teaching Transcendental Meditation for 15 years and led her, in 1992, to 'The Urantia Book'. Her discovery of its astonishing capacity to integrate personal spiritual evolution into the vastly enlarged perspective of universe citizenship is recorded in her book 'Heaven Is Not the Last Stop. A lively speaker and Teacher, she leads classes and workshops focused on spiritual principles

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Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 211
Film
When rural Kenyan women lacked firewood and clean drinking water, Wangari Maathai suggested they plant trees. Discover how this simple act led to a Nobel Peace Prize and the overthrow of a dictator. The film was directed by Alan Dater and Lisa Merton. Q & A to follow.
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of the Philippines
Elwyn Infante Neri
Lilybeth Sulutan, Phillipines: Bagobo Tagabawa Abdulkadir M Abubakar
Room 212
Panel Discussion
In the Mindanao regions of the Philippines, the primary conflicts are highly political, often including territorial arguments, anti-Moro discrimination, and conflict between Indigenous peoples, lowlanders, and Christians regarding tribal customs. The Peace and Reconciliation Teams of the Peacebuilders Community (PAR-T) are based in Mindanao, the Philippines, where they act as third-party mediators mainly in various regions. PAR-Ts include members of all groups involved: Bangsamoro Muslims, Indigenous peoples, and Christians. The organisation trains teams and local volunteers in armed conflict survival training, conflict transformation, and peace education. Elwyn Infante Neri is the primary networker in the field and PAR-T team leader. He has significant experience in organising and training the PAR-T. He is an Evangelical Christian, one of the three primary groups involved in recent conflicts.
Lilybeth Sulutan is a member of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe of Mindanao and represents Indigenous peoples, a major party involved in local conflicts. She is an expert in post-training PAR-T activities as wet! as the problems that arise in the field.
Abdulkadir M Abubakar is a Peace and Development Motivator and Instructor for Arabic, Islamic Studies and Peace Education at Southern Christian College, Midsayap, Cotabato, the Philippines. He is also Strategic Adviser for Bangsamoro right to self-determination of the Peacebuilders Community, Inc; Secretary General and Head of the Bangsamoro Secretariat of the Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement; and Executive Director of the Bangsamoro Development and Resource Center.
Grassroots Community Organizers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity
Rev Dr Shanta D Premawardhana
Dr A T Ariyaratne
Swami Agnivesh Room 214
In our interconnected world, where conflicts originating in one part of the world have repercussions in another, effective community organising requires not only building powerful local and national organisations, but also creating strong alliances across regional and international
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Jain Education Intemational
boundaries. Leaders of several interreligious grassroots community organising movements, particularly from South Asian countries, will convene for a strategic conversation about creating a network to further strengthen their work. If you are engaged in grassroots community organising and would like to participate in this conversation, please contact Rev Dr Shanta Premawardhana at shantal@wcc-coe.org.
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Rev Dr Shanta D Premawardhana is the Director of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for the World Council of Churches, Switzerland Dr Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is founder and President of Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a non-profit organization that involves millions of people in 15,000 villages in development projects. In 2007, he was recognized as Srilankabhimanya (pride of Sri Lanka), Sri Lanka's highest civilian honor. He has also won international recognition for his work in peacemaking and village development including the Gandhi and Niwano peace prizes and the Sushil Kumar International Peace Award.
Swami Agnivesh is the president of the World Council of Arya Samaj. A prominent social activist, he is best known for his work against bonded labour. His campaigns have also led him to fight against alcoholism, female foeticide, child labour, and for the emancipation of women. His current 'mission' includes fighting the consumer culture and the Western model of development in India, opposing Western cultural imperialism, and battling casteism. Swami Agnivesh is the 2004 recipient of the Right Livelihood award, which is also known as the alternative Nobel Prize.
Appreciative Inquiry and Healing the Earth: Extending Faith Beyond the Realms of Religion
Kunal Turakhia
Reena Ginwala Room 215 Training Session
This workshop will explain the concepts of Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence and present a set of tools that can be used individually or in groups. These tools will be applied to understand the emotions that are within each human being and to learn to appreciate on humanitarian grounds what we see in the other. The basis for the training and interactive workshop will be the four D's: Discover, Dream, Design and Destiny. The workshop will also focus on understanding the self, managing the self, understanding the other and managing social relationships.
Kunal Turakhia has an MBA with focus in Organisational Behaviour from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, USA. He is also a certified practitioner of Appreciative Inquiry, working in Mumbai. He is currently undergoing rigorous training to be a certified Life/Executive Coach from Results Coaching Systems. He works with individuals to develop a community of people who are equipped and willing to make this world a better place to live in.
Reena Ginwala is a corporate trainer and social worker. She teaches youth at grassroots levels, MBA students, and young executives in programs on Leadership, Group Dynamics and Personal Growth. She and Kunal share a dream of teaching the tools of Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence to youth in India. Reena is from Ahmedabad and can relate to the pain of communal disharmony and the day-to-day dilemmas of lay people trying to live in peaceful co-existence.

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Sri Chinmoy International Music Group Open Space Concert
Sri Chinmoy International Music Group Room 216
This Open Space concert will be based on the music of Sri Chinmoy, which includes the quotations of the Lord Jesus Christ, set to music, as well as other songs written about the Lord Christ and songs composed for the Lord Buddha by Sri Chinmoy, as well as spiritual songs and mantras written in English and Bengali. The group is composed of musicians and singers with expertise in the presentation and arrangement of Sri Chinmoy's music spanning over 30 years. The group has recorded and performed concerts in New York, Europe and Asia.
Mr Prachar Stegemann, conductor and arranger of Sri Chinmoy International Singing Group for over 18 years, will lead the group. The group will also include: Ms Sushmitam Rouse, cellist; Mr Christopher Willis, acoustic guitar and voice; Mrs Marion Gray, harmonium, singer, and musical arranger; Mr Pushpendra Uppal, oboe; Ms Phoolanjaya, piano and flute; Mr Marichi Clarke, electric guitar and voice; Mr Veeraja Uppal, singer; Ms Ankhi Elliott, singer: Ms Hariratna Monro, singer.
Multifaith Perspectives on Interreligious Holidays and Celebrations
Georg Ziselsberger
Norman Habel
Jorge Veiga e Castro
Deirdre Pulgram Arthen
Room 217
Interactive Workshop
Whether celebrating Earth Day, the Season of Creation, or any number of local holidays, developing an interreligious celebration that includes a wide range of traditions can be challenging. We will use this time to discuss ways to create a ceremony that celebrates both the occasion and our diversity-one that attempts to include as many groups as possible by paying special attention to language, symbolism, history and style. We will then design a peacemaking ritual together, which we will share as a morning observance later in the week. Participants are invited to bring liturgy or songs they feel might be relevant to either the conversation or the celebration.
Georg Ziselsberger SVD is professor of Theology at Ateneo de Manila University and President of the GeoChris Foundation, which advocates biological, cultural and spiritual diversity by working with Indigenous peoples for a living planet. He is co-leader of the ECEN Working Group Creation Time' and organised the Teilhard Asia 2006 International Conference and Teilhard Asia Annual Lectures.
Norman Habel is currently professorial fellow at Flinders University. He initiated and edited the five-volume Earth Bible' series and the more recent work 'Exploring Ecological Hermeneutics'. He has been active in a range of social justice and eco-justice areas, including a school for Dalits Untouchables) and Tribals in Tamil Nadu. He has initiated and promoted the Season of Creation in Australia, a new season of the church year that is now spreading to other countries.
Jorge Veiga e Castro is founder and President of the Portuguese Yoga Confederation. In 2001, he proposed to UN and UNESCO the creation of the first worldwide holiday, to be celebrated on the Solstice of June 21st.

4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Rev Deirdre Pulgram Arthen is the Director of the EarthSpirit Community, a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of earth-centred spirituality, particularly the Indigenous European traditions. She has been a leader in the Pagan community in the United States for thirty years and is known as a ritualist, musician, teacher and spiritual counsellor. She has offered presentations at the 1993, 1999 and 2004 Parliaments.
A Listening Place Each Day
Kristen Hobby Lynette Dungan Bernie Miles Kava Schafer Jill Manton Nola Vanderfeen
Room 218 Interactive Workshop
We welcome you to a safe place where you can simply be. This is a quiet place where you can sit and meditate or reflect on what has touched or challenged you throughout the day of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Spiritual directors will be available in this room; you may talk to them if there is anything you would like to share. Spiritual directors are trained to listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way and are available for people of all faith traditions.
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Practical Initiatives and Examples of Multi-Religious Education
North American Theological School Students Room 219
Panel Discussion
In this session, we want to look carefully at concrete examples in which learning about or engaging with religious others have been successful. We also want to learn from efforts that have not been so successful and ask why. We will gather practical initiatives of interreligious engagement from different categories and contexts of encounter: 1) Examples of everyday living together: the experience of living together as members of different religions in the same neighbourhood, village or school. How do people 'naturally or spontaneously deal with their differences? How do they create communities that still honour diversities? 2) Examples of interreligious study: methods of enabling people to grasp and learn from the texts and teachings of other traditions. How can this be done in a way that opens strange new worlds in an engaging manner but also in an assuring, non-threatening manner? What are the 'pedagogies of interreligious education? 3) Examples of sharing in each other's religious practices and spiritualities. What are the possibilities and limits, the hopes and the fears, of actually sharing each other's spiritual practices of prayer, meditation and celebration? 4) Examples of interreligious action: How have reli

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gions found themselves challenged and then enabled to work together in confronting common problems in their neighbourhoods, nation and world? How does 'dia-praxis' enable 'dia-logue'?
This is part of a symposium entitled 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World'. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of The Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with fifteen theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interfaith leadership in North American theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interfaith engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of faith traditions in the contemporary world.
Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation
Orlanda Brugnola
Jindi Woraback
Room 220
Artistic Performance and Interactive Workshop
This one-day, interfaith educational seminar seeks to provide antext for community building by addressing the challenges of prejudice, injustice and alienation from the earth while weaving the possibility of transformation through the arts throughout the day. Participants are asked to attend all four sessions. The arts have the potential to bring diverse peoples into new understandings, co-operative peace-making and shared re-visioning of relationships. The key to the power of the arts is their capacity to evoke memory and enact or make visible the sacred. When people make art together, it is a manifestation of their highest selves and as such is a transformational experience. During the Open Space, a presentation on this theme will be followed by Aboriginal dances by the Group Jindi Woraback.
Also during the Open Space, there will be opportunity to create an artwork that suggests the sacred landscape of peoples' interactions during the Parliament. Patterns will be made by the placement of 10,000 squares of colored paper, each representing a participant in the Parliament. As many people as possible will be invited to help in creating this work. The process will be accessible for persons in wheelchairs. Out of respect for the environment, only 200 sheets of paper will be used in creating the 1x6 meter work, which will be recycled at the close of the Parliament.
Orlanda Brugnola is an interdisciplinary scholar teaching philosophy and religious studies at John Jay College. She has an MFA in painting and curates art exhibitions for college galleries. She is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister who has worked over the years for the International Association for Religious Freedom.
Jindi Woraback is an Aboriginal Dance Group that comprises Wurundjeri youth and an elder from the North West of Australia
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9:00-10:30pm EVENING PROGRAMMING
EVENING PROGRAMMING 9:00-10:30pm
The Sacred Planet
Dr Joseph Runzo, Director Room 107
Film
Filmed on location in Japan, the Yukon and Southern California, 'The Sacred Planet' promotes ethical responsibility toward the environment. It addresses and proposes a solution to the global environmental crisis with science, government, business, NGOs, individuals and the world's religious traditions working together for sustainable living. This film shows that the world's religions have an essential role in changing attitudes and fostering a sense of sacred connection and proper stewardship of the earth. The film was directed by Joseph Runzo and Neil Mclean.
Dr Joseph Runzo is Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of the Global Ethics and Religion Forum, an educational nonprofit dedicated to global ethical responsibility. He has written and lectured extensively around the world on comparative religion, religious ethics, human rights and the ethics of war and peace. He is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Chapman University, USA, and a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, UK.

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8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Sukyo Mahikari: Light and Principles for Peace and Harmony Whatever the Faith Andris Tebecis Terrence Quinn Sukyo Mahikari members Room 102 Sukyo Mahikari is an international spiritual organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life and promoting happiness for all people and creatures, irrespective of their beliefs or background. This is done by applying certain laws or principles that are universal (Sukyol and by radiating a purifying energy from the hand, a True Light' (Mahikari). People become purified spiritually, mentally and physically and develop positive attitudes, experience a growing health, harmony and material well-being and become motivated to use their personal development for the betterment of society. Sukyo Mahikari is overcoming the barriers of race, nationality and religion. Sukyo Mahikari has been concerned with reconciling with the Indigenous peoples, interfaith activities, nurturing the youth for the future, healing the earth with care and concern, and promoting good spiritual values in the everyday life of people and families, as well as in professional fields. During this program. Sukyo Mahikari members will present their experiences with True Light and also demonstrate the practicalities of giving and receiving the Light. Audience participation is encouraged. There will be time for questions and answers at the end. Dr Andris K Tebecis is an Adviser with the Sukyo Mahikari Australia Oceania Regional Headquarters. Canberra, and Deputy Director at the Yoko Civilisation Research Institute in Tokyo. Terrence Quinn is a schoolteacher in Canberra.
Anglican Sunday Morning Liturgy Archbishop Philip Freier Bishop John Harrower OAM Room 105 Religious or Spiritual Observance This Sunday morning liturgy will be celebrated by the Melbourne Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier together with the Bishop of the Anglican Church in Tasmania, Bishop John Harrower OAM. Dr Philip Freier became the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne
owing seven and a half years as Bishop of the Northern Territory, Dr Freier has been working towards engaging the Church with the wider community, particularly through his 'Prayer 4 Melbourne' quest, in which he has visited a range of public spaces, welfare centres and shopping malls He is deeply involved in social justice issues affecting Indigenous peoples. Bishop John Harrower OAM is currently the 11th Bishop of the Anglican Church in Tasmania.
Hindu Meditation: Spirituality in Everyday Life Prabha Duneja Room 108 Religious or Spiritual Observance The Hindu practice of yoga and meditation originated with the ancient religious traditions of Vedic dharma as an effort to seek alignment with the source of life. It enables its practitioners to cultivate peace and harmony within the inner person, as well as with others and nature. The word
yoga' is derived from the Sanskrit root word 'yui meaning to combine or join together. This refers to the union and communication with the indwelling-soul, the harmonious joining of the mind, body and spirit. Through daily practice of Hindu meditation, one will experience unity with God and live with selfless love for others. This observance will feature a brief talk on the tradition of Hindu meditation followed by a guided practice making use of sacred sound. Prabha Duneja is a writer, speaker and lecturer on Hindu religion. She is a missionary of the Geeta Society. Chairwoman of Women's Interfaith Circle of Service URI/CC, and an active leader of the interfaith inovement in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has written numerous articles as well as the books Mantra and the Modern: 'The Legacy of Yoga in Bhagawad Geeta, An Introduction to Bhagawed Geeta', and 'The Gateway to Freedom: Bhagawad Geeta.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Morning Observance Elder Hoare Room 103 Religious or Spiritual Observance This observance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints will consist of many aspects of a typical Sunday worship service excluding partaking of the sacrament (communion). It will include prayers, music and a number of speakers talking about how the gospel of Jesus Christ has affected their lives and what it means to them. Elder Hoare is a member of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Seventy are the body of senior Church leaders who supervise the worldwide Church under the governing leadership of the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counsellors and the Twelve Apostles. The Seventy generally are located in their home countries rather than at the Church Headquarters, USA and function on a lay or unpaid basis.
Shum, A Language of Meditation HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami Room 110 Religious or Spiritual Observance Shum is a language that can allow the meditator to move through the inner mind deftly without being distracted by externalising concepts. During this session a Shum meditation will be led by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, disciple of and successor to Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, the modern Hindu renaissance leader who mystically brought forth the unique language
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of meditation called Shum in 1968. Fundamental to Shum are the concepts that there is only onc mind and that man is an awareness with the ability to control his movement through the mind. There are names in Shum for all aspects of the mind, from objects in the outer reality of everyday life to emotional slales, inner sights and sounds, and the deepest levels of superconsciousness. Meditators can use a Shum map to focus their awareness and guide them with precision from one profound experience to the next. Ultimately, they will reach a state of pure awareness-that moment when awareness is aware only of itself, an invigorating experience that can lead to samadhi. the ultimate goal of yoga meditation. HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami is the designated successor to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of blessed memory. He was a Co-President of the 1993 Centenary Parliament of the World's Religions H H Veylanswami is Guru Mahasiddhanam and 163rd preceptor of the 2,200-year-old Kailasa Parampara of the Nadinatha Sampradaya in the Saivile Hindu tradition. He is also the publisher of the international quarterly journal "Hinduism Today
Remembrance of Allah and His Prophet Through Song Zain Bhikha Room 204 Religious or Spiritual Observance In this observance, renowned Islamic Music singersongwriter Zain Bhikha will share with participants how his Islamic Music serves as a means to remember Allah and His Prophet Muhammad through song. In the process, he will examine the power of song. its contribution to bringing about social change, its history in the South African struggle, and his own history and experiences. He will conclude with a song, giving everyone an opportunity to participate and experience how remembrance of God and His Prophet is inclusive of action-oriented engagement with society for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Zain Bhikha is a singer-songwriter who has achieved fame as a performer of Nasheed songs, Bhikha has collaborated on albums with other artists, released several solo albums and performed around the world. He is a pioneer in the Nasheed genre and, as one of the first Islamic singers in the English language, he has opened the door for many other Muslim artists.
Guided Metta (Loving-Kindness) Meditation Bhante Sujato Room 111 Religious or Spiritual Observance The term '
metta' refers to an unconditional lovingkindness that reaches out to encompass all beings. In metta meditation, we learn to free ourselves from the shackles of that selfishness which binds and constricts our innate emotional capacities. This practical, step-bystep approach to metta meditation leads beyond words to a direct experience of boundless, universal love, which is the foundation for all profound religious experience. By learning to cultivate love in our hearts not only f dear ones, but also for those we feel neutral towards, and those we dislike, we learn to move beyond our personal preferences and prejudices to embrace all human beings equally. Bhante Sujato learned metta meditation from his Thai meditation teacher, Ajahn Maha Chatchai, and has practised it for fifteen years. Bhante Sujato, an Australian Buddhist monk, was ordained in Thailand and spent many years meditating in forest monasteries and remote hermitages before becoming abbot of Santi Forest Monastery near Sydney. Bhante Sujato is an experienced meditation teacher who leads retreats in Australia and overseas. He has a special interest in the history of Buddhism and other world religions. He is deeply committed to develop ing a platform for the full ordination of women in Buddhism.
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth Il Gusti Koes Murtiyah Nurlia Ruddin Room 207 Morning Observance Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga is a nonprofit public foundation in Bedulu, Bali, Indonesia dedicated to maintaining and supporting the spirit of conciliation that arose in the interfaith meeting at Samuan Tiga Temple in the year 1011. The foundation strives to promote intercultural collaboration through sharing in the arts and religiosity among cultures in Indonesia and among nations throughout the world. In this program, Gusti Koes Murtiyah from Karaton Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia will sing Tembang Macapat - Doa Keselamatan prayer of safety Nurlia Ruddin of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia will sing the Royong prayer of the Bugis-Makassar. Gusti Koes Murtiyah, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is the daughter of the late Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono XII, the king of Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat. She holds a degree in Javanese Literature and is Director of Yayasan Pawiyatan Budaya Karaton Surakarta, which develops and preserves palace arts and culture. She has performed traditional Javanese court dances in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the United States Nurlia Ruddin, of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is the daughter of a leading teacher of the ritual dance Pakarena. She is a dance teacher at the National High School for the Arts in Somba Opu. Nurlia regularly performs in Indonesia, and her students have received national recognition.
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Sunday, December 6, 2009
By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
Speaker to be Announced
Room 208
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this session, a speaker will share a Qur'anic foundation for healing the earth with care and concern. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across the six days of the Parliament. Each session will include inspirational recitations of the Qur'an, clear translation and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. This series will show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims, as they are at the heart of Islam's social conscience.
Baha'i Devotional Gathering: 'The Earth is but One Country'
Victorian Office of the Australian Baha'i Community Room 209
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The Baha'i devotional gathering will address the Parliament theme 'Healing the Earth by recognising that this goal requires us to acknowledge our global interconnectedness. We are a single human family with one planetary home, regardless of our backgrounds and circumstances. Through this recognition, we can transcend the identities and loyalties that divide us. The gathering will offer a tranquil environment for participants to reflect on these themes through inspiring selections from the Holy Writings of the Baha'i Faith and other Sacred Texts. Audio-visual presentations and music will complement the readings. In accordance with usual practice at Baha'i devotional gatherings, people of any faith or no faith are welcome to attend. Presenters will be a team of readers and artists brought together under the auspices of the Victorian Office of the Australian Baha'i Community.
Presenters will be a team of readers and artists brought together under the auspices of the Victorian Office of the Australian Baha'i Community.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Meditation and Sacred Music Yogini Sri Chandra Kali Prasada Mataji Room 212
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The ultimate goal of meditation is to realise one's own self. Self-realisation is experiencing that Supreme Power within one's own self. Meditation done with faith in God helps in this process. A self-realised person is compassionate and is committed to working towards peace and justice for all. He realises that he shares divinity with his fellow human beings. He will thus create a communal feeling and universal brotherhood, and will then be able to do selfless service to the community. To reach this ultimate goal, one must have a thought-free mind. Sacred music is an important means to attain a stable and focused mind. It has a calming effect on the wandering mind. Any divine music is a direct interview with God. One can express one's feelings or confess one's mind to God freely through divine music. Similarly, chanting the holy name of God [Mantra) has a very profound effect on the mind. A pure heart is absolutely essential to reap the kind of benefit you would like to have from divine music. One can lose body consciousness when singing or listening to divine music with absolute concentration. Such is the power of sacred music and meditation.
Yogini Sri Chandra Kali Prasada Mataji is the spiritual leader of the Sri Kali Gardens Ashram and successor to Sri Babuji Maharaj of blessed memory who founded the Ashram. She is also head of numerous humanitarian and development programs, and an exponent of interreligious harmony.
The Master Key -
Unlocking the Inner Treasures
Paramahamsa Prajnanananda
Room 213
Interactive Workshop
In this enlightening observance, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, a world-revered master of Kriya Yoga. will reveal inspiring teachings for unlocking our greatest treasures within. Ancient, scientific methods will help enable participants of all faiths and backgrounds to realise such knowledge intrinsically through their own spiritual practices.
Paramahamsa Prajnanananda is the current spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga international organisations. These organisations were founded by his master, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who spread the teachings of Kriya Yoga all over the world. Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji was Swami Shriyukteshwar and Paramahamsa Yogananda's most outstanding direct disciple, one of the greatest realised Kriya Yoga masters in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj and Lahiri Mahasaya.

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Self-Inquiry: The Yoga of Thought and Feeling Swami Ma Devi Room 214 Interactive Workshop Self-inquiry, a classical Hindu practice of meditation on the Inner Sell, transcends doctrine. It is an investigation into the personal and divine aspects of Consciousness. By using simple and direct questions, we will inquire into the inner world of thought and feeling and explore four energy centres within the body. These centres touch directly upon inner and outer world issues. We will investigate them with the purpose of clearing away any tension or stresses that block the experience of peace. Swami Ma Devi is the co-director of the Shiva School of Meditation and Yoga in Melbourne. An accomplished Hatha Yogi. Ma Devi established the Hatha Yoga courses and teacher training program at the Shiva School, and has taught hundreds of people to meditate. With a background in Gestalt Therapy, she helped Swami Shankarananda develop and refine the Shiva Process method of Selt-inquiry, a practical yogic technique for working with thought and feeling.
Middle Way Meditation Phrapalad Sudhammo Bhikkhu Room 217 Religious or Spiritual Observance Through meditation, we can achieve an inner peace and wisdom that enables us to have harmonious relationships with others across the world. This inner peace breaks down barriers among people of different nationalities and cultures so we become one family. Phrapalad Sudhammo Bhikkhu will conduct a one-hour guided meditation to demonstrate Middle Way Buddhist meditation techniques. At the end of the session, there will be a short question and answer session for participants relating to their meditation experience. Phrapalad Sudhammo Bhikkhu is the president of the Buddhist Federation of Australia, the general secretary of the Dhammachai Education Foundation of Australia and the president of Middle Way Meditation Centres in Oceania. He has been practising meditation for over thirty years and is an expert in his field Phrapalad Sudhammo Bhikkhu has established nine meditation centres in Australia, New Zealand and the Solomon Islands.
Guided Gathering of Mind through Seven Steps HH Swami Amarananda Room 216 Religious or Spiritual Observance During this session, Swami Amarananda will guide participants through a Seven Step meditative process. Beginning with the chanting of hymns and reflections on their meanings, he will continue with the observation of the mind as a witness; controlled breathing: prayer to various spiritual teachers of humanity: the imagination of oneself as emanating good wishes to all human beings, especially the marginalised, diseased, and handicapped: and repetition of a mystic syllable. He will then proceed to a series of visualisations based on the following fourteen images: a mountain peak, a placid lake, a waterfall, a candle flame, a flower, a sun, a cumulus cloud pouring forth rain, a forest, sand dunes, snow-clad terrain, star-studded sky in a village, a beam of light from in between one's eyebrows, a flying and singing skylark and vertebrate fish swimming in water. Participants will end the session with a prayer to their own beloved spiritual teacher. HH Swami Amarananda is the senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and president of the Centre Vedantique in Geneva. He is a former residential school headmaster and expert on disaster management. He has participated in numerous multireligious programs, including the World Faiths Development Dialogue, meetings of the Community of Santo Egidio, the Interreligious Platform in Geneva and the World Council of Churches.
Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 2 Ervad kaivan Antia Ervad Armin Dumasia Room 218 Religious or Spiritual Observance Following a brief introductory narrative on Zoroastrianism, the Zarathushtis will perform the daily morning 'Kusti Padyab' ritual. First, they will tie and untie the Kusti (hollow woolen cord) worn around their waists, while reciting the farajayat Irequisitel prayers. Then they will recite Atash Nyaish (Hymn to the Light Divine) and demonstrate the Jashan ceremony la commemoration for the Parliament). The worship will end with the group singing a Monajat (devotional song and offering a short explanation of the worship service. Chasni (fruits and malido, a sweet dish made with flour, sugar and butter displayed during the Jashan to symbolise Ahura Mazda's creation will be served to all participants, subject to receiving permission from the authorities. Ervad Kaivan Antia is a Zoroastrian priest He completed his studies and rituals at Athorvan Madressa in Mumbai.
Ervad Armin Dumasia is a Zoroastrian priest. He completed his studies and rituals at Vatcha Gandhi Fire Temple In Mumbai.
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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00am
actions. While the good actions bring prosperity and well being, the evil actions cause suffering. Jain's basic tenets of five great vows include nonviolence, truth, non-stealing. non-possession and celibacy. By following these vows completely, a soul can break through the cycle of karma. get rid of the cycle of births and deaths, and pave the way for his or her nirvana. These five virtues lead household ers to the conduct of nonviolence, friendliness, tolerance, forgiveness, self-control and respect for all living beings. Through good thoughts and actions, we can make a better world. His Holiness Swami Devendra Keerti Ji is a Jain Bhattarak Swami. An authority on lain philosophy and scriptures, he has attended various national and international conferences. He is very knowledgeable of ancient languages including Sanskril, Prakrit and Kannada, and he specialises in new temple inaugural ceremonies and consecration of Jain deities. Born in Udaipur, Dr Narayan Lal Kachhara received his PhD from the University of Salford. He has taught at the University of Jodhpur, Malviya Regional Engineering College, the University of Salford UK, and the University of Aden. Since retiring in 1997, Dr Kachhara has been working for religious and social causes and exploring the scientific nature of Jain philosophy. on which he has authored half a dozen books. He has lectured on Jain philosophy at many national and international conferences.
Indigenous peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition Nana Osei Boakyewa Yiadom II, Akan/Ghana: Apeadu,
Moderator Tonya Gonnella Frichner, USA: Onondaga Anna Pinto, India: Meiti Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong Plenary Hall Panel Discussion The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues examines and addresses among others such critical issues as Indigenous peoples' human rights, intellectual property and land rights, and the protection of cultural heritages. The panellists are active members of this forum and will discuss the challenges of bringing the issues of Indigenous communities to the United Nations and report on the progress made thus far. Nana Osei Boakyewa Yiadom II, a noted African leader, is one of Ghana's queen mothers. Among the first African women to be elected village chief, she is a fellow with the UN Institute for Training and Research, working on a project on refugee women. Since 1986, she has served as a consultant on the UN Decade for Women, an advisor to the Committee on African Women's Affairs, and president of the Pan African Human Rights Association Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq is the North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a professor of Native American law and human rights. She is president and founder of the American Indian Law Alliance, an NGO in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert on the legal aspects of Indigenous peoples' rights, she is a veteran activist and advocate with long experience of the United Nations and its systems Anna Pinto is executive director of the Centre for Organisation, Research and Education ICORE), an Indigenous peoples policy research and advocacy organisation based in northeast India. An active member of the Indian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initiatives by the government of India and international agencies such as the World Bank Margaret Lokawua is the chairperson for the Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja, and director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project
Spirituality and Healing in Melbourne's North Pastor Esme Atkinson Uncle Reg Blow Elizabeth Pike Room 102 This panel highlights the ways that Aboriginal and Indigenous communities and individuals have adjusted to the challenges of living within the larger social and cultural contexts. Aboriginal Pastor Esme Atkinson will provide insight about Barak Christian Ministries, the only Indigenous Church in Melbourne, highlighting its uniqueness among Melbourne's diverse faith communities. Aboriginal Community Elder, Uncle Reg Blow will present his belief that Aboriginal people have been disconnected from the source of their power by their legacy of intergenerational trauma caused through dispossession, loss of culture, identity and independence. The understanding of self is required by Aboriginal people to heal and connect us back to spirit. The Aboriginal community needs to strengthen the connections of Aboriginal families and community to the land and the culture, to revive our spirituality, so that inner peace and the resilience to live healthy and productive lives can be achieved. Elizabeth Pike describes the experiences of the offspring of the Stolen Generations through the eyes of an Aboriginal myth that mirrors her own life story. Esme Atkinson is Pastor of Barak Christian Ministries. Uncle Reg Blow is a senior Aboriginal Elder from Melbourne. Elizabeth (Betty) Pike is writer in residence at Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Melbourne. She is a Nyoongah woman whose ancestors are the people of southwestern Australia and an Irish convict. Elizabeth is the author of numerous articles with an Aboriginal focus. Her work has appeared in Developing an Australian Theology and 'Bread for the Table as well as journals such as Madonna, Outlook, Summit, Nelen Yubu, Kairos and Earth Song
Basic Tenets and Karma in Jainism Davendra Keertiji Dr Narayan Kachhara Room 101 Panel Discussion This panel will explain the doctrine of Karma that is central to the Jain philosophy. The doctrine holds that our actions determine the quality and quantity of future rewards and advocates a culture and practice of nonviolence. The karma body constitutes a system whereby a soul maintains a record of actions that becomes a guiding factor in the future. Thus every individual has an opportunity to shape the future by controlling his or her present
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Creators of Peace Pari Sanyu Jean Brown Jane Mills Trish McDonald-Harrison Room 103 Interactive Workshop Creators of Peace (COP) is an international network of women committed to the pursuit of a radical peace in which personal honesty and integrity form the basis of reconciliation. Launched in 1991 at the Initiatives of Change centre in Switzerland, CoP operates globally through conferences, workshops, personal encounters. community building activities and COP Circles. CoP specifically challenges women of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds to discover their unique capacity in creating a culture of peace in their homes and communities. This interactive workshop will provide a transformative space for interpersonal, interreligious and interethnic dialogue. Participants will work together through material and exercises that explore the personal challenges and cost of creating peace; allow deep reflection and inner listening to the voice of truth, or God, as a source of inspiration; promote a change of heart, starting with oneself as a primary tool of peace creation; and aid women to act on their particular concerns through effective social action. Participants will have the opportunity to share life stories in an atmosphere of trust and respect through active, compassionate listening and engagement. Pari Sanyu is a social worker by profession Coming from a situa personal and political conflict in Nagaland, she is committed to building the capacity of individuals as peace creators. She engages in the programs of Initiatives of Change and is a skilled facilitator of their training programs. She is also a member of the Whitehorse Interfaith Network and International President of Creators of Peace. Jean Brown is the International Coordinator of Creators of Peace. She is responsible for designing and developing the Creators of Pea program and manual and is an Elder with the Initiatives of Change program and Faculty with the Tools for Change program. Jane Mills is a trainer for Creators of Peace and International Conference Coordinator for Initiatives of Change. Trish McDonald-Harrison is Regional Coordinator and Trainer for Creators of Peace.
of the immigrants. This will lead to a discussion of the formation of Orthodox communities from the late 19th century to the present. A discussion of Orthodox identity in Australia will provide the basis for examining some futures for Orthodoxy in Australia. The second presentation will illustrate some of the above elements through a case study of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia. The third presentation will focus on a specific aspect of Orthodox Christian tradition: that of theosis or divinisation. Some of the socio-ecological consequences of this teaching will be articulated, namely, the praxis of social justice and environmental concerns. The Orthodox tradition also provides rituals and meditation techniques to facilitate the realist purpose of religion. Following the three presentations there will be a panel discussion and participant questions. Trevor Batrouney is an Antiochian Orthodox by faith and a historian and sociologist by profession. He has written extensively on the migration and settlement of Lebanese and other immigrant groups in Australia. He has also written and lectured on Orthodoxy in Australia in both national and international forums. Dr Batrouney is currently an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University. Melbourne. Zvjezdana Peuraca was born in Croatia. In the 1990s she moved to Serbia where she studied at Belgrade University. In 2000, Zvjezdana migrated to Australia. She completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in International Studies at RMIT University, Melbourne, Currently, Zvjezdana is undertaking a Master of Arts degree in International Studies at RMIT University with a particular focus on the Serbian Orthodox Church. Reverend Dr Keith Morrison is the superior of the St Isaac House of Prayer and director of the Sustainable Community Development Research Institute. Keith has been an academic human ecologist at the University of the South Pacific, Lincoin University and the University of Canterbury. and now directs an independent research institute grounded in interdisciplinary and intercultural collaborative research. Keith is also a deacon of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Australasian archdiocese, providing spiritual retreats
Orthodoxy in Australia: Current and Future Perspectives Trevor Batrouney Zvjezdana Peuraca Keith Morrison Room 104 Seminar This program will include three presentations. The first will explore the origins and current situation of Orthodox Christian churches in Australia. In particular, it will examine the immigration and settlement of Orthodox Christians in Australia including waves of migration and the birthplace, ethnic origin and geographic distribution
Changing the World from the Inside Out: Making a Difference through Evolutionary Enlightenment Andrew Cohen Room 106 Lecture Nowadays, with the advent of global warming and the palpable fear of conflict and upheaval, we have become focused on the question of survival. But there is a significant difference between being concerned with how we are going to survive and thinking seriously about how we are actually going to evolve at the deepest level. It's far more common to experience concern about our survival, but to experience the urgent necessity for higher development in the deepest part of ourselves in the soul, is another matter altogether. That soul-level transformation is essential if the future that we seek is to become a reality. In this lecture, spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen offers a dramatically new spiritual solution to the problems we collectively face. Placing the human predicament within the context of the vast, unfolding Kosmos, Cohen awakens us to the evo
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Robert Dixon is the Director of the Pastoral Projects Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and a member of the Board of the Christian Research Association Bob has degrees in science, theology and education and is nearing completion of a PhD in sociology at Monash University.
lutionary impulse--the creative source that springs from the depth of our being. This ecstatic and dynamic source of spiritual liberation gives new meaning to the profound truth that the inner and outer are one, empowering us to transform the world as we know it from the inside out. Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher and founder of Enlighten Next magazine (formerly What Is Enlightenment?). A visionary thinker, Cohen is widely recognised for his original contribution to the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. Through his talks, retreats, publications and ongoing dialogues with leading philosophers, mystics and activists, he is becoming a defining voice in an international alliance of individuals and organisations that are committed to the transformation of human consciousness and culture.
With One Voice Room 107 Film
This documentary brings together mystics from fourteen different spiritual traditions to share their perspectives on the unifying truth that transcends all religions. These teachers address profound questions about life and love, the existence of God, the path to spiritual awakening and the way to true peace in the world. They ask us to look within our own hearts and listen deeply. so that we too can join the conversation and speak With One Voice. The film was directed by Matthew Flickstein.
Integration of Immigrants and Refugees into Australia: Interfaith and Cross-cultural Understanding Philip Hughes Ruth Powell Robert Dixon Room 108 Seminar Migration is at the core of the Australian experience, and the country's cultural and religious diversity continues to increase. The churches of Australia have developed a variety of ways of welcoming these immigrants, building socially cohesive communities and developing ways in which people can serve each other. This seminar brings together Australia's three top Christian research agencies to look at Australia's religious profile, its multicultural churches and their pastoral strategies. The session will be of particular interest to those who are working with young people, both through schools and religious organisations. It will be of importance to all those who are interested in contemporary social change and how cur rent changes may have an impact on the paths to creating better interfaith and cross-cultural understanding and working for peace. justice and sustainability. Dr Philip Hughes is a Senior Research Officer at the Christian Research Association of Australia. Dr Ruth Powell is the Director of the National Christian Life Survey
Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion (Session 1) Leron Shults Solomon Katz Michael T H Wong Manuka Henare Imam Afroz Ali Room 109 Panel and Interactive Workshop Compassion is a value that is central to many of the world's religions and a phenomenon that can be studied from a variety of scientific perspectives. This first session of a mini-symposium sponsored by the International Society for Science and Religion contributes to the growing interest in integrating interreligious with interdisciplinary dialogue. It will provide a context within which different voices can come together around the shared concern to understand and facilitate empathy and altruism across religious and other significant boundaries. This symposium focuses on transforming the way we think about compassion through listening to one another and on facilitating compassion that has a meaningful impact on the human condition. It will also discuss facilitating a level of compassion that transforms the human condition. The first session will begin with a panel including a biologist, a psychologist and an economist, who will address the question. 'How does your discipline help us understand and foster compassion?' The panel will be followed by group exercises in which audience members discuss initial reactions and implications. F LeRon Shults is professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. A leading authority on science and theology, he has published some ten books and dozens of articles in the field Shults is the editor of the Brill book series 'Philosophical Studies in Science and Religion' and scientific director of the Transforming Compassion project at Stiftelsen Arkivel, a peace-building institute in Norway. His other current research interests include ethics, desire, differentiation and religious symbolism Dr Solomon Katz is director of the Krogman Center for Childhood Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania and is a professor of anthropology and a senior fellow at the Wharton School Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics. He was founder and Chairman (1984 to 1986) of the Task Force on the African Famine for the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and is currently Chair of the AAA Task Force on World Food Problems. Michael T H Wong is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Monash University. Australia Manuka Henare is the Associate Dean at the University of Auckland Business School, New Zealand. Imam Afroz Ali is the Founder and President of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development. He has received licences to teach in various Islamic Sciences, having learned from the most esteemed Islamic scholars of our time. He has initiated philanthropic as well as sustainable environmental projects in Australia and abroad and continues to advocate peace, acceptance, justice and interpersonal rights. Ali received the International Ambassador for Peace award.
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Sunday, December 6, 2009
Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace
Sulak Sivaraksa
Tony Le-Nguyen
Jill Jameson
Karma Lekshe Tsomo
Room 110
Panel Discussion
This panel discussion will focus on the incredible success that socially engaged Buddhist leaders have had in combating modern problems such as war, poverty and AIDS, as well as the diversity of the responses. These stories attest to the limitless well of compassion within the Buddhist tradition, as applied via the skilful means of social activism. In sharing these storics of success, presenters will also discuss the obstacles to peace and the social, political and cultural causes of suffering that still remain and must be addressed.
Sulak Sivaraksa, of the Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute, is a Nobel Prize nominee and prominent Buddhist social and environmental activist in Thailand. He has founded numerous organisations and has been involved in Buddhist-Christian dialogue for decades. His books include 'Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society' and 'Loyalty Demands Dissent'.
Tony Le-Nguyen is currently the Executive Producer for Australian Vietnamese Youth Media. Last year he assisted the Vietnamese Community in Victoria to co-ordinate 'Children of the Dragon, a community arts project to celebrate 30 years of Vietnamese settlement in Australia. Mr. Le-Nguyen was the first Vietnamese-Australian to be appointed as an Official Prison Visitor to Port Phillip and Fulham Prison by the Minister for Corrections, the Honourable Andre Haermeyer in 2003 to act as an independent voice for the Prison system in Victoria. In 2000, He was awarded the Community Cultural Development Fellowship by the Australia Council for the Arts, a two year professional development program to research different Community Cultural Development practices in the United States, Canada, France and Vietnam.
Jill Jameson, is a human rights activist and trainer from Melbourne's Buddhist Peace Fellowship chapter in Australia. Jill has been engaged in the work of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, offering training in conflict transformation and peace-building in Burma, as well as being part of a small delegation of Buddhists to Burma following the Saffron Revolution.
Karma Lekshe Tsomo is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego, where she teaches Buddhism, World Religions, and Comparative Religious Ethics. She studied Buddhism in Dharamsala, India for fifteen years and received a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is president of Sakyadhita: The International Association of Buddhist Women and director of Jamyang Foundation, an initiative providing educational opportunities for women in developing countries.
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Zoroastrians: Their Imperative
to be Bridge Builders
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Arnavaz Chubb, Moderator
Dr Dolly Dastoor
Dr Sam Kerr
Perviz Dubash Kayzad Namdarian Room 111 Panel Discussion
Zarathushtis are unique in the interfaith world. Small in number, they have great respect for all other faiths, and, in turn, they command the respect of others. This presentation will explore the Zarathushti imperative to be Bridge Builders, Nithashnametheshim and Hamazor, the kinds of schism causes, what it means to be a Bridge Builder and how Zarathushtis may offer their services to be Bridge Builders between and among the faiths.
Arnavaz Chubb holds a Master's degree in Avesta and Pahlavi (the ancient scriptural languages of the Zoroastrians) and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and Ancient Indian Culture, both from the University of Bombay, India. She has served in various capacities on the managing committee of the Zoroastrian Association of Victoria. She conducts the religious education classes organised by the Association for children and adults.
Dolly Dastoor is the past president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America and the Zoroastrian Association of Quebec as well as editor-in-chief at Fezana Journal. She is currently Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University, Canada.
Sam Kerr was born in Bombay, India. He is an emeritus surgeon to the University of New South Wales and its College Hospitals, Sydney. Australia. Dr Kerr was initiated into the Australian Zoroastrian Association of New South Wales in 1969 as a founding member. In addition to his professional writings, he has published and lectured on the social, cultural, historical and scriptural aspects of the religion of Zarathushtra.
Perviz Dubash is the former president of the Zoroastrian Association of Victoria. He is currently the honorable trustee for the Zoroastrian Association of Victoria and the Current Coordinator of the Zoroastrian Group for the Parliament of the World's Religions.
Kayzad Namdarian was brought up and studied in Melbourne, Australia. He is completing a Master of Diplomacy and Trade. He works in the Kingdom of Tonga on assignment. He has been involved in various Zoroastrian community activities in Australia and abroad, such as preparing for a religious presentation on the importance of gender equality at the UN Women's Rights Conference in 2005.
Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati
Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga
Ni Ketut Arini
Gusti Koes Murtiyah
Nurlia Ruddin
Suprapto Suryodarmo
Diane Butler
Eddy Supriono Wirabhumi
Ida Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa
Eko Kadarsih
Room 201
Artistic Performance
Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati is a new ritual dance offering to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, the arts and wisdom. In South Sulawesi, she is known as 'Colliq

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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
socio-religious knowledge and practices in national/global environmental forums. Pedanda Arimbawa has joined interreligious art, player, and dialogues throughout Indonesia and internationally. Eko Kadarsih, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is a leading performer of classical palace dances of the Karaton Surakarta. Since 1986, Eko has performed with the karaton artist's delegation and as an independent artist in several Indonesian provinces, and in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the USA. She holds a degree in literature,
Walking With Wisdom by Jeremy 'Yongurra Yerin' Donovan Jeremy 'Yongurra Yerin' Donovan Room 201 Artistic Performance Jeremy's music is evocative and heartfelt. His stories and music stirs emotions in his audience as he transports them back to the Dreamtime.
Pujie Arung Pancana Toa', author of the world heritage literature, La Galigo. This dance depicts a woman's search for enlightenment through three phases. The first two consist of an Agni Hotra purification ceremony and Kalaruci innertime, in which the oneness of earth, moon and sun meets the small holy one in ourselves. Then, it depicts three sacred feminine ethnic sources from Bali, Central Java, and Makassar, South Sulawesi, manifesting as Saraswati with the Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana/World Peace Barong. From the radiation of Dewi Saraswati's compassion and breathing of religiosity in art, we pray within bhinneka tunggal ika', unity in diversity, to Nature, Ancestors and the Great Oneness of God. Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana/World Peace Barong was conceived in March 2003 during the Sharing Art and Religiosity program in Bedulu, Bali. This barong is a new creation made from coral, stones, bark, roots, feathers, fabric, bells and materials gifted every year by people across the earth. In 2011, it will be dedicated to the 1000-year anniversary of Pasamuan Tiga Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga is a nonprofit public foundation in Bedulu, Bali, Indonesia dedicated to maintaining and supporting the spirit of conciliation that arose in the interfaith meeting at Samuan Tiga Temple in the year 1011. The foundation strives to promote intercultural collaboration through sharing in the arts and religiosity among cultures in Indonesia and among nations throughout the world. Ni Ketut Arini, of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, is a distinguished performer, choreographer and teacher of classical and modern Balinese dance. She was a faculty member at the Indonesian Conservatory of Performing Arts |KOKAR) and then a supervisor for national high schools throughout Bali. In 1973, she founded Sanggar Warini, a traditional studio in her birth-village Lebah, where she continues to guide hundreds of young artists. She has toured extensively throughout the world, Gusti Koes Murtiyah, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is the daughter of the late Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono XII, the king of Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat. She holds a degree in Javanese Literature and is Director of Yayasan Pawiyatan Budaya Karaton Surakarta, which develops and preserves palace arts and culture. She has performed traditional Javanese court dances in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the United States. Nurlia Ruddin, of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is the daughter of a leading teacher of the ritual dance Pakarena. She is a dance teacher at the National High School for the Arts in Somba Opu. Nurlia regularly performs in Indonesia, and her students have received national recognition Suprapto Suryodarmo founded his Padepokan Lemah Putih school in Mojosongo, Solo, Java in 1986. Since 1970, he has studied free movement, Vipassana and Javanese Sumarah meditation. He uses these practices in the nature, temple and human fields. For twenty years, Suprapto Suryodarmo has taught his Joged Amerta method and created ritual art in Indonesia, Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia, the Philippines, Japan and India. He is a founding member of Dharma Nature Time and Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga. Diane Butler was born in the United States and has resided in Bedulu and Tejakula, Bali since 2001. She is a movement artist, teacher and cultural/education program director who has worked in contemplative intercultural arts in the US, Europe, Mexico and Asia. Diane holds a BFA in Dance from Juilliard and an MALS in Dance & Culture from Wesleyan. She is completing her PhD in Cultural Studies at Universitas Udayana in Bali. She is a founder and president of Dharma Nature Time. Eddy Supriono Wirabhumi, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, holds an MA in Economics and a PhD in Law from Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang. As a Board Member of the foundation Yayasan Pawiyatan Budaya Karaton Surakarta, he is Costume director for the artists of Karaton Surakarta and an advisor for the renovation and revitalisation of the palace architecture. Sacred Earth: Music for Inner Peace. Ida Pedanda Gede Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, of Amlapura, Bali, Indonesia, was confirmed as a Bali Hindu Priest in 1985 and is currently Dharma Adhyaksa of the High Priests Assembly of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (Indonesian Hindu Councill. He is active in AIDS education and care for youth and fosters the presence of traditional eco
Religious Leaders for a Sustainable Future Bishop Geoffrey Davies James Buchanan Room 202 Interactive Workshop This session is framed to consider first the complex issues of a globalizing world and then outstanding regional solutions. We need to develop new forms of global civil society, networks of dialogue, engagement and action which work as a check and balance to the powerful global institutions which often do not represent common values. The presentation will explore the special role that Interfaith communities need to play in the creation of these global civil social networks and of the demand that these networks offer real workable alternatives to the bad practices of many of the global actors and institutions. Bishop Geoffrey Davies of the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI), will discuss how his organisation works to mobilise religious communities and people of faith to care for the whole creation. Believing that climate change, biodiversity loss, economic injustice and poverty are moral issues, SAFCEI seeks to qalvanise all varieties of faith communities to use their moral authority and extensive networks to seek environmental justice and equity for future generations. The work of the Institute serves as a model that can be replicated, showing that diverse religious people have much in common and can indeed live in peace and harmony with one another while seeking a sustainable, peaceful future. Bishop Geoffrey Davies is Coordinator and founder member of the Southern African Faith Communities' Environmental Institute, which works to raise awareness of environmental issues, such as climate change, among different faith communities. He participated in Christian Aid's Cut the Carbon march around the UK, which aimed to draw attention to global warming and the urgent issue of reducing our carbon footprint. James Buchanan is director of the Brueggeman Center for Dialogue at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Center works on globaliza tion and global issues though conferences, publications and a variety of
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projects around the world. Interfaith dialogue, engagement and action are central to the work of the Center. Dr Buchanan has his PhD from the University of Chicago in Comparative Religion and Value Systems. He has published widely and lecture throughout the world.
Who Do We Want To Be: Exploring the Mission of the Jewish People in the 21st Century
Rabbi David Rosen Rachael Kohn, Moderator Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Rabbi David Saperstein Room 203
Panel Discussion
Contemporary Judaism, whether as expressed in Israel itself or in the Jewish Diaspora, faces many challenges as it moves further away in time from the Holocaust and from the foundation of Israel. This panel, consisting of several leading Jewish leaders and thinkers, will discuss these challenges and the evolving nature of Judaism in the 21st century. The session will be facilitated by Rachael Kohn, one of Australia's leading religious affairs commentators. Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding, Rabbi David Rosen serves on several international interreligious organisations. Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisations representing world Jewry to other religions.
Rachael Kohn is producer and presenter of The Spirit of Things on ABC Radio National.
Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence is Senior Rabbi at The Great Synagogue, Sydney. Ile serves as registrar and a judge on the Sydney Beth Din and is Orthodox rabbinic advisor to the New South Wales Board of Jewish Deputies and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. He is a founder member of the NSW Jewish Arbitrators and Mediators Service. He was formerly Rabbi in Auckland and a founder member of the Auckland Interfaith Council. He holds a degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford University and has been associated with interfaith dialogue and the CCJ since student days. Rabbi Lawrence is a keen technophile, broadcaster and lecturer. Other interests include the environment, magic, Gilbert & Sullivan and skydiving. Rabbi Lawrence is married to Mandy and has four children ranging from two to sixteen years old.
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is an acclaimed interfaith activist described by Newsweek as 'one of America's most influential rabbis'. He is the creator of 'Building Bridges' and 'American Pilgrimage on Bridges TV, the author of "You Don't Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism', and a columnist for Beliefnet.com and Newsweek/ Washington Post.com. Hirschfield is the President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, America's leading Jewish institution for religious pluralism.
Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill, Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
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The February 2009 Bushfires in Victoria: Religious Response in the Role of Recovery and Renewal
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Chi Kwang Sunim Christine Nixon
Brother Trevor Parton
Pastor Russell Wright
Room 204
Panel Discussion
In February 2009, Australia experienced the most devastating bushfire in the country's history. Nearly 200 people were killed, and more than 400 more were injured, as fires spread rapidly across the land. In the aftermath of the disaster, relief workers from many religious communities came together to help the survivors. Reverend Chi Kwang Sunim, a Buddhist nun and survivor of the Kinglake fires. will lead a dialogue with Christine Nixon, Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, and several religious leaders, about working with emergency relief, dealing with the suffering and grief of survivors and victims, and rebuilding community. The presenters will also share stories of outstanding acts of kindness experienced during the Kinglake Ranges' recovery and renewal, as well as look into deeper questions of ecological sustainability.
Chi Kwang Sunim has been a Zen Buddhist nun for 30 years. Burn in Korea, she now resides in Kinglake, Victoria. She is a founding member of the Buddhist Library in Sydney, Wat Buddha Dharma, and The Seon Centre, and is a seasoned meditation and Buddhist teacher. She is currently Chair of the Australian Sangha Association and recognised in Buddhist and Interfaith circles in Australia and abroad.
Christine Nixon is the Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRAJ. Prior to this, Christine was the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, having served New South Wales Police from 1972 and Victoria Police from 2001. Christine is an Advisory Board member of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, and a patron of the Blue Ribbon Foundation.
Brother Trevor Parton is resident at the Christian Brothers Centre for Ecology and Spirituality in Glenburn, Victoria, within the area devastated by the bushfires. Trevor is a lecturer and presenter at Glenburn, as well as in Hobart, Brisbane and Perth. His work concentrates on eco-literacy and on creating a more functional and spiritual relationship between the human and the natural world.
Pastor Russell Wright is the Christian Outreach Centre's mission and operations manager. He has managed disaster relief projects in both Australia and overseas, including the Asian tsunami and Kinglake bushfires. For eight years, he has led more than 300 youth in mission training in Asia, in hopes of creating a new generation of community outreach leaders.
Jain principles for Corporate Social Responsibility
Dipak Jain
Room 207
Lecture
Dr Dipak Jain, former dean of the Kellogg School of Management, will address business ethics from a Jain perspective. Over the past year, the economic tsunami that swept through the world's financial markets has highlighted weaknesses in the global banking system. The

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crisis then spread quickly because of the very quality that otherwise lends strength to this network: the interconnectedness of these financial institutions. From a Jainist perspective, some spiritual tenets could help prevent these market excesses. The market, it seems, should regard the accumulation of material wealth as spiritually helpful so long as this wealth is deployed in ways that create widespread social benefit. In his humorous style, Dr Jain will present several examples from daily life and the current business environment.
Dr Dipak C Jain has been dean of the Kellogg School of Management since 2001. His career in education began as a student in Tezpur, northeast India. He earned his Master's Degree in Mathematical Statistics from Gauhati University in India and his PhD in Marketing from the University of Texas. Since 1989, Dean Jain has also been a visiting professor of marketing at the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
The Calling to Interfaith Ministry
and Interfaith Practice
Roger Ross
Robert Sellers
Robert Hrasna
Tim Miner
Beth Katz
Room 208
Panel Discussion
This panel describes organisations that have formed to support the growing number of interfaith ministers who have answered the call of this expanding and dynamic movement. It will take a look at the powerful application of interfaith cooperation and mutual learning in Christian leadership, scholarship and among its adherents, as well as the environmental challenges people of all faiths face together.
Rabbi Roger Ross is the Executive Director of the New Seminary for Interfaith Studies, the Executive Director of the Rabbinical Seminary International, and the Treasurer of the NGO Committee on Spirituality. Values and Global Concerns, New York. He received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Philosophy from New York University, and his ordination as Interfaith Minister from The New Seminary. Rabbi Ross received Rabbinical Ordination from the Rabbinical Seminary International.
Robert P Sellers is Connally Professor of Missions and Theology at Logsdon School of Theology. Hardin-Simmons University, in Abilene, Texas. He draws on experience working in Indonesia and travelling through 36 countries to teach cross-cultural studies, liberation theology and interreligious dialogue. A brief account of his personal faith pilgrimage and interreligious perspective is found in The Cave: Teaching Religion Students to Rethink Exclusivism and Embrace Tolerance', in The World's Religions After September 11, Vol. 4.
Reverend Robert Hrasna is an ordained Interfaith Minister and a graduate of The New Seminary in New York. He continues to serve there as Director of Music. Reverend Hrasna lives in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, where he formed a ministry in the field of Holistic/Spiritual health and counselling. He currently serves as the chairman of the board for A World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy.
Reverend Timothy Miner, OUn!, is the founding secretary of the Order of Universal Interfaith and the organiser of both the Council of Interfaith Congregations of the United States and the World Council of Interfaith Congregations. He is a graduate of interfaith and traditional seminaries in the United States. He is also a board member of A World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy working to recognise the training and work of interfaith ministers.

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Beth Katz is the founder and executive director of Project Interfaith (www.projectinterfaithusa.org), an innovative organisation based in Omaha, Nebraska that serves as a leader and resource on interfaith and religious diversity issues. She also teaches courses on international conflict resolution and religious diversity in the schools at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
The Sacred Journey
Marjorie Tidman Peter Tidman Dr John Davidson Natasha Tidman Raymond Tidman Kyle Lister Room 209
Interactive Workshop
Spiritual development is conceptualised within the broad framework of increasing our individual and collective capacity to love God and also to love humanity, to alleviate human suffering and to contribute our share to the advancement of civilisation. The major part of this program will focus on the sacred journey in search of the Beloved throughout this world and beyond. The workshop is based on Baha'u'llah's most important mystical work, 'The Seven Valleys', revealed in the late 1850s in response to the questions of a judge who was also a prominent Sufi. The presentation will use various art forms, especially music, to engage the audience. The events of each individual journey are unique, but the golden threads of love, courage, insight and submission are common to all who progress along the spiritual path. The second part of the program highlights the newly constructed Baha'i Centre of Learning, located at the gateway to Hobart, Tasmania, which has attracted widespread public interest because of the beauty of its architecture and its many environmental features. The presentation will briefly survey the architecture, functions and aspirations of the Centre to serve the spiritual and social needs of the community, and tell some of its stories of tragedy and triumph.
Dr Marjorie Rose Tidman is an educational consultant and psychologist, and a former member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia. She is currently the Critical Incident (Traumal Co-ordinator for Western Australia, for PPC Worldwide, co-ordinator of 'Sacred Steps Spiritual Retreat and a member of the Board of Baha'i Studies for the Yerrinbool Baha'i Centre of Learning, Australia.
Peter Charles Tidman is an optometrist and a musician, playing classical, jazz, rock, folk, and Spanish guitar; he also performs on vocals and pipes.
Dr John Davidson is a member of the Baha'i Council for Tasmania and has been engaged with the Baha'i Centre Project since its inception. He is retired from teaching psychology at the University of Tasmania and spends most of his time at the Baha'i Centre of Learning. He has a long interest in the development of educational programs within the Australian Baha'i community.
Natasha Anna Tidman is a year 12 school student who performs vocals. Raymond Maxwell Tidman is a year 9 school student who plays the guitar and drums.

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Sikh Youth Perspectives
Jagjit Singh, Moderator Jessi (Jasjit) Kaur
Kulmeet Singh
Gurpal Singh
Room 210
Panel Discussion
Every faith sustains itself by nurturing its next generation with care and dedication. This session, which includes several young Sikhs along with Sikh youth camp organisers, addresses the needs of Sikh young adults. It will speak to their specific issues in the context of a modern, globalised world. It will also address the future of Sikh youth. This session will present and highlight intergenerational perspectives relating to Sikh youth development.
Jagjit Singh is an auditor who is member of the Sikh community of Melbourne and practices the Sikh way of life. He actively participates in community activities and practices Seva [volunteering selfless service'] in various aspects of life, including participation in activities of Langar (preparing, serving, washing dishes, etc). One of his interests includes meeting people of varied backgrounds to share the values of Sikhism and to encourage harmony between the different cultures of Australia. Jessi Kaur is a frequent speaker at interfaith conferences and has travelled extensively sharing spiritual values taught by the Sikh Gurus. Co-founder of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies and author of 'Dear Takuya, a children's book that promotes acceptance of diversity among young children, Jessi is also Fine Arts Commissioner for Cupertino, CA, USA. She believes that harmony is possible in a diverse world when barriers of ignorance are brought down.
Kulmeet Singh is the Executive Director of the group FATEH, a Sikh youth service organisation that offers Sikh young adults the opportunity to work in Punjab, India for the betterment of the Sikh community.
Gurpal Singh is a software engineer by profession. Religion, faith and belief have stimulated his thinking since childhood. Living in a multicuttural world prompts him to reflect on diversity and to ponder his values. He is a firm believer of 'Unity in Diversity and values the uniqueness of each culture. The Parliament of the World's Religions will surely be a platform for new horizons to share, care and learn from different sections of society.
Our Interreligious Future
Rev Dirk Ficca
Charles Gibbs
Yoland Trevino
Dr William Vendley
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Room 211
Panel Discussion
The interreligious movement is barely a century old, yet it is clear that it will play an increasingly important role in the years ahead. Where is it all going? Will the religions play a larger role in the issues challenging the human community? Is there a potential for greater common action among the world's religious and spiritual communities? What are the next steps in the journey, what is motivating the movement and what are the obstacles to realising its visions? These and other topics will be addressed by directors of leading interreligious organisations, their colleagues and the audience.
230 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Rev Dirk Ficca serves as Executive Director of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Dirk worked closely with the religious and spiritual communities of the Chicago metropolitan area to plan and organise the 1993 Parliament in that city. After the 1993 event, Dirk continued to lead the Council's efforts to build a vibrant interreligious movement in Chicago and around the world. Dirk is also an ordained Presbyterian minister.
The Rev Canon Charles Gibbs serves as Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative, a global interfaith network for peace active in 72 countries.
Yoland Trevino is a globally respected Indigenous leader of Mayan ancestry and the Global Council Chair of the United Religions Initiative.
Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994 and has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King. Abdullah's historic interreligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World League to serve on its Follow up Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama.
Abdul Malik Mujahid is the founder of Sound Vision Foundation and executive producer of the daily Radio Islam show. He served two terms as the Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and is currently Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. As national coordinator of Bosnia Task Force, USA, he successfully led efforts in collaboration with the National Organization of Women [NOW] to declare rape a war crime.
What Religious Insights Can Bring
to Secular Education
Venerable Jian Tan Bernard Korbman Annette Subhani
Dr Philip Riley
Sri Paramahamsa Prajnanananda Room 212
Panel Discussion
Religion has always inspired and influenced human thought in significant ways. We believe that some ideas and practices from religion can be used to help us understand current deficiencies in secular education and make us rethink what is truly important in school education: teaching us how to be human beings. In this program, speakers from Chung Tai Chan Monastery, the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne, the grassroots character development program Sharing Circles, and Santa Clara University discuss 'What Religious Insights Can Bring to Secular Education'.
Venerable Jian Tan is the Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery [founded by the Grand Master Wei Chueh, a Zen Buddhist spiritual leader in Taiwan). He earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University and a Master's degree in English Education in the US in 2009. He has served as the Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale and has given teachings in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Bernard Korbman is the Executive Director of the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne. He lectures extensively in Holocaust education, both nationally and internationally, as well as in issues dealing with human rights and effective teaching methods. Before working at the Jewish Holocaust Centre, Bernard was employed in the Government State School system for a 25 year period.
Annette Subhani is the Secretary of the Baha'i Council for Victoria. She is a parent, has a Diploma in Primary Education, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education, and has participated in numerous professional development programs for various industries. She founded

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the grassroots character development program Sharing Circles, which contributes to the character and spiritual development of children aged two and beyond.
Philip Boo Riley is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University, where he has been active since 1978. His teaching and research interests focus on the Silicon Valley faith communities and how such organisations are shaped by regional dynamics. He lives in Santa Clara with his wife Mary Beth.
Paramahamsa Prajnanananda is the current spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga international organizations. These organizations were founded by his master, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who spread the teachings of Kriya Yoga all over the world. Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji was Swami Shriyukteshwar and Paramahamsa Yogananda's most outstanding direct disciple, one of the greatest realized Kriya Yoga masters in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj and Lahiri Mahasaya.
Taking Our Place in the Interreligious Movement: Women in Society, Peacemaking, and Interfaith Dialogue
Trish Madigan
Rev Denise Yarbrough
Sussy Gumo
Shehara Viswanathan
Natalie Lindner Lhuillier
Room 213
Panel Discussion
This program contains four sessions. [1] World Peace: Myth or Reality. A growing body of UN research shows that capitalising on the activities of women peacebuilders not only advances women's rights, but also leads to more effective programs. This presentation is by Pushpa Wood, a Hindu woman from New Zealand, and Trish Madigan, a Christian woman from Australia, both participants in the intergovernmental International Dialogues on Interfaith Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. (2) Make a World of Difference: Gender, Religion and Human Rights-A Kenyan Perspective. Gender equality and the empowerment of women is one of the prioritised agendas of the Millennium Development Goals. The aim of this paper is to examine how women are marginalised politically, economically, socially and spiritually in Kenya. (3) Women and a Model for Interfaith Dialogue. The central topic of this theme will be the roles and representation of women in each faith tradition. [4] Too Political?! The Story of Believing Women for a Culture of Peace. Members of this women's interfaith group will share stories of challenges and opportunities, and reflect on the experience of women and the goal of the interfaith movement to 'hear each other and heal the earth'.
Trish Madigan is a Catholic Dominican sister, a member of the Women's Interfaith Network and a Christian representative on the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Jews and Muslims. In 2002 Trish participated in a Consultation of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue for the Asian region held in Seoul, South Korea. She has been an Australian delegate at four regional intergovernmental conferences of the International Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony. Rev Denise Yarbrough is the Canon for Christian Formation and Theological Education at the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, New York, and acts as the Interreligious and Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese. She teaches interfaith studies and world religions at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and serves on various interfaith bodies. She has

authored a curriculum for interfaith education in Christian congregations and is working on a book on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Dr Sussy Nyakan Gumo teaches theology and philosophy in the Department of Religion at Maseno. She received her BA in education in 1991 and MA in 1995 from the University of Nairobi, and her PhD in religion in 2005 from Maseno University. She lectures on research methods, gender issues, religion and community development, religion and culture, and comparative religion.
Shehara Viswanathan is a member of the Uniting Church in Australia and the Convenor of the Young Women's Interfaith Network. From 19992003 Shehara was the Australian representative on the Women's Advisory Committee of the World Council of Churches in Switzerland. During this time she helped organise an International Young Women's Leadership Conference in Kenya. In 2002 she was one of a team of four who represented the Australian churches on a solidarity visit to Sudan.
Natalie Lindner L'Huillier has a professional background in pastoral ministry. Natalie received her undergraduate degree in Christian Theology from the Brisbane College of Theology. With the support of the National Council of Churches Ecumenical Leadership Fund, she travelled to Ireland to complete a Masters of Philosophy at the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin. Natalie has recently taken up a position as Indigenous Research Support Officer within Australian Catholic University's Indigenous Research Office.
Decolonising our Hearts and Minds, Healing the Earth and Ourselves: North American Indigenous Perspectives
Nancy Martin
Ines Talamantez Javier Davila Room 214 Lecture
This panel of papers explores the need to decolonise our ways of thinking, to face honestly and directly the plight of North American Indigenous peoples, and to move beyond it. This is necessary in order to recover the wisdom and traditions that are endangered or forgotten and to move toward healing and reconciliation both between peoples and with the earth. The session will include the following papers: 'Decolonising our Hearts and Minds' by Ines Talamantez, professor of Native American Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara; 'Genocide in the Guise of a Helping Hand' by Javier Davila, professor of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine and founder of the Native American Healing Center in Southern California; and 'Remembering Who We Are, Recovering the Sacred: First Nations Voices from the Yukon', a presentation by Nancy M Martin, professor of Religious Studies, Chapman University and co-founder of the Global Ethics and Religion Forum.
Nancy M Martin is associate professor of Religion and Griset Lecturer in Ethics at Chapman University, California, USA. Dr Martin has published widely and lectured internationally on religion in South Asia and comparative religious ethics. She is co-editor of a series of volumes on comparative religious ethics including The Meaning of Life in the World Religions and Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions'.
A member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, Ines M Talamantez is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Talamantez is the author of 'Teaching Religion and Healing and has contributed articles to 'Native Religions and Cultures of North America: Anthropology of the Sacred', and 'Unspoken Worlds: Women's Religious Lives'. The past president of the Indigenous Studies Group at the American Academy of Religion, she is a pioneering figure among American Indian scholars.

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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Javier Davila is the founding director of the American Indian Healing Center and senior partner of South Coast Infectious Disease Medical Center. Having received his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, he went into private practice in 1984 and taught about infectious diseases at the UCI Medical School from 1986 to 2005. Dr Davila founded the non-profit American Indian Healing Center in Whittier, California in 2000 to address the health needs of urban Native Americans.
and various locations in New Jersey. She has most recently given workshops and talks in India and Dubai Arthur Stein teaches Peace Studies and Comparative Religion in the honours program at the University of Rhode Island (URII, USA. Cofounder of the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at URI, he has been engaged in educational and conflict resolution/reconciliation service on every continent. Author of several books and other publications, he has been a participant and scholar in working towards mutual understanding and peacebuilding among ethnic national communities.
Meditation: the Ultimate Transformative Experience Dr Andrew Vidich, Moderator Dr Margarete Czerny Jim Rose Sue Rose Dr Art Stein Room 215 Interactive Workshop In this interactive experiential symposium, participants will learn how meditation can transform all aspects of their life. Learn how a simple but profound technique of meditation can help heal our bodies, open our hearts, liberate our minds and lead directly to the deepest levels of peace and joy within. Each of us already contains within us everything we need to be completely healthy, happy and spiritually fulfilled. We are, in fact, hard-wired for happiness and peace. This experience is accessible to each one of us right now. In fact, it is our birthright. All we need is the inner technology of transcendence, known in many traditions as meditation, to access this vast inner wealth. Daily contact with this inner fountainhead of Life and light will result in personal healing, spiritual fulfilment and global transformation. As Gandhi once said, 'If we want to change the world, we should first be the change we seek'. Experience for yourself how meditation can change your life forever and how you can be a catalyst for healing the world by becoming a living Ambassador of Light. Andrew Vidich has taught as an adjunct assistant professor of religion at Manhattan College and lona College. He is currently a literacy coach and mentor for the New York City Department of Education. He is the author of 'Light Upon Light: Five Master Paths to Awakening the Mindful Self which won the 2008 National Book Award for best book in Eastern Religions. Dr Vidich is an international speaker in the field of meditation and spirituality Margarete Czerny is a scientist and economic advisor to the govern ment of Austria and the European Union. She was recently honoured with the Golden Order of Merit of the Republic of Austria, Dr Czerny was head of the Department of East-West Relations, Infrastructure, Housing Policy, and International Economics at the University of Vienna. Her expertise is in developing plans for transitioning nations. Her interests include methods of fostering world peace and interreligious dialogue. Jim Rose recently retired from Johnson & Johnson with 35 years of experience in human resources management and leadership development. In 1984, he began the spiritual path of Sant Mat, where he practices a vegetarian diet, meditates daily and studies under the guidance of a spiritual teacher, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. Jim provides workshops and training to groups throughout the world where he connects meditation and spiritual development to other aspects of our lives. Susan Rose has been a vegetarian and has meditated for over 35 years She cooks and studies nutrition with an emphasis on finding healthy vegetarian alternatives for her family and friends. Since retiring from a career in sales and marketing. Susan has taught classes in vegetarian cooking and vegetarian diet in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran Dr Mahdi Mostafavi Room 216 Academic Paper Islam has been considered a religion that does not separate religious beliefs and political practice. However, the proper system of governance in an Islamic society has sparked debates among a number of Muslim thinkers and scholars. The model of state established by the Noble Prophet of Islam in the city of Medina emphasised the principles of justice and equality, which allowed political participation of sorts for all the citizens including Muslims, Christians and Jews. In the contemporary world and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the late Imam Khomeini put this doctrine into practice and devised a new political system in Iran based upon his unique concept of Vilayat-e Faqih (Rule of Jurisprudencel, which is popularly referred to as Religious Democracy. This paper seeks to explore the ways, means and mechanisms through which divine teachings and religious values can be reconciled with contemporary issues related to governance and the participation of people in political, social and cultural affairs. The author believes that the doctrine of 'Religious Democracy is the result of such reconciliation and that it has been implemented in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dr Mahdi Mostafavi is the advisor to the Iranian president and is the President of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation, which shapes Iran's cultural relations with the rest of the world. Dr Mostafavi holds a PhD degree in Strategic Management and has held different positions in government, including Deputy Foreign Minister and the President of the Department of International Affairs of the Office of the Supreme of Iran. He has many books to his credit
Preservation of Sikh Heritage Jasbir Singh, Moderator Devinder Pal Singh Dr Balvinder Singh Sarbpreet Singh Room 217 Panel Discussion The Sikh faith is now over 500 years old. Preservation of that faith's religious heritage has become a central and critical issue for the global Sikh community. This session provides an overview of the efforts being undertaken to preserve the written, architectural and musical heritage of the Sikhs throughout South Asia and the rest of the
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world. Discussion will focus on the challenges of preservation and methods to address these challenges. Mr Jasbir Singh has been the Chairman of the Rajasthan State Minorities Commission, an Indian government agency working for the welfare of five religious minorities (Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Zoroastrians and Buddhists. As the Vice President of the State Sikh Samaj, he has encouraged propagation of secular ideals propounded by Sikh Gurus. As Secretary General of the Indian chapter of GCS International, a UN-affiliated NGO, he has led initiatives for global peace. Devinder Pal Singh is the Operations Director of the Nanakshahi Trust based in Chandigarh, India. The mission of the Nanakshahi Trust, established in 2001, is to develop the Sikh aesthetics and to assist the destitute and downtrodden. The Trust is a research and action organisation dedicated to creating awareness of Sikh culture. Projects undertaken include creating audio-visual aides, printing text, sponsoring education and recognising outstanding contributors. Balvinder Singh is Reader and former Head of the Guru Ramdas School of Planning at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and is an INTACH Scholar He has presented at 17 international conferences and is a well-respected Sikh conservationist. His recent research projects have included documentation of artwork in Siri Harimandir Sahib, with special emphasis on floral designs, and documentation of Sikh Shrines in Pakistan. Sarbpreet Singh is the founding director of the Gurmat Sangeel Project The Gurmat Sangeet Project is an organisation dedicated to the preservation and propagation of Gurmat Sangeet Sikh Sacred Music). It disseminates high quality recordings from its website and organises events that focus on young practitioners of this tradition. He has written short stories. poetry and plays on Sikh-related themes and writes a regular blog on Gurmat Sangeet
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism Janaan Hashim Dr Siti Musdah Mulia Room 219 Panel Discussion At the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona, three Muslim women from three very different, yet democratic, societies (the United States, France and Turkey) shared their experiences of creating a proper space to wear the hijab in the public sphere. In this session, the American from the original group is now joined by Muslim women from yet two other very different democratic countries: England and Indonesia. Continuing the conversation from 2004, they will discuss the societal and governmental challenges that have arisen over the past five years with regard to this issue and how they have navigated such challenges. They will describe how their fellow citizens and governments have changed in understanding the hijab, the dynamics behind such change, the direction in which they are going, and what the interfaith community can do to shape that direction. More so, these three dynamic speakers will address how Muslim women in democratic societies contribute to the building and promotion of humanitarian and modern values, despite obstacles such as laws prohibiting the hijab or enforcing it. Janaan Hashim is a criminal defense and civil rights attorney practicing in Illinois with Amal Law Group, LLC. She co-founded this firm, the first of its kind in the US, with five other Muslim women. Ms Hashim writes a legal column for Arab Horizon newspaper in Chicago. She is also an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary. From 2004 to 2008 she was the spokesperson for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. Dr Siti Musdah Mulia has been a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) since 2003. She also lectures at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta. Since 2007, Dr Mulia has been the chairperson of the Indonesian Conference on Religion for Peace, an NGO actively promoting interfaith dialogues, pluralism and democracy She is the author of many books and an activist for democracy, human rights and gender issues
The Spiritual Tradition of Scientology Emmanuel Foundas Robert Adams Room 218 Panel Discussion Scientology is a new religion which emerged late in the 20th century and continues to be one of the most talked about religions as it continues to grow. This presentation is designed to let people know what Scientology actually is, what we do in the community, and how we relate to other religions and religious beliefs in our attempt to heal the earth.
Emmanuel Foundas is the President of the Church of Scientology in Melbourne. Rev Robert Adams was born in San Francisco, California In 1946. He holds a Masters degree in Physical Education and a Bachelors degree in Biology from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California and holds a lifetime teaching credential from the State. As a Scientologist and Scientology Minister since 1984, he has assisted hundreds of p achieve greater awareness and spiritual freedom. He holds the position of Vice President of the Church of Scientology International working with officials in government and private industry to better understand the aims of Scientology and the importance and workability of the array of social betterment activities to help make a better world.
Charter of Compassion Karen Armstrong (by video) Sr Joan Chittister Dr Chandra Muzaffar Tariq Ramadan Room 220
Karen Armstrong, the highly acclaimed British author of
A History of God and numerous other works on comparative religion, has called upon Jews, Christians and Muslims to draw up a 'Charter of Compassion which would apply shared moral priorities to foster greater global understanding. The result of months of consultation, the final manifesto was publicly unveiled on November 9th of this year, and includes such signatories as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former UN Human Rights High Commissioner Mary Robinson. In conjunction with issuing the Charter, Armstrong is calling for the establishment of an alliance of individuals, orga
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nizations and communities to advocate for global change. Learn of the deep connection that compassion has to the world's major religious and spiritual connections, its embrace by youth movements for service worldwide, and its relevance in addressing the critical issues facing the global community.
the priesthood in the Celtic Christian Church lan independent Catholic church in 2006, in which he now ministers to a small contemplative community. He has a number of publications and his primary theological interests lie in New Testament theology and Christian mysticism. Dr Padmasiri de Silva is a Buddhist philosopher in the Theravada tradition and has written a number of books about Buddhism in the modern context. He has held teaching positions in Sri Lanka, Singapore, the US and New Zealand, and is at present a research associate with the School of Historical Studies at Monash University
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue Lindsay Falvey Paul Sanders John May Vincent Pizzuto Padmasiri de Silva Room 101 Interactive Workshop This program includes four parts. Firstly, panel members will discuss ways in which Christianity and Zen Buddhism have been able to learn from each other. The workshop fosters a spirit of enquiry and openness, which leads to a softening of prejudice and fear. Participants will be of fered examples from the Canonical gospels, the Gospel of Thomas, as well as writings from Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton, and the Japanese Zen master Dogen. This workshop will present approaches to objectless meditation, and explore its vital place in uncovering wisdom. Secondly, presenters will aim to show how issues raised by dialogue in contexts of pluralism could be explored collaboratively by Buddhists and Christians by retrieving strands of tradition such as compassion, empathy, care and forgiveness. Thirdly there will be a presentation of the recently released book, 'Dharma as Man', which is an ancient story read each evening by an old man to his young son in rural India. It is a universal tale condensed to combine the world's stories, which renders Jesus life into Buddhist concepts in an ancient Indian setting. Fourthly. there will be a discussion of how traditions might better understand their shared vocation to alleviate suffering through interreligious dialogue and shared interspiritual contemplative silence. Lindsay Falvey is a professor of the University of Melbourne, where he was previously Chair of Agriculture, Dean of Land and Food Resources. and Dean of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture. He is also a lite member of Clare Hall, Cambridge, at the University of Cambridge. He has written extensively on religion, agriculture and issues of sustainability from multireligious perspectives. Paul Sanders is director of the Augustine Centre and has trained inten Sively in contemplative spirituality in the US and in Australia. He leads retreats and programs in contemplative spirituality and is a senior Zen student John May has a doctorate in Ecumenical Theology. Muenster and a doctorate in History of Religions, Frankfurt. He was Ecumenical Research Officer in Papua New Guinea from 1983-1987 and Associate Professor of Interfaith Dialogue at the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin from 1987-2007. He is from Melbourne originally. Vincent Pizzuto is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of San Francisco. He has a PhD in New Testament theology from Leuven, Belgium. Vincent was ordained to
Panentheism: God and World in an Ecological Age Joseph Prabhu Max Charlesworth Philip Clayton Purushottama Bilimoria Freya Mathews Room 103 Panel Discussion Panentheism means that all things are in God. It is distinct as a theological doctrine from pantheism, which says that all things are divine, and from theism, which distinguishes and separates God from the world. Panentheism. by contrast, distinguishes but does not separate God from the world. Many developments, sacred and secular, have led to panentheism, among them religious experience, feminist perceptions of the Divine and current ecological trends. This panel incorporates theological, philosophical, ecological and political insights stemming from this doctrine and furthermore seeks to make contact with and foster East-West dialogue on the topic. The monotheistic faiths have generally been considered dualistic and the Eastern faiths non-dualistic. The panellists, drawn from different religious, cultural and gender perspectives, will situate panentheism on this spectrum and attempt to expound the wisdom of panentheism and its significance for contemporary spiritual and social life. Joseph Prabhu, PhD. is a Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He has taught at universities around the world and is the author of Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspective and "Liberating Gandhi: Community. Empire and a Culture of Peace (forthcoming). He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Max Charlesworth is an emeritus professor of philosophy associated with La Trobe University in Melbourne. He was formerly Professor of Philosophy at Deakin University and its Founding Dean of Humanities Charlesworth is also the Founder and first editor of Sophia, the Inowl international journal in metaphysical theology and philosophy of religion. He has written on a wide range of topics from the best in philosophical theology to the Aboriginal land rights to issues within the Catholic Church Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. He specialises in conflicts and connections between the sciences and religion, with particular focus on the biological sciences and the environmental crisis. He is the author or editor of seventeen books and over 100 articles, including the recent Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science' and 'In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural World Purushottama Bilimoria is a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Studies at Deakin University in Australia and Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne. He is a regular Visiting Professor at State University of New York (Stony Brook). Columbia University and the
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University of California, Berkeley. His areas of specialist research and publications cover classical Indian philosophy and comparative ethics; Continental thought; cross-cultural philosophy of religion; diaspora studies: bioethics; and personal law in India. He is an Editor-in-Chief of the Sophia Journal of Philosophy of Religion.
Freya Mathews has published widely in the field of ecological philosophy. Her books include The Ecological Self', 'For Love of Matter: A Contemporary Panpsychism' and 'Reinhabiting Reality: Towards a Recovery of Culture'. Active in disseminating ecophilosophical ideas in the wider community, Freya's work focuses on ecological metaphysics. epistemology and ethics, philosophy of place and reinhabitation, and Indigenous thought, especially in the Indigenous traditions of Australia and China.
Practising Yoga: Covert Conversion to Hinduism or the Key to Mind-Body Wellness for All?
Rev Ellen Grace O'Brian, Moderator
Swaminathan Venkataraman
Chris Chapple
Dr Amir Farid Isahak
Room 104
Panel Discussion
The science of yoga has grown enormously on the global stage in the last few decades due to widespread recognition of its physical and mental health benefits. Hinduism teaches that yoga is comprised of eight steps of which the popularly practised postures are an integral part. Although yoga's origins are Hindu, its practitioners come from virtually all faiths. The United States alone has about 20 million practitioners, with hundreds of millions worldwide. However, the Hindu roots of yoga and the use of Hindu chants, such as the sacred syllable 'Om', appear to have created apprehensions that the practice of yoga leads to de facto conversion to Hinduism. Yet, as a pluralistic, non-exclusivist and non-proselytising religion, Hinduism teaches that one need not become a Hindu or repudiate one's own faith to practice yoga and reap its benefits. How founded is the fear of conversion? Is the practice of yoga inconsistent with the tenets of other religions? Can interfaith dialogue help individuals, irrespective of faith, reap the immense benefits that follow from the practice of yoga? The aim of this program is to foster understanding among faith traditions and to create a sustainable basis for the practice of yoga by all.
Rev Ellen Grace O'Brian is the Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment and a minister in the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga. She was ordained in 1981 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. She serves on the board of trustees of the Parliament, is the President of Meru Seminary, and leads a thriving congregation. She is the author of several books on meditation and spiritual practice.
Swaminathan Venkataraman is a member of the Hindu American Foundation's Board of Directors and coordinates that organisation's interfaith efforts. Mr Venkataraman practises some of South India's ancient Hindu traditions including Vedic chanting. He is an engineer from IIT Madras and has an MBA from the IIM Calcutta, now based in San Francisco. He is currently a Director with Standard & Poor's at their Utilities and Infrastructure group. He also raises money for charitable hospitals.
Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He received his PhD in the History of Religions from Fordham University. A founding

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member of the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale University), Chris has published more than a dozen books on the religions of India, many with a focus on Hinduism and Ecology. He edits the journal Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology [Brill).
Dr Amir Farid Isahak, a medical consultant, is a Trustee of the Global Council of the United Religions Inititiative (URI) and President for the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations [WCMIR). He is also Chairman of the Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship (INSAF) of Malaysia and a committee member of both the Malaysia Interfaith Network and the Research and Information Centre on Islam and an advisor to the Persatuan Darul Fitrah Malaysia, the Muslim Converts Welfare and Propogation of Malaysia.
Global Poverty Project
Hugh Evans
Room 105
Interactive Workshop
The Global Poverty Project is a slideshow and presentation that will explore the issues around poverty and what we can do to help.
Hugh Evans is the Founder and Director of the Oaktree Foundation, a youth led aid and development organisation, which has now been established in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, India and East Timor providing educational opportunities to more than 40,000 young people. In 2004 he was awarded the Young Australian of the Year.
Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions
Dr Arvind Sharma, Moderator
Rabbi David Saperstein
Dr Joseph Prabhu
Dr Chandra Muzaffar Dr Mihir Meghani Dr Chris Chapple Dr Ines Talamantez Brian Lepard
Room 106
Panel Discussion
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, represents a landmark in the evolution of the moral imagination of humanity. While the period in which it was proclaimed possessed a decidedly secular orientation, the religious background of its drafters played a role in its formulation. Increasingly, religious traditions come to serve as champions of human rights. In 1998 a new initiative was launched to frame a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions. This is an ongoing process in which the text has been examined, revised and modified at various gatherings, including the Parliament of the World's Religions at Barcelona in 2004. This program carries that process forward by inviting representatives of a number of religious traditions to reflect on the current state of the text. This session will run for three hours.

Arvind Sharma is a Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He specialises in comparative religion, Indian philosophy and ethics, and Hinduism [both classical and North Indian).
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Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as 'the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill, Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Joseph Prabhu is a Professor of Philosophy at the California State University at Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He is also the author of 'Human Rights in CrossCultural Perspective' and 'Liberating Gandhi: Community, Empire and a Culture of Peace' [forthcoming). He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar is a political scientist and founding president of the Malaysian-based NGO International Movement for a Just World (www. just-international.org), which seeks to raise public consciousness on the moral and intellectual basis of global justice. He also served as the first director of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya. In addition to writings on civilisational dialogue, he has published. extensively on religion, human rights, Malaysian politics and international relations.
Mihir Meghani is the co-founder and President of the Hindu American Foundation, an American Hindu human rights group advocating on behalf of the Hindu community in the United States.
Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angetes. He received his PhD in the History of Religions from Fordham University. A founding member of the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale University), Chris has published more than a dozen books on the religions of India, many with a focus on Hinduism and Ecology. He edits the journal 'Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology' (Brill).
A member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, Ines M Talamantez is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Talamantez is the author of 'Teaching Religion and Healing and has contributed articles to Native Religions and Cultures of North America: Anthropology of the Sacred', and 'Unspoken Worlds: Women's Religious Lives. The past president of the Indigenous Studies Group at the American Academy of Religion, she is a pioneering figure among American Indian scholars.
Brian D Lepard is Law Alumni Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he has taught International Human Rights Law, among other courses. A member of the Baha'i Faith, he is the author of numerous books and articles on human rights, ethics, international law, and world religions, including the book "Hope for a Global Ethic: Shared Principles in Religious Scriptures'.
The Dhamma Brothers
(Premier Film Series Selection)
Room 107
Film
The Dhamma Brothers' is a moving story of transformation. Men held in an overcrowded maximum security prison in Bessemer, Alabama, are forever changed by a meditation program. 'The Dhamma Brothers' has been described as a film where 'East meets West in the Deep South, an apt portrait of what happens to a number of hardened criminals who volunteer for a ten-day Vipassana retreat. The film was directed by Jenny Phillips, Anne Marie Stein, and Andrew Kukura. Q & A to follow.
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Who is My Neighbour? Religious Identity and the Limits of Love
Michael Fagenblat
Ruwan Palapathwala
Room 108
Panel Discussion
11:30am-1:00pm
During this panel discussion, we will explore how Jews, Christians and others relate to people who are different from them, particularly in terms of religious identity. The Bible commands us to 'love thy neighbour, but as a Jewish lawyer once asked Jesus, who is my neighbour? Is the neighbour someone like us? Or is he or she a stranger to us? How far does our love have to go? The panel, consisting of a Jew and two Christians, will reflect on how we have practised, and still do practise, the commandment to 'love thy neighbour', and on what the idea demands of us in today's world. This will be an interactive program and audience members will be invited to share their perspective on the merits and problems involved in loving our neighbours.
Michael Fagenblat is Lecturer in the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University, and convener of the Masters in Interreligious Studies, Monash University. His first book, 'A Covenant of Creatures: Levinas' Philosophy of Judaism, is forthcoming from Stanford University Press. He is interested in the interaction between Judaism and other cultures.
Dr Ruwan Palapathwala lectures in Asian Religions and Religion and Culture in the United Faculty of Theology, the Melbourne College of Divinity, and at Trinity College, the University of Melbourne. He is also the part-time Parish Priest of St Alban's Anglican Parish, North Melbourne, Australia. He is interested in globalisation, religious traditions of South and Southeast Asia, and religion and culture.
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Religion and the Future of Humanitarian Intervention in a Sustainable and Just World
Joseph Runzo Brian Lepard Gerard Powers Dan-Erik Andersson Seamus Miller Antje Jackelén Room 110 Symposium
This is Panel #3 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium.

Dr Joseph Runzo is Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of the Global Ethics and Religion Forum, an educational nonprofit dedicated to global ethical responsibility. He has written and lectured extensively around the world on comparative religion, religious ethics, human rights and the ethics of war and peace. He is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Chapman University, USA, and a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, UK.

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Brian D Lepard is Law Alumni Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he has taught International Human Rights Law, among other courses. A member of the Baha'i Faith, he is the author of numerous books and articles on human rights, ethics, international law, and world religions, including the book "Hope for a Global Ethic: Shared Principles in Religious Scriptures.
Gerard Powers works at the Joan Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, USA.
Dan-Erik Andersson is Director of Human Rights Studies, University of Lund, Sweden.
Seamus Miller is Director of the Australian National University Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics and is affiliated with Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
Rev Dr Antje Jackelén is Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the first woman bishop to be popularly elected the Church of Sweden. She was previously a professor of systematic theology/religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. She is the author of 'Time and Eternity (2005) and numerous articles in a variety of languages. Currently, she serves as president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology.
Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong, Moderator Anna Pinto, India: Meitei
Rosita Worl, USA: Tlingit Room 111
Panel Discussion
One of the traditional strengths found among Indigenous cultures is the inclusion of extended family members in all aspects of family life, including child rearing. Governmental policies, however, intervene and place children outside the family circle, thereby robbing them of their cultural heritage, language, and values. Panellists will present examples of the impact of such policies on Indigenous families.
Margaret Lokawua is a member of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is also the Chairperson for the Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja, as well as the Director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project.
Anna Pinto is Executive Director of the Centre for Organisation, Research and Education (CORE), an Indigenous peoples' policy research and advocacy organisation based in the North East of India. An active member of the Indian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initiatives by the government of India and international agencies such as the World Bank.
Rosita Worl, whose Tlingit names are Yeidiklats okw and Kaa.hani, is Tlingit, Ch'aak' (Eagle] moiety of the Shangukeidi Clan from the Kawdliyaayi Hit (House Lowered From the Sun) in Klukwan. She is President of Sealaska Heritage Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to perpetuating the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she has a PhD and MS in Anthropology from Harvard University and a BA from Alaska Methodist University.

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Removal: The Indigenous Reality
Daily Youth Session
Mathew Luke Crane, Moderator
Visopiano Sanyu
Darlene St Clair Melissa Brickell Room 201
Unfortunately, one of the common threads that tie together the experiences of Indigenous peoples throughout the world is removal-removal from family, removal from land, removal from culture, and removal from language. This session will look at the impact removal has had on young Indigenous people at the individual, family, community and societal levels. Stories will be shared from Native American, Aboriginal Australian and Naga perspectives.
Mathew Crane is Aboriginal man from South Australia; Currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Theology at Australian Catholic University; Administrative Assistant to Jim-baa-yer Indigenous Unit, Centre for Indigenous Education and Research, Australian Catholic University; Member of the Anglican Church of Australia and parishioner at St. Peter's Eastern Hill: Verger at St. Paul's Cathedral; Committee Chair of Critical Mass a group that seeks to connect progressive young Anglicans in the Diocese of Melbourne.
Visopiano Sanyu is Indigenous to Nagaland.
Iyekiyapiwin (Darlene St Clair) is an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at St Cloud State University and the director of the Multicultural Resource Center. Her career has focused on the education of Native peoples from early childhood to college, the integration of Native cultures' histories and languages into curricula, and the arts and cultural expressions of Native peoples. She is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and an enrolled member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota. Melissa Brickell, a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjeri people, resides in Melbourne. Her work and active community involvement over the last eighteen years have focused on cross-cultural awareness and reconciliation among Australians. Brickell received a Reconciliation Award from Maribyrnong City Council for advancing the rights and community life of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. She is also actively involved in the Stolen Generations movement in Victoria and nationally.
A Tale of Two Women: A Multifaith Reading of the Sarah/Hagar Narrative Rachael Kohn, Moderator
Rebecca Forgasz
Coralie Ling Rachel Woodlock Room 202
Panel Discussion

This discussion by three women of the Abrahamic faiths will seek to address the humanity of the other through an exploration of the Biblical narrative of Sarah/Hagar from the viewpoint of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths. The speakers will present their perspectives on the Sarah/Hagar story, explore the themes from a variety of viewpoints and engage in a moderated dialogue led by
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Rachael Kohn. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity for audience questions and discussion. The program is complementary to the current exhibition Women in the Bible: Tricksters, Victors and Mothers being held by the Jewish Museum of Australia. Rachael Kohn is producer and presenter of The Spirit of Things' on ABC Radio National Rebecca Forgasz is educator and curator of the current exhibition Women in the Bible: Tricksters, Victors and Mothers' at the Jewish Museum of Australia Coralie Ling is a retired minister in the Uniting Church in Australia. Rachel Woodlock is a Researcher in the Centre for Islam and The Modern World at the School of Political and Social Inquiry. Monash University
Sacred Envy: Exploring What We Love about Our Own Faith, What We Admire in Others and What Challenges Us in Both Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Sr Joan Chittister Imam Feisal Rauf Room 204 Panel Discussion To be possessed of 'sacred envy' means to be envious of the beauty found in the sacred practices and teachings of faiths not our own. This facilitated conversation among Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders will encourage participants to explore what they enjoy most land least) about their own communities and also what they see as deeply beautiful land deeply challenging) in others. Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is an acclaimed interfaith activist described by Newsweek as 'one of America's most influential rabbis. He is the creator of 'Building Bridges' and 'American Pilgrimage on Bridges TV, the author of "You Don't Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, and a columnist for Beliefnet.com and Newsweek/ Washington Post.com. Hirschfield is the President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. America's leading Jewish institution for religious pluralism. Joan Chittister, OSB is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a centre for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including
Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multireligious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of 'What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West, he is also founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology
Aboriginal Reconciliation in Melbourne: Working for Land Justice and Reconciliation Peter Lewis Vicki Clark Melissa Brickell Room 207 Panel Discussion Three community leaders will outline how ordinary Australians are working for Land Justice and Reconciliation in Victoria. Peter Lewis, Co-Chairperson of the Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation in Victoria, will discuss how to initiate and develop campaigns to stimulate awareness and create effective change. He will explain how to bring together non-Indigenous Australians to inform, educate, and shift attitudes so that people can play an active role in reconciliation and recognise Indigenous rights. Vicky Walker will discuss the work of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry for the Melbourne Archdiocese, which has actively sought to provide ministry that is participatory, experiential, nurturing, and inclusive, growing out of a deep Aboriginal Catholic spirituality and faith. Two such ministries are Binnap Partners Inc and Catholics for Australian Reconciliation. Melissa Brickell, former Chairperson of the Stolen Generations Victoria Sorry Day Committee, will describe the process behind the apology, illustrating the positive roles played by religious groups. Peter Lewis is the Manager of Policy, Research and Communication at the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency and is the former National Director for Reconciliation issues in the Uniting Church. He is one of the founding members of the Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation in Victoria and is currently its Chairperson. Lewis has been a member of Reconciliation Victoria, the National Sorry Day Committee and the Victorian Stolen Generations Sorry Day Committee. Vicki Clark is the coordinator of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Melbourne. She was a representative of the affiliated Aboriginal Tribal Groups (Muthi Muthil in the formation of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Property Plan of Management. Nationally, Walker has been influential in the formation and subsequent operations of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Istander Catholic Council, serving for six years as Secretary, three years as Vice Chair and three years as Chairperson. Melissa Brickell, a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjeri people, resides in Melbourne. Her work and active community involvement over the last eighteen years have focused on cross-cultural awareness and reconciliation among Australians. Brickell received a Reconciliation Award from Maribyrnong City Council for advancing the rights and community life of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. She is also actively involved in the Stolen Generations movement in Victoria and nationally.
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Discoveries from 'Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge
Katherine Marshall
Tom Banchoff
Elias Szczytnicki
Quentin Woden
Room 208
Panel Discussion
Knowledge is key to effective action, but there are huge gaps in understanding the multiple roles that faith plays in development. Mapping' the ways in which faith leaders, organisations and communities are currently addressing development challenges is a vital place to start. The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University brings together different approaches to the question of how religion forms part of the public conversation on human rights, peace and democracy. In collaboration with the World Faiths Development Dialogue, the Berkley Center has explored the work of faith-inspired organisations, transnational, national and local, across different world regions and on major development challenges, including health, governance, agriculture and gender. The session will reflect on underlying questions, on the challenges of using knowledge resources better for social justice action, and on challenges ahead.
Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions working in development, involving a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners, and a series of reviews of development topics.
Professor Banchoff is director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Associate Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Professor Banchoff is editor of 'Democracy and the New Religious Pluralism' (Oxford University Press, 2007) and 'Religious Pluralism, Globalization, and World Politics (forthcoming, Uxford University Press). Banchoff was awarded the DAAD Award for Distinguished Scholarship in German studies in 2003.
Elias Szczytnicki is Secretary General and Regional Director, Religions for Peace Latin America and the Caribbean. Before, he was Member, National Executive Committee, Consensus-Building Table on Fight against Poverty of Peru, and Member, Committee on Supervision and Transparency, National Program on Direct Support for the More Poor People Together. Mr Szczytnicki holds a Bachelor's degree in history from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and is a graduate from the Program on Jewish Organization Direction of the Leatid Center.
After engineering and business studies, Quentin Wodon worked in business. In 1988, he shifted career and joined for five years the ATD Fourth World, a inter-denominational grassroots and advocacy NGO working with the extreme poor. He later completed a PhD in Economics, taught at the University of Namur, and finally joined the World Bank in 1998. Since November 2008, he heads the Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics, the unit at the World Bank working on faith, ethics and development.

11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
One Voice, Many Musics: Many Faiths, One Community
Andre de Quadros
Marcel de Quadros
Deepti V Patel
Room 209
Lecture, Film Screening, and Discussion
In August 2008, six choirs from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine and Sweden met for an historic festival in Petra, Jordan. It was the first time that such a large group of Arab choirs had ever performed together. This session will focus on the unifying power of music and its particular importance to an ethnic community that has for so long been separated by international borders. Documentary filmmakers Deepti V. Patel and Marcel de Quadros will talk about their film, Aswatuna', which tells the story of the creative individuals, women and men of different faiths, who were determined to organise this festival as a process of reconciliation and healing among the Arab community. In Arabic, Aswatuna, means 'unity through the voice'. Singing in a choir that includes Christians and Muslims expressing faith in humankind, faith in the divine and listening to this through the beauty of the music that they create, without understanding the language in which they sing, is truly a way of hearing each other. Audience members should expect a deeply moving, cathartic experience. A discussion will accompany the film screening.
Andre de Quadros is a professor of music at Boston University, director of the School of Music, and a faculty member in the university's Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations and its Global Health Initiative. He is a conductor, scholar of non-Western choral traditions, and a music and human rights activist. He co-founded the Arab Choral Festival and is an advisor to the International Federation for Choral Music
Marcel de Quadros has a background in high-end IT and marketing consultancy. He is also the co-director of BlueION Studios. With offices in Australia and the United Kingdom, BluelON Studios was founded as a platform for documentary filmmakers to experiment with alternative views, positive human stories and new media projects.
Deepti v Patel is a solicitor advocate. She is Arts and Culture Executive at Hindu Council UK, City Hindus Network; Advocacy and Campaigns Lead with South Asia Forum; a trustee for Inter-Faith Youth (Kirsch) Trust; an organiser of the London Week of Peace and the charity Peace Alliance; and a member of St Ethelburgas Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, City of London Inter-Faith Forum. She is a company director of BluelON Studios and producer/writer of Aswatuna

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11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Religious Dual Belonging: The Future of the Dialogue of Experience? Gwenda Rait, Moderator Dr Stewart Sharlow Vicki Clark Christina Fox Brni Nivedita Chaitanya Charlotte Hain-Sharlow Paul Knitter Room 210 Panel Discussion The concept of religious dual belonging has had a long tradition with varying degrees of acceptance. Since the Second Vatican Council, Christians worldwide have engaged with various Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish spiritual practices. In the 20th century, two key examples of dual belonging were Fathers Bede Griffiths and Abishiktananda, both Catholic Benedictine monks who became sannyasi (Indian Holy Men), while retaining their Christian heritage. Spiritual scholars, such as the great Turkish theologian, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, spoke about Christian-Muslims in the future. For many, such dialogues of experience are anathema, while for others, experiencing another faith in all its richness can help them discover anew the depths and riches of their primary faith tradition. Gradually, one recognises and experiences the parallels and the differences between faiths without losing one's primary identity. A panel of speakers will explore the significance of this religious experience and what it offers to people in other faith traditions. The panel will address the following questions: Is dual belonging one of the experiences which will herald a new age in cross-cultural and cross-religious relations? Is this a religious path for only a few or will it become a pattern for interfaith dialogue in the future? Mrs Gwenda Rait is a member of the Melbourne Catholic Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission. Dr Stewart Sharlow is a member of the Janssen Spirituality Centre for Interreligious and Cross-cultural Relations and a follower of a ChristianSufi path. Vicki Clark is an Aboriginal elder of the Mutthi Mutthi people of New South Wales and Co-ordinator of the Melbourne Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in Victoria Christina Fox is a Christian Spiritual Director and follower of a ChristianBuddhist path Brni Nivedita Chaitanya is a Hindu Nun and teacher of Hindu Scriptures at Chinmaya Dhain in Melbourne Charlotte Hain-Sharlow is a member of the Melbourne Catholic Interfaith Committee and follower of a Christian-Sufi path. Paul Knitter is the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology. World Religions, and Culture at Union Theological Seminary, New York. Previously, he taught theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati. His groundbreaking 1985 book 'No Other Name?' addresses interreligious dialogue, as well as human and ecological well-being. Knitter is on the Board of Trustees for the International, Interreligious Peace Council, which was formed after the 1993 Parliament of the World Religions.
Role of Religion and Spirituality in the Public Discourse Penny Mulvey, Moderator Archbishop Philip Freier Rabbi David Saperstein Room 211 Panel Discussion The best way to achieve and maintain societal change for the greatest good is through the art of persuasion. When people of deeply-held convictions and widely-divergent values can engage in honest and fruitful dialogue about what matters most, and find ways to co-exist and cooperate for the common good, the benefits are mutual and transformative. How can religious and spiritual communities insure that the public discourse in their respective societies serves these ends? What are the unique contributions that communities can make to the conversation? What boundaries and limits should inform their participation? This program offers the opportunity to hear seasoned leaders explore the meaning of civil discourse, and identify the urgent conversations to which religious and spiritual communities must add their voices. Dr Philip Freier became the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne in December 2006, following seven and a half years as Bishop of the Northern Territory, Dr Freier has been working towards engag ing the Church with the wider community, particularly through his "Prayer 4 Melbourne quest, in which he has visited a range of public spaces, welfare centres and shopping malls. He is deeply involved in social justice issues affecting Indigenous peoples. Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as 'the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill', Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Towards the Heart of Humankind: Critical Considerations of Unity, Diversity and a Declaration of Global Spirituality Dr Christoph Quarch Abdulaziz Sachedina Rabbi Michael Lerner Hue Gioi Ines Talamantez Room 212 Open Space Forum Some contend that humanity is entering a new phase in spiritual evolution; some herald a new consciousness of global responsibility and compassion, growing in response to global crises. Is there an underlying spiritual common ground that might bring people together, that might support dialogue? And if so, how do we honor and attend to the particularities of our differences? A Declaration on Global Spirituality has been designed, proposed by a diverse group of representatives of different spiritual
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traditions. A January 2009 publication has been circulated among a group of high-level spiritual teachers from all over the world, as well as in a public, worldwide Internet consultation. The authors will present this declaration at the Parliament of the World's Religions for additional review. In this session, critical concerns about the potential and the pitfalls of moves towards universality will be addressed. Participants in this session will join the discussion about this important document.
Dr Christoph Quarch is a philosopher, theologian and journalist. From 2000 to 2006 he was academic director for the German Protestant Kirchentag. From 2006 to 2008, he served as chief-editor of the periodical 'Public Forum. Since 2001, he has operated a philosophy cafe and a seminar-program on issues of spirituality and philosophy. He is initiator of the Spiritual Summer Academy Hombroich, supporter of the World Spirit Forum Arosa, and ambassador of the World Wisdom Council.
Abdulaziz Sachedina is a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. He has been visiting professor at Wilfrid Laurier, Waterloo and McGill Universities, Haverford College and the University of Jordan, Amman. He has lectured around the world and is a core member of the Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism Project in the CSIS Preventive Diplomacy program. He is also the author of 'Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism.
Rabbi Michael Lerner studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and received mentorship from noted scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel. He received a PhD in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1972 and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in 1977. Michael Lerner serves as the rabbi of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco and is the editor of Tikkun Magazine and author of numerous books.
A member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, Ines M Talamantez is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Talamantez is the author of Teaching Religion and Healing' and has contributed articles to 'Native Religions and Cultures of North America: Anthropology of the Sacred', and 'Unspoken Worlds: Women's Religious Lives. The past president of the Indigenous Studies Group at the American Academy of Religion, she is a pioneering figure among American Indian scholars.
Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Imam Khalid Griggs
Dr Muhammad Shafiq Room 213
Panel Discussion
This panel will present the Constitution of Medina, the city of the Prophet Muhammad. 1,400 years ago, different tribes contractually agreed upon the constitution to establish a harmonious co-existence between adherents of different religions. The constitution offered full autonomy in religious and civil matters to each of the city's religious groups by declaring all signatories as one Ummah, or one people, with agreement to defend the city-state together. Panellists will also elaborate on the Islamic heritage of co-existence by examining the application of these ideals several hundred years later in Spain and India. This program, bound to inspire discussion about the i deals of the past and realities of today, will highlight the essential Islamic teachings about pluralism and the space of the Other.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Abdul Malik Mujahid is the founder of Sound Vision Foundation and executive producer of the daily Radio Islam show. He served two terms as the Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and is currently Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. As national coordinator of Bosnia Task Force, USA, he successfully led efforts in collaboration with the National Organization of Women (NOW) to declare rape a war crime.
Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs has been the imam of The Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in North Carolina since 1984. He is cochairman of the North Carolina-based Black Leadership Roundtable of Winston-Salem-Forsyth County. Griggs holds a degree in political science and English from Howard University in Washington, DC. He was part of the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s and was involved with the Islamic Party of North America in the 1970s after his conversion.
Dr Muhammad Shafiq is executive director of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue (CISD), professor of Islamic and religious studies at Nazareth College and Imam of the Islamic Center of Rochester. Dr Shafiq has written several books, including 'Interfaith Dialogue: A Guide for Muslims. His latest article is 'Abrahamic Faiths: Models of Interfaith Dialogue in the United States (A Case Study of Rochester, New York)'. published in 'Peace-Building By, Between, and Beyond Muslims and Evangelical Christians".
The New Planetary Narrative; Connecting Ecology, Social Justice and Cosmology
Drew Dellinger
Glen Lauder
Sarah Houseman Tahnee Woolf
Room 214
Interactive Workshop
Environmental movements for social justice are converging, as we recognise the interrelated nature of our problems and the need for creative solutions. At the same time we are beginning to grasp the significance of cosmology in our worldview or 'cultural story' and the role this plays both in creating the current crisis and in inspiring a new direction. A new planetary movement is unfolding at the confluence where ecology, social justice and cosmology mcet. At the heart of this emerging global movement is a vision of the world as sacred and connected. Drew Dellinger will identify some core values common to ecology, social justice and cosmology, such as 'personhood", which acknowledges the sacredness of every individual being, and community, which emphasises the primacy of relationship. Dellinger will elucidate the underlying principles connecting ecology, cosmology and justice and describe strategies for change utilising the power of story. dreams and action. As part of this presentation, Be the Change Australia will introduce 'Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium', a process that allows the listener to experience both the depth of their own heart and a profound interconnectedness with others, while examining the interwoven threads of social justice, environmental sustainability and spirituality.

Drew Dellinger is a spoken word poet, teacher, author, activist and founder of Poets for Global Justice. He has inspired minds and hearts at hundreds of events in many countries, performing poetry and keynoling on justice, ecology, cosmology, activism, democracy and compassion. He has spoken and performed at conferences-including Bioneers, the Green Festival and The Dream Reborn-as well as colleges, poetry venues, protests and places of worship.
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11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Glen Lauder has a PhD in natural systems in transition and he led the development of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy Over the last ten years he has been engaged by institutes, government, research and philanthropic groups in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the US. Looking at how communities access collective clarity, deep compassion and commitment, he co-leads a cross-system practice-and-research initiative on social emergence called the Ecology of Commitment'. Sarah Houseman is a committed member of the Pachamama Alliance, as well as a trainer and global leader for the Awakening the Dreamer. Changing the Dream' initiative. Sarah uses the Symposium as a forum within which the community is able to explore issues that matter deeply such as environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment. She is also a practitioner of the respected approach to sustainability. The Natural Step, and works with small business and communities. Tahnee Woolf is an international speaker, accomplished writer, movement specialist and global visionary She has a Master's degree in international law from Oxford University. She is also a qualified Feldenkrais practitioner and has created the pioneering online program Body Mastery' to empower people around the world to free themselves from pain.
The Impact of Women in Conflict Resolution Asatu Bah-Kenneth Naree Charoenpolpiriya Jacqueline Ogega Sande Hart Room 217 Panel Discussion Women make up one-half of the world's population but they are often marginalised, even devalued. Yet, they frequently engage in world altering activities. This panel will highlight the role of women in resolving and reconciling the parties involved in recent conflicts in several regions around the globe including Africa, the Middle East and North America, among others. The panel will share their stories and showcase the role that women have played and continue to play in building peace with justice around the world. Asatu Bah-Kenneth serves with the Liberia National Police. She is deputy inspector-general of police for administration, serves on the government's Humanitarian Task Force, and was the first personnel director of the Ministry of Gender and Development. Mrs Bah-Kenneth founded Liberian Muslim Women for Peace and is president of the Liberian Female Law Enforcement Association. She is a life-long peace and justice activist and is featured in the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell'. Naree Charoenpol piriya is a peace advocate who has been working for women victims of violence since 2004. Naree has been a nonviolence trainer for over twenty years. She initiated a healing project for family members of Takbai protest victims in 2004. Also, she was a commissioner to the Thai government-appointed National Reconciliation Commission. She has a strong sense of how conflict resolution methods have changed and developed over the years. Jacqueline Ogega is the Director of the Women's Program at the World Conference of Religions for Peace. She has served as the African Women's Project Director at Religions for Peace in Africa, where she established the African Women of Faith Network. She has experience and skills in gender. peace building and development programming. She holds a Master's degree as well as a post graduate diploma in gender and development, both from the University of Nairobi, Kenya Sande Hart is the Founder & President of Spiritual And Religious Alliance for Hope (S.A.R.A.H.), a women's interfaith group that developed following the events of 9/11. She is on the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Youth Council and the Institute of Religion & Cultural Competency. Sande is also the author of 'Make a Difference 101 Community Service: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide for Kids
Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction Andreana Reale Ruth Maetala Chi Kwang Sunim Deborah Storie Len Clarke Hafiz Aziz ur Rehman Room 218 Panel Discussion As the Earth is ravaged by cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis, we ask questions such as 'Why did this happen? and 'What are we to do about it?' This forum will address these questions by bringing together science and religion and will consider how faith communities and leaders can reduce disaster risk. The focus is primarily on the human conditions that make people vulnerable to disaster. The panel discussion will address the following areas: 1 Theology: How do different faith traditions understand disaster? 2) Action: How do faith communities, on a local, national and global scale, prevent and respond to disasters? 3) Advocacy: How are religious leaders speaking out about reducing vulnerability to disaster, and what else can be said? 4) Disaster: How might communities reduce the impact of disasters? This is a topic well covered from a secular perspective but not from a faith perspective. Salvano Briceno, director of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, supports this initiative. Andreana Reale is a Christian and researcher with a special interest in the link between faith and natural disasters. She is also a community worker with Urban Seed, a Christian organisation that seeks to build relationships and provide support for the homeless and marginalised in Melbourne Ruth Maetala is a native of the Solomon Islands and currently an advisor in a process of moving communities due to rising sca levels. She is a pas tor's wife, mother of four children, and community worker. She is Head of the Research and Policy Unit of the Ministry of Women Youth and Children (Solomon Islands Government). Her research interest is in land, natural resources management, and gender policy. Reverend Chi Kwang Sunim has been a Zen Buddhist nun for thirty years. Born in Korea, she now resides in Kinglake, Victoria. She is a seasoned meditation and Buddhist teacher and a founding member of the Buddhist Library in Sydney. Wat Buddha Dharma, and The Seon Centre. She is currently Chair of the Australian Sangha Association and recognised in Buddhist and Interfaith circles in Australia and abroad. She fought and survived the Kinglake fires and is a CRC in "Remake Kinglake recovery projects Deborah Storie is a PhD Candidate at Melbourne College of Divinity, a member of TEAR Australia's Project Review Committee, and Deputy Chair of the TEAR Board. She worked with a rural community development program in Afghanistan from 1992 to 1998 and later returned to lead a disaster management program from 2001 to 2002. Deborah also facilitates community development training and evaluations, enjoys the Australian bush and occasionally works as a vet at the RSPCA Len Clarke is an Indigenous elder of the Baha'i faith, from the Warrnambool area of Victoria. He is the chairperson of the Kirrae Whurrong Native Title Group and co-chair of the Victorian Indigenous I and Justice Group Through his Kikkabush Aboriginal Pastoral and Advancement Association, Len works to help Indigenous communities reach their full potential. Len is an active educator, lecturing at various institutions and organisations, and has been involved in a number of documentaries regarding Indigenous people and culture
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Hafiz Aziz ur Rehman is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Shariah & Law, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan. He belongs to the part of Kashmir that was hit badly by the 2005 earthquake, and he followed closely the relief and rehabilitation efforts by religious and faithbased NGOs. Aziz is a student of comparative Shariah and Common law and is currently completing his PhD at the Australian National University College of Law.
The Challenge of Islamophobia and the Media: How Innovative Dialogue is Changing the Landscape
Dr Nasya Bahfen, Moderator
Jennifer Maytorena Taylor Ahmed Rehab
Fiyaz Mughal
Karen L Hernandez-Andrews Mohammed El-leissy
Room 219
Panel Discussion
Negative media portrayals of Islam and Muslims hamper much-needed efforts to improve relations with the Islamic World and Muslims generally, regardless of where they live. Steps are being taken through the innovative use of various media to combat this issue. The questions must be asked, 'Are these efforts facilitating a change in the socio-religious landscape? If not, why does this perception about Muslims prevail, and what role should Muslims play in helping to define how they are portrayed?" In this session, leading scholars, activists, media professionals and grassroots leaders will discuss these pressing issues of the day.
Dr Nasya Bahfen lectures in the School of Applied Communication at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and works regularly in the newsrooms of ABC Radio Australia and SBS Radio. Her teaching and research interests include radio journalism, Islam and the media, and the use of the internet by young Muslims. Nasya is a committee member of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria.
Jennifer Maytorena Taylor's films have won awards at festivals around the world and two Emmys. Her credits include the documentaries Special Circumstances, Ramadan Primetime, Paulina", "Home Front, Immigration Calculations, several television series, and many short films. She has held fellowships at the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, and the Sundance Institute Documentary Lab
Ahmed Rehab is an American Muslim activist and writer with a focus on civil rights, media relations, and Islam-West relations. He is the Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy office. Rehab serves on the boards of directors of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigration and Refugee Interfaith Ministries, the Chicago Human Relations Advisory Committee and the Egyptian American Society. He is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Muslim task force. He has appeared on Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, HDTV News, PBS, CNN, CLTV, WGN, C-Span, BBC, MSNBC, WBBM. Chicago Public Radio, Fox News Radio, and Conservative Radio. Fiyaz Mughal is the Director of Faith Matters, which works on developing platforms for interaction between Muslim, Sikh and Jewish communities across the UK. He is the founder and director of two micro-finance projects in Palestine and Israel and has been appointed as the advisor to Nick Clegg MP on interfaith issues and prevention of extremism. Mughal was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

11:30am-1:00pm
Karen holds an MA Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College. She is currently pursuing a Master of Sacred Theology in Religion and Conflict from Boston University School of Theology. Karen teaches and lectures with various organisations in the US about Islam, global Christian-Muslim relations, Al Qaeda, theological responses to terrorism and Islamophobia.
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Mohammed El-leissy is a community worker with the Islamic Council of Victoria. He hosts the 'World Peace program on Melbourne's SYN FM, which deals with issues of cultural and religious identity in Australia. He has served on numerous interfaith panels and recently returned from a tour of Southeast Asia, where he represented Australian Muslims to faith groups in the region.
Steve Killelea
William F Vendley
Room 220
The Vision of Humanity:
The Components of Peace
Vision of Humanity is an umbrella enterprise for several interrelated initiatives focused on bringing about global peace. These include the Global Peace Index, which ranks countries by their peacefulness and is the basis for identification of drivers of peace. The institute for Economics and Peace is a think tank dedicated to research on the interrelationship between business, peace and economic development. In this session, the founder of Vision of Humanity will present some of his peace initiatives, and the Secretary-General of Religions for Peace will present some of that organisation's peace initiatives, including efforts in the Middle East.
Steve Killelea is Chairman and Founder of, Integrated Research Ltd; The Charitable Foundation; Global Peace Index; Institute for Economics and Peace. Steve is an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace.

Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994. He has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King Abdullah's historic interreligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World League to serve on its Followup Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama.
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LUNCHTIME PROGRAMMING 1:00-2:30pm
Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions, Continued
Rabbi David Saperstein
Madhu Khanna
Room 106
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, represents a landmark in the evolution of the moral imagination of humanity. While the period in which it was proclaimed possessed a decidedly secular orientation, the religious background of its drafters played a role in its formulation. Increasingly, religious traditions come to serve as champions of human rights. In 1998 a new initiative was launched to frame a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions. This is an ongoing process in which the text has been examined, revised and modified at various gatherings, including the Parliament of the World's Religions at Barcelona in 2004. This program carries that process forward by inviting representatives of a number of religious traditions to reflect on the current state of the text. This is the continuation of a three hour program.
Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as 'the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill, Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Professor Madhu Khanna teaches in the Centre for the Study of Comparative Religions and Civilizations at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi. She was the co-convenor of the global congress on World's Religions After September 11: An Asian Perspective, which met in New Delhi from January 17-20, 2009. She specializes in Hindu Shakta Tantra, a field in which she has published extensively, and is the founder trustee of the Tantra Foundation. Her work on Narivada, the Indian word and concept for feminism, has been widely acclaimed, a field in which she is the Honorary Advisor at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
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Global Ethics and Religion Forum - What is Peace in a Sustainable and Just World?
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Rev Dr David LC Clark, Moderator
Philip Rossi SJ
Pal Alhaulalia
Leif Stenberg
Mutombo Nkulu-N'sengha
George R Wilkes
Colin Honey
Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier
Room 110
Symposium
This is Panel #4 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium.
Rev Dr David LC Clark is Chair at the Von Hugel Institute, St. Edmund's College, Cambridge University, England.
Philip Rossi is a Professor of Theology at Marquette University, USA. Pal Alhaulalia is Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President of the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, and UNESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies at the University of South Australia, Australia.
Leif Stenberg is Director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Lund, Sweden.
Mutombo Nkulu-N'sengha is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, USA.
George Wilkes is Director of the Program in Religion and Ethics in War and Peace-Making at St Edmund's College, Cambridge University, England.
Colin Honey is Director of the Lonsdale Centre for Applied Ethics, Melbourne, a member of the Program in Religion and Ethics in War and Peace-Making at St Edmund's College, Cambridge University, England and Australia.
Dr Philip Freier became the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne in December 2006, following seven and a half years as Bishop of the Northern Territory. Dr Freier has been working towards engaging the Church with the wider community, particularly through his 'Prayer4Melbourne' quest, in which he has visited a range of public spaces, welfare centres and shopping malls. He is deeply involved in social justice issues affecting Indigenous peoples.
ENGAGEMENT 2:30-4:00pm
The Necessity of Nuclear Disarmament and Steps Toward its Achievement
Judge C G Weeramantry
Sue Wareham, Respondent
Room 102
Round Table Discussion
'The nuclear bomb is the most anti-democratic, antinational, anti-human, outright evil thing that man has ever made. If you are religious, then remember that this bomb is Man's challenge to God. It's worded quite simply: We have the power to destroy everything that You have created. If you're not religious, then look at it this way: This world of ours is four thousand, six hundred million

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Donald H Frew is a Wiccan Elder and National Interfaith Representative for the Covenant of the Goddess. He has represented Wicca in interfaith work for over 23 years, serving on the Boards of the Berkeley Area Inter laith Council, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, and the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative. He is the founder and director of the Lost & Endangered Religions Project. Dr Layne Little is the regional director of South Asian programs for the Lost & Endangered Religions Project. He teaches courses on South Asian religion at the University of California at Berkeley Dr Archana Venkatesan teaches about ritual and performance traditions in Hinduism for the Religious Studies and Comparative Religion departments of the University of California at Davis.
years old. It could end in an afternoon. -Arundhati Roy. Indian Author-Nuclear weapons represent a grave threat to humanity being able to hear one another and heal. They use the threat of violence as a tool for compliance of the other, rather than being able to listen to-and toleratedifference. They also pose a constant threat to our earth, with a small nuclear exchange having the potential to cause a devastating nuclear winter or the destruction of our planet. Religious people have always been significant participants in the quest to abolish nuclear weapons, and this continues today. This panel discussion will provide a comprehensive overview of the legal and philosophical aspects of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, as both a basis for understanding and as firmament for how and why to respond. Judge Weeramantry has been a lawyer, legal educator, international arbitrator, and domestic and international judge. He has been Chairman of the Nauru Commission of Inquiry and Coordinator of the United Nations University Project on Technology and Human Rights. He is President of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms and a Founder Member of the World Future Council. He has written over twenty books and 200 articles on religious, legal, and political topics. Sue Wareham is the president of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War (MAPWI.
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 1) Gerardo Gonzalez Stein Villumstad Serigne Mansour Sy Room 105 Symposium
The Lost & Endangered Religions Project: Preserving the World's Religious Diversity Donald Frew Dr Layne Little Dr Archana Venkatesan Room 104 Parliament Assembly Project Update The Lost & Endangered Religions Project (LERP) works with marginalised religious communities around the world to help preserve religious traditions-including texts, rituals, songs and dances that are in danger of being lost and helps to restore aspects of these traditions that may have been lost in the community but have been archived. LERP focuses on creating mutually beneficial and cooperative relationships between religious communities and scholars. Historically, there has been considerable tension between academics and small religious communities. LERP works to combat this tension and the perception of academics as 'thieves'. Focusing on traditions that can be physically duplicated or recorded, LERP replaces this old paradigm with a new one stressing community service as its primary goal. Since 1999, LERP has developed ongoing service projects with the Yezidi of southern Turkey, archaeological efforts in southern and eastern Turkey, the performative dance and ritual traditions of the devadasis and of the Araiyar priests of southern India, and new religious movements in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This program will use multimedia material to present an overview of LERP's work to date and discuss questions of methodology.
This symposium is organised by the Initiative for a UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. This first session will introduce the proposed UN Decade; present successful stories of partnership between faith-based organisations, UN agencies and member states around millennium development goals; and offer interactive sharing with participants, including suggestions for the plan of action of the Decade. A report on presentations and discussions will be made available at the Initiative's website (www.faithdecadeforpeace.net) Gerardo Gonzalez holds a doctorate in Social Psychology from Paris University (1969) and worked for nearly 30 years as a UN international officer. Since 1998 he has volunteered in the field of interfaith cooperation for peace, including directing the project toward the creation of a spiritual forum for world peace at the United Nations. Currently, he is coordinator of the Initiative for a UN Decade of Interreligious Cooperation for Peace. Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights. Serigne Mansour Sy is president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of Senegal and a member of the Steering Committee of the Coalition. Since 1997, he has been Caliph General of the Tijaniya order of Senegal
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Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Teachings of the Traditions Speakers to be Announced Room 106 When individuals and communities of a faith outside our own are maligned or attacked, when their revered places of worship and practice are threatened or destroyed, it is our sacred responsibility to stand side-by-side with them to express solidarity and support-to refuse to condone violence and desecration through silence and inaction. Nothing heals the wounds of such an injury more quickly than to be comforted and supported by religious and spiritual communities in the neighbourhood and around the world. In this way, the safeguarding of sacred sites is inextricably linked to the need to actively and concretely express spiritual solidarity with other religious communities. This session of the 'Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Symposium will share and discuss the teachings of several spiritual traditions with respect to standing in solidarity with other communities, and how those teachings relate to the mutual care of sacred sites.
Development Program), the country is highly indebted, at the verge of desertification, and facing possible collapse due to violence, the economic crisis, and the lack of attention to healing the wounds of war, and the migration of large numbers of the population who are at economic active age. Yet, el Salvador, right now is experiencing a new beginning, with a president committed publically to the preferential option for the poor. The challenge is to develop a solidarity economy.' with real development and security, focusing on freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom from hunger, as enunciated by the UN. This session will cover practical strategies on the local level, as well as the hope and framework of building for the 23rd century. Marta Benavides of El Salvador is one of the surviving activists from the original group of human rights and peace advocates who began their work during the 1970s and the rising climate of repression. A leader of an ecumenical revolution focused on bringing peace to her country, the ordained pastor who chose to live and not die for the revolution has been bringing people at all levels and from all sectors - politics, the arts, law enforcement, agriculture and food security, environment, religion and labor together to defend human rights and develop a culture of peace
American Outrage Room 107 Film On five occasions US federal marshals have confiscated more than a thousand head of livestock owned by Western Shoshone sisters Carrie and Mary Dann charging that the sisters are grazing animals on public land. The Dann sisters claim that this range was recognised as Western Shoshone land by the United States in 1863 and that the real reason for the government's interest is the treasure hidden beneath the range. This documentary traces the elderly sisters' fight from the United States Supreme Court, to the Organization of American States, to the United Nations. The film was directed by George and Beth Gage.
The Digital Revolution and the Age of Religious Pluralism Leo Brunnick Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Rabbi Irwin Kula Room 109 The digital revolution and technological innovation including Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and high speed internet networks have changed the way religions and spiritual traditions are communicated and distributed. Not only are changes continuing, but they are continuing to accelerate. How do we make this work for us and for the world? How do we use the new power at our fingertips to make change that really matters? As these new technologies become accessible, every religion's wisdom and practice become part of a global conversation that crosses boundaries, is independent of central authorities and can be used in any manner by individual spiritual seekers as well as independent groups. What are the implications of this for our personal identities as well as the integrity of our particular religions and religious communities? Most importantly, how can we who are deeply committed to cultivating harmony among the world's religions and spiritual communities use new technology to help usher in a new age of pluralism? Leo Brunnick will offer a four-part model of how we use the new technology to Communicate, Educate, Elevate, and Activate. The session will be interactive, inviting participants to offer wisdom and practice in globally accessible ways. Leo Brunnick is a founder and the CEO of Patheos.com, helping shape the vision, mission, strategy and operating principles of the company. In this role, he brings to bear twenty years of executive leadership and management experience. Leo is an expert in bringing cutting edge web technologies to market. He is the visionary behind the innovative ap proach to the Patheos libraries and lenses and is passionate about the global conversation on religion and spirituality
Building a Culture of Peace - Development on the ground in El Salvador Marta Benavides Room 108 Seminar El Salvador, the smallest country in central America, whose peoples since colonial times in the 1500s, have suffered massacres, oppression and repression of the indigenous population, violence by slavery, civil war. death squads, disappearances, and free trade agreements, all aspects of the road to impoverishment. Today. in the context of the financial and economic crisis, according to UN - CEPAL (the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) and UNDP (the UN
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Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is an acclaimed interfaith activist described by Newsweek as one of America's most influential rabbis'. He is the creator of Building Bridges and American Pilgrimage' on Bridges TV, the author of You Don't Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, and a columnist for Beliefnet.com and Newsweek/ Washingtonpost.com. Hirschfield is a President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, America's leading Jewish institution for religious pluralism.
Rabbi Irwin Kula, also a President of Clal - received the 2008 Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award for his work toward equality, liberty and a truly inter-religious community. Fast Company magazine and Religion and Ethics Newsweekly' (PBS) both named him one of the leaders shaping the American spiritual landscape. He is the author of Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life, and is currently developing the Clinton Global Initiative commitment, Disruptive Spiritual Innovation.
Reality, Religion and Responsibilities: Individual Commitments
Tim Fischer
Rev James Haire
Room 110
Lecture
This is a major session of the Parliament with vastly experienced presenters. Most people entering politics are guided by their ethical and/or religious frameworks. Most people committing themselves to a religious tradition wish to make a better and more spiritual world. In this session, a well-known former politician and a well-known former church leader both of whom have moved into new roles, one as Australian Ambassador to the Vatican, and the other as the director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Canberra, will speak about their current commitments and their thoughts on the role of religion and interreligious activity in Australian society and internationally. Tim Fischer, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, will deliver an address, 'To see from the Holy See: Hearing. Helping and Happiness and Rev James Haire, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, will speak from his varied and extensive experiences, firstly from his childhood in Northern Ireland, his experience in church union and leading the third largest religious group in Australia (the Uniting Church in Australia - a union of Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches) and from his ecumenical and interfaith activities over the years.
HE The Honourable Timothy Andrew Fischer AC is the Australian Ambassador to the Vatican. He served as an officer in the infantry in Australia and Vietnam, followed by service in the New South Wales Parliament and the Australian Federal Parliament, where he held the titles of Leader of the National Party, Minister for Trade, and Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Fischer has a range of agricultural, export and transport business interests.
Rev James Haire, Former Moderator General of the Uniting Church of Australia, is Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. Professor Haire is also a Professor of Theology at Charles Sturt University and of the Public and Contextual Theology Strategic Research Centre. Professor Haire has sought cooperation between the various denominations and was Co-chair of the National Dialogue between the Uniting Church and Catholic Church in Australia from 1992 to 2004

2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
In Search of Sustainable Pathways
Joseph Gelfer Michael York Joni Stimson Samuel Alexander Room 111
Panel Discussion
Promising strategies for achieving a sustainable world can be found in the world's many faiths. This panel will present the following themes: [1] Planetary survival requires exploring alternative ways to live, and one promising way entails simplifying our lives by consuming less and living more; [2] Pagan polytheism's central focus is on ecology and healing the earth; (3) God's law can help humanity develop guidelines for environmental sustainability; (4) Gaia Consciousness is manifested as the environmental movement, earth-based spirituality. and a trend towards seeking unity within diversity; and (5) The future of peace requires the mobilisation of men of all faiths who reclaim what is naturally peaceful about being a religious man. (This talk is about religion, men and masculinity.) Panellists proceed from the shared assumption that a better world depends on healing within each faith, between different faiths and with those who choose no faith.
Joseph Gelfer has a PhD in religious studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is an Honorary Research Associate at the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University, Australia. Joseph is founding editor of Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality. His book, 'Numen, Old Men: Contemporary Masculine Spiritualities and the Problem of Patriarchy', is published by Equinox Publishers (London, 20091
At the Cherry Hill Seminary, Michael York focuses his teaching on comparative religions. He is Co-Chair of the American Academy of Religions Contemporary Pagan Studies Group and has authored 'Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion'.
Joni Stimson earned a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) from the University of Queensland in 1985. Her undergraduate work focused on community development, with an emphasis on social planning. Her independent Postgraduate Study at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, led her to examine the philosophical underpinnings of the communities that formed the kibbutzim and how they have changed over time. For her Master of Social Work from the University of Sydney (1999), she focused her thesis, 'LEVITICUS Ecological Reading, on the creation of sustainable communities.
Samuel Alexander is a part-time lecturer and doctoral student at Melbourne Law School and the editor of Voluntary Simplicity: The Poetic Alternative to Consumer Culture 12009). He is also the founder of the Lite Poets Simplicity Collective, a grass-roots environmental organisation dedicated to the promotion and celebration of sustainable culture. Living simply and happily in a small hut that he built himself using mostly abandoned materials, he spends his time quietly planning, with youthful ambition, the non-violent erasure of consumer culture.

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Hindu Spirituality in Dance:
Odissi Performance
Dr Chandrabhanu
Jambudvipa Ensemble
Room 201
Artistic Performance
Odissi dance is an art full of grace, poise and magic. It is the traditional dance of Orissa and has its origins in ancient temple worship. In ancient times, Odissi was seen as a religious rite performed only by devadasis. Odissi is primarily the enactment of love between Lord Krishna and Radha. The movements of the dance are largely based on the concept of Tribhangi, which divides the body into three parts: the head, bust and torso. Much of the dance's magic comes from mudras, or movements of the hands. Dr Chandrabhanu will perform along with sixteen dancers from his world-renowned Jambudvipa Ensemble (Dance Academy).
Dr Chandrabhanu was born in Kangar, the capital of the Malaysian province of Perlis. He has choreographed almost fifty major choreographic works, productions and performances in Bharata Natyam, Odissi, and contemporary dance styles, including Bharata Natyam solo recitals. Chandrabhanu is currently artistic director and principal of Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy of Indian Classical Dance and Music, Melbourne.
Islam 101 Series: War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle
Dr Tariq Ramadan
Dr William F Vendley
Rabbi Michael Melchior
Room 202
Panel Discussion
The concerted struggle for peace consumed the life of Prophet Muhammad. However, there is the perception that war was a dominant factor during the formative years of Islam and that Muslims are consequently predisposed to violence and war. During this session, internationally respected Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan will discuss the Prophet's life in regards to war and peace, how misinformation about these issues affects current prospects for peace, and what lessons about peace can be gleaned from the Prophet's example as we move forward. This session will also include an interfaith panel of respondents who are leaders in peace building among the faith traditions. This program is one of six sessions in the Islam 101 Series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice, and history that are all too commonly misunderstood.
Tariq Ramadan (www.tariqramadan.com) is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He is currently Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He is active both at the academic and grassroots levels and lectures extensively throughout the world on theology, ethics, social justice, ecology and interfaith as well as intercultural dialogue. Through his writings and lectures, he has contributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West
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and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Professor Ramadan is currently president of the European think tank, European Muslim Network (EMN). in Brussels.
Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General of Religions for Peace since 1994 and has mobilised and equipped religious communities in war-torn regions worldwide. He was a participant in His Majesty King Abdullah's historic interreligious meeting in Madrid, Spain in 2008 and has been requested by the Muslim World I eague to serve on its Followup Committee. Dr Vendley is also an advisor to US President Barack Obama.
Rabbi Michael Melchior hails from Denmark, where his family members have served as Chief Rabbis for seven generations. In 1999, he was elected to the Knesset, where he became one of Israel's leading legislators. He helped to enact legislative reforms in the areas of education, children's rights, the environment and social justice. Today. Rabbi Melchior leads a variety of civil society movements, including a forum that promotes dialogue and understanding among different strands of Israeli society.
Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding: The Case of Israel-West Bank-Gaza
Eliyahu McLean
Deacon Jiries Mansour
Ibtisam Mahamid
Sheikh Hussein Abu Rukkun
Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari Room 203
The Israeli, West Bank, and Gaza areas are some of the most volatile in the world. Interreligious and interethnic conflicts have plagued these areas for decades. Land disputes and human rights violations have been a significant source of conflict. As the Holy Land for numerous faiths, there have been regular clashes over access to sacred sites. Because of this, tensions between ethnic and religious communities are high, characterised by a lack of trust and discrimination. The Jerusalem Peacemakers and the Abrahamic Reunion, a network and family of religious leaders, women and grassroots peacemakers, seek to rebuild trust between Israelis and Palestinians, especially after the recent war in Gaza. The peacemakers in the Holy Land work together to help loosen rigid beliefs, bridge the gulf between peoples, and to help people recognise that they are in this together and that polarisation and violence do not work. Representatives of Jewish, Christian, Druze, and Muslim faiths will share stories of peacemaking and hope from Israel and Palestine.
Eliyahu McLean is the co-director of Jerusalem Peacemakers, a network of religious leaders and grassroots peacebuilders in the Holy Land. He is also a leader in Israeli-Palestinian bridge building projects. Mr McLean was initiated as a Rodef Shalom (Peace Pursuer] by Reb Zalman Schachter Shalomi. His work with Palestinian Sufis is described in At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden: A Jew's Search for God with the Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land".
Jiries Mansour is Deacon of the Greek Catholic Church in Ktar Rame, an Arab village in Galilee. He is founder and principal of the Saint Anthony Latin School, which is recognised for its superior academic training for Druze, Christian and Muslim students. Jiries is a leader in peace and interfaith initiatives in the Holy Land and has initiated numerous school exchanges between Arab and Jewish youth. Jiries is a founding member of the Abrahamic Reunion.
Ibtisam Mahamid's primary focus is on improving relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel, and she also works to improve the status of women in both Arab and Jewish society. She is on the board of Middleway.

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an NGO for the promotion of compassion and nonviolence, and she helped found the Women's Interfaith Encounter, a program of the Interfaith Encounter Association. In April 2009, the Dalai Lama presented Ibtisam with the 'Unsung Heroes of Compassion award in recognition of her work to bring peace and to improve the status of women in the Holy Land. Sheikh Hussein Abu Rukkun, an elder and recognised spokesperson for the Mowahhidoon (Druze) faith, has travelled widely in efforts to build bridges with other religions. He embodies the essence of the Druze tradition, embracing the principles and the Holy Books of the three more widely known Abrahamic religions, while also integrating the Druze belief in reincarnation Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, a Sheikh of the Naqshabandian Religious Method (Sulil and head of the Uzbeke Community in Jerusalem, is an Uzbek. He is a leading Muslim voice for peace and reconciliation in Jerusalem. He also hosts the Uzbek Cultural Centre of the Holy Land in his home.
Hear the Voices of the Indigenous Elders Asayo Horibe, USA: Buddhist, Moderator Chief Oren Lyons, USA: Onondaga Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu elder Clarence Jackson, USA: Tlingit Room 208 Panel Discussion Indigenous cultures have honoured their elders and seek to gain wisdom from their voices. Their stories continue to enrich and help to restore the sacred practices and identity of the community. Asayo Horibe is the President of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, an organisation for all Buddhist groups in Chicago and the Midwest region In 1989, she also became the first President of the Heartland Sangha in Evanston, Illinois. She serves as a secretary for the Asian Advisory Council for the Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. She is a lay minister and has also worked as a registered nurse for over 45 years Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, is a powerful and passionate spokesperson for Indigenous human rights and spiritual perspectives. An environmental champion, he speaks around the world, is active at the United Nations, and is widely known through his writings. He is a Professor Emeritus, in American Studies, SUNY Buffalo and the co-author of Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the U.S. Constitution Tsugio Kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai. Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture. Clarence Jackson is a Tlingit Clan Elder from the village of Kake, Alaska He is of the Ch'aak' Eaglel moiety. Tsaagweidi (Killer Whale) Clan. He is on the board of directors for Sealaska Corporation, a regional, Native for-profit corporation founded by the US Congress for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. He also serves on the board of trustees for Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Council of Traditional Scholars.
UN Millennium Development Goals, Challenges and Opportunities for Global Stability Almaz Negash Bruce Duncan Room 204 Seminar In September 2000 the international community under the leadership of the United Nations agreed to adopt the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to foster sustainable development in poverty stricken countries. The MDGs are people-centric and measurable, and are intended to transform communities from the bottom up. They range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS to providing universal primary education by the target date of 2015. These goals are backed by a consensus of governments throughout the world. This session will discuss the MDGs, the progress that has been made toward achieving them, and the challenges that remain. The aim is to assist the participant in understanding the nature of the systems that have sustained the status quo and the nature of the systems that will be required to support systemic change. The presentation will call for bringing together new forms of public/private partnerships to preserve the best of both, providing a stronger support network for emerging regions and their people, and leveraging infrastructure, education, financial, and trade support so as to enable individuals, local governments, and small businesses within these emerging economies to grow more stably and with higher value-added components to their enterprises. Almaz Negash is managing director at Entwine Global. At the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, she worked to facilitate dialogue between world leaders on a 'Global Ethic' and the need for global moral leadership. As director of the Silicon Valley Center for International Trade Development, she facilitated the awarding of over $200 million in contracts to her clientele. She co-authored Awakening Social Responsibility. A Call to Action. Bruce Duncan has his doctorate in political science from the University of Sydney. Since 1987 he has lectured in history and social ethics at Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne. He is the author of Crusade or Conspiracy? Catholics and the anti-communist Struggle in Australia (2001) and Church Social Teaching (1991).
Striving to Live in a Livable World (Session 2) Lucy Mulenkei, Kenya: Maasai, Moderator Baba Wande Abimbola, Nigeria: Yoruba Norma Kassi, Canada: Vuntut Gwitch'in First Nation Room 209 Panel Discussion Environmental safety and the sustainability of a healthy environment is a problem for many Indigenous communities across the globe. Maintaining a healthy environment is an increasingly difficult challenge as Indigenous communities struggle to protect their land and those who live around it. The land not only serves as source of sustenance, but also provides materials for homes, feed for Livestock, and herbal medicine for health. This land also contains special or sacred places. Maasai, Yoruba and First Nation panellists will discuss the challenges and the spiritual significance of their environments. Lucy Mulenkei is a Maasai from Kenya. She is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Information Network IIN) in Kenya and works with the African Indigenous Women's Organization in the East African Region, She has coordinated training and capacity building on environment and sustainable development for Indigenous rural, nomadic pastoralists and hunter gatherers. Her main focus is on biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge.
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Professor Wande Abimbola is the current Awise Agbaye, or Spokesperson of Yoruba Religion in the World. He was formerly ViceChancellor of University of Ife [now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife from 1982-1989; Senate Majority Leader for the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992-1993; and Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria from 2003-2005. Professor Abimbola has taught at Harvard University and Boston University. He is currently President of the UNESCOsponsored Ifa Heritage Institute, Nigeria.
Norma Kassi, raised in Old Crow, Yukon, is Vuntut Gwich'in (People of the Lakes). From 1985 until 1992 she was a member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. She has been a spokesperson in the effort to preserve the Porcupine Caribou Herd and serves on the International Gwich'in Steering Committee for the Preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She is Co-director of the Arctic Health Research Network: Yukon, engaged in health research.
Removal: The Indigenous RealityDaily Youth Workshop
Mathew Luke Crane
Darlene St Clair
Visopiano Sanyu Melissa Brickell Room 210
This interactive workshop will build on a panel session featuring stories of removal from Native American, Aboriginal Australian and Naga perspectives. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the session presenters and engage in discussion about the impact of removal.
Mathew Crane is an Aboriginal man from South Australia; Currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Theology at Australian Catholic University; Administrative Assistant to Jim-baa-yer Indigenous Unit, Centre for Indigenous Education and Research, Australian Catholic University: Member of the Anglican Church of Australia and parishioner at St. Peter's Eastern Hill; Verger at St. Paul's Cathedral; Committee Chair of Critical Mass a group that seeks to connect progressive young Anglicans in the Diocese of Melbourne.
lyekiyapiwin (Darlene St Clair) is an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at St Cloud State University and the director of the Multicultural Resource Center. Her career has focused on the education of Native peoples from early childhood to college, the integration of Native cultures' histories and languages into curricula, and the arts and cultural expressions of Native peoples. She is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and an enrolled member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota, Visopiano Sanyu is Indigenous to Nagaland.
Melissa Brickell, a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjeri people, resides in Melbourne. Her work and active community involvement over the last eighteen years have focused on cross-cultural awareness and reconciliation among Australians. Brickell received a Reconciliation Award from Maribyrnong City Council for advancing the rights and com munity life of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. She is also. actively involved in the Stolen Generations movement in Victoria and nationally.
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Religious and Spiritual Responses
to Disasters
Laura Crochet
Amjad Mohammed-Saleem
Additional speakers to be determined Room 211
Religious and spiritual communities were often the first responders to human and ecological disasters long before world class relief organizations such as the International Red Cross or the United Nations Refugee Relief Agency. For centuries, come drought, floods, hurricanes, fires, social and political upheaval, or war, these communities tirelessly rose to the occasion. Today, religious and spiritual communities work side-by-side with outstanding local, national and interreligious relief organizations to provide humanitarian aid to millions worldwide who are often in life or death situations. In this session, panellists with first hand experience of these collaborative efforts will share their stunning experiences and best practices. They will also provide practical insight into how this vital work can be supported.
Laura Crochet, an organizational management specialist in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a statewide association, has focused on capacity building for nonprofits, since June 2006. Her specialty areas include grant writing, mission development, and planning. Ms. Crochet grew up in southern Louisiana, and received a Master's Degree in Education Administration and Supervision. She has contributed her knowledge through webinars, trainings and conferences. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, she worked in Long Term Community Recovery with FEMA.
Amjad Mohammed-Saleem is the head of media and public relations for The Cordoba Foundation. He was the architect of a global partnership between Muslim Aid and the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which was hailed by the British Prime Minister as a landmark example of Muslims collaborating with Christians during times of conflict in South Asia. After losing several family members in the 2004 Tsunami, he joined the humanitarian and development field including overseeing tsunami reconstruction work in Sri Lanka.
Accommodating Indigenous Spirituality in the Contemporary World: Valuing and Respecting the Importance of Indigenous Spirituality
Joseph Henry Suina, USA: Cochiti Pueblo, Moderator Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu
Nana Osei Boakyewa Apeadu Yiadom II, Akan/Ghana: Apeadu
Room 214
Panel Discussion
Many Indigenous peoples in different regions of the world live in communities where there is an ongoing interfaith tension, sometimes cloaked in political rivalry. Three panellists representing different ethno-religious backgrounds will discuss instances of both accommodation and conflict that either strengthen or weaken Indigenous spirituality.
Dr Joseph H Suina is a Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico and has numerous publications on culture and education. He directed the Institute for American Indian Education at UNM for tribes throughout the Southwest. He is a former governor and

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a current tribal council member, who continues to advocate for Native American tribes in the areas of health, museums, language retention, sacred sites, economic development and housing.
Tsugio Kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture.
Nana Osei Boakyewa Yiadom II, a noted African leader, is one of Ghana's queen mothers. Among the first African women to be elected village chief, she is a fellow with the UN Institute for Training and Research, working on a project on refugee women. Since 1986, she has served as a consultant on the UN Decade for Women, an advisor to the Committee on African Women's Affairs, and president of the Pan African Human Rights Association.
Religious Identity Formation:
The Templars in Australia
Dr Irene Bouzo
Dr Rolf Beilharz
Room 215
Interactive Workshop
A community that cannot articulate its identity risks losing its group cohesion. A group that defines its identification process in an unsatisfactory way is in danger of an identity crisis. This session explores the sustainability of religious groups through collective identity formation and community living. Dr Irene Bouzo will first present a practical, three-step framework for religious identity formation. The context is the changing nature of communities in the 21st century and how a faith group lives in an urban village. This presentation is informed by research into the multiple migrations across five continents of the Temple Society Australia and its adaptation in Melbourne. Dr Rolf Beilharz, President of the Temple Society Australia, will then provide a snapshot of the Society's spiritual aspirations and how it is overcoming geographic displacement. Freedom of personal belief is one of the basic tenets. The Temple Society identifies as an independent Christian community in the sense that it is not affiliated or aligned with any denomination. Following a thirty-minute presentation, participants will take part in an interactive workshop exploring the three steps in identity formation in relation to their experiences in faith groups.
Irene Bouzo is completing a PhD on the migration and identity formation of the German-speaking Templars. She is a trained teacher and has also worked as a policy advisor in adult migrant education and the ethnic aged care sector in Victoria, Australia. She has contributed fifteen years of volunteer work to the Temple Society and is one of its lay elders.
Rolf Beilharz is President and past Regional Head of the Temple Society Australia. He is a religious and spiritual elder and has spent twenty years overseeing spiritual, heritage, social and welfare support programs in the Templar community. He was Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and. Agriculture, University of Melbourne and is a Humboldt Fellow. Dr Beilharz has a PhD in Genetics and Animal Breeding from lowa State University.

2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement
Sande Hart
Kay Lindahl Room 216
Interactive Workshop
This workshop explores models of organisation for women's grassroots and interfaith initiatives. It will also discuss how such organisations are affecting the shape of the interfaith movement today. Participants will discuss how to identify a community's needs and how to mobilise women into action, dialogue, conflict resolution, reconciliation and collaboration. This workshop will present a proven, successful model of organisation for a women's grassroots and interfaith group. The workshop will enable individual exploration so that the participant can develop a group that suits the specific needs of her community. Opportunities will be provided to develop relationships and to continue networking. This workshop's objective is to empower and activate the highest common values of diverse faith traditions: service, gathering, sharing and healing our world for future generations.
Sande Hart is the Founder & President of Spiritual And Religious Alliance for Hope [S.A.R.A.H.I, a women's interfaith group that developed following the events of 9/11. She is on the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Youth Council and the Institute of Religion & Cultural Competency. Sande is also the author of 'Make a Difference 101 [Community Service: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide for Kids!".
Kay Lindahl is a teacher who offers presentations on the power of listening for diverse groups around the world. She serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Interfaith Network and the Immortal Chaplains Foundation. She is a past trustee for the United Religions Initiative. She is also the author of "The Sacred Art of Listening". Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening, and the children's book "How Does God Listen?"
Indigenous Land Rights:
Struggles and Survival (Session 2)
Aqqaluk Lynge, Greenland: Kalaallit, Moderator Francois Paulette, Canada: Dene
Chief Megaron Txukarramae, Brazil: Kayapo Room 217
Panel Discussion
The participants on this second panel will give examples of their struggles for land rights. The survival and livelihood of most Indigenous communities depend on their land rights and ownership of their land base. Dispossession of these ancestral homelands is a major problem confronting Indigenous peoples worldwide. Economic development and various forms of governmental policies pose the threat of weakening or dispossessing Indigenous peoples of their rights to their homelands.
Aqqaluk Lynge is president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) Greenland and ICC Vice-Chair for Greenland. He has represented the Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and the Far East of Russia as President of the ICC from 1997 to 2006. Mr Lynge was first elected to the Greenland Parliament in 1983 and also served as a minister with various portfolios. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to pan-Inuit unity since the early 1970s.

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Francois Paulette is a Dene Suline and member of the Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation. He became the youngest chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972, along with other chiefs, he challenged the crown to recognise treaty and Aboriginal rights. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, the Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, and the Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee and has spoken internationally on Dene history and Aboriginal rights.
Chief Megaron Txukarramae is grand chief of the Kayapo people from the Amazonian Basin of Brazil, the head administrator of the National Indigenous Foundation IFUNAI) in his region, and a board member of Conservation International. The traditional lands of the Kayapo represent the single largest tract of protected tropical forest in the world and Chief Megaron works toward the preservation of his people's lands, culture and identity, and the promotion of their economic and political autonomy.
Knowing Home: A Presentation
of Indigenous Spirituality
Vicki Clark
Room 218
Interactive Workshop
Vicki Clarke, a Muthi Muthi woman living in urban Melbourne, is inextricably linked to her country of Mungo National Park, located in southwestern New South Wales. By sharing part of her journey, she invites program attendees to enter into her personal world in a way that is a rare gift. Vicki will show a DVD and give a presentation that discusses the issues of identity, belonging, spirituality and the need for healing among Indigenous peoples. She will create an emotive and extremely effective tool that promotes understanding of Australian Indigenous spirituality and raises issues of social justice for Indigenous peoples in Australian society.
Vicki Clark is the coordinator of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Melbourne. She was a representative of the affiliated Aboriginal Tribal Groups (Muthi Muthil in the formation of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Property Plan of Management. Nationally, Vicki has been influential in the formation and subsequent operations of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council, serving for six years as Secretary, three years as Vice Chair and three years as Chairperson.
Our Interreligious Future - Part Two
Marcus Braybrooke, Moderator
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
Rabbi David Rosen
And Others to Be Announced Room 219
Panel Discussion
The interreligious movement is barely a century old, yet it is clear that it will play an increasingly important role in the years ahead. Where is it all going? Will the religions play a larger role in the issues challenging the human community? Is there a potential for greater common action among the world's religious and spiritual communities? What are the next steps in the journey, what is motivating the movement and what are the obstacles to realising its visions? These and other topics will be addressed by religious leaders and the audience.moderator
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Rev Dr Marcus Braybrooke, President of the World Congress of Faiths and Patron of the international Interfaith Centre, Oxford, is an Anglican priest who has been active in interfaith work for over forty years. He is author of many books, including A Heart for the World".
Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, has visited many nations as a human rights advocate and to survey humanitarian needs. He has travelled to areas affected by major natural disasters, such as Central America, Sri Lanka, Louisiana and Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina, to ensure people in need would receive assistance, and to bring prayer and financial support. He has been a member of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom.
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Rabbi David Rosen is Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International interreligious Understanding. He serves on several international interreligious organisations. Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisations representing world Jewry to other religions.
Breaking Barriers: Global Women
of Faith Network, Religions for Peace
Patricia Blundell
Lilian Sison
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar Jacqueline Ogega
Room 220
Panel discussion and interactive Workshop
Religions for Peace, through its Global Women of Faith Network, mobilises women of faith to harness the largely untapped power of multireligious cooperation to build peace, advocate for justice, end poverty and protect the earth. This interactive workshop by a panel of international speakers will share experiences of women of faith as agents of peace and security, grounded in the spiritual values of different faiths. The second half of this workshop will encourage the forming of partnerships, by providing an opportunity for women of faith to interact with one another and with other non-sectoral partners. The panel will recommend ways to strengthen and mainstream the leadership of women of faith in building peace across the world.
Dr Patricia Blundell RSM is Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, and President of the Tertiary Campus Ministry Association (Australia), the professional association of Australian University Chaplains. She is Secretary of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education and is Co-ordinating Chaplain at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Her doctoral dissertation is on interreligious dialogue and the public university.
Dr Lilian Sison is Chair, Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace; Member, IWCC Global Women of Faith Network; and Dean of the Graduate School, University of San Tomas, Philippines.
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar is Co-Chair of Religions for Peace European Women of Faith Network and a member of RfP International Women's Coordinating Committee. She serves on the Executive Committees of the UK Interfaith Network, Scottish Inter Faith Council, Patron of Alma Royalton Kisch Inter Faith Youth Trust Londonl and is GNNSJ Scotland Coordinator (a Sikh organisation]. She is experienced in the field of education and holds a BEd (Hons) degree (London).
Jacqueline Ogega is the Director of the Women's Program at the World Conference of Religions for Peace. She has served as the African Women's Project Director at Religions for Peace in Africa, where she established the African Women of Faith Network. She has experience

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and skills in gender, peace building and development programming. She holds a Master's degree as well as a post-graduate diploma in gender and development, both from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Footy Training Clinic - Offsite Youth Workshop
Robert 'Dipper' DiPierdomenico
Nick Hatzoglou
Offsite
Offsite Program
This is your chance to venture on to the training ground of one of Melbourne's Australian Football League (AFL) teams, tour the facilities and learn the basic skills of Aussie Rules Football with current players. This event is facilitated by Multicultural Development Officers from the AFL.
Robert 'Dipper' DiPierdomenico is a National Auskick Ambassador and former professional Australian Rules footballer. In 1986 he received the Brownlow Medal and he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He coached the Israeli-Palestinian Peres Team for Peace in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup.
Nick Hatzoglou is the Multicultural Project Coordinator for the Australian Football League. Nick's key role with the Australian Football League is to bring Australian Football opportunities closer to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
OPENSPACE 4:30-6:00pm
The Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan: Universal Sufism
Nuria Daly
Shaikha Safa Hull
Room 102
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The Sufi Movement in Australia represents the Sufi Message of spiritual liberty as brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan in the early years of the 20th century. It is a message that is both profound and simple. This session is an opportunity to experience some of the concepts and teaching methods used on this path: gently tuning and refining our personalities, our interaction with others and the world that sustains us, and discovering a worldview that rests on and is constantly refined by love, harmony and beauty. The practices we are offering will include music, story, meditation, chanting (wazifa) and remembrance (zikr). There will also be an open forum for questions. All are most welcome to drop in and share this offering with us.
Nuria Irene Daly is a Shaikha in the Sufi Movement and is the National Representative of the International Sufi Movement in Australia. The Sufi Movement follows the teachings of Hazrat inayat Khan, who brought to the West the concept of Universal Sufism Nuria has led a Sufi group in Melbourne for many years and has led retreats and meditations in Australia.

4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Shaikha Safa Hull is Co-National Representative of the Sufi Movement in New Zealand, and has been leading Sufi groups and spiritual retreats for over 20 years. She is an active member of the International Sufi Movement and has presented a number of public talks on Sufism both in Australia and New Zealand. Safa is also a senior clergy member, or Siraja, of the religious activity of the International Sufi Movement, known as Universal Worship.
Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous People
Lewis Cardinal
Rick Chapman James Scott Alvin Dixon Room 103
Panel Discussion
Restitution does not automatically guarantee reconciliation, nor does it assure redemption. However, restored relationships with Indigenous People will never occur without the intentional efforts of those who seek the peace and welfare of all. The Interchurch Interfaith Committee of Edmonton Presbytery, United Church of Canada, will share stories of our current ecumenical efforts in Edmonton, Canada to pursue reconciliation and right relations with Indigenous Peoples through programs of study. reflection and celebration with Aboriginal (Indigenous] spiritual leaders. Specific details and outcomes of events will be presented for both information and critique in the hope that we will encourage and learn from similar experiences worldwide. Related to our presentation will be accounts of the national United Church of Canada's efforts to explore, develop and nurture just and respectful relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people across our church'; and also reports regarding the founding and progress of the Canadian government's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Lewis Cardinal is an Aboriginal educator and community leader in Edmonton.
Rick Chapman has been working with Aboriginal people in the inner city of Edmonton for the last three years at the Inner City Pastoral Ministry. Reverend James Scott was ordained by the United Church of Canada. His career has focused on social justice, peacemaking and conflict resolution. He directed the Coalition Against the Return of the Death Penalty and animated educational programs for the Church Council on Justice and Corrections. Currently James brings his healing and reconciliation experience to his role as a United Church national staff member for Indian Residential Schools.
Alvin Dixon is an Indigenous leader in the United Church of Canada and has been deeply involved with the Residential School settlement process.

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Education for Successful Societies Elias Szczytnicki Simon Xavier Guerrand - Hermes Katherine Marshall Stephen Hanmer Room 109
An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis Shamir Allibhai, Producer/Director Room 107 Film and Discussion The Aga Khan has been the spiritual leader of 15 million Ismaili Muslims for the past five decades. Born into wealth and privilege, he has devoted his life to eliminating poverty and inequality. At a time when Islam is at odds within itself and with the West, this film presents the Aga Khan as a voice of moderation, speaking out for pluralism, and promoting dialogue between civilisations. The film was directed by Jane Chablani, Bill Cran, and Shamir Allibhai. Shamir Allibhai is the Producer of An Islamic Conscience. He was previously the Commercial Director and part of the founding team of the Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation. The Documentary Film Foundation is a nonprofit organisation that funds documentary filmmakers and runs BRITDOC, the UK's first documentary feature film festival, which Shamir was instrumental in launching. Shamir is a candidate for a Master's of Theological Studies in Islamic Studies from the Harvard Divinity School
Education is sacred to many religious traditions, and faith communities are leaders in both thinking about education and running educational institutions, from preschools through advanced studies. The role faith communities play turns out not only on service delivery but also on the question: 'Education for what?' a question that signifies how important the issue of values is to the enterprise of education. Education, education, education is a common response to the question of what area deserves highest priority in building successful societies. This session will reflect on religion's roles in education worldwide, highlighting the experience of Jesuit education, the Aga Khan Development Network, and the Gulen movement. The presenters will explore the debates about whether and how basic knowledge about different faith traditions should be a core component of curricula. Elias Szczytnicki is Secretary General and Regional Director, Religions for Peace Latin America and the Caribbean. Before, he was Member, National Executive Committee, Consensus-Building Table on Fight against Poverty of Peru, and Member, Committee on Supervision and Transparency, National Program on Direct Support for the More Poor People Together, Mr Szczytnicki holds a Bachelor's degree in history from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and is a graduate from the Program on Jewish Organization Direction of the Leatid Center Simon Xavier Guerrand-Hermes is the Chairman of the GHFP board, Vice Chairman of Hermes of Paris, and board member of Hermes International, He is also Chairman of Eden Development and Treasurer of Religions for Peace. He is a Honourary Fellow of Oxford University Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government
ent and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions working in development, involving a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners, and a series of reviews of development topics. Stephen Hanmer, a UNICEF Partnerships Advisor, supports UNICEF's faith based partnerships
Knit Together in Love: Communities Enriched by Altruistic Handicrafting Alison Hood Room 108 Academic Paper and Interactive Workshop When you make a handmade object, you reconnect to the process of creation. You transform raw materials into a finished product, rather than simply buying a mass-produced item. You experience fellowship and connectedness with other craftspeople, as well as with those for whom the object is intended. This research-based workshop will highlight individuals and small groups that employ their handcrafting skills to make unique textile objects, created for the sole purpose of giving them to those in need, often complete strangers. Knitters and crocheters are welcome to bring their crafts with them to work on as we discuss how, through engaging in this process, individuals build relationships with themselves, each other, and the community at large. This session will focus in particular on how knitters and crocheters respond to the needs of the community, as well as their empowering role as stewards of knowledge, skills, and resources. These creative processes are explored using the theoretical framework of "lived religion, which examines how religion and spirituality function in the creative process of handicraft, as well as how they are manifested within the daily lives of people who participate in them. Alison Hood is Chair of Religious Studies at Huntington University. She teaches courses pertaining to the contemporary issues of technology. spirituality, and ritual and their effects on life experiences. Alison is a member of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion and is currently pursuing her Doctorate at the University of Queensland, researching altruistic handcrafting as 'lived religion. She holds a BA from laurentian University and an MA from Wilfrid Laurier University
Religious Leadership in a Global Perspective Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Moderator Dharma Master Hsin Tao Jinwol Lee Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Imam Feisal Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Rabbi David Rosen HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati HH Swami Amarananda HH Dadi Janki Sr Joan Chittister Room 203 Recently religious leaders affiliated with the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders gathered in the Holy Land to discuss
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HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati is the president and spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan, one of the largest spiritual institutions in India. He is also the founder and chairman of the India Heritage Research Foundation IIHF), sponsoring a wide range of humanitarian and educational programs. Swami Saraswati has been a long-time participant in international interfaith conferences. In 1991, he received the Hindu of the Year' award. HH Swami Amarananda is the senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and president of the Centre Vedantique in Geneva. He is a former residential school headmaster and expert on disaster management. He has participated in numerous multireligious programs, including the World Faiths Development Dialogue, meetings of the Community of Santo Egidio, the Interreligious Platform in Geneva and the World Council of Churches
the question of 'The Future of Religious Leadership Those discussions were informed by an international survey, prepared by the Elijah Interfaith institute, on the theme of religious leadership. The survey measured satisfaction, expectation and trust that different communities worldwide have in their religious leaders. It contrasted how local religious leaders are doing in relation to international leaders and heads of large organization. It sought to identify the qualities that people feel are most important to the vocation of a religious leader and it suggested what it is that the faithful of different religions are expecting of their leaders. The present panel will feature religious leaders reflecting upon the findings of this survey. It will include religious leaders of those traditions surveyed. What have leaders learned from the survey? How have they been challenged? What practical conclusions and consequences might they implement in light of this survey? Join us in order to receive the answers to such questions from these renowned religious leaders. Alon Goshen-Gottstein has been director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and lecturer and director of the Center for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem, since 1997. Ordained a rabbi in 1977, he holds a PhD and BA from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His nearly three dozen articles have appeared in edited collections and in such scholarly journals as Harvard Theological Review, Journal for the Study of Judaism, and Studies in Interreligious Dialog. Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age 13. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wusheng Monastery on Ling jou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist -Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 has been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York Venerable Professor Jinwol Lee is a Buddhist monk and Seon (Zenl Master of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. He received a PhD in Buddhist Studies from UC Berkeley and now teaches at Dongguk University in Korea. He is a Steering Committee Member of the Coalition for the UN Decade for Peace, an Executive Committee Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and a Global Council Member of the United Religions Initiative. Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, has visited many nations as a human rights advocate and to survey humanitarian needs. He has travelled to areas affected by major natural disasters, such as Central America, Sri Lanka and Louisiana and Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina, to ensure people in need would receive assistance, and to bring prayer and financial support. He has been a member of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multireligious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of "What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West, he is also founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology. Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh comes from a line of spiritual leaders. and is Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. He is a retired civil and structural engineer, with two honorary Doctorates for work in faith, community and education. Bhai Sahib is also a recipient of the Juliet Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding. Rabbi David Rosen is Director of the American Jewish Committeel's Department for Interreligious Alfairs and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding. He serves on several international interreligious organisations. Formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he is the immediate past Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, a broad-based coalition of Jewish organisations representing world Jewry to other religions.
Come into the Presence of God! A Celebration of the Divine in Words. Music and Silence Rev Dr Stephanie Dowrick Dr Kim Cunio Robin Ramsay Room 201 Artistic Performance Various musicians and spiritual leaders will contribute to this multi-art form program. In celebration of the Divine and the human relationship to the Divine, we will move from the meditative to the ecstatic through poetry scripture, music and guided and silent meditation. We will emphasise the universal teachings from East and West, especially those that lead us to appreciate love as the centre of our lives, the source of our wellbeing, a unifying and healing force for humanity, and the most profound expression of the numinous and Eternal. We will highlight short, inspirational passages from the major scriptures both in English and in their original languages, sometimes accompanied by music. Poetry selections will range from Rumi to Thich Nhat Hanh, from Rilke to Mary Oliver. and from Owl Woman to Miguel Hernandez. A range of fine musicians will represent Islamic, Jewish, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Rev Dr Stephanie Dowrick will devise and moderate the text for the program. Dr Kim Cunio will provide musical direction, and Robin Ramsey will provide artistic direction. Rev Stephanie Dowrick, PhD is an ordained interfaith Minister and Australia's best-known writer in the areas of personal, social and spiritual development. She is in demand both nationally and internationally as a workshop and retreat leader and has been writing the Inner Life column for Good Weekend Magazine Sydney Morning Herald and The Agel since 2001. Since 2003. Stephanie has given regular interfaith services at Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney Dr Kim Cunio is Australia's leading composer and interpreter of sacred traditional music. He has been commissioned to investigate the music of many sacred traditions by organisations around the world and in Australia. His most recent commissions have included The Sacred Fire: The Music of Hildegard of Bingen, the Temple Project Imusic in the time of Jesusl. and The Thread of Life, a reuniting of Arabic and Jewish musicians, Robin Ramsay is an inspirational figure in Australia's theatre history and has performed in theatre, television and film for over forty years. A longtime meditator and spiritual scholar. Robin recently completed his debut feature film as director, Tao of the Traveller, a mystical exploration of the journeys of the human soul. The film won Best Film in its category at the South African International Film Festival and is an Official Selection at the Thailand International Film Festival
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The Science and Spirituality
of Climate Change
Johan Rockström
Room 202
Panel Discussion
Former US Vice-President At Gore has defined the critical factor in addressing climate change in spiritual terms, as...the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve..." Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at the UN, has said that the current crisis has raised the threat of dramatic population migration, conflict, and war over water and other resources, as well as a realignment of power among nations. In the public debate about climate change, the perspectives of scientific research and spirituality often seem confused, or at cross-purposes. These two Nobel Laureates, awarded for their work on environmental concerns, bring clarity and synergy to these twin perspectives that are crucial in addressing the most challenging crisis of our time.
Johan Rockström is Executive Director of Stockholm Resilience Centre. He is also Professor in natural resources management at Stockholm University and executive director of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). He is coordinator of several national and regional research and development projects linked to the Global Water Partnership, the Global Dialogue on Water for Food and Environmental Security, and the Resilience Alliance.
Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection) Room 210
Film
'Thirst' tells the story of communities in Bolivia, India and the United States that are asking fundamental questions about water. Q & A to follow.
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 1)
Room 211
This session, on the legacy of the 2009 Parliament, will be a conversation with members of different religious, cultural, and interreligious Melbourne-based groups. Participants will strategise how to further utilise the energy of the Parliament for the future of Melbourne, the role of the Parliament in developing social cohesion between residents, and making a world of difference.
Exploring the Future of Religion and Spirituality
Andrew Cohen
Room 213
Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher and founder of EnlightenNext magazine (formerly What Is Enlightenment?). A visionary thinker, Cohen is widely recognised for his original contribution to the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. Through his talks, retreats, publications, and
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ongoing dialogues with leading philosophers, mystics, and activists, he is becoming a defining voice in an international alliance of individuals and organisations that are committed to the transformation of human consciousness and culture.
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Offerings for Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana / World Peace Barong
Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga
Room 214
Interactive Exhibit
A barong is an animal figure that makes a dancing pilgrimage for peace. Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana / World Peace Barong was conceived 26 March 2003 and blessed 26 March 2004 during 'Sharing Art & Religiosity' in Bedulu, Bali, facing the Samuan Tiga Temple, where, in the year 1011, three faiths met in reconciliation. This barong is a new creation made of coral, stones, tree bark and roots, feathers, fabric, bells and other materials initially gifted by 56 individuals and societies from 23 nations of the world. Parliament presenters and visitors are invited to send materials from your culture to Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga 1 Jalan Pura Samuan Tiga Bedulu, Bali 80551 Indonesia to beautify the Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana /World Peace Barong so that it may be more complete for 'Sharing Art & Religiosity in the year 2011 and dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of Pasamuan Tiga. Artist delegates of Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga will host discussions on the process of creating the World Peace Barong from 4:30 to 6:00 pm daily during Open Space.
Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga is a nonprofit public foundation in Bedulu, Bali, Indonesia dedicated to maintaining and supporting the spirit of conciliation that arose in the interfaith meeting at Samuan Tiga Temple in the year 1011. The foundation strives to promote intercultural collaboration through sharing in the arts and religiosity among cultures in Indonesia and among nations throughout the world.
Role of Youth
Chisato Morita
Shumei Youth Group Room 216 Musical
The Shumei Youth Group strongly believes in the Parliament's missions of healing the Earth and listening to each other. But what can young people contribute? How can they work to address the issues that stand in the way of achieving these goals? As young people from all religions and spiritual groups are working towards a more comfortable and fair world for everyone, the Shumei Youth Group is dedicated to taking an active role in this change. Via the exchange of ideas with one another and by working together with similar goals in mind, today's youth can maintain a 'yes, we can!' attitude. The Shumei Youth Group's work is based on these words of its founder, Mokichi Okada: 'We recognise all religions as our colleagues and will link hands with them in mutual amity as we go onward.' As part of their presentation, the group will suggest a new way of life based on their three pillars: spiritual healing, natural agriculture and appreciation of

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art, all of which have proven effective in enriching the lives of people worldwide. Chisato Morita is a staff member of Shinji Shumeikai. The Shumel Youth Group is using the ideas of Japanese philosopher Makichi Okada to work to help all the different people of the world to live in happiness and harmony with nature. They aim to work towards developing ambitious leaders in today's generation to sustain our world. The essence of their practice is feeling the beauty of our world. The group works for the happiness of others, appreciates precious art and music, and enjoys growing vegetables.
Spiritual Progressives: Networking Towards a New Bottom Line Rabbi Michael Lerner Room 217 Seminar Spiritual progressives are all those (including spiritual but-not-religious people) who seek a New Bottom Line. Institutions, corporations, laws and government policies, educational, legal and health systems, and even our personal lives should be defined as productive', 'efficient or 'rational' not only to the extent that they maximise money or power (the Old Bottom Linel, but also to the extent that they maximise the human capacity to be loving.caring, kind, generous, ethically and ecologically sensitive, aware of the sacred in other sentient beings, and capable of responding with awe, wonder and radical amazement at the grandeur and mystery of Creation. Rabbi Michael Lerner invites participants to a meeting to discuss how to build a network of spiritual progressives within their own denominations, religious communities, academic communitics or local places of Worship or work Rabbi Michael Lerner studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and was mentored by noted scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel. He received a PhD in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1972 and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in 1977. Michael Lerner serves as the rabbi of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco and is the editor of Tikkun Magazine and author of numerous books.
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Resources for and Obstacles to Multi-Religious Education in One's Own Tradition North American Theological School Students Room 219 Panel Discussion Faculty and students will try to explore, both intra-religiously within their own traditions and inter-religiously in conversation with members of other traditions, the problems and the possibilities they face in trying to promote within their own community a greater awareness of and interaction with other communities. We will try to face problems honestly but sensitively, for the 'religious other often appears as a threat to one's own religious identity and as a denial of certain beliefs about uniqueness or superiority that have been part of one's own tradition. Such problems must be embraced carefully, creatively and patiently. This session will stress the positive resources that can be found in each tradition-resources that call members of each tradition to humility about one's own claims, openness to the beliefs and practices of others, and love and compassion towards all, no matter how different they may be. We also want to examine how the critical issues in our suffering and threatened world can also provide resources for greater cooperation as these issues provide new possibilities for religions to collaborate practically even when they may differ doctrinally. Each school will bring some particular texts or statements from their own tradition that can serve as assuring and creative resources for an open engagement with others. This is part of a symposium entitled 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World'. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of The Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with fifteen theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interfaith leadership in North American theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interfaith engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of faith traditions in the contemporary world.
A Listening Place Each Day Kristen Hobby Lynette Dungan Bernie Miles Kava Schafer Jill Manton Nola Vanderfeen Room 218 Interactive Workshop We welcome you to a safe place where you can simply be. This is a quiet place where you can sit and meditate or reflect on what has touched or challenged you throughout the day of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Spiritual directors will be available in this room; you may talk to them if there is anything you would like to share. Spiritual directors are trained to listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way and are available for people of all faith traditions.
Religions for Peace Gathering Stein Villumstad Room 220 Participants in the Parliament who are or want to be affiliated with Religions for Peace (RfP) are invited to an informal forum in which we will share current develop ments. This gathering will discuss strategic priorities for the organisation; updates from the RIP network; global advocacy agendas and campaigns; and visual identity and development of e-advocacy capacities. The objective of this gathering is to strengthen the sense of identification
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with and ownership of the network among the RFPaffiliated participants.
Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights.
EVENING PROGRAMMING 9:00-10:30pm
Burma VJ
Room 107 Film
In Burma's police state, video journalists (VJs) risk their lives to make the world aware of events inside their nation. Equipped with small cameras, the VJs project the struggle of the Burmese people on TV screens worldwide. This 90-minute film tells the story of Joshua', a 27-yearold VJ thrust into the role of tactical leader of a group of reporters when monks lead a massive, peaceful uprising against the regime. The film was directed by Anders Ostergaard.
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The Power of Spiritual Experience
Charles Hogg
Christine Westbury
Room 101
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Some say that knowing is easy, believing is easy, but experience is hard. The aim of this session is to transform our knowing and believing into spiritual experiences and feelings. At the heart of each one of us is the aim to have deep, rich, spiritual experiences and feelings. Whether it is of the eternal self, love for God, the power of Truth, or something else, experience is a sustaining factor in our spiritual journey. The session will begin with a brief discussion of the process, and will then be conducted in silence accompanied by soft music with occasional commentary to guide the participants gently into various meditative exercises. The exercise aims to create a very powerful spiritual atmosphere of belonging. This observance will guide the individual to their point of stillnessa stillness that totally refreshes the mind and allows the self to be in a position to listen, observe and reflect. In this place of inner stillness, one is taken to another level of listening where one may more effectively hear others from a position of compassion, understanding, respect and tolerance.
Charlie Hogg has practiced meditation daily for the past 30 years. He first learned meditation in 1975 at the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation Centre in London. He trained as a teacher and returned to Australia in 1977 to open a Brahma Kumaris Centre in Melbourne. In 1980 he became the Director of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre in Australia, where there are now 30 such Centres.
Christine Westbury has been studying and teaching B K Raja Yoga meditation for the past 12 years. She currently coordinates their Fitzroy branch and oversees many of their Melbourne activities. She is on the advisory board for a Parliament of the World's Religions and has worked closely with interfaith groups, hosting numerous events. She works as a medical research nurse at Royal Children's hospital. Christine coordinated "just-a-minute' in Melbourne.
Seon (Zen) Meditation Practise
Jinwol Lee
Room 102
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Seon is a method of Korean Buddhist meditation similar to Chan in China and Zen in Japan. It is a way of purifying one's mind through concentration and contemplation. Through the Seon practice, one can discover enlightenment, wisdom and compassion. All are welcome to join this session and practise this simple and peaceful form of meditation, which can help to uncover one's original nature of perfection.
Venerable Professor Jinwol Lee is a Buddhist monk and Seon (Zen) Master of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. He received a PhD in Buddhist Studies from UC Berkeley and now teaches at Dongguk University in Korea. He is a Steering Committee Member of the Coalition for the UN Decade for Peace, an Executive Committee Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and a Global Council Member of the United Religions Initiative.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Monday
Rabbi Ralph Genende
Room 103
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Rabbi Ralph Genende will lead this prayer service. If there is a minyan (quorum for prayer) we will daven (pray) the full service albeit without Torah reading. If there is no minyan we will still daven together. Bring a siddur (prayer book) if possible. There will be a few spare siddurim.
Rabbi Ralph Genende is senior rabbi at Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, which is undergoing an energetic renewal. Rabbi Ralph has a Master's degree in Counselling and is Senior Rabbi to the Australian Defence Force. He previously served as College Rabbi at Mount Scopus College. He is an Executive Member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, the Council for Christians and Jews, a member of the Victorian Premier's Multi-faith Advisory Group, and heads a Jewish pre-marriage education group.
Living Ahimsa Meditation: The Power of Harmony in our Thoughts, Speech and Action
Sri Swami Mayatitananda Saraswati (Mother Maya) Room 109
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The ancient Vedic culture developed meditation as a tool for exploring, developing and expanding the mind's inner pathways to personal awareness. The Sanskrit word for meditation, dhyanam, means, 'to discern, measure, ponder, contemplate. In other words, the act of meditation reveals the mind. Our senses cannot lead us into this inner universe. We must ultimately move beyond the workings of our minds and sense perceptions into the realm of pure consciousness or satchitananda. The goal of Living Ahimsa is to discover who we are as instruments of harmony, learning how to harvest ahimsa, or the absence of the desire to hurt others'. The Living Ahimsa Meditation can help conscientious practitioners cultivate harmony in their everyday thoughts, speech and actions. Through Living Ahimsa Meditation we develop an awareness of our individual purpose, removing obstacles and illusions that impede wellness and inner harmony. Living Ahimsa Meditation is more than an exercise of the mind or willpower-it is an essential tool for developing personal awareness in every moment of our daily lives. During this session Mother Maya will lead a Living Ahimsa Meditation. Founder of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, Mother Maya is a healer, educator, and author. She is an exponent of ahimsa Inonviolence) and its ecological importance and is one of the few women to be ordained as a sannyasini Irenunciant) by her Guru, H H Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

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Catholic Mass, Ukrainian Rite
Fr Robert Stickland
Ukrainian Catholic Choir
Room 110
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This observance will be a Ukrainian Catholic Byzantine Liturgy (Mass) celebrated according to the rubrics of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. The Ukrainian Catholic choir will participate in this Eastern-rite liturgy. The Mass will be explained for those not acquainted with a Eucharist celebrated in this manner.
Fr Robert Stickland, celebrant, is a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, assistant priest at Ss Peter and Paul Cathedral in North Melbourne. He will be assisted by Fr Deacon Edward Kostraby also of the Cathedral, North Melbourne. Ukrainian Catholic Choir Members: Juliana Hassett, Kristin Slota, Nadia Juzva, Alexandra Chubaty, Maya Muthuswamy. Daniella Fedyszyn, Kate Muthuswamy, Oleg Levkut, Daniel Magalas, Symon Kohut
Uniting Church Prayer Service
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson
Room 111
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed in 1977 from the union of the Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian Churches. The Church comes from the reformed and evangelical traditions, and its worship has focused around the Service of the Word. Singing is important, and prayers have been traditionally informal. The Church is Australian, enriched by Indigenous relationships and members from many cultures, and has a strong commitment to social justice.
Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson is the Moderator of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. She has been Presbytery Minister for Loddon Campaspe presbytery and Presbytery Minister (Pastoral Care) for the Presbytery of Loddon Mallee. She has been an Elder in four congregations, Secretary of the Presbytery of Mallee, involved with committees ranging from children's ministry to aged care, and a member of the last five Assemblies. She is a current member of the Assembly Standing Committee and has been a member of three previous Standing Committees.
Living in Peace Not Pieces: How to Find and Remain Anchored in Joy, Peace, and Bliss Amidst the Waves and Storms of Daily Life
HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati Room 203
Religious or Spiritual Observance
We are all searching for that elusive yet essential inner peace which enables us to stay calm, focused, centred, joyful and blissful amidst the trials and tribulations of life. But how do we find it? Join one of India's most revered spiritual masters on a journey to that unshakeable place of peace, stillness, joy and divine light within each of us. During this observance, His Holiness Swami Chidanand
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Saraswati will give each participant not only the knowledge of peace, but also the deep and lasting experience of peace. This observance will include meditation, universal chanting/prayer and explanations of what causes us to lose our peace, and how to avoid these pitfalls. In his talk-filled with deep, profound insight as well as humour-Saraswati will share practical techniques to bring and maintain peace in your life. There will also be a question and answer session, where participants will have the opportunity to receive answers to any questions, dilemmas or obstacles they are facing. Come be taught, touched and transformed!
HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati is the president and spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan, one of the largest spiritual institutions in India. He is also the founder and chairman of the India Heritage Research Foundation (IHF), sponsoring a wide range of humanitarian and educational programs. Swami Saraswati has been a long-time participant in international interfaith conferences. In 1991, he received the 'Hindu of the Year' award.
Criteria for Deciding the Eternal Truths Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
Room 204
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Is it physical? Is it perception? Is it inference? Or is it a message? Limitations in the physical world, limitations to perception, limitations to inference, and the limitations of the message have to be understood when deciding the eternal truths. Are these sources able to take us to the end result? If so, how? If not, what then?
Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji was educated in the ancient Vedic tradition. Dedicated to the principle of service to all beings as service to God, the mission of Sri Jeeyar Swamiji is involved in numerous charitable enterprises in a wide variety of fields including health services, education, disaster relief and veterinary medicine. He is involved in the cause of world peace and has given special attention to the youth of the world.
So That You May Know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an
Imam Afroz Ali
Room 207
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this session, Imam Afroz Ali, Founder and President of the Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences and Human Development, will highlight how the Qur'an approaches social cohesion as a blessed learning opportunity for humankind. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across six days of the Parliament. It is designed to include beautiful Qur'anic recitation, clear translation, and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. It will also show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims and are at the heart of Islam's social conscience.

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Imam Afroz Ali is the Founder and President of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development. He has received licences to teach in various Islamic Sciences, having learned from the most esteemed Rightly Cuided Islamic Scholars of our time. He has initiated philanthropic as well as sustainable environment projects in Australia and abroad and continues to advocate peace, acceptance, justice, and interpersonal rights. He is also a recipient of the international Ambassador for Peace award.
Five Pillars of Spiritual Life
Dada JP Vaswani
Room 212
Religious or Spiritual Observance
It has been said that when the 20th century began God was displaced from the central position He occupied in man's existence. Several reasons for this have been proposed, such as disbelief and cynicism created by Darwin's Theory of Evolution, the quantum progress of science and technology, and man's increasingly materialistic way of life. Has God lost the prominence He was accorded centuries ago? How can the Omnipotent lose prominence and power? External forms of worship may have changed, church-going, rites and rituals may have been reduced, but man's need for God is greater than ever. But in the secret recesses of the heart the questions arise: where is God? How may I find Him? To be able to find God and to behold Him face to face, we need to take note of, among others, five important things: the five principles of spiritual life.
Dada JP Vaswani is the spiritual head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission. Acclaimed as a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, writer, orator and spiritual leader, Dada JP Vaswani's books have been translated into several languages. The Sadhu Vaswani Mission is a non-sectarian institution which believes in the unity of all religions and reveres the Great Ones of all faiths. The mission serves all sections of society with no attention to caste, creed or race.
Self-Enquiry Meditation
Gopal Puri
Room 214
Training Session
Self-Enquiry Meditation is an important tool in selfinvestigation for self-knowledge. It is a step-by-step contemplative and reflective meditation technique. In this meditation practice we come into contact with our subconscious, the source of our wants, desires, complexes, behavioural patterns and prejudices. This practice guides us in becoming acquainted with our inherent nature: who we are and why we are so. Daily practice of this meditation technique enables us to overcome negative qualities and habits, and helps us to better manage life's problems. It brings us to self-acceptance and eventually to selfrealisation.
Swami Gopal Puri is a 'Train the Trainer' Senior instructor for Yoga in Daily Life. Born in Hungary, he holds a degree in Physics and brings a unique perspective on Yoga. He is co-director of the Yoga in Daily Life Centre in Richmond, Melbourne where he conducts classes for a wide range of students, from preschool age to seniors. Many will have seen his popular weekly yoga segments on Melbourne community television Channel 31.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Purifying the Heart and Soul through Remembrance of Allah: Dhikr As An Islamic Devotional Act for Inner Peace Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Room 216
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In Islam it is said that everything in creation praises God through reflection and remembrance. Muslims believe that in addition to formal obligatory prayers and supplication, Allah (God) has provided other ways to grow nearer to Him as the Creator of mankind, as well as opportunities to expiate sinful deeds. In this Observance, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, will explain what dhikr is, its path to purification of oneself and to remembrance of the Creator. He will also lead a dhikr session welcoming all to participate. The observance will be followed by a discussion.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multireligious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of 'What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West'. he is also founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Daily Puja: The Daily Jain Ritual of a Shwetambar Jain Idol Worshiper
Nitin Doshi
Param Shah
Ekta Doshi
Kirit C Daftary
Room 217
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In Jainism, there are two predominant sects: Digambar and Shwetambar. Shwetambar is divided into two sub-sects: those practitioners who worship idols in temples, known as the Murtipujak ('idol-worshiping') or Mandirmargi ('temple-going') and those who do not, the reformist sub-sects of the Sthanakvasis and the Terapanthis. In this session, we will offer a brief demonstration of the activities of a Shwetambar idol worshiper while a narrator explains the meaning of the worshiper's activities. The worshiper goes to the temple in the morning and performs Puja (worship of an idol). As he recites Bhavana and does Chaitya Vandan, there will be background music of Dholak (drums) and morning Shenhai (flute).
Nitin Doshi is President of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh, which conducts various Jain religious activities in Melbourne, Victoria.
Param Shah is an active member of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh, teaching various rituals to members. Param is a student from India and has just completed his ME (Electronics) and ME (Telecommunication) education in Australia.
Ekta Doshi is an active member of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh and has done this Puja on various occasions. She is a university student about to complete her Bachelor's degree in Commerce and Law.

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Kirit C Daftary is President of Anuvibha of North America and past President of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, which represents 67 Jain Centres and over 150.000 Jains in North America. He is the alternative representative to the United Nations of Anuvrat Global Organization, Mr Daftary regularly lectures on Jainism and Hinduism at several universities and participates in many interreligious dialogues. He is a member of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh and will be the narra. tor for this program.
The Torah through Paintings and Poetry Victor Majzner Helen Light Deborah Masel Rosemary Crumlin Room 218 Artistic Performance and Panel Discussion For the first time in the history of art, all of the 54 parshot (weekly readings) of the Torah have been depicted visually from a specifically Jewish perspective. Victor Majzner accomplished this feat with his exhibit at the Australian Jewish Museum in Melbourne in July 2008. This illustrated lecture on Majzner's work will be divided into three parts. First, Majzner will discuss a number of paintings from this series and illuminate their Jewish content. He will also discuss some comparisons between his Jewish imagery and Christian images of similar subject matter. Second, poet Deborah Masel will read poems she has written based on the same sections of the Torah. Masel has recently published a book entitled 'In the Cleft of the Rock'. The third part will be devoted to a panel discussion with Victor Majzner, Deborah Masel, Rosemary Crumlin and Helen Light focusing on the visual depiction of the Torah. Dr Victor Majzner is an artist with more than fifty solo exhibitions in Australia and New Zealand. He was the Head of Painting at Victoria College (Prahran Campusl and The Victorian College For The Arts. Macmillan published a major book about his artwork titled "Earth to Sky, the art of Victor Majzner (2002). His original artwork is inspired by a personal commitment to developing a Jewish Art that is relevant to a contemporary context. Dr Helen Light, AM, has worked at the Jewish Museum of Australia since 1983 and has been Director/Curator since 1991. She has curated and overseen over 120 exhibitions as well as the four permanent exhibitions at the museum. Helen is a Churchill Fellow, a recipient of a Centenary of Federation Medal, a Museum Achiever of the Year Award, an Honorary Associate at Museum Victoria, and Adjunct Associate of the Centre for Jewish History at Monash University. Deborah Masel is an author and teacher with a special interest in Jewish mysticism. She lectures regularly for Jewish and interfaith groups and organisations and writes on aspects of Jewish mystical tradition for various publications. Her most recent book, 'In the Cleft of the Rock: Writings on the Five Books of Moses, is a compilation of prose poems and essays based on her teachings. Dr Rosemary Crumlin RSM, OAM. is an art curator and historian with a special interest in modern art and spirituality. She is a member of the Art Committee of the new cathedral in Parramatta and has recently published a small book on Klaus Zimmer's windows in the cathedrai, and another on Phil Cooper's carved Stations of the Cross. Dr Crumlin has been awarded honorary doctorates from the Melbourne College of Divinity and the Australian Catholic University.
Gurbani Kirtan: Sikh Sacred Classical Music Kultar Singh Bhai Sawarn Singh Bhai Manmohan Singh Room 220 Artistic Performance Music has the unique power to take us to different emotional elevations, just as a word of wisdom from a true teacher also has power to take us to different spiritual elevations. Over 500 years ago, Guru Nanak combined these two super-powers' to create a unification of spiritual wisdom with the emotional values of mankind. This type of sacred music sought to eliminate emotions without wisdom, which will always result in an incomplete human being. The entire Bani (Word of Wisdom) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh Sacred Book) was initially sung to the various Raagas (musical measures) by the Gurus and compiled later, in the current form, by the fifth Guru. It also contains the Bani of Bhagats (Saints) from different religions. Gurbani Kirtan (also known as Gurmat Sangeet) is the music of Sri Guru Granth Sahib sung to the musical measures originally introduced by the Gurus. This performance will take the form of the kirtan, a style which was Sung by the Gurus and composed some 400 years ago. Kultar Singh is the son of Bhai Avtar Singh Ragi, an 11th generation kirtaniaa. His musical training began under the guidance of his father, who merged with infinity in 2006 and passed the torch to this living treasure. He carries on the tradition of about 500 original Gurbani Kirtan compositions from the time of the 5th Guru, which have been preserved by the kirtaniaasa (performers of Sikh sacred music) for the last 400 years Bhai Sawarn Singh is a percussionist who plays jorree, a set of 2 drums. originally designed by the 5th Guru. He commenced his training at the age of 9 years, under the guidance of Bhai Jwala Singh Ragi lof Thhatta Tibba, Kapurthala, Punjabl. Today, at 73, he is the only musician to have played jorree for the last 62 years Bhai Manmohan Singh is a professionally trained vocalist who joined the group a few years ago. He now serves as an accompanist and plays harmonium.
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INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00am
Gender and Equality and the Sikh Faith Amrit Kaur Versha, Moderator Harpreet Kaur Inderjeet Singh Pahwa Gurbux Kaur Kahlon Dr Anahat Kaur Sandhu Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa Room 101 Panel Discussion The Sikh faith, like most other world religions, empowers women and men as equals. During the time of the Sikh Gurus, several Sikh women were in positions of authority. This session presents a historical overview of gender equality in the faith and its current global context. Issues relating to intergenerational approaches will be discussed. Sikh female perspectives from South Asia, North America and Australia will be shared. Amrit Versha has a background in sociology, education and business administration and is a PhD student in Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She has managed many NGOs and has also worked in government. Versha is instrumental in setting up community consultation structures to facilitate access for marginalised groups. She works in TAFE community services, as a research associate with UNSW. and as a consultant and volunteer Harpreet Kaur graduated from Pennsylvania State University as a Communications major in 1999. She started off her career working as a news reporter for a news channel in the metropolitan Washinglon, DC area. Her personal pursuit is creating documentaries, short films and movies that bring minority issues into the mainstream media. Kaur has taken the lead role in Sach Productions, a media organisation that has become the outlet through which she can fulfill her goals Inderjeet Singh Pahwa represents the Sikh youth community and is a member of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria and the Youth committee for the Parliament of the World's Religions. She believes that more interfaith activities and dialogue will help people bridge gaps and understand each other, allow us to live in harmony. and address issues that concern us all and make this world a better place. Gurbux Kaur Kahlon is an energy economist with California's Public Utilities Commission. Born and raised in Punjab, India, she immigrated to the US in 1977. Based on her experience in India and the US, she will share her unique perspectives on gender equality and women's intergen erational issues. She is active in the San Francisco Bay area interfaith community and participates in promoting interreligious understanding and harmony via the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. Dr Anahat Kaur Sandhu is the President of the Sikh Educational and Religious Foundation. She is former Secretary General of the World Sikh Council, America Region and has served as a member of the Executive Council of Religions for Peace, USA. Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, PhD. holds the distinguished position of Bhai Sahiba or Chief Religious Minister of Sikh Dharma Bibiji serves as the head of the 3HO delegation to the Non-governmental Organizations INGO) body of the United Nations. She is Founder and Program Director of Create Inner Peace, a program to manage critical incident stress for first responders, utilizing yoga and meditation technology.
A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development Brian Lepard AK Merchant Room 102 Interactive Workshop Historically, the fields of international human rights law and social and economic development have evolved independently of one another. While international human rights norms are having an increasing impact on development issues, it is imperative to simultaneously shape the future development of international human rights law so that it is supportive of sustainable development and the needs of the most destitute in our global society. This workshop examines the concept of a human right to development from a Baha'i perspective, and draws insights from the Baha i Writings. It will focus on the Baha'i teaching of the unity of the human family, which allows us to perceive the existence of a global community and to take appropriate social, economic, and legal measures to serve the needs of this interdependent community. The workshop also explores the critical importance, from a Baha'i perspective, of a spiritual motivation for development efforts and measures to ensure a human right to development. Only through this spiritual motivation can these reforms be successful and long-lasting and result in a profound transformation of the hearts and minds of those who arise to serve their fellow human beings. Brian D Lepard is Law Alumni Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he has taught International Human Rights Law, among other courses. A member of the Baha'i Faith, he is the author of numerous hooks and articles on human rights, ethics, international law, and world religions, including the book "Hope for a Global Cthic. Shared Principles in Religious Scriptures. Dr Ali K Merchant has studied in India and abroad and holds degrees in Education, English literature and World Order studies. He works in the arena of Values/Ethics Education as Senior Faculty at Sai International Centre for Human Values, New Delhi and as visiting faculty for Centre for Cultural Resources & Training, a Government of India institution. Additionally, he runs the global interfaith organisation The Temple of Understanding (Indial of which he is the honorary General Secretary
Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools Richard Prideaux Rev Ed Hubbard Room 103 Interactive Workshop With the advent of the Internet and other new technologies, new forms of teaching and learning have become possible, thus broadening access to education and deepening human knowledge. Online education allows students to move beyond the confines of the physical school building. Peer-to-peer learning involves the sharing of knowledge among a diverse group of people. When teamed up, these two approaches can yield beneficial re
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Journey into America Room 107 Film
sults in all fields, but particularly in interfaith and crosscultural education. This interactive workshop will introduce electronic solutions to pressing educational needs. with participants receiving a free software package at the end of the session. The session will include an example of online learning from Year 8 students from Beaconhills College in Melbourne, who have taken an online course in world religions, looking especially at Aboriginal religions, Buddhism, Christianity. Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Richard Prideaux is a teacher at Beaconhills College, Berwick, Melbourne, Australia. Rev Ed Hubbard is a clergy member of the Correllian Nativist tradition and a public religious educator.
This film explores how Muslims fit into contemporary American society. Have the American ideals of pluralism and openness been sustained in the post-9/11 American society? Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Islamic scholar and author, with a group of young Americans, journeys across the country to explore America and American identity after September 11. The film was directed by Craig Considine.
Poverty, Health and Religion in Australia Governor David de kretser Jacinta Collins Margaret Bell Room 105 & 106 Panel Discussion The links between poverty and health are well documented. In Australia, religious organisations play an increasingly key role in the alleviation of poverty and in the provision of health care. This panel session will explore the issues, analysing the current links between religion and government, and suggesting future directions, regarding not just health and welfare care but also health promotion and poverty reduction for the Australian people, including minority groups. Governor de kretser will focus especially on the issue of men's health. Born in Sri Lanka, Professor David de Kretser is currently the Governor of Victoria and chief patron of this Parliament of the World's Religions. He studied medicine at the University of Melbourne before pursuing a research and academic career. He has subsequently served on many national and international health boards and committees. He has specia lised particularly in men's health issues. Before becoming Governor, he was Professor of Medicine at Monash University Jacinta Collins, a senator for Victoria and spokesperson on family and children's issues, was born and educated in Melbourne. She worked in the trade union movement before being elected as a senator in 1995, She has served on a range of parliamentary committees in such areas as public administration, workplace relations and education as well as in the shadow portfolio for children and youth Margaret Bell is an educational psychologist and the founding President of the Chain Reaction Foundation, In recent years, she has prioritised working in collaboration with Aboriginal community leaders to broaden public awareness and understanding of the value of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal knowledge. Margaret has been recognised by the United Nations as an eminent world leader in volunteering and community service and is a member of the Order of Australia.
Sikh Panel on Principles and Articles of Faith Dr Ranbir Singh Sandhu, Moderator Kuldeep Singh Giani Gurbax Singh Gulshan Mejindarpal Kaur Room 108 Panel Discussion This session will share and discuss the basic principles of the Sikh faith. The session will include an overview of a Sikh, as per Sikh scripture, and a presentation on the de velopment of the Sikh Code of Conduct. The articles of the faith and their relevance to our limes will be discussed. The efforts of various Sikh organisations to secure the right of Sikhs to practise their faith across the world will also be presented. Dr Ranbir Singh Sandhu is Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University. He has served as President of the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio and as the founding Secretary General of the World Sikh Council - America Region. He is the author of the authoritative book 'Struggle for Justice: Speeches and Conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale Kuldeep Singh is the President of the Sikh Youth of America. He has been the Secretary of the World Sikh Council, Americas, among other positions held in the global Sikh community. He also has over 30 years of experience in working with youth, holding camps and retreats, inspiring Sikh values, and infusing the spirit of human oneness in them. Graduates of his camps have gone into the world and opened several nonprofit endeavors to help humanity Giani Gurbax Singh Gulshan was born in India in 1951 and travelled to London in 1981 as a preacher. Gulshan continues to preach in diwans, seminars and conferences worldwide. He can interpret Gurbani, Sikh history and Maryada comprehensively, and in 2005 wrote a commentary on Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct & Conventions. He has been in charge of the European chapter of Vishav Sikh Parchark Sanstha Amritsar since 1995, Mejindarpal Kaur is legal director and chair of the UK chapter of United Sikhs, a registered charity, which serves minority and underprivileged communities globally through programs of civil and human rights advocacy, human development and humanitarian relief. She leads the legal team that is fighting for the right to wear the Sikh articles of faith in Europe, particularly in France.
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Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion (Session 2)
LeRon Shults
Solomon Katz
Michael T H Wong
Manuka Henare
Imam Afroz Ali
Room 109
Panel and Interactive Workshop
Compassion is a value that is central to many of the world's religions and a phenomenon that can be studied from a variety of scientific perspectives. This second session of a mini-symposium sponsored by the International Society for Science and Religion contributes to the growing interest in integrating interreligious with interdisciplinary dialogue. It will provide a context within which different voices can come together around the shared concern to understand and facilitate empathy and altruism across religious and other significant boundaries. This symposium focuses on transforming the way we think about compassion through listening to one another and on facilitating compassion that has a meaningful impact on the human condition. It will also discuss facilitating a level of compassion that transforms the human condition. This second session features a panel of representatives from different religious backgrounds [Muslim, Hindu and Christian) offering reflections on how various spiritual traditions help us to understand and foster compassion. The panel will be followed by group exercises in which audience members discuss initial reactions and implications. The session will conclude with interaction among participants from the fields of both science and religion as we explore practical ways to further the conversation and promote compassion.
F LeRon Shults is professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. A leading authority on science and theology, he has published some ten books and dozens of articles in the field. Shults is the editor of the Brill book series Philosophical Studies in Science and Religion' and scientific director of the Transforming Compassion project at Stiftelsen Arkivet, a peace-building institute in Norway. His other current research interests include ethics, desire, differentiation and religious symbolism.
Dr Solomon Katz is director of the Krogman Center for Childhood Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania and is a professor of anthropology and a senior fellow at the Wharton School Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics. He was founder and Chairman [1984 to 1986) of the Task Force on the African Famine for the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and is currently Chair of the AAA Task Force on World Food Problems.
Michael T H Wong is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Monash University, Australia.
Manuka Henare is the Associate Dean at the University of Auckland Business School, New Zealand.
Imam Afroz Ali is the Founder and President of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development. He has received licences to teach in various Islamic Sciences, having learned from the most esteemed Islamic scholars of our time. He has initiated philanthropic as well as sustainable environmental projects in Australia and abroad and continues to advocate peace, acceptance, justice and interpersonal rights. Ali received the International Ambassador for Peace award.

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Islam 101 Series:
Applying Islamic Principles for a Just and Sustainable World
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Ayisha Ali
Ahmed Rehab
Amjad-Mohammed Saleem
Hamid Hai
Fakhreddin Saberi
Room 110
Panel Discussion
This presentation will focus on Islamic principles and how their application is geared to facilitate a just and sustainable world. It will cover topics such as Zakat, or Islamic almsgiving, and how it reduces poverty. Principles that promote peacemaking, social cohesion, and reconciliation will also be discussed. Panellists will also discuss how these principles and their application have spiritual as well as social significance. They will also highlight examples of specific projects, agendas, issues and ideas about how to apply Islamic principles for a just and sustainable world. This panel is one of six sessions in the Islam 101 Series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice, and history that are all too commonly misunderstood.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multireligious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of 'What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West'. he is also founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Ayisha Ali is an Islamic Studies Lecturer at Dar Al-Hekma College, a premier women's college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She holds a BA in The Book (Holy Qur'an) and Sunna (The Prophets Traditions] and a Master's degree in Islamic Law & Its Origin from Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. She is also an active member at the Islamic Education Foundation.
Ahmed Rehab is an American Muslim activist and writer with a focus on civil rights, media relations, and Islam-West relations. He is the Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy office. Rehab serves on the boards of directors of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigration and Refugee Interfaith Ministries, the Chicago Human Relations Advisory Committee and the Egyptian American Society. He is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Muslim task force.
Amjad-Mohammed Saleem is the head of media and public relations for The Cordoba Foundation. He was the architect of a global partnership between Muslim Aid and the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which was hailed by the British Prime Minister as a landmark example of Muslims collaborating with Christians during times of conflict in South Asia.
Hamid Hai is a cardiologist by profession and a long time participant and leader in interfaith dialogue. He was the host of the Muslim group at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions. Currently he serves as the President of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations.
Mr Fakhreddin Saberi is the Head of the Qur'anic Museum of the Organization of Cultural Heritage of Iran. He holds a Master's degree in Islamic Theology, a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and is a research scholar on the Glorious Qur'an and Islamic History. He has several books to his credit including 'Biography of Imam Khomeini' and '30 Lessons from the Holy Quran and Holy Imams' and has participated in domestic and international conferences on different Islamic issues.

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9:30-11:00 am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous Peoples in North America: A Powerful Source of Learning
scriptures themselves. This style has become increasingly uncommon over the years, and its preservation by today's youth is symbolic of the continuing respect they hold for their eternal heritage.
James Scott Alvin Dixon Barbara Pemberton Michael Lowe Caleb Oladipo Leo Lefebure Room 111 Panel Discussion Christian individuals and institutions learn profoundly about their own spiritual values, identities and roles when they undertake to rebuild right relations with Indigenous and Aboriginal peoples of their areas. This panel presents four powerful stories from North America about those committing to these apologetic and listening processes. Reverend James Scott was ordained by the United Church of Canada. His career has focused on social justice, peacemaking and conflict resolution. He directed the Coalition Against the Return of the Death Penalty and animated educational programs for the Church Council on Justice and Corrections Currently James brings his healing and reconcilia tion experience to his role as a United Church national staff member for Indian Residential Schools. Alivin Dixon is a Indigenous leader in the United Church of Canada and has been deeply involved with the residential school settlement process. Barbara Pemberton is an associate professor at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, US. She received her PhD in world religions from Baytor University. Ms Pemberton's research is focused on comparative religious texts, world religions, Native American religions, Islam and new religious movements. She splits her time between the US and Saudi Arabia Professor Caleb O Oladipo, originally from Nigeria, is the Duke K McCall Professor of Mission and World Christianity at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia. He directs the school's study abroad program and has given lectures in many parts of the world on the character of Christianity in Africa. Professor Leo D Lefebure is a Catholic Priest and the Matteo Ricci Chair in the Theology Department at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He has written extensively on interreligious dialogue. His primary research interest is the relationship between Buddhism and Christianity
Sacred Earth for Inner Peace Music Prem and Jethro Williams Room 201 Artistic Performance Sacred Earth's music for inner peace is Australia's bestselling world devotional music. Vocalist Prem Williams performs with her husband, Jethro Williams, who plays flutes from India, Japan, and Ireland as well as acoustic guitar. The duo performs Sanskrit mantra from the Hindu tradition, Hebrew songs of peace, ancient songs from the Native Aboriginals of Australia, and modern day songs of devotion in English. The music is awe-inspiring and uplifting, taking the listener on a deep inner journey. Sacred Earth is leading the way for sacred music within Australia and is among the industry's foremost sacred music artists. Based in Australia, Sacred Earth is the creation of Jethro and Prem Williams. Jethro and Prem have been travelling the world for six years performing live the music of Sacred Earth. Prem shares with us her heartfelt devotion for Spirit and our precious Mother Earth through mantra and songs from the heart. Prem is supported by multi instrumentalist Jethro Williams, who plays Shakuhachi (Japanese flutel, Indian Bansuri flute, Irish Tin and Low whistles, and acoustic guitar.
A New Ethical Manifesto for the Global Economy Hans Küng Dipak Jain Room 202 Panel Discussion Renowned Swiss-German theologian Dr Hans Küng. President of the Global Ethic Foundation, will discuss the newly launched manifesto titled "Global Economic Ethic - Consequences for Global Businesses.' Coming in the aftermath of the worst global financial crisis in seventy years, the manifesto aims at laying out a 'common fundamental vision of what is legitimate, just and fair' in economic activities. First signatories include former President of Ireland and former U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson: Jonathan Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa. Building on the 1993 Parliament of World Religions Declaration Towards a Global Ethic,' the manifesto outlines five universally acceptable principles and values: the principle of humanity; non-violence and respect for life; Justice and solidarity; honesty and tolerance, and mutual esteem and partnership.
An Exploration of Gurmat Sangeet - Sikh Musical Heritage Kulbir Malhotra Australian Sikh Youth Room 201 Artistic Performance This program consists of an instrumental and vocal performance by a choir formed from Sydney's Sikh youth. featuring performers from the ages of 10 to 25 years old. The content will be hymns from the holy Sikh scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which will be sung in the original musical metres and melodic modes prescribed by the
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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Dr Hans Küng is an internationally known Christian theologian and president of the Global Ethic Foundation of Tübingen University. He has published over fifty titles, including The Beginning of All Things - Science and Religion, Islam: Past, Present and Future and a manifesto: Global Economic Ethic Consequences for Global Businesses. Dr Kung lives and teaches in Tübingen, Germany Dr Dipak C Jain has been dean of the Kellogg School of Management since 2001. His career in education began as a student in Tezpur, northeast India. He earned his Master's Degree in Mathematical Statistics from Gauhati University in India and his PhD in Marketing from the University of Texas. Since 1989, Dean Jain has also been a visiting professor of marketing at the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement - Grassroots Development, Conflict Resolution and Education AT Ariyaratne Room 203 Seminar How can sustainable empowerment for people be supported, so that local solutions can be made to the world's largest problems? AT Aryaratne will speak about his work in Sri Lanka, where Sarvodaya has reached over half the villages and supported over 11,000 villagers in helping themselves. Dealing with the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, shepherding local development projects including inspiring people to build schools, promoting biodiversity and sustainability measures, and digging wells, are some of the ways Sarvodaya helps communities meet their needs through principles of nonviolence and cooperation. Young people and their communities all around the world already engage in poverty reduction and human development. In these times of climate change and economic hardship, how can this local work be fostered and strengthened to play an ever larger part of the solutions? How can spiritual principles support this transformation to collaboration and to peaceful resolution of conflict? What is the role of education in this transformative work? And how can creative engagement bc fostered, to reclaim local resources and local wisdom to meet urgent needs? Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is the founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement. He was the recipient of the 1996 Gandhi Peace Prize, the Niwano Peace Prize, the King Beaudoin Award and many other international honours for his work in peacemaking and village development,
The Role of Media in Conflict Resolution - Panel Ahmed Rehab Dr Paul Wee Leymah Gbowee Karen Hernandez-Andrews Room 204 Panel Discussion The international media, with its global reach and powerful influence, can fan flames of conflict and misunderstanding, or it can help to quench them and bring illumination. This panel will discuss possible strategies for utilising broadcast, print and Internet media outlets to promote and facilitate interfaith and intergroup understanding and dialogue; participants will include journalists, educators, producers and activists. Ahmed Rehab is an American Muslim activist and writer with a focus on civil rights, media relations and Islam-West relations. He is the Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy office. Rehab serves on the boards of directors of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigration and Refugee Interfaith Ministries, the Chicago Human Relations Advisory Committee and the Egyptian American Society. He is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Muslim task force. Paul Wee is presently adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC He served as program officer for the United States Institute of Peace where he worked primarily on interfaith conflict resolution in Nigeria and Colombia. He received his BA from Harvard University. Paul has a Masters of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary and a PhD, magna cum laude, in Philosophy and Social Science from the University of Berlin, Leymah Gbowee was very involved in the film 'Pray the Devil Back to Hell' and was one of the primary members of the liberia Mass Action for Peace group. She is one of the founders of Wipsen Africa, an all-female human rights organisation that seeks to professionalise and institution lise women in peace and security in Africa, Karen Hernandez-Andrews holds an MA in Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College. She is currently pursuing a Master's of Sacred Theology in Religion and Conflict from Boston University School of Theology. Karen teaches at educational institutions, churches and other organisations about Islam, global Christian-Muslim relations, Al Qaeda, and theological responses to terrorism and Islamophobia.
The Many Faces of Peace Dr Homi Dhalla Room 207 Audiovisual Presentation and Discussion The twentieth century has been the bloodiest in the history of mankind. Although the tentacles of violence have spread far and wide, there has been an increasing awareness of the need to work for a culture of peace. It is perhaps time to stop focusing on the wounds and work towards healing. This presentation wishes to draw attention to the constructive steps being taken by artists, educators, musicians, religious leaders, athletes and statesmen who are all contributing to the culture of peace. The presentation will show about 130 slides depicting various aspects of peace.
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Homi Dhalla holds an MA from Harvard and a PhD from Mumbai University. He has represented the Parsi community at various international conferences, focusing on issues of peace, ecology, human rights and interreligious dialogue. He was awarded the Mother Teresa National Award for Interfaith Harmony in 2007. As the Founder-President of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Homi has initiated various cultural projects for the Parsi community.
Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa
and Sustainable Living
Dr Raksha Shah
Munishree Lokesh
Kirit C Daftary
Room 208
Panel Discussion
The Jaina doctrine of Ahimsa is gradually attracting the attention of the people of the world in the wake of the current environmental and ecological crises. Ahimsa-the Jaina concept of nonviolence-stresses not only abstinence from all forms of physical violence but also expects an individual to avoid disharmony or discomfort that would cause pain and misery to any creature on earth. This presentation will explain the Jaina doctrine of Ahimsa as a broad concept of nonviolence that encompasses thought, action, and word, and whose perspective considers more than the immediate consequences of one's actions. The presenters will show how Ahimsa forms a single foundation for various concepts such as human rights and environmental sustainability.
Dr Raksha Shah is a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai, where she was recently awarded a PhD. She is a Jain scholar who represented India at the Parliament of World's Religions in Barcelona in 2004 and at the Monterrey Mexico Conference in 2007. She is a naturopath and freelance journalist who has received three 'Best Journalist' awards. She is the editor of the Jain Newsletter, Jain Prakash', and a committee member of JAINA Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi Memorial Committee. His Holiness Munishree Lokesh, a world-renowned poet, teacher, diplomat and spiritual leader, was born in Pachpadra Nagar, India. At the age of 22, he renounced the world and received Diksha from Late Acharya Shri Tulsi. He has studied texts of Jainism, Buddhism and Vedanta and is proficient in several languages, including Prakrit, Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati and English. He has written more than twelve popular books of poems and essays, describing his doctrines of peace and harmony.
Kirit C Daftary is President of Anuvibha of North America and past President of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America [JAINA), which represents 67 Jain Centres and over 150,000 Jains in North America. He is also the alternative representative to the United Nations of Anuvrat Global Organization IANUVIBHA). Mr Daftary regularly lectures on Jainism and Hinduism at several universities and also participates in many interreligious dialogues.
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Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Shumei Youth Members
Kohei Tsukuta Yoshinori Yokoi
Haruka Koide
Masanori Kaneko
Kanako Fukushima Room 209 Seminar
Shinji Shumeikai, informally known as Shumei, is a spiritual organisation dedicated to elevating the quality of life of all people. Shumei is committed to the creation of an ideal state of health, happiness and harmony in the world through the application of the wisdom and insights of the spiritual leader, Mokichi Okada. He taught that a world free of sickness, poverty and discord is possible through the spiritual exercise that we call Jyorei, the appreciation of art and beauty, and the practice of natural agriculture. In this presentation, we will focus on Shumei Natural Agriculture, which is not just an alternate method of growing healthy food, but also a way of growing spiritually by rebuilding our relationship with nature. In this age of ever-increasing material development, many people are beginning to feel that something vital is lacking in their lives. By sharing what we have learned through practising Shumei Natural Agriculture, we hope to generate ideas about what this way of life can do to help people restore harmony with nature and to keep their minds calm and balanced.
Shumei has been farming not only in Japan but also in other parts of the world. During this seminar, representatives of Japanese youth members from Shumei will present the essence of Shumei Natural Agriculture based on their personal experiences of farming in their own local areas.
Convening Education Session:
Schooling, Young People and Social Inclusion
Bronwyn Pike
Genevieve Peterson Maria Minto-Cahill Helen Butler
Room 210
Panel Discussion
Serving the educational and other needs of students from disadvantaged communities requires sophisticated policy responses from both government and non-government schools. The Salvation Army has experience with students who must deal with homelessness, addiction, unemployment, incarceration, single parenthood and sustained poverty. In this seminar, they will connect with the program response of Melbourne's Catholic Education Office and the Australian Catholic University, who have collaboratively developed a postgraduate course focusing on Student Wellbeing in Inclusive Schooling. Leaders and

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a graduate of this program will give an account of their efforts to address the underlying poverty and justice issues. The Honourable Bronwyn Pike is Minister for Education in Victoria, Australia's second most populous state. Victoria's government education system includes half a million students enrolled in almost 1600 schools, with more than 40,000 teaching staff. Prior to entering Parliament, Ms Pike worked as a secondary and tertiary teacher, a community services manager, and the Director of the Unit of Justice and Social Responsibility in the Uniting Church. She is also former Board Director of Greenpeace Australia.
Captain Genevieve Peterson is a social policy consultant and officer in the Salvation Army. She spent six years in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area of Melbourne assisting young people who were experiencing various levels and forms of social exclusion. It was here that she developed a passion for understanding the structures of systemic poverty and, more importantly, a passion for releasing ensnared young people. She completed a Master of Social Policy degree at the University of Melbourne in 2008.
Maria Minto-Cahill has a background as a teacher and principal in Catholic primary schools in Victoria, Australia. She is currently a member of the Student Wellbeing Unit in the Catholic Education Office, Melbourne. Her work encompasses areas such as professional learning and school improvement, community engagement, social and emotional learning, restorative justice, and student engagement.
With a background in teaching, student welfare and community health promotion, Helen Butler worked for over a decade at the Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital. She held key leadership roles in the Gatehouse Project, the Adolescent Health and Social Environments Program, and the Festival for Healthy Living. Her work focuses on promoting wellbeing through social justice and inclusive schools and communities. She is currently a senior lecturer in Wellbeing in Inclusive Schooling at the Australian Catholic University.
Religion, Spirituality & Life Threatening Illness
lan Gawler
Room 211
Interactive Workshop
The great traditions all have a long history of healing. Miraculous healing is a foundation stone of the Christian story. The Hindus have yogis who have defied modern medical expectations of mind control. Buddhism has an abundance of techniques that have underpinned modern psychology and mind-body medicine. However, in an increasingly secular world, many people have an aversion to formalised religion. Life-threatening illness commonly challenges patients, families, friends and health care workers to reassess the roles of miracles and medical techniques in the healing process and to think about what might best lead to peace of mind, a deeper sense of meaning and a clearer sense of purpose. This presentation will draw upon Dr Gawler's personal experience with recovering from a life-threatening cancer. The presentation will be a deep exploration of Christian, Hindu, and especially Tibetan Buddhist healing practices. Dr Gawler will also talk about what he has learned during thirty years of working with thousands of people affected by cancer and multiple sclerosis. He will then discuss the possibility that the great spiritual traditions offer a level of experience, authenticity and stability that more secular spiritualism often lacks.

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Dr lan Gawler, OAM, Founder of The Gawler Foundation, is a pioneer in the therapeutic application of mind/body medicine and meditation. A long-term cancer survivor, lan established Australia's first lifestyle-based cancer self-help group over 25 years ago. He works intensively with cancer and MS patients and conducts meditation retreats and wellness programs. He is an author and a student of Sogyal Rinpoche. Initially trained in Veterinary Science, Dr Gawler holds a Master's in Counselling.
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of Colombia
Fr Leonel Narvaez Joanne Blaney Jane Wells
Room 212
Panel Discussion
As a part of the Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding series, this session will focus on the efforts of the Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (SRF). SRF has five centres of reconciliation in Bogota and operates in twelve additional Latin American cities. Overall, SRF has placed programs in 47 schools. Colombia is experiencing an increase in criminality, domestic and school violence, generalised anarchy, organised crime, dramatic poverty, and the harmful influence of drug trafficking. SRF increases education as a long-term solution and has created a school curriculum, Pedagogy of Caring and Reconciliation, to provide training in the promotion of peace and education on the local level, and work with former combatants towards reconciliation. It seeks to help victims of violence transform negative memories, generate new narratives, and get free of the past in order to project their lives into the future. UNESCO recognised SRF for its work in peace education in 2006 and 2007.
Father Leonel Narvaez is a Catholic missionary. He initially worked with the nomadic tribes in Eastern Africa and currently works in the forest of the South Amazon area of Colombia, In 2000, he established the Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation |ESPERE is the Spanish acronym]. He was a key figure in the Goldin Institute's 2007 global gathering on the topic of reintegration of former child soldiers.
Joanne Blaney is a Maryknoll Lay Missioner who has spent the last 12 years working in Brazil with urban grassroots groups on the themes of violence, conflict resolution and mediation. Since 2005, Joanne is a facilitator of the ESPERE course (Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation). Using a popular education model, she works with a variety of restorative justice practices including restorative circles, emotional literacy and as sertive communication. She holds a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Maryland.
Jane Wells is an American Quaker. She and her husband, Tom Sadtler, are the founders of the recently launched Forgiveness International, a branch of Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation that serves the US. Canada and Africa, with the key mission of creating a global learning network in forgiveness. Jane is a human resources professional with expertise in individual and organisational effectiveness. She has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a MBA from Boston University.

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Over 648 Buddhist centres and monasteries of the Karma Kagyu lineage in 51 countries follow HH the 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje. The co-presenters will be drawn from this pool and will include both monk and lay practitioners.
Jain Heritage and Education for Peace and Harmony Priyadarshana Rakhecha HH Amrender Muniji Samani Mangal Prajna Ji Room 213 Panel Discussion Jainism has always had a deep ecological awareness. This consciousness extends even to the microscopic creatures of the earth and water. Jains have always held that only if the ecological balance is protected will humanity continue to thrive. This presentation of Jain heritage has captivated young and old, Indians and foreigners, whose minds have been opened to this ancient eco-socio-spiritual philosophy. Priyadarshana Rakhecha holds a BA in Hindi Literature, History and Culture and an MA, MPhil, and PhD in Jainism. He is a lecturer in the Department of Jainology at the University of Madras. Rakhecha has translated two books on Jainism and authored two other books. He serves as the resource person for St Olaf Global College students who travel to India to study Indian religions. Amrender Muniji is one of the few Jain monks who travel outside of India to preach nonviolence. He was initiated at the age of fourteen and has a Master's degree in Philosophy and Sanskrit. He is a scholar of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist scriptures and is a learned practitioner and teacher of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga Samani Mangal Prajna Ji is a Jain nun and a disciple of His Holiness Acharya Mahaprajna. She holds a PhD in Jain Religion and serves as vicechancellor of Jain Vishwa Bharati University in India. Initiated in 1984 at the age of 22, she became a member of the Saman order after six years. She knows many ancient languages, including Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali as well as the modern languages of English, Hindi and Gujarati
JCMA: A Working Model of Interfaith In Action Philip Newman Di Hirsh Mark Pedersen Paul Tonson Khaled Khalafalla Janette Witt Room 215 Interactive Workshop This program will introduce participants to the JewishChristian-Muslim Association of Australia. JCMA has developed into a multitaceted organisation since its first Melbourne conference in 2004. This was initiated by Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, based on the pattern of a wellestablished conference in Germany. Such conferences have since been run annually and now an annual Women's Conference is also held. JCMA conducts programs in primary and secondary schools to tackle prejudice and promote harmony through educating children about the Abrahamic Faiths. Other opportunities for interfaith dialoque occur through Sunday afternoon seminars and the recently launched group. Green Faith, which encourages members to actively address environmental problems. The JCMA Session is divided into two parts. The first part is an introduction to JCMA, its history, principles and practices, and activities. The second part will present the Schools programs, Primary and Secondary, which have proved enormously popular among thousands of students and their teachers across private and state schools in Victoria during the last four years. Archdeacon Philip Newman, OAM is Archdeacon for Christian Unity and Relations with the World's Religions, he is Chair of Shelford Girls Grammar Board, and Locum Priest, St Andrew's Corio, Melbourne Philip is Secretary of JCMA and has helped organise the last four Winter Conferences. He has been given responsibility by his Diocese for relations with other faiths, and is on the member of 2009 Parliament Board of Management. Di Hirsh is an Interfaith and Intercultural Chair of the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia. In this capacity she has organised, among other activities, interfaith celebrations of the Jewish testivals, with traditional food served, the rituals explained and traditional songs and music included. Di has been involved in organising community dinners with the Catholic and Anglican communities, as well as helping to organise and encourage Jewish women to participate in Muslim women's interfaith dinners. She also convened the first two JCMA (Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia) Women's Conferences and is helping to organise the third conference in March 2010. Di is on the Community Relations Committee of the 2009 Parliament. Mark Pedersen is an Australian-born Muslim and has been active in interfaith dialogue over the past fifteen years. He represents the Islamic Council of Victoria in the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia and works with the Islamic Centre of Education and Development on various community projects, including the annual Melbourne Muslim Music Festival and related arts projects. Rev Dr Paul Tonson of the Uniting Church was one of the first members of JCMA, following several years on the executive of the Council of Christians and Jews (Vic). He brings his scholarly work in Hebrew Bible studies to undergird cooperative endeavours between adherents of differ
Living Mindfully For A Peaceful And Sustainable Future Carey Rohrlach Various followers of H H the 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje Room 214 Lecture The session will describe the Three Ways to make our selves and the environment more peaceful, joyful and sustainable for all. Monk and lay practitioners will give their interpretations of how to play better with others in our playground. This session will discuss past, present and future issues like war, equality for women, sex and sexuality and developing-world issues such as accessible birth control. When we think of terms like 'me' or 'us', and you or them, it is easy to see enemies, and there is distance between 'us' and 'them. If we adopt the view that we are all friends with a shared goal, we have more friends than when we started and now we have work to do together. This presentation will seek to address where we are right now and what is useful to do in order to reach the goal of a harmonious and sustainable future. Carey Rohrlach is a yogic meditator
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ent faiths and to support an affirmative understanding of the plurality of religions in contemporary Australia.
Khaled Khalafalla is a journalist intern for The Age after completing studies at Monash University. He has an Egyptian Muslim background and is currently a JCMA presenter to primary and secondary school groups. Khaled is the host of a breakfast radio show on SYN FM and does occasional stand-up comedy gigs.
Janette Witt is the Jewish Christian Muslim Association Schools Program Coordinator. She has successfully managed primary and secondary programs since their inception in 2006, having reached 13,500 students across Victoria.
The Tree of Humanity and the One God of All Religions: The Brahma Kumaris Gopi Elton
Dr Nirmala Kajaria
Room 216
Seminar
This program is organised by Australian members of the Brahma Kumaris. Through lecture and open discussion. this presentation will explore the interconnectedness of all humanity and the oneness of God. Our variety brings beauty to the whole; all human beings are similar in their eternal link with God. The most common experience of God is as Light. Knowledge of our potential to connect with God, the Most Beautiful One, brings hope and healing. This presentation encourages individuals to seek to deepen and develop their own understanding of connectedness with other human beings and with God, in the form of Light emanating from within. In this active experience of practical spirituality, life can become more liveable, bearable, tolerable and even more enjoyable with oneself and with others.
Gopi Elton has practiced and taught Raja Yoga meditation for the past 25 years in several states of Australia. She is an educator and facilitator delivering health professional education in the government sector in Victoria and has spent thirty years working as a registered nurse in mental health treatment areas. She is involved in co-ordinating the Values in Healthcare: A Spiritual Approach' program in Australia, as well as running a Brahma Kumaris meditation centre.
Dr Kajaria has taught Raja Yoga meditation for 45 years and is the Director of sixty meditation centres throughout Australasia and Southeast Asia. She lives in and co-ordinates a large international retreat centre in Northern India at the head office of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. She is also a world-wide practitioner and lecturer on stress relief, self management techniques and enhancement of mind processes.
Australian Pagans Speak:
A Community Forum
Fabienne Morgana
Glenys Livingstone
She' D'Montford
Gede Parma
Linda Ward
Anthorr Nomchong Room 217 Panel Discussion
Paganism is alive and well in Australia! Join Pagan representatives from around the country in a conversation
Jain Education Intemational
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
about the variety of traditions and groups present here and the community they create together. The discussion will touch on topics of specific relevance to Australian Paganism such as religious tolerance, legal rights, intrafaith and interfaith connections, and will include a look at the ways that Pagans in Australia are engaging in public outreach through education, service and electronic and print communications.
Fabienne S Morgana is a Solitary Eclectic Pagan with an ongoing commitment to her spiritual path and journey as well as those of others. Previously an entertainment professional with a Bachelor of Creative Arts, she is an authorised civil celebrant who facilitates across all life events. Fabienne is in the process of completing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology and a Justice of the Peace. She originates from Western Queensland and now lives in Melbourne.
Glenys Livingstone, PhD (Social Ecologyl. has Australian country roots, teacher training and an MA in Theology and Philosophy from the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley, CA, USA. She has been academically and culturally involved in the resurgence of female imagery for the Sacred for over thirty years. She is a celebrant of the annual seasonal rituals and author of PaGaian Cosmology. Glenys lives in the Blue Mountains with her partner Taffy Seaborne.
She' D'Montford is a teacher, healer, author, promoter and activist. She is the founding editor of Spellcraft magazine, Australia's premier periodical for the occult and esoteric. Dr D'Montford is the head of the Australian Shambhallah Awareness Centre Pagan Church and holds an honorary degree in philosophy, specialising in Tibetan and Hindu Shamanism. Her paranormal abilities have been featured on the ground-breaking psychic reality TV show The One".
Gede Parma has been an active member of his local Australian Pagan community for years. He is the co-founder of Coven of the WildWood and has contributed Pagan articles to books and e-zines geared toward Pagan young adults. Among his books are 'Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Companion: An Almanac for Everyday Living' and 'Spirited: Taking Paganism Beyond the Circle".
Linda Ward has been a practising Pagan for over forty years, working mainly as a solitary. She has been actively involved in the Pagan community for over ten years, helping to organise a series of weekend events promoting the celebration of Pagan diversity. She has a Master's degree in Religious Studies from Queensland University (2003) and is a graduate of Griffith University's MultiFaith Centre In-Service Development Training Program in Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding.
Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights
as Human Rights in Islam
Dr Saleha Abedin
Dr Siti Musdah Mulia
American Speaker to be Determined Room 219
Panel Discussion
This panel, made up of leading Muslim women, will focus on women's rights in the general context of the Islamic concept of human rights, which is constructed on the principles of justice and equity. Panellists will highlight the Islamic concept of the human rights of women that renders full justice to their social, cultural and biological roles in total recognition of their humanity and spirituality. They will also address how Muslim women and their rights have long been subjected to a vast array of

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Cooperative Ausli alia (MCCA. Dr Ghouse continues on the path of developing partnerships with both higher educational institutions and interfaith organisations. He was formerly the Deputy Dean, Research Centre International Islamic University Malaysia and holds a PhD in Sociology, in addition to dual Masters degrees and other professional qualifications. Dr Constant J Mews is Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology, Monash University. A specialist in medieval Christian thought, he has strong interests in the history of interreligious dialogue and common ground between Christian and Islamic traditions of financial ethics.
misconceptions put forth by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Through this discussion, the panellists aim to help correct the public's image of Islam's stance on women's rights and begin the process of greater understanding and healing. This panel is one of six sessions in the Islam 101 Series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice and history that are all too commonly misunderstood. Dr Saleha M Abedin is chief editor of the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious & Spiritual Leaders. She has also served on the International Advisory Board for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She is Currently the Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement at Dar Al-Hekma College, a premier women's college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Siti Musdah Mulia has been a research professor of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences since 2003. She is also a lecturer on Islamic Political Thought at the School of Graduate Studies of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta. Since 2007. Mulia has been the Chairperson of the Indonesian Conference on Religion for Peace, an NGO actively promoting interfaith dialogue, pluralism and democracy for peace. She has published several books on Islam and gender issues.
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
ABC Compass' Live Recording Major International Speakers from a variety of Religious Traditions Plenary Hall TV Show Filming The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Religion and Ethics program. "Compass', will be part of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. Presenter Geraldine Doogue will moderate a panel discussion onsite with five Parliament speakers who will convene to respond to questions submitted by Compass viewers, with a focus on the theme 'Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City. Panellists will be compelling speakers from a variety of religious traditions and from around the world. The program is scheduled to air on ABC TV on Sunday, 13 December. After the broadcast, Australian residents will be able to watch online at www.abc.net.au/compass. Those outside of Australia will be able to read a transcript of the discussion.
Compassionate Eating for the YouTube Generation Heng Sure Room 101
Islamic Finance: The Compassionate Approach to Market and Money Dr Amal Ali EL-Tigani Dr Nasya Bahfen Dr Abdul Rahim Ghouse Dr Constant Mews Room 220 Panel Discussion This panel will focus on Islamic finance and microfinance and how they can be utilised to alleviate poverty. It will first describe what Islamic finance is and how it is different from conventional finance. It will provide the audience with an understanding of the Islamic concepts that govern financial transactions, how these concepts have been translated into modern day finance and banking techniques, and how these techniques can be applied to the problem of poverty. Furthermore, the panel will explore briefly the impact of the global economic crisis on Islamic financial markets and institutions, as well as principles of financial ethics common to Christianity and Islam. The talk will also address how Islamic finance can contribute to a more just society within both an Australian and an international context. Dr Amal Ali El-Tigani is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business at Dar Al-Hekma College, a premier women's college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where she teaches courses in finance, investment and ac counting. Dr El-Tigani holds a DBA in International Business Finance and Investments from the George Washington University, Washington DC. She is also the Vice Dean for Finance and Administration at Dar Al-Hekma College Dr Nasya Bahfen lectures in the School of Applied Communication at RMIT and works regularly in the newsrooms of ABC Radio Australia and SBS Radio. Nasya is a committee member of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria. Among her published works is her article titled, A Lack of Interest in a Global Growth Industry: Australian Media and Islamic Finance'. published in the Journal of Globalisation for the Common Good Dr Abdul Rahim Ghouse is the CEO of Kuwait Finance House's Australian operations (KFHAL. Previously he was at Muslim Community
Lecture
Each day, humans make our most personal connection with the planet through the food that we put in our mouth. This lecture, featuring live performances as well as seleclions of video clips and data from the Internet, will explore the wisdom of this assertion for the YouTube generation. A variety of faith-based efforts to promote compassionate eating already exist in the digital domain. Although much of this material is religious in origin and in perspective, the message of YouTube videos such as the Jewish Vegetarians of North America's A Sacred Duty.folk songs such as Rev Heng Sure's American Beef Cow, and animated shorts such as Free Range Video's 'The Meatrix. can inspire a worldwide audience-regardless of faith or creed-to align their food choices more closely to their hopes for a healthier, more compassionate world.
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Rev Heng Sure is the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery and a former Global Councilor of the United Religions Initiative. He has been a Buddhist monk for 33 years, and holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union, in Berkeley, California (USA) and an MA from the University of California, Berkeley. An author and musician, Rev Sure recently released the CD 'Paramita: American Buddhist Folk Songs.
African Religions in Latin America Stanley Krippner Rose Sackey-Milligan Room 102 Lecture It has been said that, 'Brazil is the heart of the world and the spiritistic religions are the heart of Brazil'. These spiritistic religions, with their emphasis on mediumship Ibenevolent spirit possession) and reincarnation (the belief in past lives), date back to the arrival of enslaved Africans in the Portuguese colony. Over the years, a syncretic process took place as the African religions took on aspects of Roman Catholicism as well as Native American rituals and iconic figures. This lecture will trace the historical development of the African religions of Brazil with special emphasis on how social class and geography have influenced their development. It will describe how they honour Nature, eg, conceptualising their deities as 'forces of Nature, and how they promote healing of the mind, body, spirit, and community. Finally, the lecture will illustrate how religious syncretism lives on in the 21st century. It will cover the humanism and liberatory perspectives of these faiths: how they promote freedom and liberation, good character and progressive human values; the concept of the immortality of the soul and good living: fidelity in human relationships; the sacredness of life; the principles of devotion, family and community: death and reincarnation and a host of other life-affirming principles. Stanley Krippner, PhD is a professor of psychology at Saybrook Graduate School in San Francisco, USA. He is a Fellow in the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. His research articles on the AfricanBrazilian religions have won him honorary membership in the Brazilian Federation of Umbanda and Candomble. In 2005, he received the Quincentennial Medal from the Masonic Lodges of Eastern Brazil for his promulgation of Brazilian culture. Rose Sackey-Milligan, PhD, is an award-winning anthropologist with eighteen years study and practice of the Lukumi and Yoruba faiths. In 1997 she received full ordination into the Lukumi priesthood. She served as a social change philanthropist and lectured on the global economy and the US environmental justice movement She is a Senior Program Associate at the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. Northampton MA. She holds a BA in Social Science, and MA and PhD in Anthropology.
Sharing Wisdom in Search of Inner and Outer Peace Shantilal Somaiya Kala Acharya Terence Lovat K Sankarnarayan Homi Dhalla Geeta Mehta Gerard Hall Marika Vicziany Room 103 Panel Discussion Despite the human aspiration for peace, conflict and warfare continue to persist and endanger human life. However, the wisdom reflected in the scriptures of the world religions offers rays of hope. Hindus believe that peace in the human heart and peace on earth are interdependent. Prayers for appeasing external discord and internal unrest provide keys for peace. For Mahatma Gandhi, true Ahimsa is a life of nonviolence, love, strength and peace. Zarathushtra, the Prophet of ancient Iran, has inspired men and women about the need for inner peace in his teachings, termed as the Gathas. Buddhism, in its message of wisdom and compassion, preaches non-injury as the foremost practice. Jesus Christ preaches, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God [Mt 5:9). Islam preaches peace through its doctrine of Divine Fatherhood and Human brotherhood. This session, led by a leading world Hindu and interfaith centre in Mumbai, will draw on the different traditions in offering guidelines for inner and outer peace. Dr SK Somaiya is Vice President of Somaiya Vidyavihar, an educational trust in Mumbai running 37 institutes with 27,000 students. He received the prestigious Luminosa award in July 2002 in New York from the Focolare Movement. He also led the Hindu Delegation to the Interreligious Congress organised at Astana, Kazakhstan in 2003 and 2006. Dr Somaiya participated in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in New York in 2000. Dr Mrs Kala Acharya is the director of K J Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, a cultural and research institute. She has authored two books and edited several books, and she has organised interfaith dialogue Seminars in India and abroad. She is the working group member of the Congress of World's and Traditional Religions, Kazakhstan. Professor Terence Lovat is an experienced researcher who has managed research projects concerning Values Education, Religion and Spirituality. He has published several scholarly texts and more than eighty refereed articles in scholarly journals and books. Professor Lovat is a regular keynote presenter at national and international conferences, most recently in the areas of religion, values and Islam at governmentsponsored conferences in Russia and Ukraine. Mrs K Sankarnarayan is the Director of K J Somaiya Centre for Buddhist Studies. She received the Japan Foundation Fellowship under Scholars and Researchers and worked on two research projects with Prof Dr ichijo Ogawa, President, Otani University, Kyoto, Japan. She was invited as a Visiting Professor under the Japan Muhhosho Fellowship by the International Research Centre for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan and was recognised as a Research Guide by the Mumbai University Member of Academic Council. Homi Dhalla holds an MA from Harvard and a PhD from Mumbai University. He was Assistant Professor at the Asia Institute, Shiraz University. Iran for two years. Dhalla has represented the Parsi com
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munity at various international conferences, focusing on issues of peace, ecology, human rights, and interreligious dialogue. He was awarded the Mother Teresa National Award for Interfaith Harmony in 2007. As the Founder-President of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Dhalla has initiated various cultural projects for the Parsi community.
Dr Geeta Mehta received a doctorate in Gandhian Philosophy from Bombay University. She is well-published internationally and is actively associated with Acharya Vinoba Bhave. She has presented at national and international Philosphical Conferences, thrice at the World Congress of Philosophy. She is the former Head of the Department of Philosophy at Maharshi Dayanand College Currently she is the Director of the K J Somaiya Centre for Studies in Jainism and President of the Indian Women Philosophers' Association.
Talking Faiths: Your Story, My Story
and Our Story, across Schools and the World Wide Web
Tim McCowan
Catherine Devine
Jan Molloy
Room 104
This interactive workshop will showcase two successful experiential programs of interfaith and intercultural dialogue occurring in secondary schools across Melbourne: Building Bridges through Interfaith Dialogue in Schools and Intercultural Cluster Socratic Circles. We will show how, with the support of the Immigration Museum, interfaith dialogue can be promoted into the wider community through the Museum's Talking Faiths exhibit and website. Both programs operate in independent, Catholic and government schools. During this workshop, participants will experience a multimedia presentation and web resources outlining each program; learn about the exhibit at the Museum; interact with students, teachers and facilitators; participate in small group discussions; experience a Socratic Circle demonstration; and learn how they can get involved.
Dr Tim McCowan is the founding director of Building Bridges, director of Reconciliation and Peacemaking at the WellSpring Centre, and lecturer in spirituality at the Churches of Christ Theological College in Melbourne. Catherine Devine has been a teacher for fifteen years. She has worked in metropolitan, regional and remote area schools in Victoria and Western. Australia and has taught English, Literacy and Religious Education. Since 2006, she has coordinated the Melbourne Interfaith Intercultural Cluster of schools. She is particularly interested in the way Socratic Circles can be employed to promote citizenship through the exploration of issues and ideas.
Jan Molloy is responsible for the development and delivery of the Immigration Museum's education programs. Prior to joining Museum Victoria in 2006, Jan enjoyed a long and successful teaching career in Victorian Government Secondary schools. Jan is a history teacher with a strong commitment to social justice. Her passionate belief in the power of education to assist in building strong communities has found a new focus since she began working at the museum.
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Reflections on the Global Financial Crisis
Dr Hans Küng
Dr Simon Longstaff Katherine Marshall Steve Killelea Room 105
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
While nation-states, corporations and international monetary institutions struggle to restructure the global economy in light of the recent financial crisis, there are voices calling for attention to be given to ethical- even religious dimensions of the new paradigm needed to insure just and fair practices in the future. What elements of the recent crisis bring ethical concerns to the forefront? What is the appropriate role for religion if any in the discussion? How do global challenges such as poverty, the environment, and climate change, figure in the economic and moral calculus? Using the innovative 'agora forum technique, this discussion will provide theologian Hans Kung, senior business leaders, and Parliament participants all a 'seat at the table' in this vitally important conversation
Dr Hans Küng is an internationally known Christian theologian and president of the Global Ethic Foundation of Tübingen University. He has published over fifty titles, including The Beginning of All Things Science and Religion, Islam: Past, Present and Future and a manifesto; Global Economic Ethic - Consequences for Global Businesses. Dr Küng lives and teaches in Tübingen, Germany.
Dr Simon Longstaff is the Executive Director of the St James Ethics Centre in Sydney, Australia. He has also been the inaugural President of the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics, a Fellow of the World Economic Forum and a Member of the International Advisory Committee of the Foreign Policy Association. His book Hard Cases, Tough Choices was published by Macmillan in 1997
Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions. Katherine's work in development involves a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners and a series of reviews of development topics.
Steve Killelea is Chairman and Founder of, Integrated Research Ltd; The Charitable Foundation; Global Peace Index; Institute for Economics and Peace. Steve is an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace.
John Hart
Joel Hunter Room 106
Panel Discussion
Christianity and Ecology
Bishop Geoffrey Davies
Norman Habel

The Christian tradition is just beginning to come to terms with the impending ecological crisis caused by humankind's interactions with the environment. The interrelated issues of climate change, species extinction, rampant pollution and depletion of resources are causing significant disruptions in the ecosystems of the planet. Many

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people are predicting future famines and wars as a result of these interconnected problems. This panel discussion will explore the role of Christianity in responding to this crisis. Christian theology and practice have recently begun to shift in order to meet the environmental challenge, Can Christianity respond to worldly issues in a more concrete, immediate way, or will it continue to offer worldly salvation at the end of one's life? Can it move beyond individual concerns with good and evil to envision a common good for the entire world community? How can seminaries and churches go green'? What can we learn from eco-justice movements? A panel made up of distinguished Christian leaders and theologians will explore these questions.
Bishop Geoffrey Davies is Coordinator and founder member of the Southern African Faith Communities' Environmental Institute, which works to raise awareness of environmental issues such as climate change among different faith communities. He participated in Christian Aid's Cut the Carbon march around the UK, which aimed to draw attention to global warming and the urgent issue of reducing our carbon footprint. Norman Habel is a Fellow at Flinders University, Adelaide, and was formerly Head of Religion Studies at the University of South Australia. He is editor of The Earth Bible' series and 'Exploring Ecological Hermeneutics. He has chaired the ecological hermeneutics of the Society of Biblical Literature for several years. His forthcoming book is entitled An Inconvenient Text.
John Hart is Professor of Christian Ethics at Boston University School of Theology. He is the author of 'Sacramental Commons: Christian Ecological Ethics', 'Ethics and Technology, and 'The Spirit of the Earth". He is the board president of the Montana Environmental Information Center, member of the Delegation of the international Indian Treaty Council to the United Nations International Human Rights Commission, and an invited observer to the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples, Rio de Janeiro.
Dr Joel Hunter is senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, a congregation of 12,000 that worships at four sites in Metro Orlando and more than 1,000 sites worldwide via interactive Webcast. Dr Hunter serves on the boards of the World Evangelical Alliance (420 million constituents) and the National Association of Evangelicals (30 million members). Recently, he was appointed to the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He is author of several books.
Beyond Beliefs Muslims and Non-Muslims Living in Australia
Dr Pamela Ryan
Room 107
Film and Discussion
Riots in Sydney in 2005 signalled a deepening divide between Muslims and non-Muslims in Australia. In March 2007, some 400 Australians took over Old Parliament House in Canberra for three days to consider how to bridge this divide. This film suggests how the principles of deliberative democracy may be used to build reconciliation, understanding and social cohesion. The film was directed by Sophie Hyde and Bryan Mason.
As a psychologist, political scientist, organisational consultant and academic, Dr Pamela Ryan has helped numerous private and public organisations handle successfully a diverse range of strategic, psychological, organisational, cultural and political issues. As Managing Director of Issues Deliberation Australia/America, Dr Ryan has led psychologists, sociologists and researchers in major public policy projects in Australia and the United States. Dr Ryan is also co-founder of the international nonprofit organisation, Psychology Beyond Borders.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Addressing the Shadow in Our
Own Traditions Melanie Landau Anna Halafoff Susan Carland Rachel Woodlock Room 108
Panel Discussion
The theme of darkness is prevalent across many of the world's major religions. This multifaith panel, consisting of emerging Monash University women scholars, will explore elements of the shadow, or darkness, in the Buddhist, Jewish and Muslim traditions. This panel will seek to build bridges and recognise the common humanity that underpins all traditions. By allowing ourselves to be open to the darkness, and to integrate and transform it, nothing gets left out and all can be included and transformed.
Melanie Landau is a lecturer at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University. She is currently completing her PhD on a feminist analysis of traditional Jewish marriage. She has studied and taught Jewish texts in Australia, Israel and the US. She has diverse interests including facilitating personal transformation and group processes as well as creating community across difference through learning, dialogue and ritual.
Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, and the Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. She is a practicing Buddhist in the Tibetan FPMT tradition.
Susan Carland is a researcher in the Centre for Islam and The Modern World at the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. Rachel Woodlock is a researcher in the Centre for Islam and The Modern World, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University.
Women's Peace Initiatives
Marta Benavides
Room 109
Women have been working for peace in myriad ways, in coalitions, as members of religious communities, as members of political groups, as independent activists, and as cultural workers, and often below the radar of those recognised as peace agents. This session will be led by veteran women peace activists, and will offer women the chance to conspire about fomenting peace across the globe, from their diverse spiritual perspectives. It is intended as an informal gathering for women's wisdom sharing, including speaking bold, honest truths.

Marta Benavides of El Salvador is one of the surviving activists from the original group of human rights and peace advocates who began their work during the 1970s in a rising climate of repression. A leader of an ecumenical revolution focused on bringing peace to her country, the ordained pastor who chose 'to live and not die for the revolution' brings people together to defend human rights and develop a culture of peace.
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Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Rotary International Peace Fellows, International Christian University
William Steele
Prashan De Visser
Six ICU Rotary International Peace Fellows Room 110
Symposium
This is Panel #7 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium.
William Steele is Dean of Liberal Arts at International Christian University, Japan.
Prashan De Visser is President of 'Sri Lanka Unites in Sri Lanka.
Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Session
Nasya Bahfen
Anna Halafoff
Nazeem Hussain Barney Zwartz
Erin Williams
Valarie Kaur
Rabbi Ralph Genende Room 201
Interactive Workshop
It is fair to say that religion does not get a good rap in the media. Nine times out of ten the story is negative. But where does the responsibility lie in changing the way the media reports on religion? This session will look at the current view of religion in the media, how this has impacted young people of faith, and where the responsibility lies in changing this view.
Dr Nasya Bahfen lectures in the School of Applied Communication at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and works regularly in the newsrooms of ABC Radio Australia and SBS Radio. Her teaching and research interests include radio journalism, Islam and the media, and the use of the internet by young Muslims. Nasya is a committee member of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria.
Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific and the Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University.
Nazeem Hussain is a comedian and cast member of Salam Cafe Barney Zwartz is religion editor of 'The Age, where he has worked for 28 years. He has covered religion since 2002. Mr Zwartz has a degree in theology.
Erin Williams is the Media Coordinator for Interfaith Youth Core. Valarie Kaur is a filmmaker whose credits include 'Divided We Fall. Rabbi Ralph Genende is senior rabbi al Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, which is undergoing an energetic renewal. Rabbi Ralph has a Master's degree in Counselling and is Senior Rabbi to the Australian Defence Force. He previously served as College Rabbi at Mount Scopus College. He is an Executive Member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, the Council for Christians and Jews, a member of the Victorian Premier's Multi-faith Advisory Group, and heads a Jewish pre-marriage education group.
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The Reality of the Universal Human Family: Interreligious Cooperation in Healing the Earth
James Bowler
Paul Howorth
Kate Benge Room 203
Presentation with Q&A and musical performance
The Blood Foundation promotes the idea that we are all part of the Human Family, and that there are certain spiritual values and deep ethical obligations that come with such an understanding. This panel will explore the scientific and spiritual foundations of the Human Family and then look at some real world social applications in Australia, the Pacific region and the world. Professor Jim Bowler will tell the story of our great family from both scientific and spiritual perspectives, with special emphasis given to the Indigenous worldview of which he has been a lifelong observer. Paul Howorth will look at the social challenges and opportunities now present in relations between First Peoples and Europeans and draw upon working examples in the region including Blood Foundation's work with Indigenous Hill tribes in Southeast Asia and victims of the Burmese civil war. Finally, Kate Benge will present Blood Foundation's working model of action-based interreligious cooperation, which aims to bring together people of all faith traditions to alleviate suffering, defeat injustice and heal the earth and her people. Then they will open the floor to questions and close with a special musical performance.
James Bowler's career focuses on understanding Ice Age climates and environments of landscape evolution, including the framework of human origins and migrations. In 1969 he discovered the remains of Mungo Lady on the now-dry shores of ancient Lake Mungo. These 41,000-year-old remains provided the earliest evidence of human occupation in Australia, and were considered the world's oldest ritual cremation. Five years later. he discovered Mungo Man at the site of the world's earliest ochre burial. Paul Howorth is a barrister and a strategic planner who works as a consultant and researcher in the field of Indigenous development in Australia. Since 2001, Paul has studied the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous views of development. In particular, Paul sees enormous potential for non-Indigenous people to learn crucial principles of sustainability from the world's oldest surviving cultures. Kate Benge is a human rights activist with experience at Amnesty International in New Zealand and Blood Foundation in Southeast Asia. She is enthusiastic about the practical way Blood Foundation implements a Universal Philosophy. Kate is currently studying Philosophy and Development Studies at Victoria University in Wellington.
Faith-Consistent Investing
Seamus Finn
Dr Amal Ali El-Tigani Michiel Hardon Room 204
Interactive Workshop

The Islamic and Christian traditions both contain teachings about economic life, from prescriptions about lending to the conduct of corporations, that are central to their visions of just societies. They also bring long experience

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with practice, as observers and participants. The collapse of major financial institutions and the resulting economic crisis has prompted renewed interest in these teachings. as leaders from both traditions have pointed out that adherence to faith-consistent economic principles might have averted the downturn and spared the world's poor from the shocks that resulted from the crisis. Rev Seamus Finn and Dr Amal Ali El-Tigani will talk about how interfaith cooperation on these issues could foster the emergence of a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and just society. Rev Seamus Finn OMI is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a board member of both 3iG and the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCRI. He is a leader in faith-based and socially responsible investing. The cornerstone of his advocacy with corporations and financial institutions is a call for greater transparency and disclosure by the companies and a reliable regulatory and supervisory framework that has a global reach. Dr Amal Ali El-Tigani is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business at Dar Al-Hekma College, a premier women's college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where she teaches courses in finance, investment and accounting Dr El-Tigani holds a DBA in International Business Finance and Investments from the George Washington University. Washington DC. She is also the Vice Dean for Finance and Administration at Dar Al-Hekma College, one of the first and leading colleges for women in Saudi Arabia Recently retired from the World Council of Churches, Michiel Hardon was the Director of Income Monitoring and was the founding director of 3 G (International Interfaith Investment Groupl. In the past he also worked for the International Monetary Fund and directed economic and social affairs for the city government of the Hague for four years. Hardon also worked in international consulting in the private sector.
and international conferences, and community interfaith celebrations. Ms Penn will share examples of best practices, community collaborations, and a vision for the international high school interfaith movement that is built upon teens analysing barriers to cooperation and creating solutions. Kathleen Engebretson is a lecturer, researcher, writer and doctoral supervisor in the School of Religious Education at Australian Catholic University. She is the author of the recently published In Your Shoes: Inter-Faith Education for Australian Religious Educators (Connor Court and one of the editors of the International Handbook on Inter-Religious Education Janet Penn is the Founder and Director of Interfaith Action, Inc. (IFA) in Sharon, Massachusetts, USA and the creator of IFA's Youth Leadership Program and the Sharon Pluralism Network, an innovative collaboration among town departments to foster a town-wide culture of pluralism, Janet is passionate about empowering teens to lead interfaith work, inspiring adults with their example. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years.
Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond Kathleen Engebretson Janet Penn Room 207 Interactive Workshop This workshop will establish conceptual models for best practices in interfaith work with youth, both in the religiously-affiliated school and in a dynamic, communitybased program. Prof Engebretson will explore interfaith education at the primary and secondary levels as a conversation between life worlds. The pedagogical implications of the model will be developed in discussion and through the use of up to four different approaches to pedagogy for interfaith education. In learning about other religions, children and young people develop a sense of justice. As they learn about various religious traditions other than their own, they recognise the humanity of those who practise them. Through such study their own spirituality is nurtured and expanded through being brought into conversation with the spirituality of others. Ms Penn will present the core principles and methodol ogy that guides Interfaith Action's successful, teen-led Youth Leadership Program, including the multi-layered training that empowers high school students to plan and facilitate interfaith dialogue, school programs, national
Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media Hussein Rashid Wajahat Ali Haroon Moghul Room 208 Panel Discussion In the last several years, Muslim Americans have become increasingly active online. More and more, they are har nessing the full potential of New Media to combat stereotypes, racism and ignorance. They have built followings among Muslims and non-Muslims, and their efforts serve as resources for education about Islam and Muslims. This panel will discuss a variety of Muslim-American presences on the Internet (individual blogs, group blogs, and online magazines) and the use of Web 2.0 applications such as Facebook and Twitter to impact conversations not only within the Muslim community but also about the Muslim community. These traditions allow Muslims to represent themselves but also to continue the age-old Muslim traditions of arguing and discussing the major issues of the day. Hussein Rashid is a PhD candidate at Harvard University. He has an MTS from Harvard Divinity School and a BA from Columbia College. In 2006, he became one of the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow. He is a frequent speaker and television and radio guest and is currently a visiting faculty member at Hofstra University. Rashid is the author of the blog islamicate (www.islamicate.com. His current research interests include the representation of Muslims in graphic novels. Wajahat Ali is a playwright. journalist, humorist, blogger and attorney. He is an Associate Editor of Altmuslim.com, the leading American Muslim online magazine, and a contributing editor to the award winning Illume Magazine (http://www.illumemagazine.org). His blog. "Goatmilk: An Intellectual Playground' Igoatmilk.wordpress.com is ranked in the top seven percent of all political blogs. Ali is the 2009 recipient of Muslim Public Affairs Council's prestigious 'Emerging Muslim American Artist Award Haroon Moghul is director of Public Relations for the Islamic Center at New York University and is a PhD candidate at Columbia University A contributing editor and end-page columnist for Islamica, Haroon also maintains a popular blog, Avari, which has won several Brass Crescent Awards. Haroon has been selected as one of 300 Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow.
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Dr Siti Syamsiyatun is the Associate Director of ICRS-Yogya. She earned her MA in Islamic Studies from McGill University, Canada and her PhD in Politics from the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, Australia Yahya Wijaya is a lecturer in social and professional ethics at Duta Wacana Christian University and a member of the Executive Board of ICRS-Yogya. He is an ordained minister of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) and was a pastor of a GKI parish in Salatiga from 1989 to 1998. He holds a BD from Duta Wacana, a ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary and a PhD from the University of Leeds.
Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies Mark Pedersen Mariam Rahmani Benjamin Herzberg Emmett Buckley Dr Varghese Manimala Dr Siti Syamsiyatun Yahya Wijaya Room 209 Panel Discussion This panel session is led by educators from the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS-Yogya); representatives of the Henry Martyn Institute-International Centre for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation (HMI); and fellows of the Princeton Religious Life Council (RLC). Panellists will analyse from a variety of perspectives alternatives for approaches and methods of interreligious studies and dialogue in institutions of higher learning. ICRS-Yogya is a consortium of three universities: Gadjah Mada University, State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga, and Duta Wacana Christian University. Together they offer an integrative, international PhD program in interreligious studies. This is the only Religious Studies PhD program that is co-sponsored by Muslim, Christian, and national-secular universities. HMI is an ecumenical Christian organisation dedicated to the objective study and teaching of Islam and the promotion of interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. RLC is a fellowship of Princeton University students who are committed to fostering conversation between all religious faiths at Princeton as well as at the national and international levels. Mark Pedersen is an Australian-born Muslim and has been active in interfaith dialogue over the past fifteen years. He represents the Islamic Council of Victoria in the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia and works with the Islamic Centre of Education and Development on various community projects, including the annual Melbourne Muslim Music Festival and related arts projects. Mariam Rahmani is in her final year as an undergraduate at Princeton University. She studies Comparative Literature with an interdisciplinary focus in Art History. Her interests outside of class include involvement with religious life on campus. She comes to the Parliament as a student leader of the Princeton University Religious Life Council. Benjamin Herzberg is a senior at Princeton University majoring in Chemistry. He has been involved in Jewish communities both in his hometown of Westfield, NJ and at Princeton. Outside the classroom, he is one of three student leaders of the Religious Life Council, Princeton's interfaith dialogue group, and the Editor of Opinion for the campus newspaper. The Daily Princetonian. Emmett Buckley grew up in a Catholic family in Richmond, Virginia. He attends Princeton University, where he studies philosophy and poetry. Outside of the classroom, he is one of three student leaders of Princeton's Religious Life Council, an interfaith group dedicated to deepening understanding and cultivating respect among all faiths Dr Varghese Manimala has a PhD in Philosophy with special emphasis on Intersubjectivity in Western Philosophy and the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. He also holds a Bachelor of Law and has done post-doctoral research in Pluralism and Interreligious Dialogue. Dr Manimala is Director of HMI
Earth Charter as a Global Ethics for a Sustainable Future Mary Evelyn Tucker Rick Clugston Michael Slaby Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp Brendan Mackey AT Ariyaratne Room 210 Panel Discussion The Earth Charter is both a document and a movement. It draws on scientific knowledge, legal principles, sustainability practices, ecological economics, the precautionary principle and equity issues. In its decade-long drafting process, it involved thousands of individuals and groups from around the planet and is the most inclusive civil society document ever negotiated. The Charter offers a comprehensive framework for re-envisioning sustainability as balancing the need for economic development with the need for environmental protection. The key components of the Earth Charter are: 1) cosmological context, 2) ecological integrity, 3) social equity, 41 cconomic justice. 5) democracy, 6) non-violence and peace. These six components of a sustainable future have their counterparts in values that are shared among the world's religions: reverence, respect, restraint, redistribution, responsibility and renewal. A planetary future that is flourishing, not simply sustainable, will be enhanced by the six components identified by the Earth Charter along with these six values of the world's religions. A framework that integrates values of the world's religions with the central component of global ethics in the Earth Charter may be an important context for expanding sustainability principles and practices. Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar at Yale University, where she has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department of Religious Studies. Specialising in Asian religions and ecology, she has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program since 1986 and is a member of the Earth Charter International Council Richard M Clugston serves on the Steering Committee of the Earth Charter Initiative. He is Executive Director of the Centre for Respect of Life and Environment (CRLE), publisher and editor of Earth Ethics, and is an Adviser to the Centre for Environmental and Sustainability Education. Rick has taught and published on human development, Strategic planning, educational reform, and most recently on environmental ethics, Spirituality and sustainability.
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Michael C Slaby works for the international Earth Charter Secretariat and coordinates the Earth Charter Programme on Religion and Sustainability. Since 1996, Michael has been involved in youth activism and has led civil society initiatives on sustainable development, human rights and refugee aid on national and international levels. From 2003 to 2006, Michael volunteered as Earth Charter Youth Coordinator, and helped to establish the network of youth organisations that form the Earth Charter Youth Initiative.
Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp is President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, European Region, and co-recipient of the 2005 International Alliance Peace Award with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. He is an award-winning human rights advocate, lecturer, writer, environmental activist and champion of civil society worldwide.
Brendan Mackey is a professor of environmental science at the Australian National University, Fenner School of Environment & Society. His primary scientific research and teaching are in the field of environmental biogeography, with a focus on the role of natural forests in carbon storage. Brendan has an abiding concern for the ethical bases to nature conservation and human-nature relations. Brendan currently serves on the Earth Charter Council, and is a member of the IUCN Council. Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is the founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement. He was the recipient of the 1996 Gandhi Peace Prize, the Niwano Peace Prize, the King Beaudoin Award and many other international honours for his work in peacemaking and village development.
Religion's Imperative to Present
'the Other' Faithfully (Session 1] Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Moderator Tariq Ramadan
Marcus Braybrooke
Paul Knitter
Arvind Sharma
Balwant Singh Dhillon
Fr John Pawlikowski
Room 211
What is the religious imperative to present 'the other' faithfully? The need to accurately present traditions other than one's own is, to a large extent, a novel imperativegrowing out of our contemporary interfaith reality and a growing movement which seeks to cultivate harmonious intrareligious relations. Against a history of caricature and scorn that have long characterised the portrayal of the other in each of our traditions, we are now challenged to consider: what is the theological and spiritual basis that requires us to present the other faithfully? How can we turn to our traditions and find within them the call to represent the other faithfully-even positively-and how do we replace the older scornful view with an alternative presentation of the other?
Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977. Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Conflict Transformation and Peace Building
Stein Villumstad Jacqueline Ogega
Dr William F Vendley Room 212 Training Session
This workshop, held by the group Religions for Peace, will focus on the power of multireligious cooperation in conflict transformation. Open to all religious leaders, women of faith, youth and other stakeholders, the program seeks greater awareness of and commitment to multireligious action to end violent conflict and build peace. Group discussion will address various forms of violence and
its victims, helping to contribute to an exchange of ideas regarding prevention, peace building, and knowledge of best practices. By further strengthening religious leaders' knowledge of how to effectively lead conflict transformation, peace building initiatives can emerge through multireligious cooperation.
Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights.
Jacqueline Ogega is the Director of the Women's Program at the World Conference of Religions for Peace. She has served as the African Women's Project Director at Religions for Peace in Africa, where she established the African Women of Faith Network. She has experience and skills in gender, peace building and development programming. She holds a Master's degree as well as a post-graduate diploma in gender and development, both from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Dr William F Vendley has served as Secretary General at Religions for Peace since 1994, coordinating international activities and projects in more than 70 states around the world. He has led negotiations that have helped to prevent conflicts, mediated peace and rebuilt societies in the aftermath of violence. Under his leadership, Religions for Peace and its affiliates have engaged religious communities to assist the more than 12 million orphans of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Private Property, Religion
and the Environment
Paul Babie
Peter Burdon Room 214 Lecture

Climate change is a private property problem. Specifically, the presently dominant model of private property, implemented and operating in legal systems worldwide, prioritises self-interest over obligation towards the community. This presentation argues that this underpins and makes possible those human activities which lead to ecological destruction. Yet climate change is more than a legal or a political issue. It is also a moral and spiritual challenge, which requires the application of spiritual or religious thought as part of the solution. The presenters
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will offer two unique solutions to this problem. Dr Babie will draw on both monotheistic and polytheistic traditions in arguing for a private property model which places community obligation in the hands of individuals who enjoy the protection of private property over goods and resources. Obligation thus becomes an individual matter of choice and decision. Mr Burdon will argue that private property is fundamentally anthropocentric, and drawing on the work of geologian Fr Thomas Berry, will present ideas from an emerging field of law termed Earth Jurisprudence.
Paul Babie is Associate Dean of Law (Research) at the Adelaide Law School. He is also Founder and Director of the University of Adelaide Research Unit for the Study of Society, Law and Religion, and a Ukrainian Catholic Priest. He holds a BA (Calgary). BThSt [Flinders), LLB (Alberta). LLM (Melbournel, and a DPhil in law (Oxford). Paul's research focuses on law and religion, the nature of religious law, and property theory.
Peter Burdon is completing his PhD in Law at the University of Adelaide School of Law. He holds a BA (Adelaide) and LLB hons (Adelaide). Peter's research focuses on an emerging theory of law called Earth Jurisprudence which seeks to develop legal theory to recognise that humans exist as integral, interdependent members of a single, comprehensive Earth community. Peter lives on Kaurna land in the Adelaide Plains with his wife and baby girl.
Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam [Healing the World)
Thomas Kramer Room 215
Seminar
Modern agribusiness has degraded vast areas of the earth's ecosystems and contributed to climate change. A meat-based diet is a major factor in these potentially catastrophic developments. This session will establish a non-sectarian protocol for a harmonious, sustainable, well-fed world, based on the traditional Jewish philosophy of Tikun Olam or Healing the World. As an ancient religion, many of Judaism's rituals were integrated into the annual cycle of the seasons. This integration was reinforced by Genesis 2:15, where Jews were enjoined to be Shomrei Ha'adamah, Guardians of the Earth. Subsequently, through the millennia, Judaism developed a practical, ethical philosophy of healing the world and its peoples. This program will provide an exposition of the crises the earth faces and an analysis of the most efficient and economical means of restoring sustainability to the planet's degraded ecosystems while also facilitating the regeneration of impoverished communities throughout the world. Importantly, the program will be structured to ensure that activists/participants take the recipient community's culture and mores into full consideration. In particular, appropriate guidelines will be devised and implemented to respect Indigenous people who maintain their traditional way of life and have an abiding history of living in harmony with their environment.
Tom Kramer is a Chartered Engineer and an Honorary Associate of the University of Sydney, where he received his PhD in 1994 for research into Antisemitism and the Holocaust. He authored the book 'From Emancipation to Catastrophe: The Rise and Holocaust of Hungarian
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Jewry' and contributed ten articles to the publication 'Antisemitism: A Historical Encyclopedia of Prejudice and Persecution. A vegetarian for over 25 years, Dr Kramer was one of the three Foundation Convenors of the Sydney Jewish Vegetarian Society.
The New Archaic: Neuroscience, Spiritual Practice and Healing
Anne Benvenuti Elizabeth Davenport Glenys Livingstone Room 216 Interactive Workshop
This workshop will focus on the intersection of religious practice and neuroscience research. Participants will learn how neuro-networks in the brain relate to spiritual practice. The presenters will use experiential exercises and structured responses to illustrate the types of neurointegration related to spiritual practice. They will also present an overview of related neuroscience research and its implications for religious practice and will apply it to specific examples of religious practice from Indigenous, Eastern, and Western traditions. The global panel of presenters, from Pagan, Buddhist and Christian traditions, will also discuss the importance of listening to one another, especially as it relates to the healing of the earth. The workshop will emphasise spiritual practise as something that awakens us to the idea that we are all 'co-beings' with others, with the natural world, and with the transcendent.
Anne Benvenuti, PhD, is Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at Cerro Coso College, California, and Visiting Scholar at University of Chicago Divinity School and Georgetown University Medical School, Systems Medicine. A licensed psychologist trained in mind/body medicine, she has published on science and religion and is working on models of religious accountability. Benvenuti has personal experience over many years in three traditions: Buddhism, Christianity and Shamanism. She is also a naturalist and published poet.
Elizabeth Davenport is Dean of Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago. She oversees religious life at the university, working with students, faculty and community leaders of all traditions. A native of England, she has a strong connection to Indigenous Celtic traditions and is ordained in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition. She holds BA and MA degrees in theology from Oxford University and a PhD in Religion and Social Ethics from the University of Southern California.

Glenys Livingstone holds a PhD in Social Ecology and an MA in Theology and Philosophy. She has Australian country roots and has trained as a teacher. Dr Livingstone has been academically and culturally involved in the resurgence of female sacred imagery for over thirty years. She is a celebrant of the annual seasonal rituals and author of PaGaian Cosmology. She lives in the Blue Mountains with her partner Taffy Seaborne.

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Religious Conflict and Persecution: The Cases of Myanmar, Thailand and Iran Dr Natalie Mobini-Kesheh Helen James Room 217 Lecture This program will consist of two parts. It will first explore the integral relationship between religion and public political society in contemporary Thailand and Myanmar in the context of Buddhism's philosophy of non-violence, its reification of ahimsa (non-violence, non-harm). and commitment to atman (selflessness) and moksha Inon-attachment to materiality) as essential values for transforming socio-political relations. Religion is tightly interwoven with political life in these two countries, and each of them have substantial minorities who follow the Muslim, Christian. Hindu or other faiths. The second part of the program will relate to freedom of religion and the persecution of the Bahá'is in Iran. Since 1979, Bahá'is have faced a government-sponsored, systematic campaign of religious persecution in Iran, where they form the largest non-Muslim religious minority. Many Bahá'í leaders have been executed, hundreds of community members have been imprisoned, and tens of thousands have been deprived of jobs, pensions, businesses and educational opportunities. Their situation will be used as a springboard for discussion about how people of faith can unite to defend the universal human right to freedom of religion and belief in situations where this right is under attack Dr Natalie Mobini-Kesheh has been a member of the Australian Baha? community for almost 20 years. She is an active participant in interfaith dialogue on its behalf, and convenes a Women's Interfaith Network group in western Sydney. Dr Mabini-Kesheh received her doctorate from Monash University. Her research focused on the Arab minority in Indonesia. She is the author of one book and several papers in this field. Helen James is an associate professor with the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, ANU, and Life Member, Clare Hall Cambridge University. She researches and publishes on the sociology of non-violence, health and religion, particularly with respect to Thailand and Myanmar. She has published eight books and over thirty articles and book chapters.
East Asian Perspectives on Ecology Maria Reis Habito Dharma Master Hsin Tao Mary Evelyn Tucker Ruben L F Habito Peter Chang Room 219 Panel Discussion While globalisation has brought about new opportunities and advantages, it has also led to an ecological crisis of such proportions that, for the first time in history, the survival of many species (including humans) is at stake. Global warming, a compromised ozone layer, the pollution of water, earth and air, as well as rapidly progressing deforestation are all contributing to the extinction of countless species and causing natural disasters of tragic dimensions. This panel discussion will attempt to offer solutions to the ecological crisis, taken from the teachings and practices of East Asian traditions. Panel members will offer perspectives from the Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto traditions and will discuss the distinctive contributions that each of these traditions can make toward healing the earth. Maria Reis Habito is the International Program Director at the Museum of World Religions and Director of the Global Family for Love and Peace. She has studied in Taiwan, Munich and Kyoto, and completed her PhD at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in 1990. She has organised many international, interfaith conferences, notably a series of Buddhist - Muslim dialogues published under the title 'Listening: Buddhist-Muslim Dialogues 2002-2004' Taipei, 2005). Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and carne to Taiwan at age 13. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wusheng Monastery on Ling-jou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 has been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Scholar at Yale University, where she has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department cf Religious Studies. Specialising in Asian religions and ecology, she has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program since 1986 and is a member of the Earth Charter International Council Ruben L F Habito is Professor of World Religions at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, and founding teacher of the Maria Kannon Zen Center, Dallas, Texas. He served as President of the Society for Buddhist Christian Studies, and of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. His publications include 'Healing Breath: Zen for Buddhists and Christians in a Wounded World (2006), 'Experiencing Buddhism: Ways of Wisdom and Compassion (2005), and 'Living Zen, Loving God (2004) Dr Peter Chang is a Research Officer in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Program at La Trobe University, Australia. He holds a Harvard University doctoral degree in religious studies, specifically comparing the Christian and Confucian traditions. Peter is a Christian and a student of Confucianism. Recently, his researches examine how the classical Chinese philosophical and religious traditions could inform China's contemporary concerns, such as human rights, intercivilisation interactions, as well as bioethical and environmental exigencies.
Interreligious Regional Concerns: Middle East Room 218 How does spirituality-and the interreligious movement in particular-express itself through the prism of geography? This is one of a series of regional conversations.
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representatives, staff and students. People sat opposite each other, holding wet plaster between their hands and making conversation until the plaster hardened. The cast handshake forms were then recorded and boxed to be used in the mould for the commissioned sculpture. In light of the heartfelt responses and encouragement from people involved in the process, it was decided to continue as Let's Shake, an ongoing project promoting cultural connection and dialogue through public events and artworks. Karen Casey is a respected Meibourne Indigenous artist with a longstanding commitment to promoting environmental awareness and social harmony through her art. She has worked on numerous community, public art and urban design projects and in 2003 was appointed Artist-in-Residence for the City of Melbourne. She has recently been involved in Arts Education Curriculum programming and was a participant in the 2020 Summit at Parliament House, Canberra in 2008.
ENGAGEMENT 2:30-4:00pm
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel I Rev Dr William Lesher, Moderator Rabbi Dr Elliot Dorff Heinz-Gerhard Justenhoven Leif Stenberg William O'Neill SJ Hans Ucko Room 110 Symposium This is Panel #5 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium. Rev Dr Bill Lesher, Chair of the Parliament of the World's Religions Board of Trustees, has been active in the Parliament since its centennial gathering in Chicago in 1993, serving as an Ambassador for the Council in preparation for the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa and as the convener of the 2004 Parliament in Barcelona, Spain. Dr Lesher has worked with communities and institutions across the globe in various responsibilities for church bodies. He currently serves as a Trustee of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and as a member of the Board for the Global Ethics and Religion Forum Rabbi Elliott Dorff is Rector and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at American Jewish University, USA. (Judaism) Heinz-Gerhard Justenhoven is Director of the Institute for Theology and Peace, Germany. (Roman Catholic tradition) Leif Stenberg is Director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Lund, Sweden, (Islam William O'Neill is Associate Professor of Social Ethics at Jesuit School of Theology Berkeley, USA. (Africa) Hans Ucko is a past Program Executive for Interreligious Relations and Dialogue for the World Council of Churches, Sweden.
Let's Shake Karen Casey Room 215 Artistic Performance Let's Shake is a participatory art event encouraging people to extend a hand beyond their comfort zone and make a genuine connection with another person. The process involves casting the inside of a handshake while people communicate with each other. The resulting forms are intriguing, shell-like objects imprinted with a record of each person's palm and the memory of the encounter. The project came about during the development of a permanent artwork promoting reconciliation, commissioned by the University of Adelaide. Inspired by the notion of the space contained within a handshake, the idea was conceived by Melbourne artist Karen Casey and developed in collaboration with public sculptor Darryl Cowie. For the initial phase of the project, the University hosted an event with the artists, inviting Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Spanish Language Session 1 of 2 Ruth Broyde Sharone Room 101 Interactive Workshop Esto es para nosotros, gente de habla español, un simposium interactivo dedicado a los participantes de Latinoamérica que se encuentran en el Parlamento de Melbourne. Este simposium, en nuestro idioma, nos brindará oportunidades de conocernos y de conectarnos. Vamos a examinar detalladamente los desafíos particulares de America Latina en el campo interreligioso, y vamos a contemplar como se podría realizar el gran potencial de nuestras comunidades, ciudades, y países. Recién empezamos pero ya vamos forjando nuestro proprio camino. Somos gente de imaginación y de talento y ha llegado el momento de reconocer que tenemos mucho que contribuir al movimiento interreligioso global. La primera parte del simposium será para mejorar la comunicación entre nosotros, país con país. Compartiremos nuestras experiencias hasta hoy día, los éxitos y los casi-éxitos. Exploraremos como se puede desarollar una red extensiva de actividad interreligiosa entre nosotros mismos, una red que nos puede fortalecer y enriquecer. Facilitará este simposium Ruth Broyde Sharone, la representante de la Red de Ciudades Hermanas, que el Parlamento mando para alentarnos y apoyarnos. Ella ya visitó cuatro países de America Latina este año: Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia y Argentina. Nuestra amiga que nos apoya, Ruth pidió y logró crear este simposium en Melbourne especialmente para nosotros. These two Latin American networking sessions will be conducted in
sh, and arrangements can be made for translation into English upon request. Please email programsparliamentofreligions.org or visit the Program Information Desk by Saturday, December 5th. Ruth Broyde Sharone is a documentary filmmaker, journalist and public speaker. She travels frequently to college campuses to lead interfaith programs and screen her popular film 'God and Allah Need to Talk. CoChair of the Southern California Committee for the Parliament, Ruth also currently serves as a Partner Cities Associate. She is also Co-Director of the Rodet Shalom School for Peace, with Jerusalem peacemaker Eliyahu McLean. Her new book, 'Minefields and Miracles: Adventures In Interfaith will be published in 2009
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Religion and Belief in Public Schools Cathy Byrne
Harry Gardner
Terence Lovat
Room 102
Panel Discussion
Global processes are increasing the ethnic and religious diversity of societies, including Australia, where about two-thirds of the nation's children are educated in the government schooling system and the other third in private religious schools. Education and religion has always been a controversial subject both before and since the government began funding religious schools in the 1960s. This seminar focuses on how religion is taught in government schools compared to private religious schools. We will discuss single-faith instruction, which is thought by some to increase religious intolerance, and will incorporate the perspective of a humanist representative who advocates teaching the Humanist perspective in public schools. Developing an understanding of our world's diverse religious traditions as well as respect for people of diverse faiths and no faith is essential for both hearing each other and collaborating together to heal the earth. Cathy Byrne is a PhD scholar at Macquarie University's Centre for Research on Social Inclusion. Her thesis will focus on the social implications of segregated, single-faith religion classes in Australian public primary schools. This is a continuation of her Master's research, which examined cultural diversity attitude outcomes of senior school study of religion. Cathy is undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Religion and Values Education.
Harry Gardner is education director for the Victorian Humanist Society. Following a career in scientific research, Gardner turned to combining his interest in children's entertainment with primary school education. He has developed a Humanist curriculum framework for lessons in values and ethics as an alternative to religious scripture classes. The course is being considered for use by the Victorian Department of Education. Professor Terence Lovat is an experienced researcher who has managed research projects concerning Values Education, Religion and Spirituality. He has published several scholarly texts and more than eighty refereed articles in scholarly journals and books. Professor Lovat is a regular keynote presenter at national and international conferences, most recently in the areas of religion, values and Islam at government sponsored conferences in Russia and Ukraine.
Has Economics Triumphed over Ethics?
Dr Hans Küng
Dr Simon Longstaff
Steve Killelea
Simon McKeon Room 103
Recently a non-profit organization in Australia felt compelled to appeal for corporate sponsorship support on the following basis: domestic violence was bad for the economy, rather than that it was ethically wrong and harmful to individuals, families and society. How does this anecdote illustrate an evolving shift in the role of ethical considerations in the economic marketplace? Has this shift been a factor in the recent global financial crisis? What broadly shared values are needed if the world is going to make

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progress to a more just, peaceful and sustainable world? What is the role of religion and spirituality in promoting human values and in partnering with the corporate and business sector in pursuing mutual aims? Renowned German theological Hans Kung joins with senior business leaders in an agora forum' discussion on the ethical implications of recent trends in global economic dynamics.
Dr Hans Küng is an internationally known Christian theologian and president of the Global Ethic Foundation of Tübingen University. He has published over fifty titles, including The Beginning of All Things - Science and Religion, Islam: Past, Present and Future and a manifesto; Global Economic Ethic Consequences for Global Businesses. Dr Küng lives and teaches in Tübingen, Germany.
Dr Simon Longstaff is the Executive Director of the St James Ethics Centre in Sydney, Australia. He has also been the inaugural President of the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics, a Fellow of the World Economic Forum and a Member of the International Advisory Committee of the Foreign Policy Association. His book Hard Cases, Tough Choices was published by Macmillan in 1997.
Steve Killelea is Chairman and Founder of Integrated Research Ltd; The Charitable Foundation; Global Peace Index; Institute for Economics and Peace. Steve is an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace.
Simon McKeon is Executive Chairman of Macquarie Bank Limited's Melbourne office and specialises in mergers and acquisitions. He has degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne and practised as a solicitor with Blake Dawson Waldron in Sydney. Mr McKeon is also Chair of MS Research Australia and founding Chair of Melbourne Cares. He is on the Board of Vision Fund which is responsible for World Vision International's micro economic development activities.
Spiritual Education and Interreligious Learning for Primary (Elementary) and Secondary Students
Elizabeth Mellor
Helen Nichol Sue Smith
Peta Goldburg Room 104
Interactive Workshop
These presentations invite participants to engage interactively with various approaches to spiritual education and interreligious learning with primary and secondary school students. Children look for inner meaning and wider connections with the world to develop their sense of belonging, well-being and resilience. Interreligious learning and these experiential approaches complement each other. Such teaching can provide an internal structure for the future adult to build his or her own spiritual/religious being. Understanding the changing needs of the maturing child is crucial. Panel members will present some practical approaches to spirituality education and interreligious education within plural education frameworks.
Elizabeth Mellor is Co-Founder and Co-Director of Biame Network Inc. a nonprofit educational and spiritually oriented organisation dedicated to promoting spiritual fulfilment and personal well being for everyone. She is an international workshop facilitator and author living in Melbourne. Helen Nichol, BBSc, Dip Ed (Sec), MAPS (assoc), brings her career experience in psychology and education to her current studies in theology and philosophy. She is Chaplain at Erasmus School, with duties include" teaching scripture and philosophy: developing and providing spiritual,

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of Churches Worship Committee for its Harare Assembly, has published nine books of liturgy and still writes liturgies for churches in six countries. She was awarded the 1988 Australian Human Rights Medal and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Macquarie University.
social and emotional programs for the student and parent community: and providing a forum for spiritual inquiry and the practice of meditation for adolescents. Sue Smith is a parent, educator, academic and storyteller whose work has been to engage young people in lively, fun learning that will lead them to better understand themselves and their world. As an Australian woman who is Anglican from birth, Buddhist by choice, and experienced at working with Indigenous Australians in education, Sue has sought ways in which education may nourish our common humanity and human potential Peta Goldburg is Professor of Religious Education at Australian Catholic University. She has worked extensively with teachers of religion in schools across Australia and New Zealand. For the past eight years, she has chaired the Queensland Studies Authority Study of Religion Syllabus committee and has published widely in the area of religious education
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Current Initiatives Stein Villumstad Additional Speakers to be Announced Room 106
Interpreting the Text: Apostasy and Homosexuality Michael Kirby Abdullah Saeed Rev Dorothy McRae-McMahon Room 105 The 20th century was marked by many scientific discoveries about human (and other species') sexuality. Alfred Kinsey, Evelyn Hooker and, more recently, genetic scientists have postulated natural causes for sexual variation, presenting them as normal variants, not abnormal and deliberately chosen in defiance of ordinary norms. Against this background and the pluralist nature of modern societies, religious condemnations of homosexuals are increasingly questioned, including by believers. This has led to tensions in political, social and religious life. That tension is being acted out in many countries, including Australia, where laws discriminating against sexual minoritics are being repealed and amended. Some religions insist on unwavering interpretations of scripture, antagonistic to homosexuals. However, drawing on his long experience as an Australian judge, Michael Kirby points to the occasional need to re-read texts where they come into conflict with advances in contemporary knowledge and experience. He suggests that this is what will happen with interpretations of Leviticus 20:13 and other Biblical texts that have been a source of great injustice to GLBT minorities. Upon his retirement from the highest court in Auslialia in February 2009, Michael Kirby was the nation's longest serving judge. He has also served in many other courts and bodies in Australia and in UN bodies. He is President of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Austratia. He was raised in the Anglican tradition of Christianity which he sees, for historical reasons, as a denomination sensitive to inclusion of sometimes opposite and conflicting opinion. Dr Adbullah Saeed is the Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, where he also directs the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies and Asia Institute www.abdullahsaeed.org). He is involved in interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and between Jews and Muslims, and is a frequent and popular lecturer. Dr Saeed has a BA in Arab/islamic Studies from Saudi Arabia, an MA in Applied Linguistics and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Melbourne Rev Dorothy McRae-McMahon is a minister in the Uniting Church in Australia. She worked in the Pitt Street Parish in Sydney and as UCA National Director for Mission. She was Moderator of the World Council
The World Heritage Sites initiative, implemented and administered by UNESCO. provides a model and link for efforts to safeguard the sacred sites of religious and spiritual communities worldwide. Efforts to expand this initiative internationally have been taken up by spiritual communities and interreligious organisations, at both grassroots and international levels. This session of the Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Symposium will feature the recent initiatives, their evolving character and the ways in which concerned individuals, groups, communities and institutions can join forces within this overarching movement to properly protect and respect the revered places of Worship and practice of diverse spiritual traditions. Leading minds and passionate defenders of sacred sites will explore recent and innovative work in the sacred sites movement, Stein Villumstad, Deputy Secretary General of Religions for Peace, will discuss the process and development of a Code on Holy Sites and the long and winding road to establishing an International Convention adopted by the United Nations to safeguard sacred spaces. Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid INCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights
Migrar o Morir/Paying the price (Premier Film Series Selection) Room 107 Film This film examines the lives of impoverished workers from Guerrero, Mexico, who migrate to Sinaloa to pick exotic Chinese vegetables for the export trade. It is a devastating portrait of hardship-from these migrants community of origin, largely abandoned by the local and state governments, to the inhumane and slave-like working conditions of the migrant camp. The film was directed by Alex Halkin. Q & A to follow.
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Global Ecological Crisis: A Time for the Reunion of Science and Religion? Irina Trubetskova Room 108 Academic Paper Science and religion are two disciplines that seek truth and attempt to understand the construction of this world. even though they focus on different aspects of the same reality and use different ways to explore and interpret it. Their historical relationship has varied dramaticallyfrom full harmony, respect and mutual understanding to alienation, separation, divorce and animosity. It is an undeniable reality that we face an impending global ecological crisis that threatens the future of our human civilisation and culture. In response, science and religion seem to be converging toward a common goal of preventing the global catastrophe. The predictions of former and current thinkers about the reunion of science and religion appear to be coming true. For example, the philosophy of Russian Cosmism looked forward to a time when all of humanity would be united by the philosophy of common task. Indeed, is it not the main mission of both science and religion now to collaborate on promoting ecological awareness and cultivating sustainable ways of life in order to ensure a decent life for generations to come? Irina Trubetskova has a PhD in Biology and is studying in the Natural Resources and Earth System Science department at the University of New Hampshire. She has also conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for Limnology in Germany. Michigan Technical University and the Estonian Marine Institute in Tallinn, Estonia. She is currently finishing her dissertation research entitled "From Biosphere to Ncosphere. A Challenge for Educators in the Age of Sustainability
role has recently been proved by publication of the PWV's well-received book, 'Silent Whispering (2009). The book presents stories of victims regardless of ethno-religious identity. It aims to generate well-rounded understandings about the Southern Thailand conflict to the Thai public, and hence to mitigate the antagonism fostered by the lack of information Naree Charoenpolpiriya is a peace advocate who has been working for women victims of violence since 2004. Naree has been a nonviolence trainer tor over twenty years. She initiated a healing project for family members of Takbai protest victims in 2004. Also, she was a commissioner to the Thai government-appointed National Reconciliation Commission. She has a strong sense of how conflict resolution methods have changed and developed over the years. Sukkriya-Ayu Baheh is the current project manager for Peace Witness Volunteers (PWV). Previously, she has participated in a peacebuilding workshop in India as well as human rights and nonviolent action trainings. As a former volunteer to the 2007 project of PWV, Sukkriya-Ayu has experienced a number of peace witnessing activities. She is a Muslim and will represent that community's involvement and perspectives Ms Arachapon Nimitkulpon works with the Working Group on Just for Peace, a national human rights NGO that focuses on human rights abuses in the three southern provinces of Thailand. Last year she was part of the Peace Witnessing Project based in Pattani Province. Her role is to coordinate the fact-finding trips to villages and visit victims' families She has also worked on constructive articulation through online media, writing articles, and making a short documentary
Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding: The Case of Thailand Naree Charoenpol piriya Sukkriya-Ayu Baheh Arachapon Nimitkulpon Room 109 Inspired by Gandhi's Shanti Sena (or Peace Armyl. Peace Witness Volunteers (PWV) is an all-female group based in Southern Thailand. The conflict in this area involves Malay Muslims, local Buddhists, Thai authorities and the Malay Muslim armed groups. There are many human rights violations and discrimination against both the Malay Muslim and Thai Buddhist populations. The language barrier between local-language speaking villagers and Thai-speaking authorities, and more importantly the lack of information as well as the misinformation caused by the emerging communal antagonism, augments the conflicts. PWV is a third party mediator in conflict, providing a 'channel of communication assisting with language interpretation, providing human rights and legal knowledge to the villagers and acting as representatives to media. In addition, they provide humanitarian-social support for victims of the conflict, increase awareness of conflicts and provide information to the general public. The latter
Media Savvy: How Journalists and Religious Leaders Can Work Together for Better Coverage Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick Roland Shatz Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff Room 110 A panel of religious leaders, journalists and media experts will discuss what it takes to get religion into the news cycle. What can religious leaders do to help overcome stereotype-driven news selection, and how can journalists make ethical decisions- even when the heat is on? We will examine data from the past year to see how major global broadcast networks devoted airtime to religion and values, and give awards to the religious leaders and news professionals who exemplify best practices. Religious leaders will be considered for awards on the basis of their willingness to be interviewed and how well they represent their religious tradition in the mainstream media. News professionals who champion coverage of religious diversity and make room for the complexities of religion within their newscasts will be considered for awards. Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, has visited many nations as a human rights advocate and to survey humanitarian needs. He has travelled to areas affected by major natural disasters, such as Central America, Sri Lanka and Louisiana and Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina, to ensure people in need would receive assistance, and to bring prayer and financial support. He has been a member of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom. Roland Shatz is the President of Media Tenor and a Co-Founder of the C-1 World Dialogue, and one of the leading experts in the field of media impact research. He has focused on improving global media through his work at Media Tenor, which provides ongoing international media content analysis, including analysis of new and traditional global media content
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Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff is Director General of the C-1 World Dialogue, has served as Senior Advisor to the World Economic Forum and its Council of 100 Leaders' West-Islamic Dialogue. He was also formerly Dean of All Saints' Cathedral in Cairo where he remains international advisor to President Bishop Mouneer Anis, Primate of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Shadi Toloui-Wallace
Shadi Toloui-Wallace Room 201
Artistic Performance
Australian singer and composer Shadi Toloui-Wallace aims to uplift hearts through her music. Born to parents of Australian and Iranian origin, she blends diverse backgrounds to create music that is varied, soulful and unique. In this performance she will perform songs from her debut album, 'Leather Bound Book, a collection of Bahá'í Sacred Writings set to contemporary melodies with a World Music flair.
Born to parents of Australian and Iranian origin, Shadi's love for music and devotion to her Faith blends these diverse origins to create music that is varied, soulful and unique. Touching someone's heart in a song through the power of music is something she treasures. Shadi is undertaking a national tour with other artists both before and after the Parliament of the World's Religions.
Joanne Shenandoah: Healing
Through Music
Room 201
Artistic Performance
A Grammy Award and eleven-time Native American Music award-winning artist, Joanne Shenandoah, a Wolf Clan member of the Iroquois Confederacy, has fulfilled the promise of her Native American name, Tekaliwah-kwa ('She Sings'). From traditional chants to contemporary sounds, Joanne enchants audiences around the world and has established a reputation as one of America's foremost and celebrated Native recording artists. Neil Young calls her 'one of the finest tributes to Native American Music and Culture. The Associated Press states, Shenandoah has become the most critically acclaimed Native American Singers of her time. Since emerging as an artist in 1990, Shenandoah has performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, Kennedy Center, Earth Day on the Mall, Woodstock '94, the Parliament of the World's Religions in South Africa, Barcelona's Sagrada Familia in Spain, and Hwa Eom Temple in South Korea, as well as at thousands of venues in the US.
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The Road to Copenhagen - Is Climate Change the New Slavery?
Room 202
Panel Discussion
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
There are interesting echoes between the current economic debate about climate change and the debate about the abolition of slavery over 150 years ago. One of the chief objections to ending the admittedly morally objectionable practice of slavery was the projected collapse it would bring to the world economy. Similar projections have been given for scenarios in which the global economic system would be transformed to reduce green house emissions through the development of new technologies and changes to more eco-friendly lifestyles of individuals and nations. Is climate change in all its manifestations a new form of slavery? Are there any lessons from the abolition of slavery, and the resulting boom to the world economy that resulted, which might be applied to the current situation? How do we weigh moral and economic values and outcomes as we consider addressing this pressing global challenge?
Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Response
and Advocacy by Religious Communities. Sue Wareham, Moderator
Hirotsuga Terasaki
Mr Kawai Room 204
Nuclear weapons are the most significant human-made destructive force on the planet. They pose a spiritual as well as existential threat to humanity. Why has humanity been so slow and ineffective in meeting the challenge posed by nuclear arms? What can religious and spiritual communities do to meet the challenge of abolishing these weapons of mass annihilation? This panel discussion will explore the grassroots and advocacy efforts made by various religious communities around the world to protect against nuclear proliferation and mobilise public opinion. These include the proposed Nuclear Weapons Convention, and the development of educational tools such as exhibitions, volumes of nuclear survivors' testimonies, DVDs and publications showing what individuals can do to address the situation. SGI's work on disarmament is characterised by grassroots education. These activities, which have been carried out on a global scale, include petition drives, traveling public exhibitions, seminars and publications.
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entering the ministry, Michael worked as a lobbyist, a Regional Field Director for a presidential campaign, and an investment banker for the oldest municipal bond firm in New Jersey. Paul Strickland is the Executive Director of the Center for Religious Inquiry (CRI) in Minneapolis, Minnesota CRI's mission is to create a safe. welcoming place for religious seekers of any background or affiliation to experience a deeper understanding of unity through inquiry, diaLogue, study and reflection. Paul is a former corporate human resources executive who is deeply committed to the interreligious movement in Minncapolis and internationally in Peru, South Africa, Syria and Cuba. Donald Reid is an ordained member of the Scottish Episcopal Church and has worked since 2004 as director of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace. The Festival seeks to bring together thinkers, artists and performers, from every fa th and none, to discern and model ways to build peace in a post-9/11 world. Donald is also co-convener of the Edinburgh Inter Faith Association. Samir Selmanovic, PhD. is the author of 'Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian'. He is the founder and Christian co-leader of Faith House Manhallan, an interfaith community of communities that brings together forward-looking Christians, Muslims. Jews, atheists and others who seek to thrive interdependently. Samir serves on the Interfaith Relations commission of the US National Council of Churches and speaks nationally and internationally. He lives in New York City
Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 1) Paul Chaffee, Moderator Helen Spector James De Lange Janet Bregar Carla Mae Streeter Michael G Pappas Paul R Strickland Donald Reid Samir Selmanovic Room 207 Panel Discussion Six stories of interfaith response to our growing local interdependence will provide models and lessons learned about how we build interfaith understanding and social cohesion in our communities. These panellists will recount their experiences creating safe spaces to encounter 'the other', working side-by-side to make our cities hospitable and safe for people of diverse traditions, standing up for and with each other, and learning how to honour the dignity and humanity of each other. They will also share how, in doing so, they all have been changed. After the panel presentations, session attendees will share stories of success and challenge from their local settings. By engaging each other on critical questions, they will enrich our local interfaith responses to increasing interdependence. This session will continue through the afternoon Openspace program time. Paul Chaffee, ordained in the United Church of Christ (USAI, has been the Executive Director of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio in San Francisco since its inception in 1995. He is a trustee of the North American Interfaith Network and has helped begin several United Religions Initiative Cooperation Circles Helen Spector serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She joined the Board in 1990 to help plan the 1993 Parliament Centenary Celebration and has served as co-chair for the Site Selection task forces that selected Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (20091 for Parliament gatherings. Helen lives in Portland. Oregon. Rev James DeLange has been Chair of the San Francisco Interfaith Council since 2004. For nearly all of its twenty years of existence, Pastor DeLange has served on the Council's Board of Directors, first as Chief Financial Officer. Pastor DeLange was Senior Pastor of St Francis Lutheran Church in San Francisco for eighteen years. Before coming to St Francis, he served Faith Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach, California, a congregation he founded in 1962. Rev Dr Janet Bregar is a professor of Comparative Religions and the Pastor of Village Church in Los Angeles. She is currently an instructor in Comparative Religions at California State University Fullerton. Dr Bregar is the past executive director of the Santa Monica Bay Interfaith Council and a current Board Member Dr Bregar has been active in interfaith work both in the United States and internationally for over thirty years Carla Mae Streeter, OP, is a Dominican Sister presently serving as a full professor at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St Louis, Missouri. Dr Streeter is a member of the board of Interfaith Partnership/Faith Beyond Walls, an interfaith organisation of 31 religious traditions. She teaches theology in the Latin Catholic tradition Michael G Pappas is Executive Director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council. For sixteen years, he served parishes in San Francisco and Palos Hills, Stockton, California as an ordained priest in the Greek Orthodox Church, focusing on the homeless and interfaith relationships. Prior to
Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein Dharma Master Hsin Tao Dr Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Paul Knitter Room 208 Panel Discussion The 21st century is marked by a widespread feeling of crisis, insecurity and loss of direction. The ecological balance of the Earth is under serious threat: political, social and economic security is elusive, and religions are faced with numerous challenges, both from inside and outside. This panel will consider how, through sharing the wisdom found in our religious traditions, we can address collectively the multiple challenges posed to us as people of faith in the 21st century. It is a continuation of the discussion held during the third meeting of the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders in Amritsar in 2007. We will enter into the discussion starting with the basic question: What is wisdom? Why should we share? Further, which distinct teachings and methods do our religions offer to achieve inner peace? What is the relationship between inner and outer peace? What is the role of forgiveness? Finally, we will ask which particular wise teaching from our own tradition would we like to share with the others. The panel will conclude by inviting cach participant to reflect on gifts received from listening to the religious Other Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh, aged 60, is the current religious head of Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib, the supreme religious authority of the Sikhs, based in Amritsar, Punjab, India. He was appointed as Jathedar on 6 August 2008, alter serving 37 years as a Sikh religious preacher. His last appointment was as Head Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith institute. and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought. Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977.
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Projects of the Clijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age 13. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wu-sheng Monastery on Ling-jiou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues he initiated in 2001 has been conducted in ten countries, including UNESCO Paris and UN in New York Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh comes from a line of spiritual leaders, and is Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. He is a retired civil and structural engineer, with two honorary Doctorates for work in
Toronto, and the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto at Mississauga. Formerly president of the Religious Education Association of the US and Canada, he is author of 'Redeeming the Time: A Political Theology of the Environment (Continuum 1997). His research and teaching are in the areas of ethics and ecology Andrew K Newman is Project Coordinator for the Million TreesNYC initiative. He has experience in working with diverse populations in the area of community engagement and has an academic background in religious studies
Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding Paul Knitter is the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions. and Culture at Union Theological Seminary, New York. Previously, he taught theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati. His groundbreaking 1985 book 'No Other Name?' addresses interreligious dialogue, as well as human and ecological well-being. Knitter is on the Board of Trustees for the International, Interreligious Peace Council, which was formed after the 1993 Parliament of the World Religions.
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World Don Swearer, Moderator Hajjah Maria Ulfah Michael Melchior Antje Jackelén Pal Ahluwalia Swami Atmapriyananda Eshin Nishimura Room 210 Panel Discussion
Green Buildings, Green Cities - An Ethical Path Forward Steve Perkins Stephen Scharper Andrew Newman Room 209 Panel Discussion The challenge of sustainability and climate change calls all people, and especially religious and spiritual communities, to dramatically reduce their use of resourcesespecially energy--to avert planetary disaster. This challenge is occurring in the context of global urbanisation: 50 percent of the world's population now lives in cities. Unless cities can decrease their emissions and restore their ecological integrity, our children and grandchildren will inherit a degraded, even an uninhabitable Earth. Fortunately, cities have a unique potential to offer residents a good quality of life while using resources wisely as a result of their density, cultural creativity and social networks for innovation. Religious and spiritual com munities can now play many roles in this move toward urban sustainability. They raise up the Creation as a gift from God to be protected, rather than a commodity to be consumed. They support each other in the struggle to change behaviours. They witness to the justice demands of the poor and disempowered. And they model new, more sustainable ways of being and acting, both individually and collectively. This program will explore ways that religious communities and interreligious organisations are providing leadership in this movement toward urban sustainability.
How is the next generation of religious leaders being educated? Does their preparation include knowledge of other religious traditions, insights into the modern interfaith movement and training in working together with leaders from other religions? This panel, created by the Henry Luce Foundation-funded Task Force of Theological Education which represents fifteen US seminaries, will open some of these questions and begin an exploralion that, it is hoped, will be carried on in places around the world where religious leaders are being educated. Emphasis is placed on the initial' nature of this discussion. Six religious educators plus the moderator, each from a different religion, will comprise the panel. Since no one person can represent the many different ways religious leaders are educated in each tradition, the panellists will give examples from their own experience. They may also place these experiences in the larger framework of typical educations in their tradition. Interaction among the panel members and with the audience will undoubtedly lend further insights into the topic. Participants who are interested in this issue will be encouraged to carry on this explorative discussion at daily 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World' seminars and to stay in contact with each other. Donald K Swearer is the Director for the Center for the Study of World Religions and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School. He was previously the Charles and Harriet Cox McDowell Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College. His publications on Buddhism, comparative religions and interreligious dialogue include 'Dialogue: The key to Understanding Other Religions' and 'For the sake of the World: The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism, Hajjah Maria Ulfah is a lecturer and Vice Rector of the Institute for Qur'anic Studies in Jakarta, Indonesia, In 1980, she won both the national Qur'an recitation competition in Jakarta and the international Qur'an recitation competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a professional Qur'an reciter, she has appeared all over Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. Rabbi Michael Melchior hails from Denmark, where his family members have served as Chief Rabbis for sever generations. In 1999. he was elected to the Knesset, where he became one of Israel's leading
Dr Stephen Perkins is senior vice president of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a Chicago-based organisation that promotes sustainable urban communities. He has organised multiple urban revitalisation projects in Chicago and is currently working to make the 2009 Parliament event carbon neutral. Stephen Bede Scharper is Associate Professor with the Centre for the Study of Religion and the Centre for Environment at the University of
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legislators. He helped to enact legislative reforms in the areas of education, children's rights, the environment and social justice. Today, Rabbi Melchior leads a variety of civil society movements, including a forum that promotes dialogue and understanding among different strands of Israeli society Rev Dr Antje Jackelén is Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the first woman bishop to be popularly elected the Church of Sweden She was previously a professor of systematic theology/religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science She is the author of Time and Eternity (2005) and numerous articles in a variety of languages. Currently, she serves as president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology Professor Pal Ahluwalia is Pro Vice Chancellor of Education, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of South Australia. He has pubLished many books and articles and was appointed a UNESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies in 2008. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia Swami Atmapriyananda was inspired by the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda ideal of renunciation and service and was drawn te monastic life through his close contact with monks of the Ramakrishna Order. He taught physics at Vidyamandira College for nearly 27 years. When the Ramakrishna Mission established Vivekananda University in 2005. Swami Atapriyananda became its first Vice Chancellor, a position he currently holds. Eshin Nishimura has been a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest since 1936. He is former president of Hanazono University in Kyoto, Japan and is also a major modern scholar in the Kyoto School of thought A current professor in the Department of Buddhism at Hanazono University, he has lectured at universities throughout the world on the subject of Zen Buddhism. He has been a participant in many dialogues on the relationship of Zen to Christianity and Western philosophy
Alternatives to Empire, Another World is possible Rev Harry Kerr Larry Marshall Dr Chandra Muzzafar Joseph Camilleri Room 212 Interactive Workshop Alternatives to Empire is a collaborative project that challenges the characteristics of Empire: dominance achieved through military victory: the exploitation of the economic resources of the subject peoples; the destruction of cultures, religions and languages of subject peoples; and the transfer of wealth from poor to rich. The project as sumes that people of different faiths and philosophies can discover common values that embody a respect for the rights and dignity of all humanity, sustainable stewardship of the earth's economic and ecological systems, and the sacredness and unity of all life. This workshop will explore those values that are universal in scope and inspiration and that are premised on the fundamental questions of human existence: Who are we? What is our purpose on this earth? How should we live? How should we address the critical challenges that face humanity at this moment in history? This workshop engages members of all faiths and humanist traditions in a conversation, based upon a respect for the diversity of deeply held views. It will open up new energies, resources and skills to envision and enact alternatives to the present structures of hegemonic domination. Reverend Harry Kerr, is Convener of Pax Christi Victoria, a branch of the International Christian Peace Movement. Pax Christi International Larry Marshall is the Project Officer for the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University where he is responsible for two projects involving the Muslim Community in Victoria. He coordinates the Young Muslim Leadership Training Program and the visits by Islamic Scholars to Australia. Larry is also the Project Officer for the International Network of Universities (INU) on a project to coordinate a Master's Program in Global Citizenship and Peace across eight international partner universities Dr Chandra Muzzafar is President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), an international NGO based in Malaysia, which seeks to critique global injustice and to develop an alternative vision of a just and compassionate civilisation guided by universal spiritual and moral values. He is also the Noordin Sopiee Professor of Global Studies at the Science University of Malaysia (USM) in Penang and has published extensively on a variety of subjects. Joseph Camilleri is the founder and director of the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University in Melbourne and one of Australia's leading International Relations scholars. Professor Camilleri has pursued a wide range of research interests in the International Relations discipline These include regional and global governance, the political economy of Asia-Pacific, the role of religion and culture in international affairs, the politics of oil and the Middie East, and security policy lincluding weapons non-proliferation)
The State and Religious Freedom Rabbi David Saperstein Room 211 What is the role of the state in protecting religious freedom? What is the role of religious communities in asserting their religious freedoms in the civic realm, and where may those efforts best be focused? What collaborations can enhance the ongoing work of protecting religious freedom? Rabbi David Saperstein, the director and counsel of the Religious Action Center for Reformed Judaism, is an expert in church/state issues. His expertise covers issues such as hate crimes, discrimination, free exerci equal rights, and the role of religious communities in active engagement in political processes. The religious community cannot be complacent. Too much is at stake. Designated in Newsweek's 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States and described in a Washington Post profile as the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill', Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the Administration as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

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Dr Yeoh Seng Guan is Senior Lecturer in Communications, Monash Malaysia. He is a Malaysian Associate of the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University
UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations Anna Halafoff Dr Rosa Maria Guerreiro Gary Bouma Greg Barton Dr Tuba Boz Douglas Pratt Dr Zainal Abidin Bagir Dr Fatimah Hussein Dr Yeoh Seng Guan Room 213 Panel Discussion In this program, the UNESCO Chair In Interreligious and Intercultural Relations (UCIIR) - Asia Pacific staff and associates will discuss their recent and current projects in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand. The UCIIR - Asia Pacific is an educational, research and policy activity centred in the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University. UNESCO has established UCIIRS since 1995 to provide input drawn from an understanding of religious and cultural diversity to UNESCO programs and polices, to conduct research in their area and to engage in policy debates in their region. The UNESCO Chair for the Asia-Pacific was awarded to Monash University in 2004 and was launched by H E Abdurrahman Wahid, former President of Indonesia. Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific and the Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry. Monash University Dr Rosa Maria Guerreiro is a Program Specialist, Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue, UNESCO Paris Professor Gary Bouma is the Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Monash University and an Associate Priest at St John's East Malvern. His research has focused primarily on the interaction between religion and society in Western societies including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. He is the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University Professor Greg Barton is Acting Director of the Centre for Islam and the Modern World and Deputy UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University Dr Tuba Boz is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University, Professor Douglas Pratt is convenor of the Religious Studies Programme at the University of Waikato, New Zealand and Canon Theologian Emeritus of the Anglican Diocese of Waikato. He is the New Zealand Associate of the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University, Dr Zainal Abidin Bagir is the Executive Director of the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies, Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He is an Indonesian Associate of the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University. Dr Fatimah Hussein is Professor of Islam-Christian Dialogue. Universitas Islam Negeri - Sunan Kalijaga Jogjakarta, Indonesia.
A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces: Sharing Our Stories of the Human Spirit at Work Elizabeth Denton Room 215 Interactive Workshop More and more people have started to express a desire to bring their whole selves to work. We spend so much of our waking lives in the workplace, where there are innumerable, indescribable opportunities and possibili ties for personal transformation and meaningful interaction with our coworkers. Drawing on research published in A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America' (1999) and A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces (forthcoming. 2010), Dr Elizabeth A Denton will present conclusions, insights and stories of how spirituality and consciousness are expressed in our global workplaces, at the individual level, within teams or work units, through organisational policies and processes, to the impact on communities and our planet. Following this initial presentation, participants will dialogue in small groups and share stories and workplace examples of spirituality consciousness, values, and expressions of basic humanity, using examples from their own experience or those they've observed. Each small group will choose two or three stories to share when the large group comes back together. Participants will learn how individuals and organisations in other countries, cultures, and traditions express their spirituality and humanity in the workplace. They will leave with multiple examples to take back and implement in their own workplaces. Dr Elizabeth A Denton is a psychologist, business consultant, author, wisdom teacher, and integrative energy practitioner based in New York City. Co-author of A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America (1999) and A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces (forthcoming, 20101, Liz with leaders of large global corporations and entrepreneurial organisations to bring more consciousness, awareness, presence, values and ethics into our workplaces
The Spiritual Dynamics of Hearing/ Listening and Healing: Awakening to the Flow Within, Between and Among Us John L Hochheimer Room 216 Interactive Workshop The work of reconciliation in post-traumatic societies seeks to create the space for people to experience their common humanity in the aftermath of political violence. This work often requires the ongoing construction of safe spaces where compassionate hearing among people of differing faith/religious identities can take place. Using stories from the field and interactive group exercises, this
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will be a workshop/seminar in which we engage participants from different religious/spiritual communities in awakening our experience of interconnection, helping us to expand our identities beyond self and other to 'We'. Working together, we can begin the ongoing work of hearing each other and healing the earth by healing each other while hearing the earth.
John L Hochheimer is Professor of Communication at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He received his doctorate in Communication from Stanford University in 1986. His primary work has been in the area of Spirituality in Media, Communication and Education, with an emphasis on community-based efforts to promote reconciliation in post-traumatic societies.
The Muslim Green: Muslim
Contributions to Healing the Earth
Norah Ziad Elmagraby
Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi
Imam Afroz Ali
Dr Bagher Talebi Darabi
Dr Nargis Virani
Room 219 Panel Discussion
For many Muslims, the color green represents a connection to the beauty and promise of nature-on Earth and in Paradise. Nearly 800 of the 6,236 verses in the Qur'an reference nature and its relationship to humanity. Through the lenses of scholarship, activism and the arts, this panel will discuss the Muslim connection to nature and the environment as well as many Muslims' approach to healing the Earth coming from Sunni, Sufi and Shi'a perspectives. Panellists will discuss the role of protecting the environment and natural resources in Islamic Law, the rights of the environment in Islam with special emphasis on water management principles, Rumi's views on the dynamism of the relationship between humans and nature, the environmental crisis and human health from a Shi'a Islam viewpoint, and more.
Norah Ziad Elmagraby is a Junior Nursing student at Dar Al-Hekma College, where she is founder of the Dar Al-Hekma Recycling club and Student Government President. She is also on the Dean's list for academic excellence. She participated in Zaied University's Youth Delegation to Dubai in 2008 for the Women as Global Leaders conference and led many community service projects.
Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi obtained his PhD in Islamic Law from McGill University (2006). He was appointed a Vice-Dean for academic research at Imam University in Saudi Arabia (2007) and was awarded a Fulbright scholar award (2008). In addition to his native Arabic, Alhomoudi speaks English and French and can read Persian. Alhomoudi has published two books and several articles. His research covers Islamic Law. Environmental Law, Prophetic Tradition, and Interfaith Dialogue. Imam Afroz Ali is the Founder and President of the Sydney-based Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development. He has received licences to teach in various Islamic Sciences, having learned from the most esteemed Islamic scholars of our time. He has initiated philanthropic as well as sustainable environmental projects in Australia and abroad and continues to advocate peace, acceptance, justice and interpersonal rights. Ali received the International Ambassador for Peace. award.
Bagher Talebi Darabi is a Faculty Member of Adyan University in Qom. He holds a PhD in Sociology of Culture from the Allameh Tabatabaee

4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
University, Tehran. He translated 'The Essential Talmud", written by Adin Stiensaltz, into the Persian language and has contributed several articles on issues such as New Religious Movements, New Age and Sociology of Religion to both domestic and international conferences.
Dr Nargis Virani is Assistant Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at The New School University in New York City. Born in Mumbai, India, she has studied and taught at universities around the Middle East and North America and received her MA and PhD from Harvard University. A scholar of pre-modern Islamic Thought and Mystical Literatures, her research interests concentrate on multilingual literatures developed in a Muslim milieu.
Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Workshop
Joseph Youhana
Jan Shamoon Kalyan Ky Nosrat Hosseini Maryam Marqos Tina Hosseini
Room 220
It is fair to say that religion does not get a good rap in the media. Nine times out of ten the story is negative. But where does the responsibility lie in changing the way the media reports on religion? This interactive workshop, facilitated by members of the Ethnic Youth Council, will explore the impact media stories about religion have on the individual and community using small group discussions and role plays.
OPENSPACE 4:30-6:00pm
Spanish Language Session 2 of 2
Ruth Broyde Sharone Room 101 Interactive Workshop
Esto es para nosotros, gente de habla español, un simposium interactivo dedicado a los participantes de Latinoamérica que se encuentran en el Parlamento de Melbourne. Este simposium, en nuestro idioma, nos brindará oportunidades de conocernos y de conectarnos. Vamos a examinar detalladamente los desafíos particulares de America Latina en el campo interreligioso, y vamos a contemplar como se podría realizar el gran potencial de nuestras comunidades, ciudades, y países. Recién empezamos pero ya vamos forjando nuestro proprio camino. Somos gente de imaginación y de talento y ha llegado el momento de reconocer que tenemos mucho que contribuir al movimiento interreligioso global.
La segunda parte es para vincular nuestras comunidades con el Parlamento global. Vamos a soñar juntos, a crear iniciativas para compartir recursos y ideas, simultaneamente entre nosotros y con gente de todo el mundo. Tenemos ya ejemplos de gran actividad y de potencial,

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los resultados de los eventos Pre Parlamentos que ya se realizaron, que puedan inspirar activistas en todos lados. Vamos a ver como planeamos compartir nuestras experiencias con los de más. Facilitará este simposium Ruth Broyde Sharone, la representante de la Red de Ciudades Hermanas, que el Parlamento mando para alentarnos y apoyarnos. Ella ya visitó cuatro países de America Latina este año: Mexico. Costa Rica, Colombia y Argentina. Nuestra amiga que nos apoya, Ruth pidió y logró crear este simposium en Melbourne especialmente para nosotros. These two Latin American networking sessions will be conducted in Spanish, and arrangements can be made for translation into English upon request. Please email programlaparliamentofreligions.org or visit the Program Information Desk by Saturday, December 5th Ruth Broyde Sharone is a documentary filmmaker, journalist and public speaker. She travels frequently to college campuses to lead interfaith programs and screen her popular film God and Allah Need to Talk". CoChair of the Southern California Committee for the Parliament, Ruth also currently serves as a Partner Cities Associate. She is also Co-Director of the Rodef Shalom School for Peace, with Jerusalem peacemaker Eliyahu McLean. Her new book, "Minefields and Miracles: Adventures In Interfaith will be published in 2009
Spiritual Practice, The Inner Search Petrea King Mahant Swami Shankarananda Room 103 To understand the real meaning of religion we have to understand its spiritual core. The key understanding of spirituality is that there is a divine possibility that exists within every one of us. The great realisers of humankind are those who have attained this goal. They have tapped into a universal dimension marked by happiness, wisdom and love. To attain this exalted and transformed state we have to begin to understand the relationship between our subjective inner world and the objective outer world. The events of the outer world have seeds within our own psyche. By means of spiritual practice (sadhana), including meditation and self-inquiry, we are able to remove blocks and make inner connections that transform our outer life. We find the spark of God within ourselves. If we ignore the enormous importance of the inner world to our lives, we condemn ourselves to the law of chance that is, we go up and down according to external events. As we grow in the understanding of the laws of our inner being. we establish an inner power and certainty that we take to all of our encounters. Petrea King has brought her warmth, humour and wisdom to thousands of people facing spiritual challenges. Bestselling author of eight books and many meditation CDs, Petrea is the Founding Director of the Quest for Life Foundation which provides services for people dealing with life's greatest challenges. A regular guest in the media she has often been nominated for Australian of the Year and is also the recipient of numerous awards including the Centenary Medal Mahant Swami Shankarananda is a leading meditation teacher and Director of the Shiva School of Meditation in Mt Eliza. He has taught and written about meditation, self-inquiry and the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism for over forty years. He is author of the best-selling book "Happy for No Good Reason, and Consciousness is Everything
Pagans and Religious Freedom HPs Phyllis Curott Patrick McCollum Grove Harris Room 102 Panel Discussion
Minority religions are often misunderstood and some times discriminated against because of the lack of accurate information among the general population. From creating legally recognised religious organisations to gaining the right to minister to the incarcerated, from including the Pagan traditions in academic and interfaith discourse, to winning the right to have their religious symbols on the tombstones of Pagan soldiers, the individuals on this panel will discuss the ways that each of them has been publicly active in addressing these and other issues of religious freedom for non-mainstream religions. including Paganism. An attorney and Wiccan priestess for almost 25 years, HPs Phyllis Curott is the author of 'Witch Crafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic An outspoken advocate for the rights of Wiccans, she has been widely profiled in the national and international media, and is a founder of the Temple of Ara. Patrick McCollum is the Director and Chair of the National Correctional Chaplaincy Directors Association and statewide Wiccan chaplain for the California Department of Corrections McCollum has taught Pagan Chaplaincy Training at the Leadership Institute, part of Circle Sanctuary's annual Pagan Spirit Gathering. He is the National Coordinator of the Lady Liberty League Prison Ministries Program and a member of the National Advisory Council of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Grove Harris is a pragmatic visionary and social justice educator with expertise in religious diversity in the US. She served as the Managing Director for the Pluralism Project, based at Harvard, until 2007 and is now the Program Director for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Grove was a participant at the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town and 2004 Parliament in Barcelona. Grove has written on Pagan involvement in the interreligious movement, and healing in feminist Wicca
Experience the Women's Interfaith Network Natalie Mobini-Kesheh Josie Lacey Rev Pravrajika Ajayaprana Mataji Thubten Chokyi Mohini Gunesekera Susan Emeleus Trish Madigan Seforosa Carrol Wilma Viswanathan Shehara Viswanathan Mina Singh Batra Room 105 Panel Discussion The Women's Interfaith Network (WIN) is a gathering of women of many religious traditions who meet and work to promote harmony, understanding and respect among the followers of the various world religions, and stand together as a sign of solidarity among people of faith.
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in NSW and a member of the Council of Christians and Jews and the AntiSlavery Project Shehara Viswanathan is a member of the Uniting Church in Australia and the Convenor of the Young Women's Interfaith Network. From 19992003 Shehara was the Australian representative on the Women's Advisory Committee of the World Council of Churches in Switzerland. During this time she helped organise an International Young Women's Leadership Conference in Kenya, In 2002 she was one of a team of four who represented the Australian churches on a solidarity visit to Sudan. Mina Singh Batra was born in India, where she witnessed the Partition and assisted with the rehabilitation of refugees. Since coming to Australia in 1973 with her husband, Mina has represented the Union of Australian Women and the National Council of Women in Australia at the United Nations Women's World Conferences in Beijing and New York. Mina is the Convenor for Interfaith of the Executive of the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW)
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action Room 107 Film
Officially launched in Sydney, Australia in March 2001. WIN provides a model for constructive and harmonious dialogue between women of faith, who are often excluded or under-represented in the dialogue between faith leaders. Local WIN groups can be formed where there are women from at least three different religious groups who are willing to adopt the Aim and Principles of WIN. In addition to presenting WIN as a practical model that others can adopt, this program will provide participants with an opportunity to witness a WIN dialogue in action. Dr Natalie Mobini-Kesheh has been a member of the Australian Baha'i Community for almost 20 years. She is an active participant in interfaith dialogue on its behall and convenes a Women's Interfaith Network group in Western Sydney. Dr Mobini-Kesheh received her doctorate from Monash University for her historical research on the Arab minority in Indonesia and is the author of one book and several papers in this field. Josie Lacey was the Foundation Convenor of the Women's Interfaith Network. She is a lite member of the Fxecutive Council of Australian Jewry and an executive member of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies. Mrs Lacey is the Interfaith Adviser to the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations IAPROI. She is also a New South Wales Executive Member of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Rev Pravrajika Ajayaprana Mataji is the President of the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of New South Wales. Thubten Chokyi is a Buddhist nun in the Gelugpa tradition, a meditation leader and a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. She is the Spiritual Program Coordinator at Vajrayana Institute in Sydney, Australian Coordinator and Teacher Coordinator for the Liberation Prison Project, and Volunteer Manager for the Happiness & Its Causes and Mind & Its Potential conferences. She is a member of Women's Interfaith Network and a committee member of the Australian Sangha Association. Mohini Gunesekera arrived in Australia from Sri Lanka in 1972. She practiced as a Barrister from 1974 to 1979, and thereafter as a Solicitor. She has acted for many Buddhist charities, as well as the Sri Lanka Association and the Sri Lanka Consulate Sydney. Mohini was founding President of the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils and is now its Honorary Vice President. She served for many years as Vice President of the Buddhist Council for New South Wales. Reverend Susan Emeleus holds degrees and training in science, education, theology, counselling and hospital chaplaincy. She worked for 30 years as a physics teacher in East Africa, Papua New Guinea and Australia. She was a Chaplain at the Children's Hospital, Westmead for five years. She was ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church in 1996 and is honorary assistant minister at St George's Anglican Church, Paddington, NSW.Sue is Convenor of the core group of the Women's Interlaith Network Trish Madigan is a Dominican sister, a member of the Women's Interfaith Network and a Christian representative on the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Jews and Muslims, in 2002 Trish par ticipated in a Consultation of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue for the Asian region held in Seoul, South Korea. She has been an Australian delegate at four regional intergovernmental conferences of the International Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony Rev Seforosa Carroll is a Uniting Church minister and a student at the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University. Her PhD research is on a feminist diasporic reading of interfaith dialogue and encounters in Australia. Sef is currently the Chairperson of the Uniting Church National Assembly Working Group on Relations with Other Faiths. She represents the Uniting Church on the National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews and is a member of the Women's Interfaith Network. Wilma Viswanathan has served on the Uniting Church National Assembly Working Group on Relations with Other Faiths since the early 1990s. She was one of the keynote speakers at the Women's program of the International Conference of Christians and Jews in Jerusalern in June 2008. She is the Secretary of the World Conference of Religions for Peace
Nearly all Native American nations live on land threatened by environmental hazards, from toxic waste to strip mining and from oil drilling to nuclear contamination. This documentary film tells the stories of five activists in four communities dedicated to protecting Indian lands against environmental disaster, while preserving their sovereignty and ensuring cultural survival. The film was directed by Roberta Grossman.
Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 2 of 3 Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein Room 111 What are the newest challenges of religious leaders, and how do they compare with challenges that are longstanding? What should be the goals of religious leaders be? How might religious leaders be trained in light of the above? This is the second session of a three-day open space workshop, based on study materials prepared by a recent gathering of leading interreligious scholars. The session is geared to religious leaders or those in training to become one and is limited to 30 participants. Advanced registration is required, along with a commitment to participate in the entire series. Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977 Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other
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Sacred Music of India: Natesan Ramani and Manjiri Kelkar Natesan Ramani Manjiri Kelkar Room 201 Artistic Performance This unique double bill combines vocal and instrumental performances of north and south Indian classical music. The music of the south, Carnatac, is highly sophisticated and has remained devotional, untouched by Muslim influences, while north Indian music, with patronage at the courts, assumed a romantic colour as it came under Persian influence. Beloved flautist Natesan Ramani will offer selected compositions of Carnatic music. Acclaimed Hindustani classical vocalist Manjiri Kelkar will sing selected traditional north Indian sacred music. Revered and much-loved Dr Natesan Ramani, a legend in his own lifetime, represents the best of Carnatic sacred music. He touches the hearts of his audiences, as Lord Krishna with his flute did the hearts of his gopies (female cowherd devoteesl, with his simple soprano bamboo flute. Like Panna Lal Ghosh, Dr Ramani, using a longer flute, can play north Indian ragas with equal ease, which are both enchanting and powerful His ensemble includes his illustrious son Thiagarajan and the brilliant percussionist Thanjavur Ramadas on the Mridangam. The young and golden-voiced Manjiri is the first winner of India's most highly regarded Bismillah Khan Award. In a short time, she has been invited to the envy of older masters-to all five major Indian music festivals. She has a rare, melodious voice and a fine sense of intonation She moves, like the late Kesarbai Kerkar, with graceful ease from the purely sacred classical to the semi-classical romantic forms like Thumri and Tappa. Manjiri is accompanied on the tabla by Milind I lingane and by Suyog Kundalkar on the harmonium.
Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 2) Helen Spector, Open Space Facilitator Room 207 Interactive Workshop This session features lively exchanges of stories of interfaith engagement among participants from around the world, highlighting the developmental challenges and new-found strengths that accompany such experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange practices that work and engage about issues of mutual interest that they are addressing in diverse contexts. In the process, they will build new relationships as they learn new ways to address their local situations. This session will utilise Open Space Technology to enable participants to set the topic agenda and choose their own conversations. We will end with brief reports from each conversation group Helen Spector serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She joined the Board in 1990 to help plan the 1993 Parliament Centenary Celebration and has served as co-chair for the Site Selection task forces that selected Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009) for Parliament gatherings. Helen lives in Portland, Oregon.
Open Space Conversation with Cardinal McCarrick Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Room 204 In this Open Space program, Parliament attendees are invited to enter into informal conversation with the polyglot Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, emeritus Archbishop of Washington D.C., a leading figure in American Catholicism., on issues associated with his own journey of faith, the changing nature of spirituality and current de velopments in Catholicism and other religious traditions. The Cardinal is also experienced in themes associated with religious freedo
h religious freedom, social justice and international security as well as national and international migration. The focus will be on dialogue and exchange of ideas in a complex and globalizing world. Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, has visited many nations as a human rights advocate and to survey humanitarian needs. He has travelled to areas affected by major natural disasters, such as Central America, Sri Lanka and Louisiana and Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina, to ensure people in need would receive assistance, and to bring prayer and financial support. He has been a member of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom.
Sharing the Zoroastrian Environmentalist Faith: Building Bridges with Indigenous Communities Rashna Ghadialy Room 209 Zoroastrians worship and pray to Ahura Mazda (Creator). the Yazatas (pre-Zoroastrian divinities); and revere the Amesha Spentas in our prayers. The Amesha Spentas (humankind, animals, fire and other luminaries, metals and minerals, earth, water and land) when loosely translated in English are the divine sparks' or 'bountiful immortals which help govern Ahura Mazda's creation. In other word, we pray both to the Creator and his Creation. Care for the environment, thus, is an imperative for Zoroastrians. Similarly, building bridges with people of all faiths, especially those that share common beliefs with us becomes a part of Zoroastrian living and learning. In this vein, I started a green consulting business, Think Green, to work on environment related issues; share new innovational technologies with others; and above all, care for the earth. I have been fortunate enough to have worked and shared ideas regarding alternative energy with a multi-faith indigenous group in Tharparkar, Pakistan. My presentation will discuss the Zoroastrian beliefs and practices pertaining to the environment, my work with the Thari people in Pakistan, and a documentary on the lives of the indigenous Thari people called Colours of the Sand.
Rashna Ghadialy is a Pakistani-American Zoroastrian residing in Chicago, USA. She has been actively involved in the North American
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Zoroastrian leadership community. A demographer by training, she has recently started her own green consulting business, Think Green which provides assistance in greening residences and communities.
Dhakiyarr vs the King (Premier Film Series Selection) Room 210 Film The family of the great Yolngu leader Dhakiyarr Wirrpanda is searching for answers. Seventy years after his controversial murder trial and subsequent disappearance, Dhakiyarr's body still has not been found. His descendants know that justice has not been served. They want to restore what was denied to him: his honour. This is their story, told in their own words, of two laws, two cultures and two families coming to terms with the past. "Dhakiyarr vs the King' is the story of the Yolngu people of northeast Arnhem Land, Australia. The film was directed by Tom Murray and Alan Collins. Q & A to follow.
Personal and Professional Journeys of Women Leaders: A Worldwide Dialogue Dr Linda Lyman Room 214 Interactive Workshop In all cultures women leaders engage in transformative journeys that develop courage and enable their voices to be heard. This interactive workshop will begin with an opening presentation highlighting common themes in the stories of women educational leaders from every continent. The presentation will report results of research comparing the life stories of women scholars who partici pated in the 2007 Rome conference: 'Sharing the Spirit, Fanning the Flame: Women Leading Education Across the Continents. The intersection of leadership and spirituality comes alive in the stories and faces of these women and the places where they lead. In small groups we will share our own stories, identify commonalities, and reflect on the successes and struggles experienced by women leaders everywhere. Through our stories we gather strength to advance justice in all the institutions of our societies. A more equal balance of female and male voices in leadership contributes to building environments where all may reach their full human potential. Women's leadership matters. Dr Linda Lyman is a professor at Illinois State University. A 2005 Fulbright Scholar, she has taught Women's Leadership in American Culture at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki and studied how principal Greek women lead change. She has written three books, including "Leaders Who Dare (2005) about women educational leaders. Dr Lyman holds academic degrees from Northwestern, Harvard and the University of Nebraska and participates in international research examining the worldwide status of women's leadership,
The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 1) Gemma McDonald Julia Torpey Room 212 Panel Discussion The first session of this two-part program will look at what is already happening around the world for young people in interfaith circles, explore lessons learned and identify any gaps. This program will feature the voices of young people from the Faith Fellows Act (USA). the Centre for Multicultural Youth (Melbournel, the Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network (Melbourne), the Young Women in Interfaith (Sydney), the Interfaith Youth Core (Chicagol and the Parliament Youth Committee (Melbourne). Gemma McDonald Is the Community Organiser for Youth for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She has worked as a performer and choreographer for Artworks, where her work with youth also began Having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Post-Graduate studies in Event Management, Gemma is now focused on the crganisational work behind events and currently serves on the National Bahái Youth Conference Board. Julia Torpey is an interfaith Researcher for the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. She is a descendant from the Eora people in New South Wales and co-wrote 'Urgent', a book developed in conjunction with the Geelong Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative, Clockwork Youth Health Services and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people throughout the Geelong Area. Her aspiration is to offer young people the opportunity to participate in the development and performance processes of artistic production
Twenty-One Moments of Stillness Diane Butler Room 215 Interactive Workshop Stillness is an innate aspect of nature and way of being in the arts and religiosity of many traditions. Diane Butler will offer a participatory environment wherein each person guides his or her own practice. Beginning in a daily life posture, an awareness of gravity, place and space grows. Then, with one's personal sense of nature, time and environment, participants may remain in the same posture or move to a new posture. Together, everyone will dwell in twenty-one moments of stillness. The session will conclude with time for discussion. Diane Butler was born in Ohio, USA and has lived in Bedulu and Tejakula, Bali since 2001. She is a movement artist, teacher and program director who has worked in contemplative intercultural arts around the world. Diane is a founding member of Yayasan Dharma Samuan liga and Dharma Nature Time. She holds a BFA in Dance Juilliard), MALS in Dance & Culture Wesleyan) and is completing her PhD in Cultural Studies (Universitas Udayana, Balil.
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A Listening Place Each Day
Kristen Hobby Lynette Dungan
Bernie Miles
Kava Schafer
Jill Manton
Nola Vanderfeen Room 217
Interactive Workshop
We welcome you to a safe place where you can simply be. This is a quiet place where you can sit and meditate or reflect on what has touched or challenged you throughout the day of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Spiritual directors will be available in this room; you may talk to them if there is anything you would like to share. Spiritual directors are trained to listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way and are available for people of all faith traditions.
2 Jews, 3 Opinions: An Open Conversation on the Implications of the Parliament for Our Jewish Communities
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Room 218
Lay leader, clergy, or academic, Jewish or simply one who cares about things Jewish, this conversation is for you if you want to connect your experience at the Parliament to your interest in Judaism and the Jewish community. As we participate in the Parliament, hearts are stirred, spirits rise and thinking expands. But in order to help carry our experiences in Melbourne back to our home communities, there are important questions that need to be asked. What specifically are the implications of your participation in the Parliament for both your personal identity and for your understanding of the Jewish community? This facilitated conversation will explore how participation in a multifaith encounter can deepen both our understanding of, and commitment to, Judaism in particular. We will also consider the ongoing concern about continuity/durability of the Jewish community. Why does that question loom so large for so many within the organised Jewish community, and how does our experience at the Parliament shape our response? While there are no right or wrong answers to these questions, our willingness to address them will help us turn a personally transformative experience into a communally formative one.
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is an acclaimed interfaith activist described by Newsweek as 'one of America's most influential rabbis. He is the creator of Building Bridges' and 'American Pilgrimage on Bridges TV, the author of 'You Don't Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism', and a columnist for Beliefnet.com and Newsweek/ WashingtonPost.com. Hirschfield is the President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, America's leading Jewish institution for religious pluralism.
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Educating Religious Leaders for
a Multi-Religious World: Virtues and Skills for Multi-Religious Education North American Theological School Students Room 219
Panel Discussion
In this session, we want to temporarily put aside differences of doctrine or teaching and look at what might be recognised as the virtues that one must bring to the table of dialogue. In attempting this, we will draw guidance from Catherine Cornille's new book, 'The Im-Possibility of Dialogue'. She calls upon all religious persons who feel the need for dialogue to examine what seem to be the virtues needed to truly engage in a conversation with others that will bring greater insight and collaboration. Such virtues include the following: humility regarding one's own understanding and claims; commitment to the truth and values that one has found in one's own tradition; a trust in the interconnectedness that makes conversation. between religions possible despite daunting differences: empathy, by which one attempts the complex but necessary task of trying to understand the religious other from within the other's own world of belief and imagination; and hospitality, by which we truly open ourselves to learn from the other with whom we are seeking a relationship of friendship. Besides discussing the nature of these and other dialogical virtues, we will explore together the skills needed in applying them and living them in partnership with religious others.
This is part of a symposium entitled 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World'. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of The Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with fifteen theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interfaith leadership in North American theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interfaith engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of faith traditions in the contemporary world.
Ears Wide Open: The Art of Inloquence
Hal French
Room 220 Lecture
We honour those people who are masters of eloquence: Demosthenes, Daniel Webster, Lincoln at Gettysburg, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou. But the masters of listening, or 'inloquence', are anonymous. Inloquence is indispensable to dialogue, and the radical character of listening requires receptivity, openness, and a willingness to change on the basis of what one hears. The first part of this presentation will discuss how we may enhance our ability to listen to the voices of nature. A hymn says, All nature sings and round me rings the music of the

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spheres. But hearing these sounds requires two things: silence and slowness. The second part will examine inloquence' in the process of dialogue. It will suggest five steps in this process: 1) Suspension of judgment; 2] recognition of the symbolic character of language and Logic; 3) the validity of inside and outside views; 4) mutual relevance; and 5) the resolution to ponder deeply. This presentation will discuss how to cultivate inloquence and practices that encourage it, especially those that value quietness, beyond the noises of civilisation and our customary frenetic pace.
Hal French is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina and an accomplished author. He has been engaged in interfaith work since 1975, when he first joined the World Congress of Faiths. He is currently on the Steering Committee of Partners in Dialogue in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Advisory Board of the International Interfaith Centre in Oxford, England, and has also served on the Board of Directors for the North American Interfaith Network.

9:00-10:30pm EVENING PROGRAMS
EVENING PROGRAMS 9:00-10:30pm
Blue Gold: World Water Wars Room 107
Film
The needs of housing and industry, coupled with the over development of agriculture, have increased the global demand for fresh water far beyond the limited supply. This film asks viewers to imagine a world where water has become a commodity, a world where corporations force developing countries to privatise their water supplies, and where governments use water as leverage for economic and political advantage. Military control of water supplies could change the geo-political map and lead to world water wars. This film tells stories from around the world of people who struggle for the right to water, from lawsuits to local protests, and from legislative changes to political revolutions. The film was directed by Sam Bozzo.

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Sing Praise for the Earth
Rev Deirdre Pulgram Arthen Room 101
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Singing sacred music together is a powerful way to deepen our connection with spirit and to transform our relationships with each other and with the earth. Join members of the EarthSpirit Community's ritual performance group, Mother Tongue, to sing, open your heart and connect with the sacred earth. EarthSpirit Community is a religious and educational organization dedicated to the preservation of earth-centred spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. The group celebrates and expresses a deep spiritual connection with the earth through music, storytelling, poetry, visual arts and dance. Mother Tongue has been performing and recording together since 1987 and has performed twice at past Parliaments, in 1993 and 2004. During this spirited Pagan observance, we will honour our ancestors and all beings of creation with melody, chant, rhythm and gentle movement and experience ourselves as an integral part of the web of life.
Rev Deirdre Pulgram Arthen is the Director of the EarthSpirit Community, a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of earth-centred spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. She has been a leader in the Pagan community in the United States for thirty years and is known as a ritualist, musician, teacher and spiritual counsellor. She has offered presentations at the 1993, 1999 and 2004 Parliaments.
Worship and Justice
Danielle Strickland
Room 102
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The biblical view of God in the Christian tradition focuses on his Love and Justice. Worship is Love and Justice expressed from God to us and through us to the world. In the Christian tradition, worship is central to the experience of divine and human Justice. Worship is a collective experience that can break barriers, open us up to authentic spiritual truth, and create meaningful and compassionate relationships with God and others. Hearing God's voice through worship is one way that we are empowered to bring change to the Earth. This observance combines music, reading from the Christian Scriptures, listening prayer and spoken prayer. It welcomes anyone who wishes to share in the divine Love and Justice reflected in the experience of spiritual worship.
Danielle Strickland is social justice director for The Salvation Army in Australia. Originally from Canada, Danielle's initiatives include missionfocused church planting (birthing dozens of communities around the world) and various social justice campaigns. Danielle has written two books, Chaotic Order' and 'Just Imagine: The World For God".

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Meditation Training and Practice
Bhikshuni Heng Chih Room 103 Interactive Workshop
Bhikshuni Heng Chih will present a brief explanation of meditation, specifically focusing on Yogachara. She will first demonstrate and discuss physical positions used in sitting meditation and will explain their functions and principles. She will then introduce techniques for practising meditation with focus on a meditation topic and the functions of the ear in the process of turning hearing inwards. For the last part of the explanation, Heng Chih will encourage continuing meditation practice by exploring how to face disturbances created by habits, attachments and the resulting karma and by examining the five skandhas (aggregates) to become aware of their influence in the meditation process. An uninterrupted silent sitting will follow. This observance will close with a question and answer session.
Heng Chih has been an ordained Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition for 40 years. She has served as a team member of the Buddhist Text Translation Society as a translator (Chinese to English), bilingual reviewer, editor and certifier of canonical Buddhist texts and their modern language commentaries. She is credited in many publications. She earned a Master's degree (1980) and a PhD (1984) in Translation of Buddhist Texts from Dharma Realm Buddhist University, California, USA.
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite - Tuesday
Fr Frank Gerry, SVD
Room 104
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This observance will include a Eucharist celebrated by a leading Australian Catholic authority in interreligious affairs. The ceremony will be explained for the benefit of those who are not familiar with it.
Fr Frank Gerry, SVD, is Director of the Janssen Spirituality Centre for Interreligious and Cross-Cultural Relations.
Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth
Triloki Pandey, Moderator
Leo Killsback, USA: Northern Cheyenne Arturas Sinkevicius, Lithuania: Romuva Mary Issaka Serwah, Ghana: Akan
Room 105
Youth Panel
The youth will inherit the earth. What legacy have we offered them? What has our generation left for the future generations? The youth will carry on with their dreams and hopes. What teachings and treasures can we offer them, which they will listen to and honour? How can we best equip them for the future? This program will address these and other questions.
Mr Triloki Pandey is professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research centres on tribal cultures in India,

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Nepal and the American Southwest. He has done fieldwork among the Zuni, Hopi and the Navajo of the American Southwest, and more recently among the Tharus of India and Nepal and among the Khasi, Garo and Naga of northeastern India. He has focused mainly on politics, religion, history and the impact of literacy Leo Killsback is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation of southeastern Montana (USA) He is also a member of the Northern Cheyenne War Dancers Society and a painter for the sacrificial ceremony of life at Noavose. He is currently completing his dissertation on the history of Cheyenne leadership and also teaches courses, including Tribal Law, Tribal Government and Native Americans in Film, at the University of Arizona and Tohono O ohdam Community College. Arturas Sinkevicius is an active member of the Lithuanian Ancient Religion Romuva Senior Priests Circle as well as a participant in Kauno Romuva, an Ancient Lithuanian religion community. He is the leader of Ethnographic Farm, a summer camp held each year since 1997 where young people learn traditional rituals, singing, dancing, and making musical instruments. He studied Recreation Pedagogy at Vilnius University and works as a teacher of Ethnic Culture Ms Mary Issaku Serwah is a social health worker and educator operating through her church in partnership with the NGO Compassion International Ghana. She confronts such health issues as malaria, HIV/ AIDS and TB as well as issues such as adolescent reproductive health, teenage pregnancy and drug abuse. From a background in teaching, she has also been active in several African peace and leadership conferences.
Sikh Observance organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Room 109 Religious or Spiritual Observance This morning observance, organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, will focus on Kirtan, divine celestial music central to Sikh prayer. This communal observance will be interactive, encouraging participation and include an exposition of the Sikh scripture.
The Still Mind, Emptiness and Divine Love Daniel R Condron Room 108 Religious or Spiritual Observance After 25 years of deep and disciplined meditation, Daniel Condron achieved the still mind. After 30 years, while teaching a participatory still mind class, Daniel Condron achieved the great emptiness. After this two-hour experience, he quickly wrote it down in a book titled 'The Emptiness Sutra'. During this session, Dr Condron will lead participants through a centring experience and guided meditation, first to the stillness where peace is experienced and then to the great emptiness where the self is drained of all limitations in thought-at this point, the self might experience a greater consciousness than ever before. This will be a meditation and an observance of the spiritual self when it is connected with all of humanity. People of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to participate and experience a still mind, emptiness and divine love. Participants will learn how stilling their minds can help them toward the goal of the spiritual healing of the earth. Daniel R Condron is a Doctor of Divinity. Doctor of Metaphysics, Psi Counsellor and Master of Science. He has practiced and taught meditation, concentration, dream interpretation, consciousness and the stages of enlightenment for over 30 years. Dr Condron opened his first seven chakras in 2000. Soon after, he gained the ability to cause his mind to be still at will. In 2006, Dr Condron opened his eighth and ninth chakras and experienced bliss.
Shinto Prayer for the Sunrise Ritual Rev Munemichi Kurozumi Room 110 Religious or Spiritual Observance In the Shinto tradition, this prayer is offered every morning facing the rising sun. The priest, in following the traditional formalities of Shinto ceremonies, expresses his sincere appreciation for the blessing of the sacred and precious working of the source of the universe called Amaterasu Omikami' that symbolically manifests in the rising sun. The blessing of Omikami that gives birth to, sustains and nurtures all beings on carth in millions of forms, is regarded as most precious and wonderful. The priest and those attending the ritual see in the working of 'Omikami' a divine good and sincerity, and in return they express their heartfelt appreciation for the ray of the rising sun just as though they are merging into the divine and working as one. They pray that the divine good will, manifest in all things as well as in the minds of people, brings peace in the world, makes clouded and impure minds purified, causes differences to be appreciated and respected, while hatred and conflicts are overcome by broad-mindedness. As all differences have come from the same source of the universe, they pray for the flourishing and co-existence of each of them in great harmony in diversity. The ultimate goal of the prayer is the emanation of the divine good so that all will be blessed. Rev Munemichi Kurozumi was born as the first son of the present 6th Chief Patriarch of Kurozumikyo Shinto in 1962. In his capacity as the Vice Chief Patriarch, he has devoted himself to providing spiritual guidance to people within and outside his group, and has been energetically involved with various local, national and international initiatives. He has taken part in many interreligious gatherings and interfaith dialogues.
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The International Society for Krishna Consciousness ISKCONI was established in 1966 by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srila Prabhupadal. ISKCON has since developed into a worldwide confederation of 10,000 temple devotees and 250,000 congre. gational devotees.
Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat and Inner Peace Dr Suhair Al-Qurashi Room 207 Religious or Spiritual Observance
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Opening Ceremony Tara Rajkumar Rajarathina Sarma Premakantha Kurukkal Bsc Ni Ketut Arini HH Dadi Janki Dada JP Vaswani Dr Chanderbhanu Swami Parameshananda International Society for Krishna Consciousness Room 202 Religious or Spiritual Observance A special feature of the Melbourne Parliament will be an assembly of a number of the most outstanding spiritual leaders of India. The convocation of saints will begin with Vedic chanting, prayers, meditation and music. These opening observances will be followed by a number of eminent speakers on universal themes such as spiritual values and peace as well as current issues such as humanitarian work, education and the environment. All are welcome at this very inspiring and enlightening gathering! Tara Rajkumar, OAM, has made distinguished contributions to dance in Australia, the United Kingdom and India for over three decades. In Australia, her original work includes major new repertoires in Mohiniattam and contemporary works in the South Asian idiom. Her Natya Sudha Company productions have toured widely in Australia and overseas. Under Tara's direction, the Natya Sudha School has developed a reputation for maintaining high standards and the purity of the Mohinattam and Kathakali styles. Rajarathina Sarma Premakantha Kurukkal Bsc is the Chief Priest of The Hindu Society of Victoria Australia Inc. since the year 2000. He has been a lecturer in Sanskrit and a Priest for over 40 years. He hails from a traditional Hindu Priest family dating back to 1864 Ni Ketut Arini of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia is a distinguished performer, choreographer and teacher of classical and modern Balinese dance. She was a faculty member at the Indonesian Conservatory of Performing Arts KOKAR and then a supervisor for National High Schools throughout Bali. In 1973, she founded Sanggar Warini, a traditional studio in her birthvillage Lebah, where she continues to guide hundreds of young artists. She has toured extensively in Asia, Europe, USA and Australia. Dadi Janki is a master Raja Yogini. Now 94 years of age, she has studied and practiced meditation since childhood. She first came to London in 1974 and has since overseen the expansion of the Brahma Kumaris into over one hundred countries. She is also a Patron of the World Congress of Faiths and a member of the Global Peace Initiative of Women. She is now based in India Dada JP Vaswani is the spiritual head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission. He is acclaimed as a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, writer, orator and spiritual leader, and his books have been translated into several languages. The Sadhu Vaswani Mission is a nonsectarian institution that believes in the unity of all religions and reveres the Great Ones of all faiths. The mission serves all sectors of society, regardless of caste, creed or race. Dr Chandrabhanu has choreographed almost fifty major choreographic works, productions and performances in Bharala Nalyani, Odissi, and contemporary dance styles, including Bharata Natyam solo recitals. Chandrabhanu is currently artistic director and principal of Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy of Indian Classical Dance and Music, Melbourne. He is a recipient of the prestigious Monash University Graduate Scholarship and holds a PhD (1981) in Social Anthropology Swami Parameshananda is the United Nations and International Representative of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, a charitable, nonprofit organisation engaged as a consultant by the UN Economic and Social Council. Bharat Sevashram Sanga was founded in 1917 by Shrimat Swami Pranavandaji Maharaj The organisation is run mainly on a volunteer basis, initiating humanitarian missions throughout the world
Many people familiar with Islam are aware that Muslims are required to perform formal obligatory prayers (Salaat) daily. However, very few understand the wisdom behind this daily obligation, its predetermined times throughout the day, the preparation required, the reasoning behind facing toward Mecca, the various prayer positions and movements, and the utterances made during the prayer. In this Observance, Dr Suhair Al Qurashi, president and CEO of Dar Al-Hekma College in Saudi Arabia, will highlight the wisdom in these actions and how their practice can lead to inner peace. Dr Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi is the president and CEO of Dar Al-Hekma College, one of the leading private colleges for women in Saudi Arabia Dr Al-Qurashi received a PhD and MPE from Cambridge University, an MSc from United States International University, and a BA from Richmond College, London. She is a civic and social leader who has organised three major international conferences in the Middle East on women and development issues through the 1990s.
Observance on Zimbabwe Shona/ Nodebele Spirituality Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa, Zimbabwe:
Shona/Ndebele Room 208 Religious or Spiritual Observance The Shona tribe is Zimbabwe's largest Indigenous group and is the most culturally dominant tribe. Their language is called Shona (Bantu). The Shona believe in two types of spirits: the wandering spirits known as Shave and the ancestral spirits known as vadzimu. The shave spirits are those that exist outside the Shona territory or are connected to neighbouring peoples; the vadzimu are the spirits that inspire individual talents associated with healing. music or artistic ability. Spirits influence ideals and moral aspects as well as serving to protect society-when the Shona moral ideals are not respected, that protection is lost. During this observance, the spirits will be honoured. Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa was born a Svikiro sin Shona, his native tonguel - a carrier of many earth and water spirits, and a Mhondoro - one who is in constant prayer on behalf of others. As a vessel of the Spirits, Mandaza receives visions and dreams, makes offerings, performs healing rituals, and serves as messenger for the Ancient Ones. Mandaza teaches us to become 'living prayers' in service of the One Spirit
Jain Education Intemational

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Observance on (Native American) Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality Dr Joseph Henry Suina, USA: Cochiti Pueblo Room 212 Religious or Spiritual Observance The Pueblo de Cochiti is one of nineteen Pueblo communities located in the southwestern United States. The land, air and water are of primary importance to this NativeAmerican community; they are the lifeline to retaining the culture, language (Keres) and traditions handed down from their ancestors. Their respect for the environment which spans over twenty-one thousand hectares on and surrounding the reservation will be emphasised in this ritual observance. Dr Joseph H Suina is a Professor Fmeritus in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico and has numerous publications on culture and education. He directed the Institute for Arterican Indian Education at UNM for tribes throughout the Southwest. He is a former governor and a current tribal council member, who continues to advocate for Native American tribes in the areas of health, museums, language retention, sacred sites, economic development and housing
Healing the Earth: A Meditation of Universal Oneness James J Hurtak, PhD Desiree Hurtak, PhD Room 215 Religious or Spiritual Observance This observance combines song, visualisation and meditation to focus on healing the earth in its current time of transformation. In this guided, global meditation, participants will join in the singing of Sacred Expressions derived from all major religious traditions. Aided by multimedia, participants will visualise the sacred areas of the world, especially those that need our prayers for peace and harmony. Coming together, we will send Love and prayers for the sustainability of Mother Earth and to the Divinity or Oneness that we will recognise together. The observance will also incorporate music of the Indigenous peoples of Africa and Brazil, as well as Australian musicians who will also assist in this multidimensional, healing experience. James J Hurtak, PhD PhD (Social Scientist, Futurist) is Founder and President of the Academy For Future Science, a UN-NGO. He has worked worldwide in the fields of education, science and spiritual philosophy. their application to cross-cultural understanding in particular. He is the author of more than 12 books in 15 languages, including his most recent work, 'The End of Suffering. He has also produced award-winning films. Desiree Hurtak, PhD, MSSc is an activist for global consciousness and a sustainable future. Director of the Academy For Future Science, an international NGO of the United Nations, she works with Indigenous people in Africa and South America to create sustainable development solutions, She is also an author whose commentary on the ancient Coptic scroll, "The Gospel of Mary, describes how the ancients can assist us to discover critical solutions to contemporary problems.
Seeking Heaven on Earth - Our Common Quest John Robinson Room 214 Seminar In the universal mystical experience, perception of the ordinary world changes to reveal an infinitely beautiful and holy place all around us. This transformation of perception, described by mystics from many religious traditions, reflects a common quest to experience the world as Divine (known variously as Heaven on Earth, the Pure Land, and the Garden of Shival. This same transformation of perception can be learned with simple spiritual practices, awakening an inclusive and universalising consciousness that can unite people of different faiths in a deep appreciation for each other and the sacred Earth. This talk presents an interfaith perspective on Heaven on Earth and provides a map of the religious psyche: explaining where Heaven on Earth is, why we fail to see it, and how we can begin to see it. Through lecture, storytelling, original songs, poetry, and discussion, the presenter invites the audience on a journey from the complicated and stressfilled 'World of Man' through the realms of 'Darkness and Divinity' into 'Heaven on Earth'. Transcending the divisions of culture, doctrine, and religious identity, find ing Heaven on Earth offers a collective ideal worth striving for, an awakened consciousness of our true home, and a basis for social action. John Robinson is a clinical psychologist, ordained interfaith minister. Author, teacher and mystic He holds doctorates in psychology and ministry and has published four books on the integration of psychology and spirituality He had a psychotherapy practice for three decades and has taught mental health professionals across California. He also helped found a spirituality program in a large Catholic retreat centre.
Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach Speaker to be Announced Room 216 Religious or Spiritual Observance In this session, a speaker will discuss the compassion of a Qur'an based approach to securing food and water for all people. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across the six days of the Parliament. Each session will include inspirational recitations of the Qur'an, clear translation and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. This series will show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims, as they are at the heart of Islam's social conscience.
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Sunrise Yoga Gita Azar Room 220 Religious or Spiritual Observance Experience a yoga class according to the world-renowned system, Yoga in Daily Life. Be energised through simple yoga exercises that are good for all, especially if you are new to yoga or prefer a gentle morning class. Experience a yoga class that will awaken the body, relieve aches and pains, gently tone muscles and bring clarity to the mind through relaxation, breathing exercises, and meditation. Gita Azar is co-director of the Yoga in Daily Life centre in Richmond, Melbourne. She has years of experience sharing her inspiration and conviction of the broad and deep benefits for a wide range of people of yoga. meditation practice, and the yogic way of life.
Devotional Singing and Meditation for Inner Peace Bhai Mohinder Singh Room 217 Religious or Spiritual Observance Participants will experience Sikh traditional worship. meditation ('Naam Simran') and devotional singing ['Keertan') as a way to come closer to the Divine, to love His creation, to be one with Universal God ('Waheguru'). and to attain internal and eternal bliss. The singing of holy hymns 'Sabad') from Sikh Scriptures l'Siri Guru Granth Sahib') in praise of One God (lk Onkar') will express our yearning to acquire His virtuous qualities of truth, compassion, and love for all of His creation. Meditation will put us in sync with the Divine in order to enhance physical, mental and spiritual self worth and achieve inner peace, spiritual healing and a stress-free, positive state of mind. Sharing the Sikh Guru's message ('Gurbani) with the world, we will focus on achieving unity of purpose, peace and harmony among all people through contemplation, understanding and the acquisition of God-like attributes. Thoughtful insights from Guru's teachings will enhance the way and the quality of everyday life as a journey to be one with God ( Salvation'). Bhai Mohinder Singh was born and raised in India but now calls the USA home. He has served the Sikh community of Chicago and the Midwestern USA for more than 20 years as a 'Head Granthi' and 'Hazoori Raagi at the Sikh Religious Society in Palatine, Illinois, USA has taught at Sikh youth camps, and has performed 'Keertan at formal and informal congregations. Bhai Mohinder Singh has participated or presented at the 1993, 1999 and 2004 Parliaments Bhai Sahib received extensive training in Sikh scriptures and teachings and in classical music to sing holy hymns from Sir Damdama Sahib, one of the five highest seats 1 Takhat Sahib') of Sikh religion
INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00 am
Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Tuesday Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence Room 218 Religious or Spiritual Observance Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence, senior Rabbi at The Great Synagogue, Sydney, will lead this Orthodox Jewish observance. Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence is Senior Rabbi at The Great Synagogue. Sydney. He serves as registrar and a judge on the Sydney Beth Din and is Orthodox rabbinic advisor to the New South Wales Board of Jewish Deputies and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. He is a founder member of the NSW Jewish Arbitrators and Mediators Service. He was formerly Rabbi in Auckland and a founder member of the Auckland Interfaith Council. He holds a degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford University,
Hindu Perspectives on Interfaith Understanding Dileep Thatte Dr SK Somaiya DR Kaarthikeyan Devararyapuram Narayan Rao Dr Laj Utreja Room 101 Panel Discussion This panel will bring together Hindus from a wide range of backgrounds and different parts of the world with one thing in common: they all have long experience of the interfaith movement. The panel, from backgrounds in government, science, social action and religious scholarship, will reflect and share their experiences. The topics to be addressed will include: the ancient Hindu vision of the universal familial unity of humanity and how it informs Hindu environmental concerns, the application of traditional Hindu ethics to the urgent need in our own time for social cohesion, Hindu reflections on Jesus, and personal accounts of how these themes are being put into practice in interfaith programs in India and elsewhere. Panel members will provide examples from local urban programs and national networks, and will also discuss the use of symbols of different religions in places of Worship and meditation, among other subjects. Dileep Thatte has a Master's degree in chemical engineering and an MBA He has been a senior executive for major global corporations. An ardent student of Hindu philosophy and world religions, he has spoken on Hinduism at interfaith congregations, universities, temples and public forums across the US and Canada Dr SK Somaiya is Vice President of Somaiya Vidyavihar, an educational trust in Mumbai running 37 institutes with 27,000 students. He received the prestigious Lurninosa award in July 2002 in New York from the Focolare Movement. He also led the Hindu Delegation to the Interreligious Congress organised at Astana, Kazakhstan in 2003 and 2006. Dr Somaiya participated in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in New York in 2000.
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DR Kaarthikeyan is a human rights activist, environmentalist and promoter of interfaith harmony. He has held positions in the Indian government, including Director General of the National Human Rights Commission, Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, and Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force. He has been honoured with President's Medals for Distinguished and Meritorious Service and awarded titles including Atma Jyoti and Delhi Ratna. He is also an author and editor. Narayan Rao is the founder of the Hindu Association of Great Britain and currently a trustee with both the Britannia Hindu Temple Trust and the Tividale Tirupati Temple. Mr Rao is also the director of the Interfaith Hindu Council Laj Utreja is a CEO and engineer in the space and defense industry. Laj has also accumulated training and experience in yogaasana, praanaayaama, dhyaana and ayurvedic healing. He is founder of the Institute of Spiritual Healing (ISHI where he teaches Vedic disciplines related to wellness, healing, harmony and peace. He is the author of 'Who Are We? (2006) and 'What Is Our Origin?' (2007).
The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education Nereda White Aunty Joan Hendriks Room 102 Seminar Drawing on their extensive experience in education, community and family life, Dr Nereda White and Aunty Joan Hendriks will explore the interconnectedness of spirituality and leadership. They will present insights from post-colonial Indigenous women's perspectives, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities faced by Australia's Indigenous Communities in particular. White and Hendriks will share their experiences working at Australian Catholic University, where the challenge is to support Indigenous learners on both academic and spiritual journeys. Although there has been significant growth in the number of Indigenous people attending university in recent years, the outcomes are still unsatisfactory, with lower progression and completion rates for Indigenous students than for other Australian students. This has raised many questions about the barriers, both personal and institutional, that Indigenous students encounter in their attempts to educate themselves. It raises concerns about whether university communities are meeting the full needs of Indigenous students and whether there is a need to place more emphasis on the spiritual as well the intellectual growth of students. Dr Nereda White is a Gooreng Gooreng woman and Research Director of the Weemala Indigenous Unit of Australian Catholic University. For eighteen years, she has worked in Indigenous Higher Education, supporting Indigenous people in their educational journeys. Dr White has presented at conferences nationally and internationally and has published widely on Indigenous students' experiences. She has received two national teach ing awards, including the Neville Bonner Award for Indigenous Higher Education, Aunty Joan Hendriks is a respected elder of the Ngugi people of North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. She has presented at many national and international forums, including the United Nations Indigenous People's Forum and Raimon Panikkar's Interreligious Dialogue in Venice. Hendriks lectures at Australian Catholic University. She has been an arnbassador of reconciliation and was the co-chair of Reconciliation Australia for many years. She has received an Elders award from the Indigenous Higher Education Council.
The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of Muslim-Christian Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria Fr Gerald Musa Pr Paul A Wee Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat Karen L Hernandez-Andrews Room 103 Panel Discussion They once fought against each other as leaders of violent Christian and Muslim militias. Now they are brothers in faith, secure in their traditions but bound to each other in the cause of understanding. peace and reconciliation What was it that turned fierce hatred into love and sectarian strife into a bold and creative venture in interfaith conflict resolution? A clip from the award-winning film *The Imam and the Pastor' will introduce this amazing story. The starting point for the discussion will be Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, which is evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. When conflicts erupt over land ownership, environmental pollution, migrating cattle herds or the question of rights to sand in a flowing river, they invariably become 'religious', pitting Christian against Muslim. In this session, panellists will examine the roots of the conflicts, the progress and the challenges that lic ahead, and how the interfaith community can resolve such conflicts. Participants will be asked to give their reflections and share their own experiences in overcoming ignorance and sectarian strife in their own conlexl. All will be given the opportunity to examine how religious communities can re-channel their energy from conflict into collaboration through the dialogue of action. Refer to the film section of the program book for information regarding the screening of the film 'The Imam and the Pastor' in its entirety, which will take place earlier in the Parliament Fr Gerald M Musa is a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Sokoto, Nigeria. He comes from a predominantly Muslim family. In his ministry as priest, he has worked in communities where Muslims and Christians live together. He has worked with the Nigeria Inter Religious Council INIRECI as well as the Muslim-Christian Forum in Nigeria. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Journalism and Communication, University of Queensland, Australia. Paul Wee is presently adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC He served as program officer for the United States Institute of Peace, where he worked primarily on interfaith conflict resolution in Nigeria and Colombia. He received his BA from Harvard University Paul has a Masters of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary and a PhD, magna cum laude, in Philosophy and Social Science from the University of Berlin. Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat is a graduate of Damascus University in Shari'a Law and has been serving as an Imam in the USA since 1989. He is the founder at An Nur Institute for Islamic Studies and Arabic Language and Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation. CECF provides various exchange programs for students, professionals and clergy. He served as Campus Imam at Johns Hopkins University and a Chaplain for the Baltimore City Police Department. He is an international speaker on the issue of Islam and Pluralism in America'. Karen L Hernandez-Andrews holds an MA Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological
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School and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College. She is currently pursuing a Master of Sacred Theology in Religion and Conflict from Boston University School of Theology. Karen teaches and lectures with various organisations in the US about Islam, global Christian-Muslim relations, Al Qaeda, theological responses to terrorism and Islamophobia.
A Course in Miracles Unleashed:
A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment
of the Human Species
Cameron Kennedy, Producer
Rev Ellen Kennedy
Elbert Kloostra
Rev Kristen Kloostra
Room 104
Film with interactive workshop
This film takes the viewer on a journey into the universal process of spiritual enlightenment, through the experience of over 100 ordinary men and women from around the world who are awakened and illuminated by the Course in Miracles. The film producer and other participants from the film will then witness to and facilitate the immediacy and inevitability of this transformation in all of us.
Cameron Kennedy was born and raised in Australia and had his initial awakening in 1992 with the Master Teacher. Since then he has been teaching, healing and filming on five different continents. He co-produced the transformative documentary A Course in Miracles Unleashed' with Nigerian director Jubi Oneyama of Source Resonance Films.
Rev Ellen Kennedy (www.awinkandasmile.org] had her initial enlightenment experience with A Course in Miracles in 1993. Since that time she has travelled extensively teaching transformative weekend retreats in over fifteen countries. She was honoured to act as an extension of love and forgiveness in the making of the documentary A Course in Miracles Unleashed and hopes that you will enjoy the film as much as she enjoyed participating in it.
Elbert Kloostra (www.eencursusinwonderen.org) was born and raised in the Netherlands. He is committed to using technology to teach others about the awakening he experienced through A Course in Miracles.
Rev Kristen Kloostra (www.voicefortruth.com, www.illuminatemind. coml teaches that the healing presence of Light and the unifying passion of rebirth are instrumental to those who are dedicated to serving God and humanity. Using a broad array of spiritual teachings from the East and West, she is committed to teaching students about the universal experience of enlightenment.
Spirituality and the Western World
Tony Ghosthawk-Trudell
Room 105
Panel Discussion
Tony Ghosthawk-Trudell is a Santi Dakota Sioux from eastern Nebraska and South Dakota. A traditional Dancer living his traditional ways of the Dakota Sioux, Tony has lived in Australia for almost 20 years and returns to USA every year to Sundance. Tony Ghosthawk- Trudell will provide a discussion on the living in a traditional indigenous way, outside of his native land and how he has learned to

incorporate the richness and sacredness of Australia into his spiritual practices. As a traditional Dakota Sioux, Tony was bought up to respect all people and all things in particular mother earth and her richness, and how honouring all things deepens our connection to Spirit. Tony will discuss some of the Sacred ways of the Sioux nation.
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Tony Ghosthawk-Trudell is a Santi Dakota Sioux from eastern Nebraska and South Dakota. Tony is a traditional dancer and has tried to live his traditional ways of the Dakota Sioux. Tony is a public speaker and actor. He is the first Native American to become an Australian citizen. Tony has taught in schools around Australia for the last 11 years about his culture, spirituality, Native beliefs and culture.
Praying Together in Times of Happiness, in Times of Sorrow? The Ongoing
Dilemma for the Interfaith Movement
Fr John Dupuche
Rabbi Ralph Genende
Di Cousens
David Schutz
Room 106
Panel Discussion
Often today religious leaders are called upon to join together for civic events or to respond to particular community needs, such as the need to mourn following natural disasters and other public tragedies. Is it possible for those who belong to different religious traditions to pray together? Is it advisable? And if so, how should they pray? When an interreligious event is requested for a civil occasion, what is the best format to use? This panel discussion will focus on these and other questions. Time will be allotted at the end for audience members' questions and insights. This seminar is an opportunity to hear from different religious traditions that will provide some answers or perhaps raise more questions-surrounding these important issues.
Rev Dr John Dupuche is a Parish Priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. His book, Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual, was published in 2003; Jesus, the Mantra of God, in 2005; and 'Vers un Tantra Chretien in 2009. He is chair of the Catholic Interfaith Committee and research officer at Australian Catholic University. He has established an interfaith household together with Swami Sannyasanand and the Venerable Lobsang Tendar.
Rabbi Ralph Genende is senior rabbi at Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, which is undergoing an energetic renewal. Rabbi Ralph has a Master's degree in Counselling and is Senior Rabbi to the Australian Defence Force. He previously served as College Rabbi at Mount Scopus College. He is an Executive Member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, the Council for Christians and Jews, a member of the Victorian Premier's Multi-faith Advisory Group, and heads a Jewish pre-marriage education group.
Dr Di Cousens is past Director of the Melbourne Sakya Centre. She lived in India in the 1980s, commenced academic studies in 1989 and completed an MA in Tibetan History at La Trobe University in 1996. In 2008 she completed a PhD in Himalayan Studies at Monash University. She is past Vice Chair of the Buddhist Council of Victoria and was the editor of the extremely popular booklet, 'Buddhist Care for the Dying.
David Schutz is the Executive Officer of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

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Not Broken Armando Ibanez, Director Room 107 Film
Dr Ranbir Singh Sandhu is Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University. He has served as President of the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio and as the founding Secretary General of the World Sikh Council - America Region. He is the author of the authoritative book 'Struggle for Justice: Speeches and Conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale Ajmer Singh Gill, President of the Sikh-Council-of-Australia, the umbrella body for the Sikh community in Australia, was born in Singapore, raised in Malaysia and educated in England. Since 1981 he has served as an educator in WA and NSW and Senior Education Officer in the NT Under his leadership various community development projects, focusing on Integration-Awareness-Harmony, have been successfully delivered, including Sikh Regiment's ANZAC-Day participation, Sikh Scouts, World Sikh Conference, Multi-Faith Projects and Sikh Youth-Camps.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States, including the city of New Orleans. People of all races and ethnicities, from all walks of life. and from many different faiths were forced to unite, not only during the disaster, but also along the lengthy and ongoing road to recovery. This award-winning documentary shows how, amidst the most trying of circumstances, spirituality shapes, transforms and expresses our common humanity. Father Armando Ibanez, a Dominican friar, is a filmmaker, writer. poel and prolessor. He produced and directed 'Not Broken. winner of Worldfest's Platinum Remi Award. The AFI graduate is the founder of Pluma Pictures, a nonprofit film production company dedicated to producing films with inherent universal values, such as peace. justice and the importance of community. Armando, listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, teaches filmmaking at Flashpoint Academy of Media Arts & Sciences, Chicago, Illinois.
Living a Good Life: The Secular Way Meredith Doig, Moderator lan Robinson Dr John L Perkins Stephen Stuart Brian Ellis Russell Blackford Room 109 Panel Discussion
Sikh Diaspora and Global Sikh Community Kuldeep Singh, Moderator Dr Indrajit Singh Navkiran Singh Dr Ranbir Singh Sandhu Ajmer Singh Gill Room 108 Panel Discussion The Sikh community is now spread throughout the whole world. With Punjab as their homeland, Sikhs have ventured into nearly every corner of the world and become a part of the fabric of the societies in which they live. This session focuses on the development, engagement, and challenges being faced by Sikh communities in Europe, South Asia, North America, and Australia and the need for an effective international Sikh organisation to run the affairs of the faith at an international level. Kuldeep Singh is the President of the Sikh Youth of America. He has been the Secretary of the World Sikh Council, Americas, among other positions held in the global Sikh community. He also has over 30 years of experience in working with youth, holding camps and retreats, inspiring Sikh values, and infusing the spirit of human oneness in them, Graduates of his camps have gone into the world and opened several nonprofit endeavors to help humanity. Dr Indrajit Singh, OBE. is the Director of Network of Sikh Organisations (UK) and is the Editor of the Sikh Messenger. He was the first nonChristian to be awarded the UK Templeton Prize for the furtherance of spiritual and ethical understanding. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in June 1996. He is well respected arnong the religious community of the UK. Navkiran Singh BA, LLB, is an experienced human rights advocate and attorney who has significant experience in the protection of human rights based on religious identity. He has represented cases of involuntary disappearances before the Sub Committees of the United Nations at Geneva and New York, and has appeared in foreign courts as an expert witness on human rights in South Asia. He is also actively involved in the campaign against the death penalty.
A panel of Secularists, Atheists, Humanists and Rationalists will present the case for a nonreligious approach to life, based on the secular values of respect for people, personal integrity, trustworthiness and benevolence. They will argue for a secular approach to governance based on democratic freedom, secular education, economic fairness, tolerance and the separation of church and state. The panel will discuss why it is important for human beings to find answers to the key questions about human existence using evidence and reason, without the need to import meaning from another dimension by imagining transcendental forces or beings. A major portion of the session will be devoted to interaction with the audience. Dr Meredith Doig is Secretary and Treasurer of the Rationalist Society of Australia Now a professional company director and executive coach/ mentor, she spent 25 years in blue chip corporates and management consulting, while also active in the women's movement. Her PhD was on The Nature of Organisational Sustainability lan Robinson is President of the Rationalist Society of Australia and is a former editor of Australian Rationalist. He worked for more than twenty years as a senior curriculum officer, researcher and professional development officer with the Victorian Education Department and wrote their basic curriculum document, 'The Primary School Curriculum: A Guide for Victoria Schools (1979). He is also a writer, actor and director. Dr John L Perkins is an economist, secular activist and a regular contributor to freethought magazines. He has qualifications from universities in Melbourne and London, is a member of the Rationalist Society of Australia, the Australian Sceptics, the Humanist Society of Victoria, a public relations team member of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, and a founding member and president of the Secular Party of Australia. Stephen Stuart is the President. Humanist Society of Victoria Inc. Professor Brian Ellis taught philosophy of Science at the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University and is a humanist. In his retirement he has published a monograph, "The Metaphysics of Scientific Realism (Acumen Press, 2009). Russell Blackford is a writer, editor and academic. He teaches parttime in the School of Philosophy and Bioethics at Monash University and is editor-in-chief of 'The Journal of Evolution and Technology. With Udo Schuklenk he is editing a collection of original essays by prominent atheists, humanists and sceptics, entitled Voices of Disbelief
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Kanyini
Uncle Bob Randall Room 110
Film:
This program includes a sixty-minute film followed by a thirty-minute Q&A with Uncle Bob Randall. The film Kanyini' is a story told by Uncle Bob Randall, an Aboriginal Australian man who lives beside the greatest monolith in the world, Uluru in Central Australia. Bob is a songwriter and educator who was separated from his mother at a young age and lived on a reservation until the age of twenty. In 1970, he helped establish the Adelaide Community College for Aboriginal people and lectured at the college on Aboriginal cultures. His song 'My Brown Skin Baby (They Took Him Away)' led to a prize-winning documentary that focused national and international attention on the issue of separation. 'Kanyini' is a tale of Indigenous wisdom clashing with materialist notions of progress; it is not only a story of one man and his people, but the story of the human race. The film was directed by Melanie Hogan.
Uncle Bob Randall is a member of the Yankunytjatjara people and a listed traditional owner of Uluru. He has served as the Director of the Northern Australia Legal Aid Service and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander centres at multiple universities. He continues to present cultural awareness programs at schools and other institutions. Bob was named Indigenous Person of the Year at the 1999 National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration awards.
International Indigenous Repatriation
Dr Rosita Worl, USA: Tlingit, Moderator
Alejandro Argumedo, Peru: Quechua
Chief Megaron Txukarramae, Brazil: Kayapo Room 111
Panel Discussion
There is a growing global movement around the issue of the cultural property rights of Indigenous peoples. The rights of Indigenous communities who have been dispossessed of their sacred remains and properties have sparked much debate. These sacred remains were stolen and put on display in museums all over the world. Sacred burial sites have been desecrated and ceremonial objects have been kept away from their communities of origin. This program will discuss these issues.
Rosita Worl, whose Tlingit names are Yeidiklats okw and Kaa.hani, is Tlingit, Ch'aak lEaglel moiety of the Shangukeidi Clan from the Kawdliyaayi Hit (House Lowered From the Sunl in Klukwan. She is President of Sealaska Heritage Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to perpetuating the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she has a PhD and MS in Anthropology from Harvard University and a BA from Alaska Methodist University.
Mr Alejandro Argumedo, a Quechua from Peru, is Executive Director of the autonomous international NGO, Cultural Survival Canada, focus ing on the connection between cultural and biological diversity and on Indigenous peoples' traditional resource rights. Mr Argumedo is coordinator for the Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN) and is a member of the steering committee and advisory group for IPBN's Indigenous Knowledge Programme. He holds a degree in agriculture from McGill University.

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Chief Megaron Txukarramae is grand chief of the Kayapo people from the Amazonian Basin of Brazil, the head administrator of the National Indigenous Foundation (FUNAI) in his region, and a board member of Conservation International. The traditional lands of the Kayapo represent the single largest tract of protected tropical forest in the world and Chief Megaron works toward the preservation of his people's lands, culture and identity, and the promotion of their economic and political autonomy.
Wings of the Spirit in Concert
Tirtza Singer
Hanna Yaffe
Room 201
Artistic Performance
Using a combination of piano, harp, guitar and vocals, Wings of the Spirit offer a smorgasbord of musical delights that includes Yiddish, Ladino, Carlebach and traditional songs, as well as original compositions. Wings of the Spirit draw on tales of the Hassidic masters to convey the richness and inspiration of their lives, leading listeners into the spiritual space that they fill with their love of G-d and man.
Tirtza Singer is a Jerusalem-based singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. She has released three albums and has been featured in Hadassah Magazine and The Jewish Homemaker. She has a passion for stringed instruments and plays piano, harp and guitar.
Hanna Yaffe is a storyteller and singer. She has recorded two albums: Lullabies from Jerusalem, which was acclaimed by Martha Stewart as Lullaby CD of the Year, and Return Again, an anthology of Hassidic stories and melodies. Hanna works with storytellers of other faiths. revelling in the sameness of the universal story.
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part One
Dr Seshagiri Rao
HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
HH Swami Amarananda
Amma Sri Karunamayi
HH Swami Chidananda Saraswati
Yogini Sri Chandra Kali Prasada Mataji
HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
Sevadevi Glover
Room 202
Religious or Spiritual Observance
A special feature of the Melbourne Parliament will be an assembly of a number of the most outstanding spiritual leaders of India. The convocation of saints will begin with Vedic chanting, prayers, meditation and music. These opening observances will be followed by a number of eminent speakers on universal themes such as spiritual values and peace as well as current issues such as humanitarian work, education and the environment. All are welcome at this very inspiring and enlightening gathering! Dr K L Seshagiri Rao is Professor Emeritus of Religion at the University of Virginia, Chief Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism and Indic Religions, and Co-Editor of the journal Interreligious Insight and its predecessor World Faiths Insight. A Trustee of the World Congress of Faiths, he has been active with interfaith organisations for many years. He is the author of many books and articles and has participated in consultations of UNESCO and the World Economic Forum.

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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a nonprofit organisation offering spiritual workshops and humanitarian relief, and founder of the International Association for Human Values. His philosophy is popular throughout the world, and Shankar has been recognised with numerous awards and titles, including the title of Yoga Shiromani and the Guru Mahatmya Award. His Holiness Swami Amarananda is the senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and president of the Centre Vedantique in Geneva He is a former residential school headmaster and expert on disaster management. He has participated in numerous multireligious programs, including the World Faiths Development Dialogue, meetings of the Community of Santo Egidio, the interreligious Platform in Geneva and the World Council of Churches. Amma Sri Karunamayi is from Penusila Ashram. Founder of a number of free humanitarian programs including schools and hospitals serving the poor, she is known for her motherly compassion. Sri Karunamayi is a revered teacher of universal values of love and service to others. His Holiness Swami Chidanana Saraswati is the president and spiritual head of Paramarth Niketan, one of the largest spiritual institutions in India. He is the founder and chairman of the India Heritage Research Foundation, which sponsors a wide range of humanitarian and educational programs. Saraswati is also a long-time participant in international interfaith conferences and received the 'Hindu of the Year award in 1991 Yogini Sri Chandra Kali Prasad Mataji is the spiritual leader of the Sri Kali Gardens Ashram and successor to Sri Babuji Maharaj, founder of the ashram. Mataji is also head of numerous humanitarian and development programs and is an exponent of interreligious harmony. His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji was educated in the ancient Vedic tradition, learning directly from the Gurus from a young age. Dedicated to the principle of service to all beings as service to God, Sri Jeeyar Swamiji is involved in numerous charitable enterprises in a wide variety of fields including health services, education, disaster relief and veterinary medicine. He is active in the cause of world peace and has given special attention to the youth of the world Sevadevi Glover is a member of the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life, a nonprofit, humanitarian organisation offering a comprehensive master system of classical yoga postures, Pranayama, relaxation and meditation. Sevadevi has been a Senior Yoga Teacher for 12 years. In 2005 she became a Founding Mernber of Ayurveda Yoga Australia (AYA). The AYA has hosted two International Conferences in Sydney to spread the wisdom and knowledge of the sister sciences of ayurveda and yoga,
international perspective to the discussion. Other religious traditions may have an interest in this topic because Christians have partially achieved unity in recent decades. Dr Max Stephens is senior research fellow in Mathematics and Mathematics Education at the University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Professor of Education at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and at Australian Catholic University. He is a member, and currently chairperson, of the Faith and Order Commission of the Victorian Council of Churches. Stephens has been a member of the Ecumenical and Inter-faith Commission of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Commission almost continuously since the 1970s. He is active in interchurch activities in his local area of Kensington and as a member of the pastoral council of his parish of Holy Rosary Kaye Reid is a Churches of Christ lay leader and a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the Victorian Council of Churches. She holds a Master's degree in theology. She is active in ministry and service among young people and in forming a Christian response to the challenges of caring for the environment. She believes that Christian churches have to frame a united response to today's problems in terms of respect for God's enduring love for and sustaining presence in the created order. Fr David Patterson is an Anglican parish priest in Burnley, Richmond and a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the Victorian Council of Churches. Both during his time as a teacher and since becoming a priest, he has had an ongoing interest in ecumenical matters. He has followed closely national and international dialogues between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches and is an expert on bilateral agreements between the Anglican Church in Australia and other Christian churches Maureen Postma is a Uniting Church member and former General Secrelary of the Victorian Council of Churches. She is a member of the Board of Management of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Melbourne 2009, and has had leadership roles in the National Office of Christian World Service and in Caritas Australia. She has also been President of the Jewish Christian-Muslim Association of Victoria, Rev Dr S Wesley Ariarajah is a Methodist minister from Sri Lanka. He led the World Council of Churches (WCC) Interfaith Dialogue for over ten years and later served as the Deputy General Secretary of the WCC. He is currently Professor of Ecumenical Theology at Drew University School of Theology in Madison, NJ. He has given lectures, conducted seminars, and led conferences in many parts of the world.
Restoring Peace and Fostering Dialogue within Religious Traditions: The Experience of Christian Ecumenism in Australia and Beyond Max Stephens Kaye Reid Fr David Patterson Maureen Postma S Wesley Ariarajah Room 203 Over the past century, the many Christian churches have set aside their animosities and embarked on the road to unity to be in accord with Christ's saying 'May they be one'. This panel, organised by the Victorian Council of Churches Faith and Order Committee, will discuss the progress that has been made and the progress that still needs to be made to achieve full and visible unity. Speakers will focus on barriers to the achievement of the goal as well as recent developments, such as the Pope's offer to Anglo-Catholics. Professor Ariarajah will bring an
Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace: A Workshop For the Interreligious Panel Maria Reis Habito, Moderator Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Moderator Room 204 Interactive Workshop This workshop will introduce educational resources on Sharing Wisdom, Fostering Peace that were developed by a think tank of the Elijah Interfaith Institute (www.elijah-interfaith.org) in preparation for the Third Meeting of the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders in 2007. The resources on Wisdom and on Forgiveness cover the perspectives of the three Abrahamic traditions, as well as the Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh traditions. They can be used for college-level courses or Interfaith settings. Participants in the workshop will consider how, through sharing the wisdom found in our religious traditions, we can collectively grow to address the multiple challenges posed to us as people of faith in the 21st century global society. We will start our discussions from the basic question: What is wisdom? Why share Wisdom? How do we share wisdom responsibly? Which particular wisdom teaching
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of our tradition would we like to share with the others? The workshop will conclude by inviting each participant to reflect on one for more] gift[s] received from listening to the religious Other.
Maria Reis Habito is the International Program Director at the Museum of World Religions and Director of the Global Family for Love and Peace. She has studied in Taiwan, Munich and Kyoto, and completed her PhD at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in 1990. She has organised many international, interfaith conferences, notably a series of Buddhist-Muslim dialogues published under the title 'Listening: Buddhist-Muslim Dialogues 2002-2004 (Taipei, 2005).
Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute, and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977. Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other. He has published two books and many articles in academic journals.
Cohesion and Unity in the Sikh Community
Bhai Sukhbir Singh, Moderator Roop Singh
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh
Jathedar Gurbachan Singh Avtar Singh Makkar
Harbans Lal
Balwant S Hansra Room 207
This panel considers how Sikhs are coming to terms with issues of cohesion and unity essential to their survival and success. In particular, the panel will consider how the Sikh Diaspora can attain a sense of unity and what role Sikh religious institutions in India have in forging such unity. There are significant points of difference between Sikh institutions in India and elsewhere. This panel seeks to understand how a culture of unity can be propagated at a time when new institutions and organisations are being spawned for political purposes. The role of Sikh youth and their unique problems will also be explored.
Bhai Sukhbir Singh has previously been a school teacher in London. He is currently a businessman and volunteer of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha.
Jainism and the Environment
Pravin K Shah
Sohan Lal Gandhi
His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Vasanth Gurudev Ji Room 208
Panel Discussion
This panel will discuss the Jain philosophy and its approach to the environment and the welfare of all living beings. The Jain lifestyle is based on ecological ethics. Philosophers, ecologists and other thinkers have emphasised the centrality of reverence for life, tolerance, and

9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
other values needed for environmental sustainability. We need to identify a framework of responsibilities, challenges and opportunities to support ecological harmony that respects not only humans, but all of nature, and that reduce wants and wastes. We have to reconsider the relationship between man and nature. Science and spirituality should be integrated. A Jaina model of nonviolent lifestyle embedded in essential values will be presented that can lead to a clean planet and peaceful society.
Pravin K Shah is a founding member of Jain Study Center of North Carolina and is a Jain scholar and activist against animal cruelty. He chairs the Education Committee of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America IJAINA), serves as an advisor to youth organisations, and has published several books, CDs and articles on Jain philosophy and comparative religions.
Dr Sohan Lal Gandhi is the President of Anuvrat Global Organization, a transnational center for ahimsa associated with the UN's Department of Public Information. He has been at the forefront of national and international campaigns for interfaith harmony and has presented papers. at more than thirty international conferences held in different countries. He is the editor of the 'Anuvibha Reporter' and has authored, edited and translated several books.
His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Vasanth Gurudev Ji was born in a small Indian town named Krishnagiri where he spent his entire childhood in discovering various aspects and truths of life by means of prayers. meditations and chants. Sri Parshva Padmavathi Shaktipeet Tirth Dham, a Jain Temple located in the holy land of Krishnagiri, was founded by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Vasanth Gurudev. With his divine powers he has. blessed lakhs of devotees worldwide and solved problems of many.
Rastafari: the Livity of Spirituality
Yasus Afari
Room 209
This program will present the worldview of the Rastafarian faith. It will discuss the history of Rastafari including its origins in Jamaica, its African retentive roots, and its struggles and visions from the time of its early pioneers to its current international development and impact. The growth of this faith will be linked to Reggae music, Rasta Ambassadors and other developments that are of great importance to Jamaica, the Caribbean, Africa, the Black Diaspora and the world. This program will also represent the Rastafari way of life and worship. It will focus on the Rastafarian approach to family life, its involvement in the arts, and its philosophy of political and environmental liberation. This presentation seeks to demonstrate how building love, justice, and confidence can secure social harmony, peace, and a sustainable future.
Yasus Afari represents the immortal vision of the ancient future, stimulating the revolutionary will to conquer poverty, ignorance, and injustice, by releasing positive vibrations in harmony, with words, sounds and power. Yasus works tirelessly to bring together people from many diverse backgrounds. Yasus testifies to his Rastafarian beliefs and his profound faith in Jah as a dub poet, author, philosopher and Reggae artist promoting Roots Reggae in line with traditional Rastafarian values.

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The Zoroastrian Ethos of Compassion
Dr Homi Dhalla
Dr Sam Kerr
Room 210
Lecture and Audiovisual Presentation
This presentation will begin with important references on the concept of compassion from the ancient Zoroastrian scriptures, which will demonstrate how the Zoroastrian religion has influenced the ethos of caring for members of society in distress, irrespective of their caste or colour. Speaker Homi Dhalla will then discuss the constructive role played by the industrial House of Tata through their various projects illustrating corporate social responsibility. The second part of this presentation will consist of fifteen slides that focus on the important role of Cyrus the Great in ancient history. This part of the presentation will be supplemented by a bas-relief description that reflects Cyrus' dedication to the philosophy of tolerance and multiculturalism in his vast domain with a widely contrasting diversity of peoples of differing culture and customs.
Homi Dhalla holds an MA from Harvard and a PhD from Mumbai University. He has represented the Parsi community at various international conferences, focusing on issues of peace, ecology, human rights, and interreligious dialogue. He was awarded the Mother Teresa National Award for Interfaith Harmony in 2007. As the Founder-President of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Homi has initiated various cultural projects for the Parsi community.
Sam Kerr was born in Bombay, India. He is an emeritus surgeon to the University of New South Wales and its College Hospitals, Sydney. Australia. Dr Kerr was initiated into the Australian Zoroastrian Association of New South Wales in 1969 as a founding member. In addition to his professional writings, he has published and lectured on the social, cultural, historical and scriptural aspects of the religion of Zarathushtra.
The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania
Maria Tence
Emeretta Cross
Elaine Elemani
Tito Tapungao Room 211 Seminar
The people of the Pacific Islands are living on the front lines of climate change. They face the disappearance of culture, heritage and homeland in addition to land mass. In the first part of this presentation, panellists will discuss how they led a collaborative museum/community team to produce the exhibition, Waters of Tuvalu: A Nation at Risk, at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. This exhibition eventually provided a model for better environmental practice in the museums sector. A further (but unexpected) outcome was interpretation and information that the community was able to supply to the museum about Tuvaluan cultural objects in its care. The second part of this presentation will explore the impacts of climate change and modernity in Kiribati. Discussion will centre
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on issues of sustainability, governance and belief. How can youth and other inhabitants of Kiribati maintain and sustain a cultural identity in the face of development and displacement? How does the changing climate affect Pacifica in terms of globalisation, economics, education and culture? What role can faith play in these developments?
Maria Tence was appointed by the Immigration Museum to develop a community consultation and inclusion strategy and to manage the museum's Community Gallery. During her tenure with the Immigration Museum, Ms Tence has worked with over 55 communities. She has also served as manager and co-founder of the Italian Historical Society where she was responsible for negotiating cultural agreements between Museum Victoria and the State Library of Victoria regarding the inclusion of Italian heritage material.
Emeretta Cross was born on Ocean island, next to the republics of Kiribati and Tuvalu in the Central Pacific basin. She has campaigned on the issue of climate refugees and the impact of climate change in the Pacific with Make Poverty History. She currently lives in Melbourne and works as a program administrator at Ernst & Young.
Elaine Elemani has spoken about Pacific Islander communities at numerous forums, including at Australian National University.
Tito Tapungao is a leader of the Tuvaluan community in Victoria and a key local spokesperson on the effects of climate change on Pacific communities. A past President of the Kaiga Tuvalu community association in Victoria, he was a key member of the community exhibition development committee for the Waters of Tuvalu exhibition and was the exhibition's main public spokesperson.
Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, Australia and New Zealand Patricia Blundell Anna Halafoff Rachel Woodlock Melanie Landau
Pushpa Wood Room 212 Seminar
The Women of Faith Network, Australia, was formed in 2007 to build partnerships for peace among Australian women from diverse faith traditions including Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. The Women of Faith Network has been an ardent supporter of all forms of social action, including those devoted to sustainable living and environmental justice. Each presenter will share insights and experiences on how her faith has inspired her to effect social change and to participate in interreligious initiatives. There will be time during this program to form new partnerships, providing an opportunity for everyone to interact with one another and to discuss how best to strengthen the Women of Faith Network in Australia and internationally.
Dr Patricia Blundell RSM is Co-Chair, Asia Pacific Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, and President of the Tertiary Campus Ministry Association (Australia), the professional association of Australian University Chaplains. She is Secretary of the international Association of Chaplains in Higher Education and is Co-ordinating Chaplain at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Her doctoral dissertation is on interreligious dialogue and the public university.
Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, and the Global Terrorism Research Centre, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. She is a practising Buddhist in the Tibetan FPMT tradition.

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Rachel Woodlock is a Researcher in the Centre for Islam and The Modern World at the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University.
Melanie Landau is a lecturer at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University. She is currently completing her PhD on a feminist analysis of traditional Jewish marriage. She has studied and taught Jewish texts in Australia, Israel and the US. She has diverse interests including facilitating personal transformation and group processes as well as creating community across difference through learning. dialogue and ritual.
Dr Pushpa Wood is a founding member of the Wellington Interfaith Council and an Executive Committee member of that Council. She is a member of the Organising Committee of the first National Interfaith Forum in New Zealand, Co-Chairing that Forum in 2008. Pushpa is also a founding member of the National Women Interfaith Forum.
UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples
Anna Pinto, India: Meitei, Moderator Chief Oren Lyons, USA: Onondaga Room 213
Panel Discussion
The United Nations declared the years from 1995 to 2004 as the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. This presentation highlights efforts to promote the recognition of Indigenous Peoples' innate rights to live on their land, practise their own spirituality and have their ich cultural heritage continue.
Anna Pinto is Executive Director of the Centre for Organisation, Research ind Education, an Indigenous peoples' policy research and advocacy rganisation based in the North East of India. An active member of the ndian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initiaives by the government of India and international agencies like the World Bank.
Chief Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, is a powerful and passionate spokesperson for Indigenous human rights and spiritual perspectives. An environmental champion, he speaks around the world, is active at the United Nations, and is widely Page #316

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9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Gene Reeves is a Buddhist scholar, philosopher, teacher and writer living in Tokyo. His most recent book is a translation of the Lotus Sutra. He has taught at universities in China, Japan and the US, and currently serves Rissho Kosei-kai as international advisor and special minister. He is a founder of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and has been active in international interfaith organisations.
Veneration of the Ancestors Baba Wande Abimbola, Nigeria: Yoruba, Moderator Ifaboyede Michelle McElwaine Oguninhun Abimbola,
Nigeria: Yoruba Robert Houndohome Hounon, Benin: Vodun Hwendo Room 216 Panel Discussion The Yoruba belief system values relational responsibilities and anchors these cultural values within a spirituality that includes respect and veneration of ancestors. This veneration calls for a reciprocity of responsibilities between the ancestors and the living members of each Yoruba family. This panel discussion will address different themes related to the veneration of ancestors. It focuses on creating awareness in the participants of the need for a new brotherhood and sisterhood of human beings with all creation-a major principle of Yoruba religion. The Yoruba religion is an Indigenous religion of West Africa transported to the Americas, and from the Americas to other parts of the world as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. It is the hope that this workshop will rekindle an interest in the ancient knowledge of Africa and in the religion of all Indigenous peoples throughout the world. Professor Wande Abimbola is the Awise Agbaye, or spokesperson, of Yoruba Religion worldwide. He was formerly Vice-Chancellor of University of Ile Inow Obafemi Awolowo University). Ile-Ife (1982-19891. He was Senate Majority Leader for the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1992-1993) and a Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria (2003-2005). Professor Abimbola has taught at Harvard University and Boston University. He is President of the UNESCO-sponsored lfa Heritage Institute, Nigeria. Ifaboyede Michelle McElwaine Oguninhun Abimbola is a Lecturer at the Ifa Heritage Institute in Oyo, Nigeria where she is also an assistant to the president. She holds degrees in Religious and Women's Studies and a Master's Degree in Applied Linguistics. In Oyo, Nigeria, Ifaboyede was initiated as an Iyanifa, priestess of Ifa, and she is actively involved in the practice and propagation of Ifa. She also has an extensive background as an anti-racism/cultural competency trainer Also known as His Majesty Daagbo Hounion Houna ll, Robert Houndohome Hounon is the supreme spiritual leader of the great council of the Vodun Hwendo tradition. A veteran of numerous technical and spiritual positions, he is president of the association ELOSE, which has as its major aims: the reconciliation between tradition and modernity. the promotion of literacy, and the acquisition and transmission of written knowledge. He is also an adviser on interreligious action for peace in Africa
Burying and Resurrecting Our Tlingit Culture Dr Rosita Worl, USA: Tlingit Clarence Jackson, USA: Tlingit Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu Room 218 Panel Discussion Like many other Indigenous peoples throughout the world, after the bombardment and destruction of our villages by the US government, we even joined with our oppressors and symbolically buried our culture in the early years of the 20th Century. Today, we have thrown off the cloak of oppression and are working to restore our language and to revitalise our culture. This program will share the historical saga of the death and rebirth of Tlingit culture and language. Rosita Worl, whose Tlingit names are Yeidiklats okw and Kaa hani, is Tlingit, Ch'aak' (Eagle) moiety of the Shangukeidi Clan from the Kawdliyaayi Hit (House Lowered From the Sunl in Klukwan. She is President of Sealaska Heritage Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to perpetuating the Tlingit. Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she has a PhD and MS in Anthropology from Harvard University and a BA from Alaska Methodist University Clarence Jackson is a Tlingit Clan Elder from the village of Kake, Alaska. He is of the Ch'aak (Eaglel moiely. Tsaagweidi (Killer Whale! Clan. He is on the board of directors for Sealaska Corporation, a regional, Native for-profit corporation founded by the US Congress for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. He also serves on the board of trustees for Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Council of Traditional Scholars. Tsugio kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture.
A Buddhist Story Just for You Gene Reeves Room 217 Being more interested in human transformation than in doctrines, the Lotus Sutra often presents itself through parables and other stories. This talk will show what a bodhisattva is and who the bodhisattvas are as shown in one of the Sutra's most fascinating and provocative stories. The story begins in Chapter 11, when a great stupa emerges from the earth and hangs in the air before Buddha and the assembly, and ends with Chapter 15, in which countless bodhisattvas emerge from the earth to do the work of the Buddha. Though originally composed many centuries ago, this is a story composed just for you and for you alone.
Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity Dr Fahad Alhamoudi Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Dr Burhanettin Tatar Ayisha Ali Dr Din Syamsuddin Adis Duderija Room 219 Panel Discussion The international conversation on Islam's position towards social and gender justice and the faith's commitment to religious diversity, both from an inter- and intrafaith
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perspective, is quite different from truths espoused by actual practitioners of Islam. In this session, panellists will address the disparity between the doctrinal reality and popular perceptions of these issues. They will also discuss important topics, such as honouring views shared with the Abrahamic faiths, the importance of the Amman Message which promotes tolerance and unity among Muslims worldwide, defining what social justice and gender justice means from an authentically Islamic perspective, and others. This panel is one of six sessions in the Islam 101 Series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice and history that are all too commonly misunderstood.
Dr Fahad A Alhomoudi obtained his PhD in Islamic Law from McGill University. He was appointed Vice Dean for academic research at Imam University in Saudi Arabia and awarded the Fulbright Scholar award. In addition to his native Arabic, Alhomoudi speaks English, French, and reads Persian. Professor Alhomoudi has published two books and several articles. His research area covers Islamic law, environmental law, prophetic tradition, and interfaith dialogue.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multireligious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of 'What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West'. he is also founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Dr Burhanettin Tatar is the official representative of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey at the 2009 Parliament. He is a professor at Ondokuz Mayis University, in the faculty of Theology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. He is also a member of the Higher Committee of Religious Affairs. Burhanettin Tatar received his PhD degree from the Catholic University of America in 1997.
Ayisha Ali is an Islamic Studies Lecturer at Dar Al-Hekma College, a premier women's college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She holds a BA in The Book (Holy Qur'an) and Sunna (The Prophets Traditions) and a Master's degree in Islamic Law & Its Origin from Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. She is also an active member at the Islamic Education Foundation.
Dr Din Syamsuddin is an author and president of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's largest modernist Muslim social and educational organisation. He is vice general chair of the Indonesian Ulama Council, professor of Islamic political thought at the National Islamic University in Jakarta and president of the Asian Conference on Religion for Peace, based in Tokyo.
Adis Duderija is a doctoral student at the School of Social and Cultural Studies at the University of Western Australia. His academic interests include Islamic hermeneutics and the construction of religious identity among Muslim youth in Western liberal democracies. He is also interested in social justice issues and interfaith dialogue. Adis serves on the working committee of Abrahamic Alliances, a recently established interfaith group in Perth. He also volunteers with Oxfam's Campaign and Education Network.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
Islam and the West: Creating an Accord
of Civilisations
Dr Tariq Ramadan
Dr Chandra Muzaffar
Dr Daniel C Peterson, Moderator Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Plenary Hall
Panel Discussion
Are Islam and the West hopelessly opposed? Does the presence of millions of Muslims living in and contributing to the success of Western countries create the historical foundations for such a question? Is the current fear of Islam and Muslims solely a result of the violence and religious extremism of a few, or is there something more? What lessons can be learned from the success of Muslims living side by side with non-Muslims in non-Western countries? Despite the saturation coverage of Islam in the media, the vast majority of Westerners, including some opinion leaders and commentators, have a limited understanding of Islam and Muslims and the possibilities for creating a harmonious accord between Islam and the West. In this session, leading scholars from around the world will examine all of these issues and provide essential cultural and historical context.
Tariq Ramadan (www.tariqramadan.com) is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He is currently Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He is active both at the academic and grassroots levels and lectures extensively throughout the world on theology, ethics, social justice, ecology and interfaith as well as intercultural dialogue. Through his writings and lectures, he has contributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Professor Ramadan is currently president of the European think tank, European Muslim Network (EMN), in Brussels.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar is a political scientist and founding president of the Malaysian-based NGO International Movement for a Just World (www. just-international.orgl, which seeks to raise public consciousness on the moral and intellectual basis of global justice. He also served as the first director of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya. In addition to writings on civilisational dialogue, he has published extensively on religion, human rights, Malaysian politics and international relations.
Daniel C Peterson is professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic at Brigham Young University IBYU) and currently serves as editor-in-chief of BYU's Middle Eastern Texts Initiative. He is a member of the executive council of BYU's Neal A Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. He received a Bachelor's degree in Greek and Philosophy from BYU and a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, a multinational, multi-religious project that works to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. Author of 'What's Right With Islam Is What's Right With America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West', he is also the founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Imam Feisal is a graduate of Columbia University, New York, and holds a Master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.
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Faith-based Education in Human Values for a Sustainable Future
Neville Fredericks
Dharam Pal Dhall Room 101 Seminar
In a technological and materialistic world burdened with ethnic, religious and political conflicts, the role of spirituality and religion in restoring a positive future needs re-examination. Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) is a faith-based approach, both formal and informal, to personal transformation. Through age-appropriate multi-faith teachings, it supports spirituality through the practice of five universal human values of love, peace, truth, right conduct and non-violence. Most countries in the world have embraced SSEHV because of its universal appeal and compatibility with all religions and cultures. Some aspects of global experience with SSEHV relating to education reform, positive youth development, community building and sustainable future will be reviewed. Experience with the Indigenous communities in several countries will also be shared.
Neville Fredericks, a self-employed businessman, is currently the Central Coordinator of the Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and PNG. He has had a lifelong involvement in community service, including fourteen years as an elected member of local government (seven years as mayor of Kiama) and fourteen years as a Salvation Army Advisory Board Member. Neville became interested in eastern spiritual philosophy in 1985, through the inspiration of Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual teacher.
Dharam Pal Dhall is a surgeon and academic who has published over fifteen books on human values and on the teaching of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He was the director of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Human Values, Australia, a member of the Education Committee of Sri Sathya World Foundation, and an adjunct professor of Bioethics at the University of Canberra.
Darwin in the Dreaming
David Tresemer
Lila Sophia Tresemer
Brian Lipson
Room 102
Artistic Performance
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. In this staged reading of a play by Lila Sophia Tresemer and David Tresemer, Charles Darwin is a restless spirit, seeking unsuccessfully to find the lecture hall where he can confront a major exponent of Christian theology who opposes his theories. In his wandering, Darwin comes upon the hospital room of his distant descendant, Sarah, who is dying and can now see into other worlds. Sarah had been an anthropologist, observing the ill effects of her great-great-great grandfather's theories. Also present is Sarah's mentor, an Indigenous woman whose culture was destroyed by those who manipulated Darwin's ideas to their own ends. The result is a dramatic confrontation between science, 19th-century orthodox religion, and Indigenous wisdom that plays across the boundaries of this world and spirit worlds. Four actors
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and the powers of spirit-which are expressed through music and the beautiful dance-form eurhythmy-bring these issues to life for our time.
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
David Tresemer, PhD, has written many books, most recently 'One-TwoOne: A Guide to Conscious Partnerships, Weddings, and Rededication Ceremonies. He has also released the DVD, Couple's Illumination", available from www.DavidAndLila Tresemer.com. He has taught groups in Australia, Israel and the USA. He also founded and co-designed the StarHouse in Colorado (www.TheStarHouse.org), inspired by the sacred geometry of the cathedrals. David also counsels couples on relationship as a sacred path of development.
Lila Sophia Tresemer is co-founder and facilitator of The Path of Ceremonial Arts (www.PathOfTheCeremonialArts.org) and Women of Vision (www.TheWomenOfVision.com). She has created programs for sacred living and remembrance, primarily in Boulder, Colorado, in Australia and in Israel/Palestine. She is dedicated to building a global community that honours the feminine, supports sacred union, and celebrates the divinity in all beings. She has produced three DVDs, 'Re-Discovering Mary Magdalene, Brain Illumination' and 'Couples Illumination'.
Brian Lipson acted in experimental theatre in London and appeared at National Theatre, Old Vic, Royal Court, etc. He moved to Melbourne in 1997 and has acted in many venues there. His solo show 'A Large Attendance in the Antechamber travelled internationally. He is also a director, appears on TV, and teaches at Victorian College of the Arts [Melbourne). He has won three Green Room Awards.
The Changing Shifts in Religion
and Spirituality on the Asia-Pacific Rim
Des Cahill
Dr Jan Sihar Aritonang James Haire
Siti Musdah Mulia
Dr Kyoichi Sugino Anwar Ibrahim Dr Sunggong Kim Dr Lilian Sison Dr Tu Weiming Room 103 Panel Discussion
This regional conversation will focus on the Asia-Pacific Rim, comprised of Asia, South-East Asia and Oceania. This includes Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, North and South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, representing almost one third of humanity. It is probably as diverse religiously as any other region with large groupings belonging to Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Shintoism as well as those practising the Indigenous religions. This panel will provide details of the very different shifts in religiosity and religious resurgence across the regions, not least in the Confucian-heritage countries, as well as the growth in secularism, the attraction of Buddhism, the growth in and measures taken in response to terrorism and the strength of the interfaith movement. Also addressed will be the contribution that religion makes to the social capital or social wealth of a nation and what the future holds in a region that is growing economically strong and increasingly interdependent.

Desmond Cahill, Professor of Intercultural Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne, is chair of Religions for Peace Australia and deputy moderator of Religions for Peace Asia. He is the Melbourne program director for the current Parliament.

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Ms Kellie Nagle is Family Violence Prevention Coordinator at Darebin City Council, Victoria, Australia
Dr Jan Sihar Aritonang represents the National Council of Churches of Indonesia Professor James Haire, formerly moderator-general of the Uniting Church of Australia, is director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Spirituality Professor Siti Mulia, of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, is secretary-general of the Indonesian Conference of Religions for Peace Dr Kyoichi Sugino is Director of Worldwide Services for World Conference of Religions for Peace. Anwar Ibrahim is a Malaysian political leader. Dr Sunggong Kim is a member of the South Korean parliament and secretary-general of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace. Dr Lilian Sison is secretary-general of the Philippines chapter of Religions for Peace and chair of the Women's Committee, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace. Professor Tu Weiming is a world authority on Confucianism
Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World Minnie Lucy Naylor, USA: Inupiaq Eskimo, Moderator Leo Killsback, USA: Northern Cheyenne Arturas Sinkevicius, Lithuania: Romuva Mary Issaku Serwah, Ghana/Akan Room 105 Youth Panel Traditional spiritual practices of Indigenous peoples have been under attack consistently, by colonisation and other societal pressures. The efforts of various Indigenous communities to foster an appreciation for and strengthen Indigenous beliefs and practices in their young people are challenging. Youths on this panel will discuss how they are able to maintain their Indigenous belief systems.
Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives Rene Drumm Upala Devi Kellie Nagle Room 104 Panel Discussion Domestic violence is a significant social problem worldwide, touching all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and people of all religions. According to a statement issued by the UN Secretary General in October 2006. "Violence against women persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation of human rights'. This program will feature international perspectives as well as research findings from two studies on domestic violence within the Seventh-day Adventist faith tradition. Thanks to a recent VicHealth project grant, faith leaders from across the North of Melbourne are coming together united in the stand that violence against women is never acceptable. Leaders from many faiths have undertaken family violence training to learn about the causes and effects of family violence and how to provide an appropriate response to victims and perpetrators of violence. Faith leaders have also participated in workshops to develop a Declaration Against Family Violence, recognised each year on White Ribbon Day (25th November), the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Rene Drumm is a professor of social work and chairs the Social Work and Family Studies Department at Southern Adventist University. Dr Drumm has served in higher education for the past 17 years. Dr Drumm holds a doctorate degree in Sociology from Texas Women's University and a Master's degree in Social Work from Michigan State University Dr Drumm's current research interests include domestic violence, sexual identity, and program evaluation. Ms Upala Devi is the Coordinator of the UN Task Force on Violence against Women and the UNFPA Technical Advisor on Gender-Based Violence. She has worked with a UN interagency project on a human rights-based approach to development, as well as with the Canadian International Development Agency, and with many other organisations Ms Devi holds an MPhil in South East Asia and South-West Pacific Studies from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Minnie Naylor, an Inupiaq Eskimo raised in Kotzebue, Alaska, works with the Sivuliq Youth Media Group, which is finishing its current production. 'The Lost Dances, a film about Eskimo dances exchanged between Alaska and Russia. She has been an academic advisor at the local university branch campus and has been involved in local government. She is a recent graduate of the Rural Development Program at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Leo Killsback is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation of southeastern Montana (USA). He is also a member of the Northern Cheyenne War Dancers Society and a painter for the sacrificial ceremony of life at Noavose. He is currently completing his dissertation on the history of Cheyenne leadership and also teaches courses, including Tribal Law, Tribal Government and Native Americans in Film, at the University of Arizona and Tohono O'ohdam Community College. Arturas Sinkevicius is an active member of the Lithuanian Ancient Religion Romuva Senior Priests Circle as well as a participant in Kauno Romuva, an Ancient Lithuanian religion community. He is the leader of Ethnographic Farm, a summer camp held each year since 1997 where young people learn traditional rituals, singing, dancing, and making musical instruments. He studied Recreation Pedagogy at Vilnius University and works as a teacher of Ethnic Culture. Ms Mary Issaku Serwah is a social health worker and educator operating through her church in partnership with the NGO Compassion International Ghana. She confronts such health issues as malaria, HIV/ AIDS and TB as well as issues such as adolescent reproductive health, teenage pregnancy, and drug abuse. From a background in teaching, she has also been active in several African peace and leadership conferences.
Proselytisation and Religious Freedom Kusumita Pedersen, Moderator Tonya Gonnella Frichner Amir Farid Isahak Joseph Prabhu Arvind Sharma Room 106 Panel Discussion Proselytisation, the effort to bring others into one's own religion, has been the cause of extensive and bitter conflict between religious traditions. Today it remains a cause of tensions and is an urgent topic calling for careful and responsible examination. This panel will examine differing views on the religious, ethical, and legal aspects of pros
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(SAG) and hear about their passion for human rights. A short mocumentary with a comic twist.
elytisation and their implications for religious freedom. Panellists will analyse these aspects from the perspective of several different traditions, and from the standpoint both of the person or group that proselytises and of the recipient of the attempt to convert. The discussion will consider the obligation in some theologies to witness
invite' or 'share' one's own religion, and views on the acceptability of this in a religiously plural setting. The panel will also address historic and contemporary instances of coercion and inducement' or 'allurement' with concern for how abuses can be prevented and what should count legally as coercion . Are efforts to protect religious identity problematic if they prohibit members of a community from adopting a new religion? Finally, the panel will consider questions of double or multiple belonging and practising across boundaries. Kusumita P Pedersen is a Professor of Religious Studies at St Francis College, a co-chair at the Interfaith Center of New York, and formerly an Executive Director of the Project on Religion and Human Rights. She is also an author of several articles on proselytisation and religious freedom, and a Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions Trustee. Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq is the North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a professor of Native American law and human rights. She is president and founder of the American Indian Law Alliance, an NGO in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert on the legal aspects of Indigenous peoples' rights, she is a veteran activist and advocate with long experience of the United Nations and its systems. Dr Amir Farid Isahak, a medical consultant, is a Trustee of the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative and President for the AsiaPacific Region of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations. He is also Chairman of the Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship of Malaysia and a committee member of both the Malaysia Interfaith Network and the Research and Information Centre on Islam, and an advisor to the Persatuan Darul Fitrah Malaysia, the Muslim Converts Welfare and Propagation of Malaysia. Joseph Prabhu is a Professor of Philosophy at the California State University at Los Angeles and the President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy. He is also the author of Human Rights in CrossCultural Perspective and Liberating Gandhi: Community. Empire and a Culture of Peace' forthcoming). He is a Program Task Force Chair and Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Arvind Sharma is a Birks Professor of Comparative Religions at McGill University and author of two books: "Hinduism and Human Rights and Problematizing Religious Freedom' (forthcomingl. He is also a convener of two major post and pre-Parliament conferences (Montreal 2006. Delhi 2009) and a scholar of Hinduism and comparative religions.
Interfaith Marriage: A Workshop in Working with Difference Helene ljaz David Schutz Denise Lacey Room 108 Interactive Workshop Interfaith marriages are on the increase, presenting fresh theological and pastoral challenges. This workshop on interfaith marriages and families will draw on insights from experienced couples to explore the blessings and the difficulties, the strengths and the challenges presented by these arrangements. Issues that arise include conforming to religious laws, handling pressures to convert, and deciding how to educate the children. Spouses frequently find that learning about their own and their partner's faith enhances personal and spiritual growth, helps to conquer the fear of otherness, and facilitates bridge-building between faith communities. Helene ljaz, PhD, is an educator, volunteer mediator, and a consultant and writer in the areas of interfaith, intercultural and interracial relations, She has lived in a Christian-Muslim marriage for many years David Schutz is Executive Officer of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Denise Lacey is a Marriage Educator at Centacare Catholic Family Services, Melbourne.
Presidenter of Humet Empire
'Tackling Peace' and 'SAG (it's all about human rights)' Room 107 Film Two films will be shown in this session. The first is "Tackling Peace'. This film tells the inspirational story of Israeli and Palestinian youths who unite over the game of Australian football. Overcoming difficulties in travel and differences in language and diet, the young men from different worlds form a bond under the banner of sport. The film goes behind the scenes as athletes from either side of a bloody war set aside a lifetime of prejudice and hostil - ity to compete as a team. The film was directed by Mark Radomsky. The second film is 'SAG (it's all about human rights'. Meet the members of the Student Action Group
Interreligious Regional Concerns: Europe Bruce Rigdon, Moderator Tariq Ramadan Mary Braybrooke Babaji Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Room 109 How does spirituality-and the interreligious movement in particular-express itself through the prism of geography? In this series of regional conversations, panellists hailing from varying religious traditions but similar areas of the globe engage and investigate. The Rev Dr V Bruce Rigdon is a Presbyterian minister and a professor of church history who served on the faculties of McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit. He served as President of Ecumenical Theological Seminary prior to his retirement in 2006. Prof Rigdon received his PhD from Yale University and has taught in the areas of Reformation studies and the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. He is active in the ecumenical movement. Tariq Ramadan Iwww.tarigramadan.com is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He is currently Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He is active both at the academic and grassroots levels and lectures extensively throughout the world on theology, ethics, social justice, ecology and interfaith as well as intercultural dialogue. Through his writings and lectures, he has contributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Professor Ramadan is currently president of the European think tank, European Muslim Network, in Brussels
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Mary Braybrooke is a Vice-President of the World Congress of Faiths and has worked for fifty years as a social worker in child care, in the community, and in hospitals. She has also published a research paper on the attitude of members of different faiths to organ transplants and presented a program on this subject at the Cape Town Parliament. At present she is working with people suffering from renal failure.
Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh comes from a line of spiritual leaders, and is Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. He is a retired civil and structural engineer, with two honorary Doctorates for work in faith, community and education. Bhai Sahib is also a recipient of the Juliet Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding.
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel II
Rev Dr David L C Clark, Moderator Torkel Brekke
Irfan Omar
Robin Wang
Perry Schmidt-Leukel
Fr Cedric Prakash, SJ
Xinzhong Yao
Gary Bouma
Room 110
Panel Discussion
The human reality of war, its origins, and its consequences have long been a matter of concern to the world's religions. Arrayed against deep human aspirations to live in harmony and peace, the persistence of war poses a daunting challenge to justice and sustainable living. One. response to that challenge has been the centuries-long development of just war' thinking that has taken place in the context of a number of humanity's religious traditions. While just war thinking has taken a variety of forms in different religious contexts, it has not yet been fully articulated in terms that explicitly place it within the framework of the larger questions of sustainability. This panel will explore the ways in which the traditions of just war thinking intersect with the question of human and planetary sustainability. The panel will make a strong case for the positive, global contribution of the world's religions to a better world of sustainable peace and justice.
Rev Dr David L C Clark is the chair of the Von Hugel Institute at St Edmund's College, Cambridge University.
Torkel Brekke is an Associate Professor of History of Religion at the University of Oslo, specialising in South Asian religions.
Dr Irfan Omar is an Assistant Professor of Theology and Islam at Marquette University in the United States. He specialises in Islamic thought with a particular focus on mystical and aesthetic expressions of
Islam.
Robin Wang is the Director of Asian Studies at Loyola Marymount University in the United States. She specialises in Chinese philosophy. Perry Schmidt-Leukel is Director of the Centre for Inter-faith Studies at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Fr Cedric Prakash is the Director of the Prashant Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace in Ahmedabad, India. He is also a Knight of the French Legion of Honor.
Xinzhong Yao is Professor of Confucianism at the University of Wales in Lampeter, Wales.
Gary Bouma holds the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations-Asia Pacific at Monash University in Melbourne.

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 2 Helen Spector
Rev Dirk Ficca
Zabrina Santiago
Members of the Melbourne Bid Team and Board of Management
Room 111
Panel Discussion
The second of two programs describing the 2014 Parliament Site Selection Process will help teams from interested cities understand the requirements of hosting a Parliament event and prepare them to decide whether to engage in the proposal process. This session will help teams to understand how engaging in the process of bid preparation can positively impact the development of their local interreligious movement. This session will specifically focus on: 1. The financial considerations of the proposal process and of hosting a Parliament event; and 2. The logistical and hospitality requirements of a Parliament event.
Helen Spector serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR). She joined the Board of CPWR in 1990 to help plan the 1993 Parliament Centenary Celebration and has served as co-chair for the Site Selection task forces that selected Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009) for Parliament gatherings. Helen lives in Portland, Oregon.
Rev Dirk Ficca serves as Executive Director of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Dirk worked closely with the religious and spiritual communities of the Chicago metropolitan area to plan and organise the 1993 Parliament in that city. After the 1993 event, Dirk continued to lead the Council's efforts to build a vibrant interreligious movement in Chicago and around the world. Dirk is also an ordained Presbyterian minister.
Zabrina Santiago is Deputy Executive Director and Partner Cities Director for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She brings over 15 years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, and relationship management to the Council. She is recognized for her work in over 25 international cities in developing the Partner Cites Network of the Council. The Partner Cities Network serves to connect organizations, guiding institutions, and religious and spiritual communities in cities around the globe who are working toward creating more just, cohesive, and sustainable communities. Zabrina, an active leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA), holds a Masters in Theology from McCormick Theological Seminary.
Sport as a Tool for Peace -
Daily Youth Session
Tanya Oziel
Nick Hatzoglou
Kamal Abualthom
Robert 'Dipper' DiPierdomenico
Yonatan Belik
Room 201

This session will explore the success of peacebuilding using sport by showcasing the 2008 Australian Football League (AFL) Peace Team. The team of 15 young men from Israel and 15 young men from Palestine came together last year to play the game of Aussie Rules Football in the 2008 International Cup held in Melbourne,
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Australia. Hear stories from those who had the dream, those who made it possible, and from the players and the coach. Tanya Oziel is Executive Director of the Peres Centre for Peace Australian Chapter). Nick Hatzoglou is the Multicultural Project Coordinator for the Australian Football League. Nick's key role with the Australian Football League is to bring Australian Football opportunities closer to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Kamal Abualthom was the Palestinian co-captain of the 2008 AFL Peace Team.
was Swami Shriyukteshwar and Paramahamsa Yogananda's most outstanding direct disciple, one of the greatest realised Kriya Yoga masters in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj and Lahiri Mahasaya. Founder of The School of the Bhagavad Gita in 2006 and exponent of the Bhagavad Gita. H H Swami Sandeep Chaitanya is a founder of the Salagramam Ashram at the grassroots level and in initiating new projects. He is a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda of blessed memory. Founder of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, Mother Maya is a healer, educator, and author. She is an exponent of ahimsa (nonviolencel and its ecological importance and is one of the few women to be ordained as a Sannyasini (renunciant) by her Guru. H H Swami Dayananda Saraswati. HH Dr Swami Avdeshanand Giri is Head of the Juna Peeth, the largest group of spiritual leaders in India, and Trustee of the Acharya Sabha, the highest council of authorities on Hindu Dharma. He is the founder of several humanitarian organisations as well as an author, speaker and recipient of the 2008 Hindu of the Year award Ida Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, of Amlapura, Bali, Indonesia, was confirmed as a Bali Hindu Priest in 1985, and is currently Dharma Adhyaksa of the High Priests' Assembly of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Indonesian Hindu Councill. He is active in AIDS educa tion and care for youth; and fosters the presence of traditional eco-socioreligio knowledge and practices in national/global environmental forums. Pedanda Arimbawa has joined interreligious art, prayer, and dialogues throughout Indonesia and internationally
Robert Dipper' DiPierdomenico is a National AusKick Ambassador and former professional Australian Rules footballer. In 1986 he received the Brownlow Medal and he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He coached the Israeli-Palestinian Peres Team for Peace in the 2008 Australian Football international Cup. Yonatan Belik was an Israeli team member on the 2008 AFL Peace Team.
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part Two Dr Arvind Sharma Her Grace Taraka Devi Dasi HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami Sri Paramahamsa Prajnanananda Giri HH Swami Sandeep Chaitanya Sri Swami Mayatitananda Saraswati (Mother Maya) HH Dr Swami Avdeshanand Giri Ida Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa Room 202 Religious or Spiritual Observance A special feature of the Melbourne Parliament will be an assembly of a number of the most outstanding spiritual leaders of India. The convocation of saints will begin with Vedic chanting, prayers, meditation and music. These opening observances will be followed by a number of eminent speakers on universal themes such as spiritual values and peace as well as current issues such as humanitarian work, education and the environment. All are welcome at this very inspiring and enlightening gathering! Arvind Sharma is a Birks Professor of Comparative Religions at McGill University and author of two books: 'Hinduism and Human Rights and Problematizing Religious Freedom' [forthcoming). He is also a convener of two major post- and pre-Parliament conferences (Montreal 2006, Delhi 2009) and a scholar of Hinduism and comparative religions. Her Grace Taraka Devi Dasi is a senior member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and a disciple of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON. She is also an expert in environmental issues and a teacher and priest within the movement. HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami is the designated successor to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of blessed memory. He was a Co-President of the 1993 Centenary Parliament of the World's Religions. H H Veylanswami is Guru Mahasiddhanam and 163rd preceptor of the 2.200-year-old Kailasa Parampara of the Nadinatha Sampradaya in the Saivite Hindu tradition. He is also the publisher of the international quarterly journal "Hinduism Today Sri Paramahamsa Prajnananda Giri is the current spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga international organisations. These organisations were founded by his master, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who spread the teachings of Kriya Yoga all over the world. Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji
Universities, Interreligious Dialogue, and Social Justice: A Conversation Katherine Marshall Paul Rauschenbush Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi Kim Hourn kao Thomas Banchoff Patrice Brodeur Room 203 Religion has been historically linked to higher education, as many of the oldest and best-established colleges and universities were founded to train young men for lives in religious service. The purposes and uses of the university have changed dramatically, but learning and debate about religious issues remains a central occupation even of secular institutions. A central challenge is translating dialogue on important issues and relationships forged at the university into action on the ground to address pressing global challenges. Sharing their experience leading interreligious dialogue and initiatives at two major U.S. universities, Paul Rauschenbusch. Tom Banchoff, and Katherine Marshall will talk about the possibilities and limits of interreligious work in the university setting. International colleagues will broaden the discussion. Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown Universily. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions, Katherine's work in development involves a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners and a series of reviews of development topics. After a career as a disc jockey and record producer living in Barcelona, Spain, Paul Raushenbush embarked on a personal journey that would transform his life and inspire the lives of many. Now a Baptist minister, Paul joined the Office of Religious Life at Princeton University in 2002 as the associate dean of religious life. Paul serves as co-director of Princeton's Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determinations Program on Religion, Diplomacy and International Relations. The Program offers
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students and faculty at Princeton University the opportunity to study the various intersections of religion, diplomacy and international relations. Dr Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi is the president and CEO of Dar Al-Hekma College, one of the leading private colleges for women in Saudi Arabia. Dr Al-Qurashi received a PhD and MPE from Cambridge University, an MSc from United States International University, and a BA from Richmond College, London. She is a civic and social leader who has organised three major international conferences in the Middle East on women and development issues through the 1990s.
Dr Kao was born in Cambodia and educated in the United States of America. He currently serves as President of the University of Cambodia and Secretary of State of Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among his several official positions. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii. His special interest is in regional affairs, and over the years, he attended many national, regional and international meetings (bilateral and multilateral; official and track-two). As a scholar and diplomat, he had made various contributions to both Cambodia and ASEAN. He also heads the Asian Faiths Development Dialogue [AFDD). Professor Banchoff is director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Associate Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Professor Banchoff is editor of 'Democracy and the New Religious Pluralism' (Oxford University Press, 2007) and Religious Pluralism, Globalization, and World Politics' (forthcoming, Oxford University Press). Banchoff was awarded the DAAD Award for Distinguished Scholarship in German studies in 2003.
Dr Patrice Brodeur is Canada Research Chair on Islam, Pluralism and Globalisation for the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Montreal. He completed his doctorate studies at Harvard University. Recently, he completed a three-week tour of six Arab countries to lecture on Pluralism in Canada and in Islam. He has co-edited a book titled 'Towards a Pluralist Paradigmn: Religion and Democracy in the 21st Century'.
Towards a Shared Language of Religious Training: Interfaith Education for Religious Leaders
Mark R Lindsay
Rabbi Fred Morgan
Abdullah Saeed
Paul Beirne
Room 204 Panel Discussion
Increasingly, religious leaders are being called to speak in the public arena, where to many people they represent not only their own faith but religion in general. This session will explore the possibilities for interfaith professional development for those in positions of religious leadership. The presentation will draw on case studies from the presenters' own experience in the training of religious leaders.
Dr Mark Lindsay is a systematic and historical theologian who has long been active in interfaith dialogue and education. He currently works as Director of Research at the Melbourne College of Divinity and has previously worked in universities in Perth, Melbourne and Cambridge. where he taught history, theology and Jewish-Christian relations. He has published widely in books and journals and also has experience in congregational ministry.
Prior to his appointment as Chief Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel, Rabbi Fred Morgan worked as Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Bristol, and as Rabbi of North-West Surrey Synagogue. He is a graduate of Leo Baeck College, London, where he was made a Fellow in 1997. He is also Honorary Associate Rabbi of Sim Shalom Community, Budapest, Hungary. He currently serves as a President of the Victorian Council of Christians and Jews.

Dr Adbullah Saeed is the Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, where he also directs the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies and Asia Institute (www.abdullahsaeed.org). He is involved in interfaith dialogue between Christians. and Muslims, and between Jews and Muslims, and is a frequent and popular lecturer. Dr Saeed has a BA in Arab/Islamic Studies from Saudi Arabia, an MA in Applied Linguistics and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Melbourne.
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Dr Paul Beirne holds an MA from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, a Masters in Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, a Doctor of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Queensland. His academic interests include East Asian religions and new religious movements in East Asia, particularly the symbols immanent in these religious traditions. He has been Dean of the Melbourne College of Divinity since 2001.
Aboriginal Women - Healing the Land and its People
Aunty Lois
Aunty Pat Morgan
Min Mia
Room 207
Panel Discussion
Our land was aggressively invaded by the British, which not only traumatised our people but the land itself. This program includes the work of three Aboriginal Women, Elders and healers. Bunjalung ministers Aunty Pat and Aunty Lois work tirelessly to break ancestral curses that have been passed down from generation to generation. Aboriginal people believe that serious physical ailments can be cured at a spiritual level first and foremost, and our presenters will describe how they identify the need of their people and address it at this level. Min Mia, an Aboriginal Elder, will discuss her life's journey assisting people to understand the emotional effects that the colonisation and invasion of Australia had on the Aboriginal people over successive generations. Min will provide examples of her healing work and Indigenous ways.
Lois Roberts is the founder of Arising Ministries and has been involved with indigenous communities for the past 20 years and is the senior pastor of the Arising Ministries church in Lismore.
Pat Morgan has been a gospel singer for over 40 years, has her own ministry Pat Morgan Ministries International but for the last 3 years has teamed up with Lois to help establish Arising Ministries in Australia. Min Mia (Maureen Smith) a teacher of Indigenous lore and stories from the Waradgeri people in central NSW, Australia.
Understanding Vodun: A West African Spirituality
Robert Houndohome Hounon, Benin: Vodun Hwendo, Moderator
Room 209
Interactive Workshop
This polytheistic tradition is practised in the coastal Western African countries of Ghana, Benin and Togo. It is also practised by the Yoruba of Nigeria. Learn how these deities, born into the family, clan, village and nation, are

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central to help maintain the moral, political and social order of the community.
Also known as His Majesty Daagbo Hounion Houna II, Robert Houndohome Hounon is the supreme spiritual leader of the great council of the Vodun Hwendo tradition. A veteran of numerous technical and spiritual positions, he is president of the association ELOSE, whose major aims include reconciling tradition and modernity, promoting literacy. and acquiring and transmitting written knowledge. Mr Hounon is also an adviser on interreligious action for peace in Africa.
Traditional Knowledge: The Value
of Teaching and Preserving Traditional
Knowledge
Jennie R Joe, USA: Dine, Moderator
Lucy Mulenkei, Kenya: Maasai
Margaret Lokawua, Uganda: Karimjong
Anna Pinto, India: Meiti
Room 210
Panel Discussion
Indigenous peoples have the right to enjoy and promote their own cultures, traditions, languages, and spirituality. and to have a respected platform from which this traditional knowledge can be learned and shared. Panel members will discuss how they are utilising different methods to promote traditional knowledge.
Dr Jennie R Joe is a member of the Navajo Nation. She is on faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. Since 1987, Dr Joe has also been the Director of the Native American Research and Training Center in the DFCM. A medical anthropologist, Dr Joe has been engaged in a number of community-based research projects with American Indian/Alaska Native communities.
Lucy Mulenkei is a Maasai from Kenya. She is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Information Network (IIN) in Kenya and works with the African Indigenous Women's Organization in the East African Region. She has coordinated training and capacity building on environment and sustainable development for Indigenous rural, nomadic pastoralists and hunter gatherers. Her main focus is on biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge.
Margaret Lokawua is a member of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is also the Chairperson for the Civil Society for Indigenous Organizations in Karamonja, as well as the Director of the Indigenous Women Environmental Conservation Project.
Anna Pinto is Executive Director of CORE ICentre for Organisation, Research and Education), an Indigenous peoples' policy research and advocacy organisation based in Northeast India. An active member of the Indian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initiatives by the Indian government and international agencies such as the World Bank.
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Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue
Rev Bud Heckman Josh Daneshforooz Rev Nicole Diroff Bettina Gray
Rev Sam Muyskens
Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia Matthew Weiner
11:30am-1:00pm
Paul Chaffee
Room 211
Interactive Workshop
This workshop features an overview of new methodologies or fresh twists on old methods in interreligious dialogue. It is designed to be a 'tasting' smorgasbord of ideas from a variety of interfaith leaders in the United States and beyond.
Rev Bud Heckman is Director for External Relations at Religions for Peace, the world's largest coalition of representatives of the world's great religions dedicated to peace. An ordained Christian minister of the United Methodist Church, Rev Heckman is a frequent speaker and writer on interfaith relations and editor of a new reference book for the field called 'InterActive Faith: The Essential Interreligious Community-Building Handbook [SkyLight Paths, 2008).
Josh Daneshforooz is currently the Film Initiative Research Associate at the Pluralism Project at Harvard. He is also the president of the Harvard Society for Comparative Theology and founder of All Nations Education, a nonprofit devoted to providing young adults in the developing world with college scholarships that focus on cultivating servant leadership and community service. Josh is currently pursuing a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, where he focuses in comparative theology.
Rev Nicole Diroff is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and an employee of the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia. She works with the Center's Interfaith Youth Service Learning Initiative and serves as the coordinator for the Religious Leader Council. Rev Diroff has expertise in youth development, mentoring, ecumenical and interfaith relations. She is one of two representatives of the United Church of Christ on the National Council of Churches (USA) Interfaith Relations Commission.
Bettina Gray is a co-founder and current Chair of the North American Interfaith Network (NAIN. As recent visiting scholar at the Women's Leadership Institute at Mills College her area of focus was 'Religions and Global Security. She is also an Emmy-nominated television host and producer. Her media work includes the 27-part public television series 'A Parliament of Souls which aired in 140 countries and was filmed at the 1993 Parliament of Religions.
Rev Sam Muyskens is the former Executive Director of Inter-Faith Ministers (17 years), one of the founding members of the North American Interfaith Network, presently hosts a local interfaith TV talk show, and is a consultant to emerging interfaith organisations.
Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia is the Chairperson of the National Interfaith Committee of the World Sikh Council - America Region, Moderator of Religions for Peace USA, Vice-Chair of North American Interfaith Network, member of Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, and a member of the Board of Scholars and Practitioners of The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue. He also serves as the President of the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio.
Matthew Weiner is the program director at the Interfaith Center of New York. He has an MTS from Harvard Divinity School and a PhD from Union Theological Seminary. His writing about public religion and interfaith has appeared in the International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal and the Huffington Post.

Paul Chaffee, ordained in the United Church of Christ (USA), has been the Executive Director of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio in

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San Francisco since its inception in 1995. He is a trustee of the North American Interfaith Network and has helped begin several United Religions Initiative Cooperation Circles.
The Role of Religion in Mediating Conflict Stein Villumstad Thomas Daffern Fiyaz Mughal Ghulam Nabi Fai Joanne Blaney Sohan Lal Gandhi Room 212 Interactive Workshop Interfaith dialogue has far wider implications than simply bringing religious believers together to talk shop: when religious and spiritual leaders have garnered the respect of diverse communities and constituencies in their area, they can become guides and touchstones to mediating conflicts of all sorts. This panel, led by speakers with diverse experience, will discuss strategies for mediation, reconciliation and conflict resolution Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He Served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights. Dr Thomas Daffern is Founder and Director of the International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy, an educational charity. He has taught and travelled in over thirty countries and has twice spoken at the United Nations Headquarters about peace studies and global spirituality and education. A British-Canadian philosopher, historian, educator. writer and poet, he has taught the history of ideas, science and religion at the University of Oxford and the University of London. Fiyaz Mughal is the Director of faith Matters, which works on developing platforms for interaction between Muslim, Sikh and Jewish communities across the United Kingdom. He is the founder and director of two microfinance projects in Palestine and Israel and has been appointed as the advisor to Nick Clegg MP on interfaith issues and prevention of extremism. Mughal was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Ghulam Nabi Fai is the executive director of the Washington-based Kashmiri American Council, the founding chairman of the World Peace Forum, the chairman of the Kashmiri American Foundation and the London-based Justice Foundation, and a member of the board of directors of the Istanbul-based Union of the NGOs of the Islamic World. He has also organised seven international peace conferences Joanne Blaney is a Maryknoll Lay Missioner who has spent the last twelve years working in Brazil with urban grassroots groups on the themes of violence, conflict resolution and mediation. Since 2005, Joanne has been a facilitator of the EsPeRe course (Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation). Using a popular education model, she works with a variety of restorative justice practices including restorative circles, emotional literacy and assertive communication. She holds an MA in Education. Dr Sohan Lal Gandhi is the President of Anuvrat Global Organization, a transnational centre for ahimsa associated with the UN'S Department of Public Information. He has been at the forefront of national and international campaigns for interfaith harmony and has presented papers at more than thirty international conferences held in different countries. He is the editor of the 'Anuvibha Reporter' and has authored, edited and translated several books.
Signposts of Engaged Spirituality: Faith and Interfaith Initiatives for Building a Culture of Peace Swee-Hin Toh Marites Guingona-Africa Hiro Sakurai Parichart Suwan Tessa Mackenzie Wendy Flannery Elizabeth Khrishna Room 213 Panel Discussion There is a deepening commitment among interfaith organisations worldwide to the vision of 'engaged spirituality. In this paradigm of spirituality, faith is not complete until a believer translates the core values and principles of his or her particular religion into action on all levels of life. In other words, a believer must literally transform into those deep spiritual principles that he or she adheres to. Despite exponential economic growth, technological advances and unlimited consumerism, humanity is faced with the pervasive realities of suffering and a lack of peace. All faith communities and interfaith movements need to help build a culture of peace encompassing nonviolence, local/global justice, human security, human rights, intercultural respect and solidarity, ecological sustainability and inner peace. To do this, they must promote engaged spirituality. This panel will present important examples of grassroots faith and interfaith initiatives that should be recognised as signposts of engaged spirituality. Toh Swee-Hin (S H Toh) is Professor and Director, Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre in Australia, which seeks to promote interfaith dia
e for a culture of peace. He is active in peace education and interfaith dialogue movements including a Parliament of the World's Religions, Religions for Peace, and the Asia-Pacific Interfaith Meetings for peace and cooperation, as a member of the Australian delegation Swee-Hin was awarded the UNESCO prize for Peace Education in 2009. Marites Guingona-Africa is founder and convenor of the Peacemakers Circle Foundation, a URI cooperation circle of people of diverse religious, spiritual and Indigenous traditions, engaged in daily interfaith cooperation to end religiously motivated violence and promote cultures of peace, justice and healing for the earth and all living beings. Currently Chairperson of URI, Southeast Asia-Pacific region, she served on the Philippine delegation to interfaith meetings in New Zealand and Seoul, South Korea Hiro Sakurai is the Director, United Nations Liaison Office, Soka Gakkai International. As past President of the Committee of Religious NGOs of the UN, he co-launched the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace. He served on the Board of Directors of the Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security and the International Steering Committee for Global Action to Prevent War. He helped develop SGI's community education projects on the environment, nonviolence, nuclear disarmament and human security Dr Parichart Suwan bubbha is Vice-Director, Mahidol University Research Centre for Peace Building. She conducts dialogues for peace among military and religious leaders, student leaders and villagers in the south of Thailand. Her work involves Buddhist-Christian and Buddhist Muslim dialogues. She has studied Systematic Theology at the University of Chicago and Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. She is a faculty member in the Comparative Religion and Ethical Studies Program at Mahidol University. Thailand. Tessa Mackenzie is former Secretary and current Treasurer of Interfaith Search Fiji, which seeks to promote interfaith dialogue and cooperation

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for peace in Fiji. She is also involved in two NGOs for peace and human rights in Fiji: the Citizens Constitutional Forum and the Ecumenical Centre for Research Education and Advocacy. She also educates Christian theological students preparing for ministry in the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia.
Sr Wendy Flannery is a founding member and current activities coordinator of Believing Women for a Culture of Peace, an interfaith and intercultural association for promoting respectful relationships and capacity for conflict transformation among women of diverse faiths in Brisbane, Australia. She has spent over 20 years in educational, development and empowerment work in the Pacific Islands, worked with remote Aboriginal communities, and co-founded the Sisters of Mercy International NGO office at the UN.
Elizabeth Khrishna is Associate Chairperson of Interfaith Search Fiji, which was established in 1987 to raise public awareness of the need for respect, understanding, reconciliation and peace in Fiji's multifaith society through public interfaith prayers, interfaith dialogues and seminars, and multicultural resource material for schools. She has also contributed to various Catholic Church programs for intercultural awareness and the Youth and Peace Development Program of the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy.
Hearing the Other: How Can Cultural Organisations Best Work with Indigenous Communities?
Caroline Martin
Carolyn Briggs Room 214 Panel Discussion
Presenters from two important Aboriginal institutions of Melbourne, Bunjilaka and the Boon Wurrung Foundation, will highlight best practices for organisations seeking to work productively, honestly and openly with Indigenous communities. Bunjilaka is the Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum, a venue of Museum Victoria. The Centre was developed to empower Aboriginal people to interpret their own cultural heritage for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. It holds cultural heritage items from a collection that is one of the most significant in the world. Caroline Martin, Manager, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, will discuss how the Centre successfully engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in its programming, and encourages reconciliation through the sharing of history, personal story and experience. The Boon Wurrung Foundation was established for the purpose of benefiting Boon wurrung people and other Indigenous Australians who live on and value Boon wurrung country. The role of the foundation is to facilitate advising on Cultural Heritage matters, to sponsor cultural programs, and to promote and manage the effective use of grants made by third parties to, or for the benefit of, Boon wurrung people, and other Indigenous Australians who live in Boon wurrung country.
Caroline Martin was appointed Manager, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum in March 2004, Previously, Caroline was a Senior Indigenous Policy Adviser for the Departments of Education and Human Services. Caroline is a descendant of the Briggs family and Traditional Owner of Boon Wurrung Country. Caroline is the current Chairperson of Aboriginal Tourism Victoria, Executive member of the Common Fate Board and is a Future Focus Group Alumni for the Committee for Melbourne.
Carolyn Briggs is the authorised Elder of the Boon Wurrung and a member of the Elders Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. She is a former director of La Trobe University's Aboriginal Tertiary Support Unit and also
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set up the Djawurrung Cultural Community Centre in Bendigo. Carolyn has served as a mediator with the Equal Opportunities Commission and was seconded to work with the Federal Attorney General regarding the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
Development of Indigenous
Foundations: Helping Communities Develop Foundations for Indigenous Peoples
Christopher Peters, USA: Pohlik-lah/Karuk, Moderator Alejandro Argumedo, Peru: Quechua
Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu elder Room 215
Panel Discussion
Many international organisations and NGOs have policies, declarations and resolutions that promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous foundations need to be structured for their specific needs. Included could be land rights, health, repatriation and maintaining cultural heritage.
Christopher Peters is the director of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas. Mr Alejandro Argumedo, a Quechua from Peru, is Executive Director of the autonomous international NGO, Cultural Survival Canada, focusing on the connection between cultural and biological diversity and on Indigenous peoples' traditional resource rights. Mr Argumedo is coordinator for the Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN) and is a member of the steering committee and advisory group for IPBN's Indigenous Knowledge Programme. He holds a degree in agriculture from McGill University.
Tsugio Kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture.
Philip Arnold Oren Lyons
Jake Swamp
The Doctrine of Discovery
and Indigenous Peoples
Tonya Gonnella-Frichner
Mary N MacDonald
Doug George-Kanentiio Room 216 Panel Discussion

In a series of 15th century Papal Bulls (letters from the Pope to the Catholic Church) there developed what is now known as the 'Doctrine of Discovery'. While there had always been localised expressions of intolerance toward other cultures, these 15th century documents initiated a global colonial enterprise on a scale unprecedented in human history. These Bulls spurred on the Age of Discovery; the trans-Atlantic slave trade; trans-Atlantic mercantilism and global consumerism; the development of colonialism (and with it the theft of land along with cultural and environmental destruction) in the Americas,

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Africa, Australia and other parts of the world; ethnocide against Jews, Muslims, and many kinds of Indigenous peoples. This doctrine is of urgent interest to contemporary Indigenous people as it continues to be the basis of certain types of law. Several initiatives are underway to deal with its debilitating effects. This panel is composed of various Indigenous speakers, academics, and religious activists who are dealing with the Doctrine of Discovery. The panel will address the global scope of this issue and proposed solutions from various communities.
Philip P Arnold is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Religions al Syracuse University. His books include 'Eating Landscape: Aztec and European Occupation of Tlalocan' and 'Sacred Landscapes and Cultural Politics: Planting a Tree' and 'Indigenous Religions: An Introduction Iforthcoming). For twenty years he has collaborated on a number of issues and events with the Haudenosaunee ['People of the Longhouse'), through leadership of the Onondaga Nation, which is Central Fire of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, is a powerful and passionate spokesperson for Indigenous human rights and spiritual perspectives. An environmental champion, he speaks around the world, is active at the United Nations, and is widely known through his writings. He is a Professor Emeritus, in American Studies, SUNY Buffalo and the co-author of 'Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the U.S. Constitution.
Jake Swamp is employed with the Men for Change Program, part of the lethini'sten:ha Family Violence Shelter. He is a former leader of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and was involved directly in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School-an acclaimed Mohawk language immersion school that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the United States and Canada.
Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq is the North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a professor of Native American law and human rights. She is president and founder of the American Indian Law Alliance, an NGO in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert on the legal aspects of Indigenous peoples' rights, she is a veteran activist and advocate with long experience of the United Nations and its systems. Mary N MacDonald is an historian of religions who teaches at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, where she holds the O'Connell Professorship in the Humanities. Through her research on religions of Papua New Guinea, MacDonald has come to focus on environmental aspects of religion. An Australian of Scottish and Irish heritage, she is concerned with the claims that Indigenous peoples and settler peoples have to the land, and with the question of a just resolution to competing claims.
Mr Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk, is an editor, columnist and author. He has attended the last two Parliament events where he spoke on aboriginal issues of North America. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian. Kanentiio is the author of three books including, 'Iroquois on Fire'. recently published by the University of Nebraska. He is the husband of the singer Joanne Shenandoah.
Religion's Imperative to Present
'the Other' Faithfully (Session 2)
Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Moderator Dipak Jain
Marcus Braybrooke
Paul Knitter
Ruben Habito
Balwant Singh Dhillon
Fr John Pawlikowski
Room 217
What is the religious imperative to present 'the other' faithfully? The need to accurately present traditions other

11:30am-1:00pm
INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
than one's own is, to a large extent, a novel imperativegrowing out of our contemporary interfaith reality and a growing movement which seeks to cultivate harmonious intrareligious relations. Against a history of caricature and scorn that have long characterised the portrayal of the other in each of our traditions, we are now challenged to consider: what is the theological and spiritual basis that requires us to present the other faithfully? How can we turn to our traditions and find within them the call to represent the other faithfully-even positively-and how do we replace the older scornful view with an alternative presentation of the other?
Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977. Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other.
Dr Dipak C Jain has been dean of the Kellogg School of Management since 2001. His career in education began as a student in Tezpur, northeast India. He earned his Master's Degree in Mathematical Statistics from Gauhati University in India and his PhD in Marketing from the University of Texas. Since 1989, Dean Jain has also been a visiting professor of marketing at the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
Interfaith Dialogue in Victorian Schools
Grant Watson
Teachers and Students from Five Victorian
Independent Schools
Room 219
Interactive Workshop
The aim of this program is to highlight multifaith initiatives at five Victorian schools. The first school is Luther College, a coeducational Christian school in eastern Melbourne. During this section of the program, Luther College band and choir students will perform. St Columba's College is a Catholic school for girls, founded by the Sisters of Charity. Students will present a dance performance as an expression of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu faiths. Caulfield Grammar School is a multi-campus, independent school associated with the Anglican Church in Australia. Caulfield representatives will present a film of a conversation between Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian students. Wesley College is a multi-campus, independent school associated with the Uniting Church in Australia. Representatives will demonstrate a multifaith religious education class lesson titled 'Teaching Islam in an Independent School. Minaret College is a multi-campus, independent, coeducational Islamic school serving the southeastern region of Melbourne. Since 9/11, the college has used effective strategies to protect and maintain social cohesion, respect, peace and harmony among the multifaith communities in Victoria. This presentation focuses on Minaret College's interfaith dialogue with Anglican, Christian, Catholic, Jewish and State schools, plus other organisations in Victoria.

Grant Watson is Chief of Staff at Scotch College, a large Presbyterian boys school in inner Melbourne, and is Current President of the Victorian Association of Religious Education. He has taught religious education for
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ten years and has been engaged in the development of curriculum material for religious education at all levels of secondary education. The Religious Imperative to Present the Other Faithfully 2
LUNCHTIME PROGRAMMING 1:00 - 2:30pm
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Open meeting: final assessment and report on project Joseph Runzo Room 110 Symposium This is Panel #8 in the 'War and the Role of Religion in a Just and Sustainable World' Symposium Dr Joseph Runzo is Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of the Global Ethics and Religion Forum, an educational nonprofit dedicated to global ethical responsibility. He has written and lectured extensively around the world on comparative religion, religious ethics, human rights and the ethics of war and peace. He is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Chapman University, USA, and a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, UK.
ENGAGEMENT 2:30-4:00pm
The Swami and the Rabbi: A Conversation Rabbi Fred Morgan Shantilal Somaiya Swami Shankarananda Room 220 Moderated Conversation This moderated conversation between Swami Shankarananda, head of the Shivayoga Asghram in Mount Eliza, and Rabbi Fred Morgan, head of Temple Beth Israel in St Kilda, will explore a range of important issues including the nature of God and humanity, the role of the religious leader in a multicultural world, and the possibility of interfaith dialogue through sharing spiritual biographies. Swami Shankarananda and Rabbi Morgan come from strikingly similar backgrounds: both were born in New York City to Jewish parents, both attended Columbia University in the late 1960s, both were for a time academics, and both were drawn to explore the religious heritage of India. Given the spiritual trajectories of their lives, it would not be difficult to imagine the Swami and the Rabbi in the shoes of the other. How is it, then, that they have ended up as they are? How do they see themselves in relation to the other? This program will explore these and other questions. Prior to his appointment as Chief Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel, Rabbi Fred Morgan worked as Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Bristol, and as Rabbi of North-West Surrey Synagogue. He is a graduate of Leo Baeck College, London, where he was made a Fellow in 1997. He is also Honorary Associate Rabbi of Sim Shalom Community, Budapest, Hungary. He currently serves as a President of the Victorian Council of Christians and Jews. Dr S K Somaiya is Vice President of Somaiya Vidyavihar, an educational trust in Mumbai running 37 institutes with 27,000 students. He received the prestigious Luminosa award in July 2002 in New York from the Focolare Movement. He also led the Hindu Delegation to the Interreligious Congress organised at Astana, Kazakhstan in 2003 and 2006. Dr Somaiya participated in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in New York in 2000. Mahant Swami Shankarananda is a leading meditation teacher and Director of the Shiva School of Meditation in Mt Eliza. He has taught and written about meditation, self-inquiry and the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism for over forty years. He is author of the best-selling books "Happy for No Good Reason', and 'Consciousness is Everything
Healing the Earth - One Workplace at a Time - Spiritual Paths Through the World of Work Michael Harmer David Carman Sharan Burrow Lisa Heap Ron McCallum Room 101 Panel Discussion Work is central to the lives of many individuals and critical to the livelihood, health and welfare of families throughout the world. The world of work is a fertile ground for the application of universal spiritual principles derived from the world's religions. The introduction of improved workplace culture via the application of the values found at the core of all the major religions of the world can be a source of tremendous spiritual, mental and physical healing for the people of the earth and its environment. This session will be introduced by Michael Harmer and will include the following presentations. Firstly Sharan Burrow will speak on "The quest to achieve Decent Work' an international trade union perspective; secondly David Carman will present on 'What individuals can do to achieve spiritual fulfilment, balance and harmony at work, and thirdly Michael Harmer will address "The employer's role in achieving good faith, dignity and spiritual fulfilment at the workplace. The second part of the session will include interactive panel and audience discussion facilitated by Lisa Heap followed by closing observations and report of the discussion by Professor Ron McCallum AO.
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Michael Harmer is Chairman and Senior Team Leader, Harmers Workplace Lawyers, and is Executive Member of the Australian Institute of Employment Rights (AIER).
David Carman is Founder and Director, CarmanWhite Pty Ltd.
Sharan Burrow is President, International Trade Union Confederation, and President, Australian Council of Trade Unions
Lisa Heap, is Executive Director, Australian Institute of Employment Rights (AIER).
Professor Ron McCallum AO, is former Dean of Law and Professor of Industrial Law, Sydney University and is Member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment
Margaret Fyfe
Ranmal Samarawickrama
Mary Anne Collins
Room 102
Panel Discussion
As an official aid and development agency of the Catholic Church, Caritas Australia works in cooperation with Caritas International's worldwide network to alleviate poverty in the majority world. Caritas pursues the freedom of those who are oppressed by injustice, bringing 'sight' to both those who are powerless and powerful and proclaiming to the poor the good news of their human dignity. This panel will explore the living out and application of Caritas' guiding principles in the organisation's core work of long term development and advocacy. The program begins with an introduction to Caritas' mission, vision and guiding principles. Next, a case study from Indonesia will examine the work of the Caritas Australia program coordinator, a Buddhist working in a predominantly Muslim country under the auspices of a Catholic organisation. The final part of the program will focus on the Australian constituency by exploring ways to raise awareness of global injustice and create the conditions for active participation in the alleviation of poverty.
Margaret Fyfe is Programs Coordinator for the Latin American Region and Diocesan Director of the Melbourne Office for Caritas Australia. She worked as an administrator for Caritas de Xalapa in Veracruz, Mexico from 1996 to 2000. Ms Fyfe has a background in primary education in Victoria and South Australia.
Ranmal Samarawickrama joined Caritas Australia in 2005 and currently serves as team leader for South Asia and East Timor. He worked for the United Nations in Oecussi, an isolated enclave of East Timor, in 2001 and 2002, and he managed the field for Oxfam Australia in 2002 and 2003. He has a Master's degree in international development.
Mary Anne Collins is Global Education Advisor for Victoria and Tasmania with Caritas Australia. She has a background in education and international development.

The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World [Part 1]
Michelle Mueller
Prabha Duneja
Anisa Buckley
Jessi (Jasjit) Kaur Ven Chang Wu Shi Ven Chang Shen Shi Barbara Condron Elisheva Salamo
Room 103
Panel Discussion
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
This interfaith panel will showcase the many ways various female leaders from around the world search for inner peace. The program will begin with an historical overview of women at the 1893 Parliament and their sense of inner peace. It will then proceed into short presentations on finding inner peace by female leaders from different faith traditions. Participants will receive valuable insight on how different women religious leaders from Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Pagan and Christian traditions find and maintain inner peace. This is a special program and will include presentations from all panellists. It will extend into an Openspace session with conversation between presenters and participants.
Michelle Mueller works as the Acting Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, NJ, USA. She graduated from the Pacific School of Religion in 2008. She first attended the Parliament of the World's Religions in 2004 in Barcelona after winning a Covenant of the Goddess essay contest.
Prabha Duneja is a writer, speaker and lecturer on Hindu religion. She is a missionary of the Geeta Society, Chairwoman of Women's Interfaith Circle of Service URI/CC, and an active leader of the interfaith movement in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has written numerous articles as well as the books 'Mantra and the Modern', 'The Legacy of Yoga in Bhagawad Geeta, An Introduction to Bhagawed Geeta', and 'The Gateway to Freedom: Bhagawad Geeta.
Anisa Buckley is a PhD Candidate in Islamic Studies at the Asia Institute and the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne. She holds an MA in Islamic Studies from the University of New England, Armidale: a Graduate Certificate in International Development from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology; and a BEd from the University of Sydney.
Jessi Kaur, a frequent speaker at interfaith conferences, has travelled extensively, sharing the spiritual values taught by the Sikh Gurus. She believes that harmony is possible in a diverse world when barriers of ignorance are brought down. She is co-founder of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies and author of 'Dear Takuya', a children's book promoting acceptance of diversity among young children. She is also Fine Arts Commissioner for Cupertino, California.
Chang Wu Shi is a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, practising since 1995 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. She has participated in and been a panellist on international conferences on peace making, spirituality and sangha education. Currently she oversees the operation of the Special Project Department and the International Translation Department at the Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural Center in Taiwan.
Chang Shen Shi is a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, practising since 2001 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. Prior to becoming a bhikshuni, she studied in New York City and earned a PhD in

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sociology in 2004. She attended Sangha University of DDM for professional monastic training, including philosophy of Buddhism and Chan practice.
Dr Barbara Condron is an educator, interfaith minister, filmmaker and author. In the fields of mind and energy, Barbara is a leader in researching the appearance and development of spiritual consciousness in humankind. Her work builds upon outstanding thinkers [DaVinci, Gandhi, Jung and Joseph Campbell) in the fields of symbology and archetypes, opening perception to deepen understanding of the unity existing within our diversity.
A San Francisco native, biologist turned rabbi, Elisheva Salamo is priveleged to serve as the spiritual leader of Keddem Congregation and a fabulous group of seniors at the local Jewish Community Center. Ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, one of her great passions is playing with biblical and rabbinic texts, and watching how everyone comes up with important insights. Formerly a teacher in the American Jewish Committee's CJEEP program to send Jewish educators to Catholic high schools and vice-versa, she has a strong interest in mending the damaged realtionship between Christians and Jews through shared study, understanding and mutual respect.
Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth
Ali Majokah
Freeman Trebilcock
Adela Woliansky
Marcelle Disanayake
Jagdeep (Jag) Singh Shergill
Nivy Balachandran
Room 104
Panel Discussion
This session will be led by the steering committee of InterAction: Multifaith Youth Network, and a representative from the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Association of Australia (JCMAJ Primary School Programme. InterAction is a new multifaith youth network based in Australia. It promotes religious pluralism by engaging young people in common action for the common good. Through service projects that are of benefit to the broader community, young people from diverse backgrounds can work together on addressing issues that are of concern to them and their community. For the past three years, the JCMA Primary School Programme in Victoria has been delivered to over 10,000 students in all types of schools across the state. Among the issues addressed by InterAction will include understanding the key goals and challenges in interfaith youth work. JCMA will explain their goals and processes, including results and feedback from their work with thousands of students. They will also offer an actual presentation with students.
Ali Majokah is a 20-year-old Arts/Science student at Monash University. He is currently majoring in Journalism, Philosophy, Linguistics and Biology. He is a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was born in Pakistan and arrived as a refugee in Australia with his family: in 1998. In 2008, Ali took part in CMY's Multicultural Multifaith Youth Mentoring program and also in CMY's and Environment Victoria's Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability program.
Freeman Trebilcock is a 21-year-old Australian-born Tibetan Buddhist monk and a founding member of Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth.
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Freeman has collaborated in numerous interfaith initiatives including organising and participating in the 'Dialogue with the Dalai Lama: Multifaith Forum for Schools' as well as coordinating the Buddhist community for the Melbourne Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage. Freeman attended IFYC's 2007 conference on interfaith work and, inspired by the idea of interfaith service, started InterAction: Multifaith Youth Network.
Adela Woliansky is a 20-year-old Law/Commerce student at the University of Melbourne and a member of the Australian Jewish community. In 2008, Adela took part in CMY's Multicultural Multifaith Youth Mentoring program and was involved in organising an interfaith gathering between young Muslim and Jewish students. In her role as the Education Officer of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, Adela was involved in educational initiatives within her own and the wider community. Marcelle Disanayake, a Catholic Victorian with Sri Lankan heritage, is studying Politics, Sociology and Economics at Monash University, Marcelle is a member of InterAction and the Monash Young Person's Reference Group. She was formerly a Victorian Human Rights Ambassador, as well as a member of the Victorian Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network. Marcelle has won the Rotary Young Leaders Award and Certificate of Achievement for Services to the Community as a Victorian Human Rights Ambassador
Jagdeep (Jag) Singh Shergill is a member of the Sikh and Punjabi communities of Melbourne, and acts as a spokesperson for Sikh youth. He is a member of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria; Sikhcess Australia; the Multicultural Multifaith Youth Network; Centre Of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network; Victoria University Western Region Interfaith Network: 3ZZZ 92.3 FM. Melbourne's Ethnic Community Radio; and the National Ethnic Multicultural Broadcasters Council.
Nivy Balachandran is a 22-year-old member of the Hindu community. She is currently completing a Master's degree in Development Studies at the University of Melbourne. In 2007 she completed CMY's Multicultural Multifaith Youth Mentoring program. Nivy is a member of the International Women's Development Agency and has travelled extensively. An advocate for human rights, she intends to work in international development or humanitarian aid.
The Road to Copenhagen - The Burden and Challenge for the Next Generation Room 105
Along with the 300 million most vulnerable populations in the least development countries around the world, it will be young people who will bear the burden of climate change over the next 50 years. The good news is that young people are leading the way in confronting this global crisis head on, with a combination of idealism about their future and realism about the difficult decisions and effort needed for what lies ahead. The Global Humanitarian Forum is providing a platform for young people to make their voices heard, to develop ideas, strategies and networks, and to work in practical and effective ways to implement new solutions.

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PROGRAM DE Tuesday, December 8, 2009
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto Rican-American and Australian Voices Shamir Allibhai Dr Pamela Ryan Jennifer Maytorena Taylor Hussein Rashid Room 106 Panel Discussion
The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: 'Traces of the Trade' Rev Denise Yarbrough Dain Perry Constance R Perry Room 107 Film and Discussion In the documentary 'Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slavetrading family in US history. She and nine cousins retrace the Triangle Trade and gain a powerful new perspective on the black/white divide. This program also shows how the Episcopal Church USA has worked to heal the pain of its participation in the pervasive racism in the history of the United States. A panel discussion will follow the film. Rev Denise Yarbrough is the Canon for Christian Formation and Theological Education at the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, New York, and acts as the Interreligious and Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese. She teaches interfaith studies and world religions at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and serves on various interfaith bodies. She has authored a curriculum for interfaith education in Christian congregations and is working on a book on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Dain Perry and nine cousins in 2001 travelled to Rhode Island USA, Ghana, and Cuba exploring the history of their DeWolf ancestors, America's foremost slave-traders. Dain and his wife Constance recently retired early so they can travel around the United States screening 'Traces of the Trade and facilitating conversations on racial reconcilia tion with people from diverse backgrounds, including faith communities. colleges, high schools, libraries and community groups. Constance R Perry is active in the Episcopal Church and is currently on the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Massachusetts. She and Dain were married in 2006, and live in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
In this session, participants will hear from speakers involved with the making of three internationally acclaimed films that promote dialogue between Muslims and nonMuslims. In 'New Muslim Cool', Puerto Rican-American rapper Hamza Perez takes viewers on a ride through the streets, projects and jail cells of urban America, to some surprising places where we can all see ourselves reflected in a world that never stops changing. An Islamic Conscience features the life of the Aga Khan, who has been the spiritual leader of 15 million Ismaili Muslims for the past five decades. Born into wealth and privilege, he has devoted his life to eliminating poverty and inequality. At a time when Islam is at odds within itself and with the West, this film presents the Aga Khan as a voice of moderation and pluralism. Riots in Sydney in 2005 signalled a deepening divide between Muslims and non-Muslims in Australia. The film 'Beyond Beliefs tells the story of how, in March 2007, some 400 Australians came together at Old Parliament House in Canberra for three days to consider how to build understanding across the divide. Please consult the schedule for viewing times of each film, which should be watched as a prerequisite. Shamir Allibhai is the producer of An Islamic Conscience: The Aga Khan and the Ismailis', which has been screened in the UK, USA, Canada, Lebanon, Tajikistan, East Africa, France and Switzerland. Shamir is a candidate for a Master's of Theological Studies in Islamic Studies from the Harvard Divinity School and is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. He also attended the Gulf Islands Film and Television School. As a psychologist, political scientist, organisational consultant and academic. Dr Pamela Ryan has worked with numerous private and public organisations. As Managing Director of Issues Deliberation Australia/ America (IDA), the international NGO that commissioned the making of 'Beyond Beliefs', Dr Ryan has influenced major public policy projects in Australia and the United States. Dr Ryan is also co-founder of the international nonprofit organisation, Psychology Beyond Borders (PBB) American filmmaker Jennifer Maytorena Taylor has won awards at festivals around the world, including two Emmys. Her credits include the documentaries Special Circumstances. "Ramadan Primetime. 'Paulina'. "Home Front' and Immigration Calculations. She has done several television series and short films, and held fellowships at the Bantt Centre for the Arts, the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, and the Sundance Institute Documentary Lab. She also serves as a guest lecturer and teacher in documentary film production. Hussein Rashid is a PhD candidate at Harvard University. He has an MTS from Harvard Divinity School and a BA from Columbia College. In 2006 he became one of the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow. He is a frequent speaker, television and radio guest, and is currently a visiting faculty member at Hofstra University, Mr Rashid is the author of the blog islamicate (www. islamicate.coml. His current research interests include the representation of Muslims in graphic novels.
Enabling Response: Contributions of the Ecological Humanities toward an Environmental Culture Anne Elvey Freya Mathews Norman Habel Kate Rigby Deborah Bird Rose Room 108 Panel Discussion Embedded within the diversity of the Earth community. religious and spiritual communities face immense challenges to respond adequately to climate change, species loss, the intersections of ecological and social justice, and the invitation to live ethically and joyfully in solidarity with other animals. These challenges require people of goodwill not only to act well but also in many cases to rethink the cultural foundations of their actions. Ecotheology. ecophilosophy and the ecohumanities more generally represent a sustained interdisciplinary project to offer critical and dynamic bases for articulating an environmental culture responsive to the Earth community. This panel brings together four experienced Australian researchers in the
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ecohumanities, working critically and sympathetically with religious and spiritual traditions, to build cultures capable of enabling our effective openness and responsiveness to our animal, arboreal, oceanic, desert, river, soil and human neighbours. Drawing on ecophilosophical sources, Freya Mathews will consider educating desire as a foundation for ecological community. Norman Habel will address the challenge of ecological hermeneutics. Kate Rigby will speak about ecocritical studies in literature and religion, demonstrating this approach with her work on Augustan and Romantic poetry. Deborah Rose will present on the ecohumanities, animals and religion. Anne Elvey will chair.
Anne Elvey is a researcher and poet. Her current work in ecocriticism and biblical studies is supported by Melbourne College of Divinity and the Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, Monash University. Author of 'An Ecological Feminist Reading of the Gospel of Luke: A Gestational Paradigm (Mellen 2005), Anne is now working on a book entitled 'The Matter of the Text. She is convenor of a cross-institutional, interdisciplinary ecotheology and ecospirituality research group based at Melbourne College of Divinity.
Freya Mathews has published widely in the field of ecological philosophy. Her books include 'The Ecological Self (Routledge, 1991). For Love of Matter: towards a Contemporary Panpsychism' (SUNY, 2003) and Reinhabiting Reality: towards a Recovery of Culture' (SUNY, 2005). Active in disseminating ecophilosophical ideas in the wider community. Freya's work focuses on ecological metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, philosophy of place and reinhabitation, and Indigenous thought, especially in the Indigenous traditions of Australia and China.
Norman Habel is currently professorial fellow at Flinders University. He initiated and edited the five-volume Earth Bible series and the more recent work "Exploring Ecological Hermeneutics'. He has been active in a range of social justice and eco-justice areas, including a school for Dalits and Tribals in Tamil Nadu. Initiator and promoter of The Season of Creation, a new season of the church, his writing includes children's books, songs, poetry and academic works. His most recent work is 'An Inconvenient Text: Is a Green Reading of the Bible Possible?".
Kate Rigby is Associate Professor in Comparative Literature at Monash University. She is a co-editor of PAN (Place Activism Nature) and has published widely in the areas of ecocriticism, ecophilosophy, and ecology and religion. Kate was the founding President of the Australia-New Zealand Association for the Study of Literature and Environment. Her most recent book is 'Topographies of the Sacred: The Poetics of Place in European Romanticism (University of Virginia Press, 2004).
Deborah Bird Rose is Professor of Social Inclusion at Macquarie University. Her work focuses on entwined social and ecological justice in this time of anthropogenic climate change and is based on her long-term research with Aboriginal people in Australia. Her books include 'Dingo Makes Us Human' ICambridge UP. 1992, 2000) and 'Reports from a Wild Country: Ethics for Decolonisation (UNSW Press, 2004). Her recent work concerns extinctions and the moral imagination: Wild Dog Dreaming: Love and Extinction'.
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Myanmar
U Nayaka
U Pu Nar Nanda
U Win Nyunt
Room 109
Panel Discussion
Often considered the longest ongoing war in recent history, Burma/Myanmar is continually in deep conflict between various ethnic groups and the government. Monks have become active participants in protests as well
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as conflict resolution; in 2007, more than 10,000 monks marched through Mandalay against policies that are causing economic hardship. Phuang Daw Oo School was founded to offer education to poor children as a model of grassroots development by specifically targeting children from the poor (either rural or urban families) and orphans, as well as abused, neglected and abandoned children.
The Venerable Nayaka is the founder and principal of Phuang Daw Oo School, established in 1993. His educational background is in Buddhist literature and Chemistry, in which he holds a Bachelor of Science degree. U Pu Nar Nanda is a patron of Phuang Daw Do School and does management work for the school. He has studied Buddhist literature.
U Win Nyunt is the archivist and project coordinator at Phuang Daw Oo School. He holds degrees in husbandry and geology. He has taught at various schools as well as worked in seismology and gold extraction.
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 2)
Speakers to be announced
Room 110
While the words of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of 'Sorry Day' on June 11, 2007 moved Australia a step further on its journey of meaningful co-existence, the troubled legacy of the past it addressed still holds a powerful grip on Australian society. 'Reconciliation is often the term used to point to efforts to come to terms with the shared history of Aboriginal peoples with the once-immigrant and now majority populations which now make up mainstream Australian society. It is also the term used to describe the efforts to redress the debilitating conditions hindering Aboriginal communities. What is the ethical responsibility and potentially unique role of mainstream religious communities in Australia in furthering a process of reconciliation? How can it support the struggle of Aboriginal peoples for self-determination in non-paternalistic ways? How can it present new frameworks of mutual respect and collaboration? Hear from representatives of organisations and communities committed to reconciliation about what is happening, and more importantly, what is possible, as Australia strives to make the vision of 'Sorry Day' an everyday reality.
Environmental Issues Affecting
the Health of Indigenous Peoples Asayo Horibe, USA: Buddhist, Moderator Omie Baldwin, USA: Dine'
Lucy Mulenkei, Kenya: Maasai
Marcos Terena, Brazil: Terena Room 111
Panel Discussion
This program will address the environmental issues affecting the health of Indigenous peoples today. Factors of betrayal, big business and greed have contaminated and destroyed the water, foliage and soil integrity of lands

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occupied by Indigenous communities. A high incidence of disease and birth abnormalities has been documented as a result of this environmental contamination.
Asayo Horibe is the President of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, an organisation for all Buddhist groups in Chicago and the Midwest region. In 1989, she also became the first President of the Heartland Sangha in Evanston, Illinois. She serves as a secretary for the Asian Advisory Council for the Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. She is a lay minister and has also worked as a registered nurse for over 45 years.
Omie Baldwin is a member of the Dine (Navajol Nation. A clinical social worker at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ms Baldwin is also co-chair of the 'American Indian into Science group on campus. She has served for several years as a board member of the Fund of the Sacred Circle, Headwaters Foundation for Peace & Social Justice, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Lucy Mulenkei is a Maasai from Kenya. She is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Information Network (IIN) in Kenya, and works with the African Indigenous Women's Organisation in the East African Region. She has coordinated training and capacity building for Indigenous, rural nomadic pastoralists and hunter-gatherers on the topics of the environment and sustainable development, with a main focus on biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge.
Marcos Terena is a professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. He founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first Indigenous movement in Brazil and he was a leader in gaining recognition for Indigenous rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He is a spokesman for Indigenous rights for the UN and President of the Intertribal Committee and VIATAN, an Indigenous information centre.
Simone(!)
Lorender Freeman
Samantha Bews
Room 201
Artistic Performance
The year 2009 is the centenary of the birth of Simone Weil (1909-1943), the French radical, philosopher and mystic. 'Simonel!)' is a one-woman play about Simone Weil, written by Lorender Freeman and first performed by Samantha Bews at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne, October 2008. A brilliant young Jewish intellectual, Simone Weil became a teacher of philosophy in government schools. Her political activism led her to work in Paris factories for a year before heading to the Spanish Civil War. The coming war in Europe precipitated a spiritual epiphany that led her into a difficult relationship with Roman Catholicism. The occupation of France intensified both her spiritual growth and her commitment to fighting the war against Germany. Working for the Free French in London, her death was perhaps self-willed, the culmination of heroic self-denial and her need to confront God. After the war, her writings began to be published and she became the subject of critical debate and devotion, which continues to this day. In the play, Simone talks about her work and thought, her life and death. The performance will be followed by a question and answer session.
Lorender Freeman grew up in Melbourne and currently lives in rural Victoria writing fulltime on poetry, plays, film scripts and a novel. Samantha Bews studied acting at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, and after graduation worked as an actress for many years, mostly in theatre but also in television and film. She has also written plays and had several produced in Melbourne before the birth of her first child in 2003.

Creating a Stress-Free Mind and a Violence-Free World: Violence Ends Where Love Begins
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Room 202
Lecture
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace. There is one criminal in the world today-stress. It is the root cause of all violence, and the widespread examples of violence in the world reflect the extent to which stress pervades all levels of life. It is truly the great modern day plague. Nature is imbibed with rhythms and cycles, day follows night, seasons come and go, and our bodies, minds and emotions follow biological rhythms. When they are in sync and stress-free, we experience a sense of harmony, wellbeing and peace. When we are peaceful, we radiate that peace to the people around us. If each one of us remains peaceful and radiates harmony, there will be collective harmony. Hence, the issue of peacemaking needs to be tackled not only collectively in society, but also individually. The progress of society lies in the progress of an individual. A sense of belongingness to the whole world is the need of the hour. Rather than letting diversity become the cause of stress and violence, we need to celebrate it, by honouring all cultures and religious traditions.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a nonprofit organisation offering spiritual workshops and humanitarian relief, and founder of the International Association for Human Values. His philosophy is popular throughout the world, and Shankar has been recognised with numerous awards and titles, including the title of Yoga Shiromani and the Guru Mahatmya Award.
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of Afghanistan
Dr Abdul Aziz Naderi
Raz Mohammad Dalili Said Ehsanullah Dileri Room 203
Panel Discussion
National security in Afghanistan has reached a crisis point. Human rights abuses, civilian casualties and conflict over local resources have recently surged-over 1.5 million people have died in the last twenty years. Sanayee Development Organization (SDO), based in Kabul, Afghanistan, aims to build a peaceful and self-sufficient Afghanistan through education, conflict resolution and the creation of civic opportunities for women and youth. As a part of the series Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, this session will focus on the successful programs implemented by SDO in an environment full of challenges.
Dr Abdul Aziz Naderi was born in Afghanistan and earned an MD from Kabul Medical University in 2007. As Program Manager in charge of the Community Health and Peacebuilding programs at Sanayee Development Organization in Kabul, he has helped develop the Peace Éducation Curriculum and has assisted in implementing the curriculum in local peace councils, or Peace Shuras, across Afghanistan.

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Raz Mohammad Dalili is founder of Sanayee Development Organization (SDO) in Kabul, Afghanistan. During his 20-year career as a development worker, he has worked to establish peacebuilding as a nationally recognised industry sector in Afghanistan. Along with his team, he has made SDO the pioneer of peacebuilding organisations in the country. Mr Dalili is also a member of the South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAPI.
Said Ehsanullah Dileri holds an MA in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre in Dublin, Ireland. He is involved actively in designing, monitoring and evaluating programs on peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
Religion and Global Media
Paramacharya Palaniswami
Christopher Landau
Ahmed Rehab
Room 204
Panel Discussion
The global media reports news, provides entertainment and communicates facts, visions and values across barriers of culture as well as distance. Media today is truly making the world smaller and increasingly interconnected, and it has immense power. How we experience our own religion and how we see the religions of others is affected both positively and negatively by the words and images of television, radio, the Internet and print media (all of which are increasingly interconnected). In this program, an international panel of veteran journalists and religion pundits will address questions such as: Does our global media affect the course of events in religion, and how? Do journalists understand religion adequately and report it accurately? Does media treat some issues in religion and some religions-better than others? How can media improve our knowledge of religion-or promote prejudice and stereotypes? What is the role of religiously sponsored media? The panellists come from several religious traditions and have engaged or worked for major media outlets and publications such as BBC, CNN, AL Jazeera and Hinduism Today.
Paramacharya Palaniswami has been a monk of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's yoga order for 44 years. He is one of four stewards responsible for Saiva Siddhanta Church, Himalayan Academy and the $10 million Hindu Heritage Endowment. For 31 years, he has been editorin-chief of Hinduism Today magazine. On retreat days, he fulfills the monastery's vision of a sacred garden and tropical paradise by collecting and cultivating many varieties of sacred, medicinal and tropical plants around the grounds.
Christopher Landau is a Religious Affairs Correspondent for BBC World Service.
Ahmed Rehab is an American Muslim activist and writer with a focus on civil rights, media relations, and Islam-West relations. He is the Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy office. Rehab serves on the boards of directors of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigration and Refugee Interfaith Ministries, the Chicago Human Relations Advisory Committee and the Egyptian American Society. He is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Muslim task force. He has appeared on Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, HDTV News, PBS, CNN, CLTV, WGN, C-Span, BBC, MSNBC, WBBM, Chicago Public Radio, Fox News Radio, and Conservative Radio.
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Christian-Muslim Engagement: Action through Understanding in the Writings of Said Nursi
Dr Faris Kaya
Fr Thomas Michel Dr Abdullah Saeed Dr Yunus A Cengel Dr Bilal Kuspinar Room 207
Panel Discussion
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Too often, Christianity and Islam coexist uneasily. As followers of two of the biggest world religions, Christians and Muslims must recognise that encouraging a better understanding of each other's faiths is the best way to fulfil their commitment as believers and responsible caretakers of Creation. Moving beyond the bitterness of their shared history, Muslims and Christians have recently been writing a new history through dialogue and engagement. This dynamic panel made up of leading Christian and Muslim scholars will explore models of interfaith understanding and cooperation in the writings of highly influential Muslim theologian Said Nursi (1876-1960). The presenters will focus on contemporary Muslim-Christian engagement and provide the audience with examples of their cooperative models and dialogue activities. The panel will be beneficial for anyone seeking a model of constructive, mutual and focused dialogue.
Faris Kaya was born in Erzurum, Turkey. He is General Secretary of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Science (IFCS), which was founded by Said Nursi. Dr Faris promotes and disseminates Said Nursi's work, The Risale-i Nur Collection, within and outside Turkey. He has organised several national and international conferences and symposia devoted to Nursi. In addition, the IFCS has co-sponsored numerous symposia at universities around the world.
Fr Tom Michel, SJ, studied Arabic in Lebanon and Egypt and received a PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago. His doctoral thesis focused on the thought of Sunni Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyya. He has served as Secretary of the Jesuit Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome since 1996 and Ecumenical Secretary for the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences since 1994.
Dr Adbullah Saeed is the Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, where he also directs the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies and Asia Institute (www.abdullahsaeed.org). He is involved in interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and between Jews and Muslims, and is a frequent and popular lecturer. Dr Saeed has a BA in Arab/Islamic Studies from Saudi Arabia, an MA in Applied Linguistics and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Melbourne.
Dr Yunus A Cengel is a Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno (USA). He served as the director of the Industrial Assessment Center at the University of Nevada, and has prepared energy conservation, waste minimisation, and productivity enhancement reports for manufacturing companies. He has authored or co-authored several textbooks on thermodynamics and has received the ASEE Meriam/Wiley Distinguished Author Award twice. He is also the recipient of several outstanding teacher awards.
Dr Bilal Kuspinar is a Professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He has both studied and taught at McGill and at Selcuk University in Turkey. During the mid-1990s, he was the director for Muslim Schools of Montreal. Dr Kuspinar also worked as lecturer of Islamic Philosophy at the International Institute for Islamic Thought and Civilisation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Unity in Diversity through the Arts and Religiosity of Indonesia
Ni Ketut Arini
Gusti Koes Murtiyah
Nurlia Ruddin
Suprapto Suryodarmo
Eko Kadarsih
Ida Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa Eddy Supriono Wirabhumi
Diane Butler
Room 208
Panel Discussion
In this program, panellists will discuss the concept of bhinneka tunggal ika, 'unity in diversity, which was a basis for the eleventh century process of reconciliation among three faiths at the Samuan Tiga Temple and a poetic and philosophical revelation from the fourteenth century kakawin Sutasoma. The concept has continued to be a foundation for the arts and religiosity of Indonesia today. Panellists will reflect on their artistic practices as mediums of offering to renew the accord between humankind, nature, and God/Source of Life.
Ni Ketut Arini, of Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, is a distinguished performer, choreographer and teacher of classical and modern Balinese dance. She was a faculty member at the Indonesian Conservatory of Performing Arts (KOKAR) and then a supervisor for national high schools throughout Bali. In 1973, she founded Sanggar Warini, a traditional studio in her birth-village Lebah, where she continues to guide hundreds of young artists. She has toured extensively throughout the world.
Gusti Koes Murtiyah, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is the daughter of the late Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono XII, the king of Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat. She holds a degree in Javanese Literature and is Director of Yayasan Pawiyatan Budaya Karaton Surakarta, which develops and preserves palace arts and culture. She has performed traditional Javanese court dances in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the United States.
Nurlia Ruddin, of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is the daughter of a leading teacher of the ritual dance Pakarena. She is a dance teacher at the National High School for the Arts in Somba Opu. Nurlia regularly performs in Indonesia, and her students have received national recogni
tion.
Suprapto Suryodarmo founded his Padepokan Lemah Putih school in Mojosongo, Solo, Java in 1986. Since 1970, he has studied free movement, Vipassana and Javanese Sumarah meditation. He uses these practices in the nature, temple and human fields. For twenty years, Suprapto Suryodarmo has taught his Joged Amerta method and created ritual art in Indonesia, Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia, the Philippines, Japan and India. He is a founding member of Dharma Nature Time and Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga.
Eko Kadarsih, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, is a leading performer of classical palace dances of the Karaton Surakarta. She holds a degree in Literature. Since 1986, she has performed with the karaton artists delegation and as an independent artist in several Indonesian provinces and in Jakarta, Asia, Europe and the USA.
Ida Pedanda Gede Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, of Amlapura, Bali, Indonesia, was confirmed as a Bali Hindu Priest in 1985 and is currently Dharma Adhyaksa of the High Priests' Assembly of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (Indonesian Hindu Councill. He is active in AIDS education and care for youth and fosters the presence of traditional ecosocio-religious knowledge and practices in national/global environmental forums. Pedanda Arimbawa has joined interreligious art, prayer, and dialogues throughout Indonesia and internationally.
Eddy Supriono Wirabhumi, of Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, holds an MA in Economics and a PhD in Law from Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang. As a Board Member of the foundation Yayasan Pawiyatan

Budaya Karaton Surakarta, he is costume director for the artists of Karaton Surakarta and an advisor for the renovation and revitalisation of the palace architecture.
2:30-4:00pm ENGAGEMENT SESSION
Diane Butler was born in the United States and has resided in Bedulu and Tejakula, Bali since 2001. She is a movement artist, teacher and cultural/education program director who has worked in contemplative intercultural arts in the US, Europe, Mexico and Asia. Diane holds a BFA in Dance from Juilliard and an MALS in Dance & Culture from Wesleyan. She is completing her PhD in Cultural Studies at Universitas Udayana in Bali. She is a founder and president of Dharma Nature Time.
Interfaith Australia, Social Cohesion and the Muslim Communities Patricia Madigan
Andrew Markus
Hass Delall Ikebal Patel
Councillor Brian Shanahan
Room 209
Panel Discussion
This session will examine the multifaith scene in Australia, especially in relation to 9/11 and its aftermath. Panellists will consider how Muslim communities have been affected by social tensions arising from the growth of international and domestic terrorism, and they will explore the Australian government's strategy for addressing these tensions, including programs under the National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security (NAP). The presenters are nationally and internationally recognised as academic and organisational leaders in social and community cohesion and the interfaith and multicultural movements. Professor Andrew Markus will assess the situation from a social cohesion perspective, and Dr Patricia Madigan will offer a comparative perspective on the attitudes of Muslim and Christian women. Dr Patel, head of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, will speak from a community perspective.
Dr Trish Madigan is a Catholic Dominican sister who is experienced in interfaith dialogue in many contexts. She is a foundation member of the Women's Interfaith Network (WIN) and a Christian representative on the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Jews and Muslims (ANDCJM). Between 2004 and 2008, she has been an Australian delegate at four meetings of the intergovernmental International Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Andrew Markus holds the Pratt Foundation research chair in the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University, and is Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. Andrew has researched Australian immigration and Indigenous history and is the author or co-author of more than ten books, the most recent being Australia's Immigration Revolution (Allen & Unwin, 2009). His report Mapping Social Cohesion 2009: The Scanlon Foundation Surveys was released in November.
Dr Hass Dellal is the executive director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation. He has over twenty years of experience in policy, management, community development and programming for cultural diversity. He is a special advisor to the National Police Ethnic Advisory Bureau, Committee Member of the European Multicultural Foundation, board member of the Adult Multicultural Education Services and Fellow of the Williamson Leadership Program.
Dr Ikebal Patel is the President of Muslims Australia, the peak body articulating the interests of Australian Muslims. Muslims Australia manages seven Islamic schools including one of the largest Australian schools of which Ikebal is the Board Chairman. Ikebal is the Chair of the Australian Capital Territory Muslim Advisory Council and an Advisory

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Committee Member to the National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Education and also to the Griffith University Multi Faith Centre. He is a Co-Chairman of the National Dialogue between Australian Christians. Jews and Muslims. Brian Shanahan was re-elected in the 2008 elections. He is a former Councillor and Mayor of the City of Essendon, and Foundation President of the Aberfeldie Residents Association. Brian sits on all City of Melbourne council committees, including the Audit Committee. He is the Chair of the monthly Finance and Governance Committee and Deputy Chair of the bi-monthly Eco-City Committee. He is presently a community relations and migration consultant and has been an adviser to the Victorian Cabinet Secretary, the Victorian Minister for Health and the Secretary of the Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission. Brian was awarded the Federation Medal in 2002 and, in 2003, received an award for services to multiculturalism. He was President of the Celtic Club from 1995-1997 and 2000-2006
The Gift of Global Community Charles Gibbs, Moderator Yoland Trevino Sarah Talcott Rev Heng Sure Marites Africa Room 210 Are you yearning to feel globally connected on a human scale that values your uniqueness and connects you with spiritual sisters and brothers around the world in being a global force for change? Come learn about and experience the United Religions Initiative (URII, a way of life, a place where you can be different and one at the same time. This session, led by URI's founding Executive Director, the Rev Canon Charles P Gibbs, will explore the gifts offered to its members and the world by URI's global community. manifested through the work of 420 Cooperation Circles in 72 countries. Areas of exploration will include being globally connected and locally rooted and relevant; being a force for positive social change; developing young leaders; inviting the voice and wisdom of Indigenous communities; empowering grassroots peacebuilding, and sharing the gifts of prayer, meditation and music. The Rev Canon Charles Gibbs serves as Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative, a global interfaith network for peace active in 72 countries Yoland Trevino is a globally respected Indigenous leader of Mayan ancestry and the Global Council Chair of the United Religions Initiative. Sarah Talcott is the globally respected director of the United Religions Initiative's Young Leaders Program. Rev Heng Sure is an American Buddhist monk of the Chan tradition, He lives at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery in Berkeley, California, and teaches at the Graduate Theological Union there. He is leader of the United Religions Initiative's Wisdom and Vision Council. Marites Africa is a pioneer of grassroots Christian/Muslim peacebuilding and United Religions Initiative Global Council Trustee.
Expressing Our Links with the Environment Anne Boyd Trevor Parton Carmel Crameri Pat Long Rathika Suresh Mahadeva Mangalam Vasan Room 212 Interactive Workshop Two ways to express our relationship to our Earth will be presented in this interactive workshop from Earthsong. Presenters and participants will explore Earth Literacy and Earth Ethics and the concept of right relationships among all members of the planetary community Participants will be encouraged to celebrate all of creation as a sacred, spiritual and ongoing event. This session will include a nature-related classical Indian dance and a drama that incorporates Ramayana and global warming. The choreography is by PT Narendran from Chennai. Music is provided by O S Arun, who specialises in North and South Indian music, with lyrics by eco-poet V V Subramanium. Anne Boyd is a member of the EarthSong Coordinating Team. Trevor Parton is Director of the Centre for Ecology and Spirituality, Glenburn, Yarra Valley Carmel Crameri is a member of the EarthSong Coordinating Team. Pat Long is a member of the EarthSong Coordinating Team Rathika Suresh Mahadeva, a disciple of the famous Dhananjayans of Chennai, directs the Melbourne-based Barathakalanjali Dance School Barathkalanjali has completed ten successful years of dance education, specifically in Barathanatyam, maintaining the Kalakshetra style of dance. Mangalam Vasan teaches Hinduism in Glen Waverley and Box Hill Tamil Schools and the Shiva Vishnu Temple at Carrum Downs. She has participated in interreligious dialogues in various countries. A highlight of her participation in interreligious dialogues was at the Assembly of World Religions in San Francisco in 1990, when she was chosen to be part of the plenary speakers and congratulated by the chairman Rev Kwak on being an asset to the Assembly.
Rivers of Life: Community, Water and Spirit in Australia Elyse Rider Sylvie Shaw Carol McDonough Jamel K Dhillon Room 213 Interactive Workshop This session explores the social, spiritual and ecological aspects of two important Australian Rivers: the Murray River and the Brisbane River. Panellists will relay their experiences of connecting with the communities who depend upon these rivers as well as their personal experiences of engaging with the local environment. The GreenFaith Australia team will share footage and stories from their recent interfaith pilgrimage to the Southern
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for Ainu & Indigenous Studies. Her focus of study is Ainu Child Raising Traditions and Their Effect on Future Generations Tsugio Kuzuno is an Ainu elder and spiritual speaker from Shizunai. Hokkaido, Japan. Mr Kuzuno is noted for winning first prize in the 2nd Ainu Oratorical Contest in November of 1998. This is an event that brings participants, students, elders and the community together to get in touch with the Ainu language and culture. Oki Kano was born near Tokyo, Japan, in Kanagawa Prefecture. He shares his Ainu heritage through his music by playing the ancient Ainu stringed instrument, the tonkori. He has been involved with the United Nations Committee for Human Rights on the subject of land rights and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples, particularly the way those issues have affected his Ainu community.
Murray Darling Basin. Sylvie Shaw will then present on the Brisbane River and discuss the emergence of a 'River Ethic' as a potential approach to renewing our human-river relationship. Participants of this session will be taken on these journeys and learn about issues of sustainability. relationship and transition in these water-dependent regions. We will then invite participants to work with the relevant themes of water, community and spirituality in relation to contexts of ecological degradation. Elyse Rider has worked in community development in Australia and internationally. Her project work is based in Borderlands Cooperative, a community development and social work cooperative in Melbourne where she is on the Board of Directors. She works with disadvantaged communities in health promotion. Elyse is a PhD candidate in the Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies at Monash University. She is Chair of Green Faith Australia, an organisation she was active in founding. Sylvie Shaw lectures in religion at the University of Queensland. She is a passionate advocate for the environment and is currently researching the social and spiritual impact of the decline of fisheries on fishers and their families. She has co-edited 'Deep Blue: Critical Reflections on Nature, Religion and Water' with Andrew Francis (RMIT University). Her desire is to embrace the blue as an essential element of our beautiful green world. Carol McDonough is a community designer and organiser passionately committed to local water futures for survivability of seriously at-risk farm town communities. She has a long history working at the community level on issues of sustainability, poverty and Indigenous rights. A member of GreenFaith Australia, she is currently Convener of Water is Life, Mount Alexander, and a Steering Committee member of both MAP2020 the Shire Community Plan and Transition MA. Jamel K Dhillon has been working with communities and cross-cultural understanding since the age of seven when her parents started the MultiFaith Association of South Australia. Since then she has worked with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities around the world. She has a degree in Administration Management, majoring in Aboriginal Affairs and Psychology. Recently, she has taken on positions in the Centre of Melbourne MultiFaith & Others Network (COMMON) and is currently the Project Manager for Green Faith Australia.
Ainu Indigenous Spirituality and Culture of Japan Asayo Horibe, USA: Buddhist Ryoko Foose, Japan: Ainu Tsugio Kuzuno, Japan: Ainu elder Oki Kano, Japan: Ainu Room 214 Special Panel
Building Cities of Harmony A team of local government representatives, led by
Rabbi Aviva Kipen Athalia Zwartz Room 215 Panel Discussion
Building Cities of Harmony is the vision of all communities. For two years, the Parliament of the World's Religions has worked with Melbourne's international Symposium Team to create a new type of interfaith program for cities, using a model of teamwork as the requirement of community engagement. This session narrates the process of the International Team Building Symposium's creation and development, telling the story of the strategic partnering alliance formed with the Victorian Local Governance Association (LGA), which has been the link to city municipalities in Victoria. Rabbi Aviva Kipen, the Symposium's Program Director for 2009 will MC the presentation team. The team includes: local city officers in discussion about team building and policy development within their own municipalities; Dr David Wilson, who will launch the structural legacy of this phase of preparation, and VLGA partners, whose experience in a range of communal settings will demonstrate the range of performance benchmarks at work in assessing the progress of the interreligious efforts here. In complex layers of accountability, elected Mayors and Councillors, paid employees of cities and residents who pay local city taxes grapple with sometimes-conflicting agendas to deliver programs for the good of residents. Their tensions, successes and failures are the crux of this commentary session. Rabbi Aviva Kipen, the first Australian woma rienced in international interreligious dialogue, education and innovative programming. Former Executive Secretary for the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Australia and a 2008 Australian Association of Southeast Asian Nations interfaith dialogue participant, she designed and delivered Victoria's Multi-faith Celebration of the Australian Centenary Her core ministries have been as congregational rabbi, funeral and loss specialist, and researcher into the work of clergy in Human Research Ethics Committees. Athalia Zwartz is a research and project officer at the Australian Multicultural Foundation
After decades of forced assimilation and dispossession of their Indigenous landbase, in 2008 the Ainu won recognition as Indigenous inhabitants of Japan by the government of Japan. The years of invisibility have cost the Ainu communities their culture, language and self-governance. This panel will discuss this recognition and what it means for the Ainu to reclaim their place in Japan as an Indigenous people. Asayo Horibe is the President of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, an organisation for all Buddhist groups in Chicago and the Midwest region In 1989, she also became the first President of the Heartland Sangha in Evanston, Illinois. She serves as a secretary for the Asian Advisory Council for the Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. She is a lay minister and has also worked as a registered nurse for over 45 years. Ryoko Foose was born in 1962, in Hokkaido, Japan, in the Pacific Ocean coastal town of Niikappu. Her mother Emiko was of Ainu descent. In 1988, Ryoko became a member of the spiritual organisation Shinji Shumeikai. In 2007, Ryoko became a member of the Hokkaido University Centre

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Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience Ashley Dickinson Kerryn Hynan Yasser Soliman Ramzi Elsayed Geoffrey Zygier Reverend Dr John Broughton Gurdarshan Singh Gill Room 216 Panel Discussion Victoria Police has committed to three strategic priorities for the five-year period from 2008 to 2013. One of these priorities is connecting the community. In order to meet its commitment to its richly diverse cultural and faith communities, Victoria Police is constantly building upon existing partnerships and implementing further measures to ensure its service delivery is equitable, responsive and client focussed-one such measure being the Victoria Police Multi-Faith Council. This session will highlight some of the achievements of Victoria Police and the MultiFaith Council, in connecting the community and creating a more just and cohesive society for all Victorians. Commander Ashley Dickinson is head of the Victoria Police Operations Coordination Department with responsibility for slatewide proactive and strategic operational initiatives including youth, multicultural, multifaith and Indigenous portfolios. He is also the corporate sponsor for Mental Health. He has broad experience in operational and administrative areas of Victoria Police, serving at country and metropolitan locations. As a Commissioned Officer he has worked in a variety of staffing positions from Commander to Chief Commissioner Inspector Kerryn Hynan is a Regional Police Manager and a member of the Victoria Police Multifaith Advisory Council Mr Yasser Soliman is a Commissioner with the Victorian Multicultural Commission and a member of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria. Yasser served as President of the Islamic Council of Victoria and as a member of the Council for Multicultural Australia Mr Ramzi Elsayed is President of the Islamic Council of Victoria. Ramsay holds a Bachelor of Business degree and is a qualified accountant. Ramsay was active with Young Muslims of Australia and is a member of various advisory and steering committees including the Council for Chaplaincies in Tertiary Institutions Geoffrey Zygier is Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and an observant Jew. He has a strong personal commitment to a diverse Australia. As a former teacher, lawyer and senior Commonwealth public servant, Geoffrey has enjoyed many years experience in multicultural/multifaith activities. Reverend Dr John Broughton is a former police officer, a minister of the Uniting Church, and Victoria Police senior chaplain. John completed an internship with the NYPD Chaplain's Unit in 1996, and gained his doctorate from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2002. John has been an active participant in interfaith dialogue since 1992 Gurdarshan Singh Gill is a past President of the Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong and the current President of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria. Gurdarshan has served in various Executive positions with the Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha, a premier Sikh organisation in Victoria, formed in 1981. Gurdarshan is committed to promoting understanding and harmony among Multicultural Communities.
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 2) Gerardo Gonzalez Dr John Taylor Mussie Hailu Room 217 Symposium This symposium is organised by the Initiative for a UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. This second session will continue the presentation of successful stories of partnership. These stories will focus on the field of human rights, including social, economic, and cultural rights, and the prevention of religiously motivated conflicts. There will then be a period of interactive sharing of experiences with the participants, including suggestions for the plan of action of the Decade. A report on presentations and discussions will be made available at the Initiative's website (www.faithdecadeforpeace.net). Gerardo Gonzalez holds a doctorate in Social Psychology from Paris University 119691 and worked for nearly 30 years as a UN international officer. Since 1998 he has volunteered in the field of interfaith cooperation for peace, including directing the project toward the creation of a spiritual forum for world peace at the United Nations. Currently, he is coordinator of the Initiative for a UN Decade of Interreligious Cooperation for Peace. Dr John Taylor is a representative of the International Association for Religious Freedom in Geneva, and Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Coalition. He holds a PhD from McGill University and for many years worked for the World Council of Churches. Mussie Hailu is Continental Coordinator for United Religions Initiative IURI) in Africa. A respected international peace advocate, Mr Hailu is also chair of the Board of the Interfaith Peace Building Initiative of Ethiopia and works with many other international organisations for the causes of peace and interreligious harmony.
Stop the Traffic, People are Not for Sale: Human Trafficking and Slavery in the World Today Danielle Strickland Sr Pauline Coll Sr Stancea Vichie Room 218 Interactive Workshop Human trafficking is a global phenomenon. Underlying the organised crime of human trafficking are root issues such as inequality. poverty and gender discrimination. Stop The Traffic is a global movement initiated by Christians to prevent this modern-day slavery of human trafficking, particularly of women. This workshop, presented by workers and activists in the field, will highlight the efforts of the Salvation Army and the Roman Catholic Church in Australia to counter human trafficking. The
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speakers will share stories and address the global scale of the problem. The session will also discuss ideas for strategies and action plans for bringing an end to trafficking in human life throughout the world. Danielle Strickland is social justice director for The Salvation Army in Australia, Originally from Canada, Danielle's initiatives include missionfocused church planting (birthing dozens of communities around the world, and various social justice campaigns. Danielle has written two books, "Chaotic Order' and Just Imagine: The World For God' Pauline Coll is National Executive of Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans. She is a member of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, an Australian Order founded in 1857. Pauline has been involved in school education throughout Australia. She was director of Najara, the Good Samaritan Centre for Spirituality and Ecology, and has also worked for the Social Action Office, the social justice ministry of the leaders of Religious Congregations in Queensland. Stancea Vichie is National Chair of Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans. She works from the Good Shepherd Centre for Justice and Fair Trade in Abbotsford, Melbourne. Stancea is a member of the community of the Missionary Sisters of Service founded in Australia in 1944. She has worked on a range of justice and human rights issues in urban, rural and outback parts of Australia as well as in other countries.
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: A Call for Collaboration Stein Villumstad Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Room 219 In workshop format, the concluding session of the Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity' Symposium will draw together lessons and insights from the Parliament week and develop mutual commitments and a plan for future action. We will present practical ways for newly interested parties to join with current initiatives, and we will explore ways to expand current efforts. We will also present the use of websites and cutting-edge social networking vehicles to link partners together-across town and across the globe. Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Sikh spiritual leader of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, will conclude with an inspiring 'call for collaboration in safeguarding sacred sites around the world. Stein Villumstad has extensive and distinguished experience in international development, conflict transformation, and human rights. He served as regional representative for Norwegian Church Aid INCA) in Eastern Africa, where he oversaw development activities in ten countries and managed five regional sub-offices. Previously, he held the position of assistant general secretary of NCA, managing the Department for Policy and Human Rights. Bhai Sahib Dr Mohinder Singh comes from a line of spiritual leaders, and is Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha. He is a retired civil and structural engineer, with two honorary Doctorates for work in faith, community and education. Bhai Sahib is also a recipient of the Juliet Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding
Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World Janaan Hashim, Moderator Hajjah Maria Ulfah Ibtisam Mahamid Dr Suhair Al-Qurashi Room 220 Panel Discussion Muslim women have been working toward a more just and sustainable world since the advent of Islam, but few people are aware of this fact. In this Islam 101 Series session, extraordinary Muslim women leaders living in Saudi Arabia, Israel and Indonesia will present contemporary and historical examples of this rich history of the engagement of Muslim women to build a better world. The discussion will include a look at Muslim women's contributions to science and technology. peace and conflict resolution, religious education of future leaders and other topics. The Islam 101 Series is a six-part series designed to highlight critically important issues regarding Islamic beliefs, practice and history that are all too commonly misunderstood. Janaan Hashim is a criminal defense and civil rights attorney with Amal Law Group, LLC. She co-founded Amal with five other Muslim women, making it the first of its kind in the US. Ms Hashim is an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary and served as the spokesperson for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago Hajjah Maria Ulfah is a lecturer and Vice Rector of the Institute for Qur'anic Studies in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1980, she won both the national Qur'an recitation competition in Jakarta and the international Qur'an recitation competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a professional Qur'an reciter, she has appeared all over Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. Ibtisam Mahamid's primary focus is on improving relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel, and she also works to improve the status of women in both Arab and Jewish society. She is on the board of Middleway. an NGO for the promotion of compassion and nonviolence, and she helped found the Women's Interfaith Encounter, a program of the Interfaith Encounter Association. In April 2009, the Dalai Lama presented Ibtisam with the 'Unsung Heroes of Compassion award in recognition of her work to bring peace and to improve the status of women in the Holy Land Dr Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi is the president and CEO of Dar Al-Hekma College, one of the leading private colleges for women in Saudi Arabia. Dr Al-Qurashi received a PhD and MPE from Cambridge University, an MSc from United States International University, and a BA from Richmond College, London. She is a civic and social leader who has organised three major international conferences in the Middle East on women and development issues through the 1990s.
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OPENSPACE 4:30-6:00pm
Exploring the Universality of God's Religion Dr Saleem Ahmed Zachary Perlman Sr Joan Chatfield Rev Alan Goto Room 101 Panel Discussion The Qur'an's affirmation that God sent messengers to all nations of the world, and Prophet Muhammad's clarification that there were 124,000 such messengers, inspired Dr Saleem Ahmed to examine the sacred texts of several religions. He discovered the same Reality in all, though called by different names and honoured through diverse rituals. This included not only 'major organised religions such as the other two Abrahamic faiths and religions predominant in South and East Asia, but also several Indigenous and New Age religions. Through exploring the interconnectedness of religions, appreciating the common ethical values and human aspirations transcending religions, and recognising the underlying convergence of the seemingly diverse rituals used to try to reach the Reality, this program will bring together diverse voices to celebrate spiritual similarities among religions and savour ritual differences. Panellists will also discuss their developing programs and plans, such as the projects of Monks Without Borders and the 2011 international interfaith conference under the theme 'One Humanity. One Reality. Converging Paths. Dr Saleem Ahmed is president of the Hawaii-based All Believers Network, which brings together people on the basis of their shared belief in One Reality. He is also Executive Director of the 'One Reality Conference scheduled for Honolulu May 29-June 4, 2011 Idates tentativel. He is author of 'Beyond Veil and Holy War: Islamic Teachings and Muslim Practices with Biblical Comparisons' (2002) and 'Islam: A Religion of Peace? (2009). Zachary Perlman has studied several traditions including Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Gnostic Christianity, Perlman's primary interest is in comparative religion but his professional background also includes website design, audio/video editing, and multimedia product development. Perlman serves on the Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the World's Religions and as Executive Director of Monks Without Borders.
narrow motivations? How do we get to that place where we become truly interested in each other? How does this interest become friendship and ripen into Love? If we can answer this, we have found the key: for once we love someone, the desire wells up to help, to hear and to heal. But from where comes this desire to love onc another? It appears naturally among family and friends: it builds between neighbours who work together; and it begins between strangers once trust is won. And why is Love so powerful, so efficient at resolving the knots in our relationships? To understand this we need to know more about what and who we are. The Urantia Papers, which we would like to introduce, offer new answers to these old questions. As well as providing a larger frame in which to think-one that may satisfy scientists, philosophers and religionists alike-the Urantia Papers reveal a fresh perspective on Personality. They trace for us the rise and role of Love, from the eternal core of the Absolute directly into the human heart Nigel Nunn has a BSc in Mathematics (Astrophysics and writes software for Physics. In 1980, after working through the Theosophical Society's bookshop in Sydney, he asked the lady behind the counter if she had something 'bigger, more comprehensive. The lady retrieved a Urantia Book from under the counter and said, 'Well, there is this." Nigel has been studying the 196 papers in this book ever since. William Wentworth is a farmer from southern NSW. Born in 1938, he was brought up a Christian Anglican). He holds a Bec from Sydney University and an MBA from Stanford University. After spending some time in India and Thailand, he became interested in metaphysics. Subsequently he returned to Australia and discovered The Urantia Book, which enhanced his interest in spiritual matters. He has been studying it ever since Kathleen Swadling is member of the Urantia Foundation and member the the Australian and New Zealand URANTIA Association
The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World (Part 2) Michelle Mueller Prabha Duneja Anisa Buckley Jessi (Jasjit) Kaur Ven Chang Wu Shi Ven Chang Shen Shi Barbara Condron Elisheva Salamo Room 103 Panel Discussion
The Urantia Papers - What's Love got to do with it? Nigel Nunn William Wentworth Kathleen Swadling Room 102 Lecture Unless we desire to make a difference-to help, to hear and to heal-we won't. But from where comes such a desire? How does one move beyond old attitudes and
This interfaith panel will showcase the many ways various female leaders from around the world search for inner peace. The program will begin with an historical overview of women at the 1893 Parliament and their sense of inner peace. It will then proceed into short presentations on finding inner peace by female leaders from different faith traditions. Participants will receive valuable insight on how different women religious leaders from Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Pagan and Christian tradi
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tions find and maintain inner peace. This is a special program and will include presentations from all panellists. It will extend into an Openspace session with conversation between presenters and participants.
Michelle Mueller works as the Acting Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, NJ, USA. She graduated from the Pacific School of Religion in 2008. She first attended the Parliament of the World's Religions in 2004 in Barcelona after winning a Covenant of the Goddess essay contest.
Prabha Duneja is a writer, speaker and lecturer on Hindu religion. She is a missionary of the Geeta Society, Chairwoman of Women's Interfaith Circle of Service URI/CC, and an active leader of the interfaith movement in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has written numerous articles as well as the books 'Mantra and the Modern'. 'The Legacy of Yoga in Bhagawad Geeta, An Introduction to Bhagawed Geeta', and 'The Gateway to Freedom: Bhagawad Geeta.
Anisa Buckley is a PhD Candidate in Islamic Studies at the Asia Institute and the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne. She holds an MA in Islamic Studies from the University of New England, Armidale: a Graduate Certificate in International Development from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology; and a BEd from the University of Sydney.
Jessi Kaur, a frequent speaker at interfaith conferences, has travelled extensively, sharing the spiritual values taught by the Sikh Gurus. She believes that harmony is possible in a diverse world when barriers of ignorance are brought down. She is co-founder of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies and author of 'Dear Takuya', a children's book promoting acceptance of diversity among young children. She is also Fine Arts Commissioner for Cupertino, California.
Chang Wu Shi is a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, practising since 1995 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. She has participated in and been a panellist on international conferences on peace making, spirituality and sangha education. Currently she oversees the operation of the Special Project Department and the International Translation Department at the Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural Center in Taiwan.
Chang Shen Shi is a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, practising since 2001 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. Prior to becoming a bhikshuni, she studied in New York City and earned a PhD in sociology in 2004. She attended Sangha University of DDM for professional monastic training, including philosophy of Buddhism and Chan practice.
Dr Barbara Condron is an educator, interfaith minister, filmmaker and author. In the fields of mind and energy, Barbara is a leader in researching the appearance and development of spiritual consciousness in humankind. Her work builds upon outstanding thinkers (DaVinci, Gandhi, Jung and Joseph Campbell) in the fields of symbology and archetypes, opening perception to deepen understanding of the unity existing within our diversity.
A San Francisco native, biologist turned rabbi, Elisheva Salamo is priveleged to serve as the spiritual leader of Keddem Congregation and a fabulous group of seniors at the local Jewish Community Center. Ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, one of her great passions is playing with biblical and rabbinic texts, and watching how everyone comes up with important insights. Formerly a teacher in the American Jewish Committee's CJEEP program to send Jewish educators to Catholic high schools and vice-versa, she has a strong interest in mending the damaged realtionship between Christians and Jews through shared study, understanding and mutual respect.

4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Youth Projects Sustaining Peace
from the Inside Out
Shyla Bauer Lindsay Alderton Ami Trivedi Danny Haworth Room 104
Interactive Workshop
Young people around the world require relevant ways to explore their spirituality, connect with their inner strength and resources, and acquire practices which will sustain them in developing their true potential. This is a workshop providing a safe space for people to slow down, reflect on and workshop the way the world works, and to foster meditation as a tool for inner peace. Experienced youth moderators from Buddhist and Brahma Kumaris provide a dynamic workshop designed to unite people from different cultures and spiritual disciplines, by focusing on the shared common strengths and celebrating differences. Shyla Bauer is the director and instigator of Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth (LKPY), an international peace organisation for young people. Shyla is from Australia but has worked and volunteered in India, Nepal, Mongolia and the UK.
Lindsay Alderton is the coordinator of The HABIT! Project, which was developed by Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth in 2007. Lindsay has worked with and inspired young people throughout the world to instigate and develop their own HABIT! groups in their local communities. Lindsay is from the UK, but currently lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
Ami Trivedi has been studying Rajayoga meditation since childhood. She has been facilitating self-empowerment activities for young people for the last 10 years. She was involved in planning and is a trained facilitator for the You First project. Working in the Information Technology industry as an architect, she has a passion for maintaining a calm mind while juggling a demanding schedule.
Danny Haworth lives in a meditation retreat centre and works as an advocate for a community legal centre. He has always believed that inner peace is everyone's right and does not require one to move away from society or reach a certain age. He is 28 and has been meditating since 1998. He was involved in planning and is a trained facilitator for the You First youth project.
Compassion Rising (World Premiere) Michael Fitzpatrick, Producer
Room 107
Film
Rooted in the historic encounter between the Trappist monk Thomas Merton and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this film reveals a musical experience that expresses the connection between spirituality and the arts. This film was undertaken with the intention of creating a new music derived from the chant traditions of East and West. Filmed in the world's largest cave, this music evokes feelings of compassion, peace, harmony and love.
Michael Fitzpatrick is an acclaimed concert-cellist and electric-cellist. Utilising music as a vehicle for inducing feelings of peace, Fitzpatrick designed and performed the sacred music for The Gethsemani Encounter and produced "Compassion', the first recording in history that brings together the traditions of ancient Tibetan Chant and Trappist/Gregorian Chant. He has performed his signature composition "Invocation for World Peace for Solo Cello' at holy sites and religious gatherings throughout the world.

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Enhancing Religious Leadership
for the Future 3 of 3
Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein Room 111
What are the newest challenges of religious leaders, and how do they compare with challenges that are longstanding? What should be the goals of religious leaders be? How might religious leaders be trained in light of the above? This is the third session of a three-day open space workshop, based on study materials prepared by a recent gathering of leading interreligious scholars. The session is geared to religious leaders or those in training to become one and is limited to 30 participants. Advanced registration is required, along with a commitment to participate in the entire series.
Alon Goshen-Gottstein is the director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and director of the Centre for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem. He was ordained a rabbi in 1977. Projects of the Elijah Interfaith Institute include the bi-annual meeting of the board of World Religious Leaders, the Educational Network, as well as the Jewish and the Muslim Theology of the Religious Other.
Revolution Chapter 1
Yasus Afari
Room 201
Artistic Performance
This is a uniquely rare opportunity for youth and adults alike to enjoy a Rastafarian musical performance by Yasus Afari, who is one of the leading Rastafarians in the world and recognised as the indigenous specialist on Rastafarianism. Yasus Afari's Rastafarian music is carries influences in poetry, philosophy and Reggae music.
Yasus Afari represents the immortal vision of the ancient future, stimulating the revolutionary will to conquer poverty, ignorance, and injustice, by releasing positive vibrations in harmony, with words, sounds and power. Yasus works tirelessly to bring together people from many diverse backgrounds. Yasus testifies to his Rastafarian beliefs and his profound faith in Jah as a dub poet, author, philosopher and Reggae artist promoting Roots Reggae in line with traditional Rastafarian values.
The Sacred Fire: The Music of
Hildegard of Bingen
Kim Cunio
Heather Lee
Ensemble of the Golden Age
Room 201
Artistic Performance
The Sacred Fire is a transcendental musical experience supported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Australia Council for the Arts. Kim Cunio and Heather Lee bring the music of Hildegard of Bingen to life with a medieval and cross-cultural ensemble, including readings by eminent Australians. In the last decade, various recordings have showcased Hildegard's music, ranging from historically informed ensemble works to adventurous fusion recordings that combine the music with mod
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ern sounds. The Sacred Fire is both historically faithful and musically adventurous, combining detailed musical research with innovation and experimentation. The ensemble plays medieval instruments from all cultures, including the Middle East and Persia. Newly composed pieces take fragments of Hildegard's music and combine them with Heather Lee's pure voice and a myriad of instruments including reed organs, the hurdy gurdy, the psaltery, the kamanche and more. Robin Ramsay and Stephanie Dowrick provide readings.
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Dr Kim Cunio has studied with Australia's finest musicians. He is one of Australia's most accomplished researching composers and was awarded an Australian Broadcasting Company Golden Manuscript Award in 2004 in recognition of his work with traditional and Islamic music. Kim's work has been played around the world, including at the Olympic Games and the White House.
Heather Lee is an award-winning singer and soloist who has performed in many of the leading venues and companies of Australia, including the Victorian State Opera, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Opera House, and the Cameron Macintosh CATS tour of Australia and New Zealand. Heather has a rare ability to sing in many languages and styles and has focused on both sacred traditional music and sublime western classical music in her career.
The ensemble includes Dr Kim Cunio as director and on plucked strings. and voice; Heather Lee on vocals; international traditional string player Llew Kiek on plucked strings: Australia's traditional winds player Anne Hildyard on winds, percussion master Tunji Beier on percussion; and Australia's visionary author and teacher Dr Stephanie Dowrick reading.
Hindu Intrafaith Meet: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Hinduism in the Western World
HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Moderator Swami Shankarananda Suhag Shukla
Paramacharya Palaniswami Pandit Abhay Awasthi Editors of Hinduism Today Room 202
Panel Discussion
Six speakers, all prominent Hindu swamis and leaders, will present on six distinct aspects of the future of Hinduism. They will discuss areas from their own experience and expertise that will illuminate the modern Hindu landscape from a broadly conceptual point of view. Subjects include the following: exploring the West's increasing adoption of Hindu ideas and ideals; the burgeoning of temple-building in the West and its impact on Hindu communities and non-Hindus; Hinduism in the mainstream media and on the Internet; Hindu education; the growing importance of Hindu advocacy and the defence of Hindu human rights; and growing up Hindu in the West. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, spiritual head of Kauai's Hindu Monastery in Hawaii, will chair the session and introduce each speaker.
HH Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami is the designated successor to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of blessed memory. He was a Co-President of the 1993 Centenary Parliament of the World's Religions. H H Veylanswami is Guru Mahasiddhanam and 163rd preceptor of the 2,200-year-old Kailasa Parampara of the Nadinatha Sampradaya in the Saivite Hindu tradition. He is also the publisher of the international quarterly journal 'Hinduism Today'.

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4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Mahant Swami Shankarananda is a leading meditation teacher and Director of the Shiva School of Meditation in Mt Eliza. He has taught and written about meditation, self-inquiry and the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism for over forty years. He is author of the best-selling books "Happy for No Good Reason, and Consciousness is Everything Suhag Shukla is Managing Director and Legal Counsel, is a co-founder of Hindu American Foundation. She holds a BA in Religion and JD from the University of Florida. As Managing Director, Ms. Shukla builds strategic inter and intrafaith relations. As Legal Counsel, Ms Shukla provides analysis on key issues including the separation of church and state, equal protection, religious discrimination and immigration reform. She also focuses on improving the public portrayal of Hinduism and its presentation in public school textbooks. Ms. Shukla is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission and is on the Board of the Nirvana Center, a Bhutanese resettlement center Paramacharya Palaniswami is one of the four stewards of Saiva Siddhanta Church, Himalayan Academy and Hindu Heritage Endowment. He is the leader of the Canapati Kulam, the monastic team reponsible for all book and magazine production, translations, art work, web work and publications. He is intimately involved with the design and construction of Iraivan Temple, working with the master builders. He is also editor-inchief of Hinduism Today magazine and the other publications and guide of the Innersearch Travel-Study Programs. He is the senior counselor to the monastic community and overseer of our global relationships with other Hindu organizations and interfaith religious forums. On retreat days, he fulfills the monastery's vision of a sacred garden and tropical paradise by collecting, cultivating and planting many varieties of sacred, medicinal and tropical plants, palms and trees around the monastery grounds. Pandit Abhay Awasthi is the President of the Hindu Comunity Council of Victoria and also executive director of Hindu Foundation of Australia, Pandit is also Vice Chair of the Melbourne Program Committee of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions.
have organized successful interfaith events for the larger community, including artistic and social actions programs, where do you go next? We discovered that the next level for our group was to explore spiritual intimacy' with one another by organizing two-day weekend retreats that would allow us to create authentic and deep spiritual fellowship. In addition to our usual custom of praying together, dialoguing, and sharing food, we decided we would also play games, create art, sing songs, take a walk, sit in silence, learn a sacred dance, and allot designated time to hear one another fully, with a profound ear. The result of fully listening to one another's spiritual autobiography, plus our recreational activities, brought us to a higher level of intimacy than we had imagined. The group unanimously decided that we would like to come to Melbourne to share our model in order to encourage other interfaith groups from around the world to take the next challenging step in interfaith engagement, the step of spiritual intimacy. We experienced the deep benefits of this process for ourselves and we believe it could also contribute to the healing of our planet. Come join us for an intimate experience and share with us your sacred and spiritual journey in a meaningful exercise that you can take home and engage in with your own interfaith community. Dr Joseph Prabhu is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at California State University, Los Angeles and a Martin Marty Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago. He is the co-editor of The Interfaith Challenge of Raimon Panikkar, and Indian Ethics, and the author of the forthcoming Liberating Gandhi. He is the current President of the Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy and the Program Chair of the Melbourne Parliament. A native of India, he has long been active in interfaith and peace work
Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Working Session II Room 207 This program is by invitation only and is designed for individuals and organisations interested in following up on the 'Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity Symposium programs and dialogue throughout the Parliament week. The program will focus on strengthening current collaborative efforts, extending invitations to other interested parties, strategizing about next steps at both grassroots and international levels, and immediate implementation of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions innovative social networking platform, 'PeaceNext', to enhance communication and coordination on this critical issue. Stein Villumstad, Deputy Secretary General of Religions for Peace, will moderate this session.
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 2) Room 211 This session will continue brainstorming ways to carry forward the energy of the Parliament.
Spiritual Intimacy: Taking Interfaith Engagement to the Next Level Joseph Prabhu Rev Richard Rose Renee De Palma, Buddhist John Ishvaradas Abdallah, Muslim Debrah Van Zyl, Jewish Swami Shiva Atmatattwananda, Hindu, Vedanta Rev Jeff Utter, Christian Room 208 After you have explored religious differences and similarities, after you have compared your holy books, after you
The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 2] Gemma McDonald Julia Torpey Room 212 Panel Discussion The second session of this two-part program will explore the potential for young people to get involved with interfaith work by being the drivers, contributors and participants in activities, individual initiatives or organisations. This program will feature the voices of young people from the Faith Fellows Act (USA), the Centre for Multicultural Youth (Melbournel, the Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network (Melbourne), the Young Women in Interfaith (Sydney), the Interfaith Youth Core (Chicago) and the Parliament Youth Committee (Melbourne). Gemma McDonald is the Community Organiser for Youth for a Parliament of the World's Religions. She has worked as a performer and choreographer for Artworks, where her work with youth also began. Having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Post-Graduate studies
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
in Event Management, Gemma is now focused on the organisational work behind events and currently serves on the National Baha'i Youth Conference Board Julia Torpey is an Interfaith Researcher for the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions. She is a descendant from the Eora people in New South Wales and co-wrote 'Urgent", a book developed in conjunction with the Geelong Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative, Clockwork Youth Health Services and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people throughout the Ceelong Area. Her aspiration is to offer young people the opportunity to participate in the development and performance processes of artistic production.
Vivek Jain is a technical manager in a top insurance company in New York City Born in Indore, India, he has Master's degrees in computers and management. Vivek is a co-presenter in all of Divya Jain's work. He has provided services in many cvents, including the Dharma Music Concert in the 2006 Montreal World's Religions Congress in Canada, and the 2007 Monterrey World Religions Congress in Mexico.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell (Premier Film Series Selection) Room 214 Film Pray the Devil Back to Hell' chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of women-ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim-came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white t-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they took on the warlords and nonviolently forced a resolution during the stalled peace talks in their country. The film was directed by Gini Reticker. Q & A to follow.
Taking the Initiative...the Role of Youth in Global Interfaith Action Sarah Talcott Patrick Nickisch Room 216 Seminar The purpose of United Religion Initiative (URI) is to promote daily, enduring interfaith cooperation, end religiously motivated violence, and build cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings. The URI is a group of youth leaders who bring this purpose to fruition in daily life and work. The group will present the synopsis of the URI Young Leaders Program, which began in Mayapur, India, and has grown into a long-term plan for building the interfaith youth movement. The India program, 'Taking the Initiative: The Role of Youth in Global Interfaith Action', brought together 100 young leaders from across the religious spectrum for a weeklong gathering. Complete with the sharing of sacred practices, dialogue groups, cultural exchange through art, dance and music, the creation of action agendas, and a service project, it was truly a monumental gathering of impassioned youth. But the real work started when each individual returned home with a renewed spirit and a wealth of knowledge about how to extend this exceptional model of peaceful coexistence. The URI will present model projects these young leaders have organised in their communities since then, discuss the core values they share, and introduce their unique methodologies. Sarah Talcott is the United Religions Initiative Director of Youth Programs, which involves hundreds of young people from 65 countries. Sarah has worked in the interfaith cooperation and understanding field for ten years. In her work, Sarah combines interfaith learning with community service and peacebuilding training. She has organised and facilitated interfaith youth exchanges, workshops and projects in the USA, UK, India, Cyprus, Spain, Brazil and Peru. Patrick Nickisch is a Hindu-Vaishnava of German origin and a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Patrick participated in the URI young leaders program in Mayapur, which opened his eyes to a complex peacebuilding world and led him to his current position in the URI Europe and the Global Office. He is pursuing degrees in Religious Studies and Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology and is helping to develop curricula for a new university project in Germany.
Dance Workshop - Expression of Emotions Divya Jain Vivek Jain Room 215 Interactive Workshop Peace, truth, love, righteousness and nonviolence are all essential religious values for living in today's increasingly complex world. Artists can communicate these values to a broad audience through the media of drama, dance and music. Sacred dance and music have no religious barriers and are a proven way to keep youth connected with traditions and promote peace. Movements from classical Indian dances are being adapted increasingly to modern dancing and other exercise classes. In this workshop, the dance guru Divya Jain will explain the body movements related to expressions of love, anger, joy, wonder, courage, sadness, fear, disgust and peace. Participants will enjoy learning to express their emotions in this unique, interactive dance workshop. Divya Jain is an accomplished Indian classical dancer and choreographer. Over the last 20 years she has performed in many prestigious cultural, interreligious and charity events in India, the USA and around the world, including the Dharma Music Concert at the 2006 Montreal World's Religions Congress in Canada, and the 2007 Monterrey World Religions Congress in Mexico
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A Listening Place Each Day
Kristen Hobby Lynette Dungan
Bernie Miles
Kava Schaefer
Jill Manton
Nola Vanderfeen
Room 217
Interactive Workshop
We welcome you to a safe place where you can simply be. This is a quiet place where you can sit and meditate or reflect on what has touched or challenged you throughout the day of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Spiritual directors will be available in this room; you may talk to them if there is anything you would like to share. Spiritual directors are trained to listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way and are available for people of all faith traditions.
The Holy Scriptures and Questions of Intended Use
Harbans Lal
Dr Avtar Singh Dhaliwal
Mike Ghouse
KL Seshagiri Rao
Glenda Gill
Ann Garner
Dr Balwant Singh Hansra
Room 218
Panel Discussion
In every religion, there are scriptures that are intended to guide human societies according to universal laws. These scriptures, which are transcribed by prophets, are usually considered to be inspired by the Source of All Truth. However, when these prophets depart, their followers sometimes begin to misinterpret scriptures to their ethnic or group advantage. Whereas proper interpretation of scriptures may create harmony, unity and peace, improper interpretations create divisions and conflicts between and among people of different faiths. Today, serious followers of any world faith are haunted by feelings of uncertainty about the biased interpretations presented by many clergy. Although every Holy Scripture fundamentally promulgates peace, love and living in harmony, sometimes for the sake of dominance, supremacy and exploitation, religious leaders use scriptures to cultivate wars, commit murders, and cause social destruction in the name of God. In this session, representatives of a variety of faith traditions will come together to discuss these important issues. These scholars from various faiths will peruse their own scriptures and offer their interpretations to illustrate both proper and improper use of the scriptures and warn the coming generation about the silent killers in society today.

4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Dr Harbans Lal is President of the Academy of Guru Granth Studies; Fmeritus Professor/Chairman, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center; and Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at the Guru Nanak Dev University. He is a member of the Interfaith Council of the Center for World Thanksgiving and The Interfaith Center at Fort Worth and advisor to the American Project on Religion and the News Media, The Sikh Times, and the Sikh Foundation. Dr Avtar Singh Dhaliwal is on the editorial board of the research journal 'Understanding Sikhism' and is a member of the Institute for Understanding Sikhism.
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and writer on topics related to pluralism, terrorism, peace, interfaith, Islam, multiculturism and India. Over 750 of his articles and essays have been published in newspapers, magazines, blogs, and websites. Ghouse is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television networks, offering a pluralistic perspective on issues of the day.
Dr K L Seshagiri Rao is Professor Emeritus of Religion at the University of Virginia, Chief Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism and Indic Religions, and Co-Editor of the journal Interreligious Insight and its predecessor World Faiths Insight. A Trustee of the World Congress of Faiths. he has been active with interfaith organisations for many years. He is the author of many books and articles and has participated in consultations of UNESCO and the World Economic Forum.
Glenda Gill is the leader of a North Texas Buddhist Discussion Group. Mrs Ann Garner is an ordained minister of Interfaith Church.
Dr Balwant Singh Hansra has been an At-Large Executive Committee Member of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and Chair and Professor of the Natural Science Department at Daley College in Chicago. He has also been Chair of the Sikh Host Committee and Appointed Chair of the Administration & Finance Committee.
Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: What We've Learned... What Next Steps We Hope to Take
North American Theological School Students Room 219
Panel Discussion
In this session, we will be working with and trying to draw insights and conclusions from the experience of students and faculty both in the preceding sessions of our Symposium as well as in the broader experience of the Parliament, including the official sessions and the many interpersonal encounters. We will seek to formulate concrete, practical next steps to carry on this interreligious and international collaboration among institutions that train religious leaders as well as further actions for promoting a greater awareness of and engagement with other religions in our individual schools and institutions. This is part of a symposium entitled 'Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World'. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, with the support of The Henry Luce Foundation, has coordinated with fifteen theological institutions to explore ways to increase education for interfaith leadership in North American theological schools. Institutions strongly acknowledged the urgency of interfaith engagement and the preparation of a religious leadership equipped with knowledge and understanding of the plurality of faith traditions in the contemporary world.

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PROGRAM DESE Tuesday, December 8, 2009
9:00-10:30pm EVENING PROGRAMS
EVENING PROGRAMMING 9:00-10:30pm
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action Room 107 Film Nearly all Native American nations live on land threatened by environmental hazards, from toxic waste to strip mining and from oil drilling to nuclear contamination. This documentary film tells the stories of five activists in four communities dedicated to protecting Indian lands against environmental disaster, while preserving their sovereignty and ensuring cultural survival. The film was directed by Roberta Grossman.
Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony for Reconciliation Among Religions and Peace Among Nations Fumi Johns Stewart Rev Charles Gibbs Audrey Kitagawa Room 220 Religious or Spiritual Observance A Peace Pole will be given as a gift as a potent symbol of the reconciliation among religions advanced by the Parliament of the World's Religions at the conclusion of the 2009 UN International Year of Reconciliation. The Parliament Peace Pole will join 250,000 Peace Poles around the world, each proclaiming 'May Peace Prevail on Earth in a variety of languages. All are welcome to take part in this celebratory event, which will include a colorful and moving World Peace Prayer Ceremony. The flags of all nations will be raised as everyone sends the universal hope May Peace Prevail on Earth' to each country of the world. Presiding over this historic occasion will be Ms Fumi Johns Stewart, Executive Director of the World Peace Prayer Society, and Rev Charles Gibbs, Executive of the United Religions Initiative. Ms Audrey Kitagawa, who serves on the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and as the UN Representative for the World Associations, will introduce the International Year of Reconciliation. *Note: If weather permits, this event will be held outside.* Ms Fumi Johns Stewart is Executive Director of the World Peace Prayer Society (WPPS), a not-for-profit organisation promoting the universal message and prayer, "May Peace Prevail on Earth'. WPPS is an international, non-sectarian, non-political organisation associated with the Department of Public Information at the United Nations. The work of WPPS encompasses the globe in ways that support peace, harmony and goodwill among all citizens. Rev Charles Gibbs is Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative (URI), which was founded in 2000 by an extraordinary global community committed to promoting enduring, daily interfaith cooperation and to ending religiously motivated violence. Today the URI's activities annually engage over one million people in 70 countries, with members representing more than 100 religions, spiritual expressions, and Indigenous traditions. Audrey Kitagawa is Co-Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family. She is an adviser to the World Federation of United Nations Association and Chair of the NGO Committee on Spirituality. Values and Global Concerns. Kitagawa is a member of the international advisory council for the Toda Institute for Peace and Global Policy Research and a co-facilitator of the United Religions Initiative United Nations Cooperation Circle.
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PROGRAM DES
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Whole Self - Whole Earth
Gede Parma
Room 102
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In the diverse and plentiful Pagan traditions, we experience the Earth as a Mother-force who nourishes, sustains and guides us on our journeys of spiritual discovery. Through our rituals and observances we align and attune with the natural rhythm of the cycles of Life. Inherent in this worldview of Whole Earth is Whole Self. We too must be whole if we are to fully experience and open to the wonder that is the Great Mystery of our Mother Earth and the Cosmos which is the dark womb that holds Her. This ritual observance will embody this principle of Whole Self - Whole Earth. This observance teaches that we are each intrinsically connected to Nature and to each other within it. If we seek wholeness of the Self through connection to our Earth we discover that personal transformation is at the heart of every choice we make and every hope that is kindled.
Gede Parma is a modern-day Witch and Pagan priest of the WildWood Tradition of Witchcraft. He is the author of 'Spirited: Taking Paganism Beyond the Circle' (Llewellyn Publications) and is a feature writer for Spellcraft Magazine. Gede weaves Mediterranean, Celtic, Faerie and Balinese traditions into his personalised path of ecstasy and magic.
Jewish Reform Morning Observance - Wednesday
Rabbi John Levi
Kim Gotlieb
Room 103
Religious or Spiritual Observance
An opportunity for people from a variety of religious, spiritual, or curious perspectives to engage in a Jewish morning prayer service. Informed by both Progressive Judaism and the Jewish Renewal movement (founded by Rabbi Zalman Shachter-Shalomi), which both embrace a commitment to strengthening Interfaith relationships. No Hebrew knowledge is required. The service will include some simple chants which follow the structure of all Jewish prayer services, while distilling many of the prayers to their essence, to highlight their intention in ways which are likely to resonate with the deepest humanity in us all. Led by Kim Gotlieb and Rabbi John Levi. Rabbi John Levi is Australia's first ordained rabbi. He was rabbi of Temple Beth Israel 1960 to 1997. He has a PhD from Monash University. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Australian Catholic University. He has published five books on Australian Jewish history, a study of the music of the Berlin Reform Synagogue and a Haggadah for Passover Eve. He is a Life Member of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and a founder of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews. He is a Member of the Order of Australia. He is the founder of progressive Jewish congregations in Hong Kong, Wellington [NZ) and Adelaide.
Kim Gotlieb is a lay leader involved in Jewish Renewal services at Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney. He also teaches 12-year-old boys and girls in the preparation for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah (confirmation. He has studied at Elat Chaayim in America, as well as a variety of Jewish teachings, both in Australia and abroad. He is a psychotherapist and group facilitator, drawing from Narrative Therapy and Process Oriented Psychology.

8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Ancient Jain Mantra: Sound and Spirituality
HH Amrender Muniji Room 105
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Mantras use the power of sound to bring about purification, protection, healing and the awakening of divine powers. Mantras are also positive affirmations, bringing the practitioner to a state of oneness with God. This observance will include the chanting of mantras as well as an explanation of the philosophy behind them.
His Holiness Amrender Muniji is one of the few Jain monks who travel outside of India to preach nonviolence. He was initiated at the age of fourteen. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy and Sanskrit, and is a scholar of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist Scriptures. He has undertaken intensive study, practice and teaching of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. His dedicated service to humankind has been recognised by several organisations.
Meditation for Better Life
HH Swami Avdhesahanand Ji Maharaj Room 106
Religious or Spiritual Observance
To get rid of sorrows and to attain the permanent happiness is the only goal of every human being. All other goals are determined to attain this state of happiness. Even the most wonderful achievements in the world are nothing but the result of this one desire. Many people mistake the true nature of their yearnings and give them worldly direction, whereas in reality no human yearning can ever find satisfaction in anything that is not permanent and unchanging, however much people may try to deceive themselves on this point. People seek happiness in external objects, in the physical aspects of men and women. But true happiness lies within ourselves; it is our inalienable heritage. External things can never bring true happiness to us, and what little we get disappears in no time. Temporary happiness there is, no doubt, in worldly relations, in human love and human affection. But temporary happiness can never mean real happiness; rather it is the opposite of it. True happiness is the intrinsic nature of the inner Self.
Meditation is the way to achieve this True happiness. In this session Pujya Swami Avdhesahanand Ji Maharaj will teach us the art of Meditation, by which we can make our life wonderful.
HH Swami Avdheshanand Ji Maharaj is head of the Juna Peeth, the largest group of spiritual leaders in India, and Trustee of the Acharya Sabha, the highest council of authorities on Hindu Dharma. He is also the founder of several humanitarian organisations, author, speaker and recipient of the 2008 Hindu of the Year award.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
8:00-9:00 am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Sunrise Morning Sadhana Gurukirn Khalsa Room 108 Religious or Spiritual Observance Sadhana means daily discipline. By practicing morning sadhana each day, we dedicate our souls to attuning to God within, which manifests in our thoughts and actions throughout each day and our life as a whole. Morning sadhana allows us to cleanse ourselves at the very start of the day, when the energy is most conducive to meditation, so that the rest of the day shines with clarity and radiance. Morning sadhana is a self-sustaining process. It allows us to be more effective and aware. It builds our intuition, which enables us to be more in tune with the world around us. Morning sadhana is also called group sadhana. The energy of the group magnifies our own experience and we come to share a common dedication to nurture others and ourselves. This observance will feature a shortened version of the Aquarian Sadhana observed throughout the world. It will include the first five stanzas of Japji Sahib, an invigorating Kundalini Yoga, mantra chanting, and Gurbani Kirtan, the traditional music of the Sikhs. It provides participants with a refreshing and meditative start to their day. Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa was ordained a Sikh minister in 1974 She is a past chair of the International Khalsa Council. She is also an artist
t. She is the author of the book 'Pure Longing Fulfilled' which combines poetry and art in praise of One God. She and her family attend Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Dwara in Phoenix, Arizona, USA
observance, we will begin with the Eight-form Moving Meditation, so participants can experience Chan in motion while relaxing their body and mind. This will be followed by guided meditation and a sitting meditation. Throughout this observance, participants will have a glimpse of Chan spirit and experience the ensuing calm and ease. This program will give participants a gift to bring home to raise efficiency at work and to fill their lives with happiness. Chang Wu Shi is a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, practising since 1995 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. She has participated in and been a panellist on international conferences on peace making, spirituality and sangha education. Currently she oversees he operation of the Special Project Department and the International Translation Department at the Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural Center in Taiwan. Chang Shen Shi, a Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition, has practised since 2001 under the guidance of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Dharma Drum Mountain (DDMI lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism Prior to becoming a bhikshuni, she studied in New York City and earned a PhD in sociology in 2004. Upon returning to Taiwan she attended Sangha University of DDM for monastic training, including the philosophy of Buddhism and Chan practice
Sikh Observance by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Room 109 Religious or Spiritual Observance Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha will host a morning observance that will focus on Naam and Simran, the Sikh form of prayer and meditation. This interactive observance will allow participants to embrace forms of meditation that inculcate a deep sense of inner peace. It will also include an exposition of the Sikh scripture.
Viswamitra in Union with the Universe HH Swami Sandeep Chaitanya Room 204 Religious or Spiritual Observance This morning observance is a string of simple prayers and chants that subtly yet consciously make one aware of one's bonding with all the elements of the universe, living and non-living. From the waking moment until the end of the day, these prayers lead one to absorption, introspection, contemplation and self-evaluation. The 'Pratha Smaranam' points inwards to Awareness of the Self, mov ing on to the Gayatri mantra that draws inspiration and energy from the Sun, to salutation to Mother Earth, other elements, flora and fauna, and to meditations while going through the activities of daily routine. Swami Sandeep Chaitanya guides this session with chanting supported by musical renditions and printed material providing explanations. The prayers, hymns and mantras composed by the ancient sages of india are a sincere commitment of Man's consideration, care and love towards everything else in this Universe. Such a Man is the Viswamitra, after whom this program is named, one of the most revered of sages and the Universal Friend', the mitra (friend and well-wisher) of the entire viswa (universe). HH Swami Sandeep Chaitanya is the founder and Chairman of The School of Bhagavad Gita, with centers in India, USA, UK, UAE and Canada. For over fourteen years he has conducted discourses on the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and other sacred texts, in India and abroad. He is a founder of the Salagramam Ashram and has spearheaded the National Awareness Programs for the protection of rivers. He is a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda of blessed memory.
Chan Meditation to Ease the Body and Mind at All Times and on All Occasions Ven Chang Wu Shi Ven Chang Shen Shi Room 110 Religious or Spiritual Observance Chan Meditation is the essential practice in Chinese Buddhism. Prominent Chan Masters have attained supreme wisdom and compassion through their cultivation of Chan meditation. Application of the method is not limited to sitting only, but walking, standing, lying down, eating and exercising as well. In this one-hour spiritual
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The Way of Balance
Eugene Imai
Chisato Morita
Tomokazu Yamamoto
Keita Karasaki
Atsuya Imoto
Kanami Hino
Kazuo Takizawa Room 207 Lecture
One of Shumei's main teachings, the 'way of balance' is a key to successfully navigating though the world and one's life. It describes a particular pattern of thinking and acting centred around balance and timing. It is a non-judgmental and holistic approach to life, which accepts everything for what it is. By applying the teachings of Mokichi Okada, known to Shumei's members as Meishusama, the way of balance embraces living with kindness and compassion. By sharing the principles of the way of balance, this observance presents a path to finding true peace and happiness.
Eugene Imai is the National Director of Shumei America and the Director of the International Department of Shumei. Shumei is a Japanese spiritual organisation committed to furthering an ideal state of health, happi ness and harmony for all mankind. As the Director of Shumei America, he provides spiritual guidance and support to Shumei ministers and members in America, including farmers practising Natural Agriculture. He has also participated in interfaith activities, locally and internationally. Chisato Morita is a staff member of Shinji Shumeikai.
Tomokazu Yamamoto, Keita Karasaki and Atsuya Imoto are university students.
Kanami Hino and Kazuo Takizawa are workers.
A Celebration of Urantia, Our Planet
Gard Jamison
Francyl Gawryn
Room 208
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The Urantia Book teaches that our world is just a small part of a much larger system of superuniverses, all inhabited by trillions of sentient beings who also worship and celebrate the same God that humans do. The Urantia Book presents us with an invitation to expand our cosmic consciousness, to enhance our spiritual perception of these universal values, and to honour and sustain God's creative diversity. This observance will be a Celebration of the Family of God and will be hosted by members of the Urantia Community from Australia and the United States. There will be song and silence, word and image honouring the Universal Father of all creation. Participants from all faith traditions are welcome to join us as we celebrate the diversity represented at the Parliament, seek a deeper compassion, and achieve a heightened quality of wisdom. Gard Jamison is chair of the Southern Nevada Interfaith Council, board member of the North American Interfaith Network, and member of the

United Religions Initiative. He teaches Asian Philosophy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and is the author of 'Phaethon: A Story for our Mythic Moment'.
Francyl Gawryn is a musical recording artist and director of Youth Education at Grace Community Church, Boulder City, Nevada, USA.
8:00-9:00am MORNING OBSERVANCES
Master Class in Raja Yoga: A Pathway to Healing and Transformation
Dadi Janki
Room 212 Lecture
Raja Yoga is the art and science of mastering the mind and developing a lasting and profound connection with the Supreme. Dadi Janki will explore the depth of Raja Yoga practice and its contribution to healing on all levels: physical, emotional and spiritual. Dadi will also explain how to apply our inner wisdom in everyday life to gain inner strength, which will enable participants to maintain their own inner happiness in the face of challenges and help others to do the same. In the words of Alfredo Sfeir Younis, 'Dadi Janki is so important to the world. This goes beyond her material existence. She is such a soul that no matter what state she is in physically, she will continue to thread the human quilt so as to awaken us to a better future for humanity."
Dadi Janki is a master Raja Yogini. Now 94 years of age, she has studied and practised meditation since childhood. She first came to London in 1974 and has since overseen the expansion of the Brahma Kumaris into over a hundred countries. She is also Patron of the World Congress of Faiths and a member of the Global Peace Initiative of Women. She is now based in India.
Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony
Leslie Meehan Room 214 Interactive Workshop
How can people of all beliefs gather together to create a sacred space to honour and heal the earth? This program will answer this question by asking participants to co-create an altar and hold an earth celebration ceremony, during which participants will send blessings to the UN Climate Change Conference delegates meeting in Copenhagen. During this gathering, we will share our experiences of physical and virtual earth sanctuaries around the world. Participants will share stories and collective wisdom regarding sacred spaces consecrated to healing the earth. All are invited to bring objects representing their love for the earth to add to the altar. The program will also include a demonstration of an on-line sanctuary developed for the Gaiafield Project, a Wise Climate 2009 subtle activism initiative. Subtle activism is spiritual or conscious activity intended to support collective healing and social change. By linking the healing intentions of

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participants at the Parliament with those at the conference in Copenhagen, our 'Heal the Earth Sanctuary will clearly express our support for sustainable living and our commitment to a better world.
Leslie Meehan is an interspiritual minister and co-founder of the Gaiafield Center for Subtle Activism at the California Institute of Integral Studies [CIIS) in San Francisco, California, USA. She received her MSEE from Stanford University and is a PhD candidate at CIIS finishing her dissertation, Our Birth as Halo Sapiens: Navigating our Passage Through Climate Change. She is committed to helping to create a world where the great-great-grandchildren of all species can thrive.
Catholic Mass, Coptic Rite
Fr Matta Ayoub
Room 215
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this observance the Eucharist will be celebrated in the Coptic rite. Coptic Catholics belong to a small Eastern Catholic Church with its headquarters in Cairo. They are led by the Catholic Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria. The ceremony will be explained for those not acquainted with a Coptic Mass and will also be supplemented by an explanation concerning the Catholic Copts.
The celebrant will be Fr Matta Ayoub, who is the Melbourne migrant chaplain for the Coptic Catholic community.
Contemplative Shacharit (Jewish Morning) Service
Rabbi Or N Rose
Room 216
Religious or Spiritual Observance
Using the traditional rubrics of the weekday Shacharit ('morning') service, participants will explore several key prayers through song, chant, and guided meditation. Our service will include Hebrew and English. Translations and transliterations will be provided. All are welcome.
Rabbi Or N Rose is an associate dean at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Boston, Massachusetts, and co-director of the Center for Interreligious & Communal Leadership Education (CIRCLE), a joint venture of Hebrew College and Andover Newton Theological School. Rabbi Rose is the author or editor of three books and numerous articles on Jewish spirituality, interfaith cooperation, and social justice. He was recently selected as a member of the inaugural Shalom Hartman Institute North American Scholar's Circle.
Observance on Tlinglit (Indigenous
Alaskan Native) Spirituality
Clarence Jackson, USA: Tlingit
Room 217
Religious or Spiritual Observance
The Tlingit culture is multifaceted and complex. In Tlingit culture, a heavy emphasis is placed upon family and kinship. Art and spirituality are incorporated in nearly all areas of Tlingit culture. A Tlingit Clan Elder from the village
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of Kake in Southeast Alaska, Mr Clarence Jackson will offer a Tlingit observance. He is a fluent Tlingit speaker who frequently assists in efforts to document the Tlingit language and oral histories. Historically, Tlingit thought and beliefs were a fairly well organised philosophical and religious system whose basic axioms shaped the way Tlingit people viewed and interacted with the world around them.
Clarence Jackson is a Tlingit Clan Elder from the village of Kake. Alaska. He is of the Ch'aak [Eagle) moiety. Tsaagweidi (Killer Whale] Clan. He is on the board of directors for Sealaska Corporation, a regional, Native for-profit corporation founded by the US Congress for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. He also serves on the board of trustees for Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Council of Traditional Scholars.
Melbourne Buddhist Leaders
Observance
Ven Thich Phuoc Tan
Other Melbourne Buddhist Sangha Room 218
Religious or Spiritual Observance
This Buddhist observance will involve some of the most senior ordained and lay leaders of Melbourne's Buddhist temples and centres. Convened by the Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions patron Ven Thich Phuoc Tan, this observance will begin with chanting from the three main streams of Buddhism and will conclude with guided meditation.
Ven Thich Phuoc Tan is the Abbot of Quang Minh Buddhist Temple in Braybrook.
A Qur'anic Moral Imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
Dr Tariq Ramadan
Room 220
Religious or Spiritual Observance
In this session, Tariq Ramadan, a renowned Islamic scholar and President of the European Muslim Network, will discuss the Qur'anic approach to the moral imperative of building peace in pursuit of justice. This session is one of six in a series of Muslim observances on the Qur'an scheduled across the six days of the Parliament. Each session will include inspirational recitations of the Qur'an, clear translation, and illuminating exegesis around a different Parliament subtheme each day. This series will show how the subthemes of the Melbourne Parliament are all issues of shared concern to Muslims, as they are at the heart of Islam's social conscience.
Tariq Ramadan (www.tariqramadan.com) is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He is currently Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He is active both at the academic and grassroots levels and lectures extensively throughout the world on theology, ethics, social justice, ecology and interfaith as well as intercultural dialogue. Through his writings and lectures, he has contributed substantially to the debate on the issues of Muslims in the West and Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Professor Ramadan is currently president of the European think tank, European Muslim Network (EMN). in Brussels.

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INTRARELIGIOUS 9:30-11:00am
Most Rev Christopher Prowse, recently appointed as Bishop of Sale in Victoria, was formerly the auxiliary bishop of Melbourne (Western Region of Melbourne; Episcopal Vicar for Justice and Social Services), a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and an alumnus of the Gregorian University and the Lateran University in Rome. Most Rev Michael E Putney is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Townsville in North Queensland. A student of the Gregorian University in Rome and the Catholic University of louvain, Bishop Putney has taught theology in Pius XII Seminary, Australian Catholic University, University of Queensland, and Gregorian University. Bishop Putney has repre sented the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at numerous international consultations, dialogues and events. He has been the Chair of Australian Catholic Bishops' Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Relations since 2006.
Plant Perspectives John Grim Matthew Hall Deborah Bird Rose Room 103 Panel Discussion In a time of environmental crisis, who are the Earth others that we need to listen to, who do we need to heal? Engaging with the Parliament theme of Hearing Each Other: Healing the Earth from an Earth-centered perspective, it will explore the possibilities of hearing and opening up dialogue with the most prominent group of living beings on Earth: plants. As plants underpin all the ecosystems on Earth, one of the principal aims of this panel is to highlight the importance of plants in questions of Earth ethics and environmental justice. John Grim is currently a Senior Lecturer and Scholar at Yale University He is Coordinator of the Forum on Religion and Ecology with Mary Evelyn Tucker, and series editor of World Religions and Ecology, from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions. He has taught at Bucknell University and Sarah Lawrence College and is widely published on the subjects of religion and ecology Matthew Hall is a postdoctoral researcher at the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh's Centre for Middle Eastern plants. Matt's research includes ecological Surveying and developing botanical field guides, as well as philosophical work on conservation theory, interspecies ethics and at - titudes to plants in religious traditions. He is a founding member of the ecological humanities research group Deborah Bird Rose is Professor of Social Inclusion at Macquarie University. Her work focuses on entwined social and ecological justice in this time of anthropogenic climate change, and is based on her long-term research with Aboriginal people in Australia. Her books include: 'Dingo Makes Us Human Cambridge UP, 1992. 2000) and Reports from a Wild Country: Ethics for Decolonisation (UNSW Press, 2004). Recent work concerns extinctions and the moral imagination: 'Wild Dog Dreaming Love and Extinction
Poverty Symposium Closing Session Katherine Marshall Room 105 This final session will take stock of what has been learned over the course of the poverty symposium and pose the question, 'Where do we go from here?' Katherine Marshall will lead an open discussion with participants in the poverty symposium about the possibilities and challenges around translating the messages of the symposium into concrete action. Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Professor in the Government Department and the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She leads the Berkley Center's work on faith-inspired institutions working in development, involving a series of regional background papers and consultations with academics and practitioners, and a series of reviews of development topics
Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and Melbourne Bishop Christopher Prowse Bishop Michael Putney Room 104 Lecture Bishop Michael Putney, the Chair of the Bishops Committee for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations, will speak on the Catholic Church in Australia and interreligious dialogue. Bishop Christopher Prowse will present the Catholic Church of Melbourne as an example of interreligious dialogue and speak about the Archdiocese's official guidelines, 'Promoting Interfaith Relations'. Together, both speakers will address the broad range of interfaith activities that the Catholic Church in Melbourne and Australia has either initiated or in which it has been directly involved.
The Black GST (Genocide, Sovereignty, Treaty) Robert Thorpe Dennis Walker Room 106 In this session, activist Robert Thorpe will present an honest, thought-provoking presentation on the truth of how Australia was established. According to Thorpe, the Government would have you think that they are trying to do the right thing by Aboriginal people. A conversation with Aboriginal people almost anywhere in Australia will reveal that the Government's] divide and conquer policy-and its outcome of despair-are familiar to people almost everywhere in Australia.' This will be followed by a presentation about treaties with Aboriginal people in Australia by Aboriginal activist Dennis Walker Robert Thorpe is an Aboriginal activist and founder of The Black GST (Genocide, Sovereignty. Treaty). Dennis Walker is also known as Bejam Kunmunara Jarlow Nunukel Kabool. His political life began with the formation, in 1969, of the Brisbane Tribal Council. When the federal movement in Aboriginal af fairs split at the 1970 Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders meeting, Dennis was a central figure in the development of the National Tribal Council, which came into existence that year.
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been very active in the Society and has served in various capacities in Victoria. She was also the Yearly Meeting Secretary (the equivalent of a CEO) for six years. She has a strong interest in interfaith activities and has been a participant in the Jewish Christian Muslim Women's conference Sieneke Martin has a particular interest in overseas aid and development programs and in recent years has spent time in East Timor. She is currently the Clerk of Victoria Regional Meeting
The Soul of Kalaupapa Fred E Woods Room 107 Film From 1866 to 1969, the Kalaupapa peninsula on the Hawaiian island of Molokai was home to over 8,000 patients isolated there due to the fear of spreading Hansen's disease. From a mixture of cultures and religions, the patients at Kalaupapa enjoyed a degree of cooperation touching not only the residents but also those who visited and served at the settlement. The Soul of Kalaupapa is a film that captures the powerful spirit of intercultural collaboration at this unusual settlement. The film was directed by Ethan Vincent Fred E Woods is a professor at Brigham Young University in the department of Church History and Doctrine. Since 2005, Dr Woods has held a chair for religious understanding. He has lectured at numerous universities in the United States and internationally, and is the author of several books and many articles. His primary areas of research are Mormon migration and interfaith studies
Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh Devinder Singh Chahal Balwant Singh Hansra Avtar Singh Dhaliwal Jessi (Jasjit) Kaur Kuldip Singh Dr Kulbir Singh Thind Room 110 Seminar
Introducing Quakers: What Canst Thou Say? Catherine Heywood Susan Ennis Beverley Polzin Sieneke Martin Room 108 Panel Discussion Christ saith this, and the apostles say this, but what canst thou say?... and what thou sayest is it inwardly from God?' asked George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. This session will be part panel presentation, part discussion, and part sharing of worship. First, a panel of three Australian Quakers will each present an aspect of Quaker faith in practice, covering topics such as Quaker worship, Quaker testimonies (peace, integrity, simplicity and equality), and Quaker service. They will speak from their own lived spiritual experience rather than presenting information about Quakers. Attendees will then have an opportunity to discuss their responses to what they have heard with other participants, followed by questions to the panel. Finally, all will be invited to share in Quaker worship. Catherine Heywood joined the Quakers after working in a Quaker aid program in Cambodia in the early 1990s. She is currently a member of the Victorian Quaker Outreach committee, which over recent years has presented many sessions like this to the broader community. She works in education, delivering programs for migrants and refugees. Susan Ennis has a long personal interest in religion, spirituality, refugees and asylum seekers. She has taught English as a second language to adult refugees in Australia for over 25 years. She has also taught English as a second language in Turkey, China, and Cambodia and worked in Israel. She is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). She has combined these interests in her PhD on religion, spirituality and the refugee experience. Beverley Polzin has been a Quaker since 1981.joining the Religious Society of Friends in the town of Redruth in the west of England. She has
In today's increasingly polarised world, some have pointed to religion as a primary cause of social division, conflict, and war. Others have argued that blaming religion distorts its true significance, because, when properly followed, religion promotes peace, harmony, goodwill, and social cohesion. Parvez Hoodbhoy has said that in an examination of global conflicts, blame will fall on religions because so many religions claim a superiority of belief and a divine right to impose their beliefs on others. The modern world is looking for peace and the survival of humanity and it would make a world of difference if all the major religions of the world could sit together and present their philosophy for establishing peace on this Earth. Inculcating the idea of peace in the mind is better than building an army to establish peace. As Einstein said, 'The idea of achieving security through national armament is, at the present state of military technique, a disastrous illusion. This session will present the Sikh perspective and the philosophy of Guru Nanak as a basis for making a world of difference in establishing world peace. Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh, aged 60. is the current religious head of Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib, the supreme religious authority of the Sikhs, based in Amritsar, Punjab, India. He was appointed as Jathedar on 6 August 2008, after serving 37 years as a Sikh religious preacher. His last appointment was as Head Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Professor Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD is president of the Institute for Understanding Sikhism and Editor-in-Chief of the research journal Understanding Sikhism'. He has written many articles on scientific and logical interpretations of Gurbani and the representation of Sikhism in various journals. He has also contributed many chapters in multiauthored books. He has written several critical analyses of works on Sikhism and Gurbani and has authored four books on the philosophy of Guru Nanak. Dr Balwant Singh Hansra has been an at-large executive committee member of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, and chair and professor of the Natural Science Department at Daley College in Chicago. He has also been chair of the Sikh Host Committee and appointed chair of the Administration and Finance Committee. Dr Avtar Singh Dhaliwal is on the editorial board of the research journal Understanding Sikhism' and is a member of the Institute for Understanding Sikhism.
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Michael Leuning Michael Leuning Room 201 Artistic Performance
Jessi Kaur, a frequent speaker at interfaith conferences, has travelled extensively, sharing the spiritual values taught by the Sikh Gurus. She believes that harmony is possible in a diverse world when barriers of ignorance are brought down. She is co-founder of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies and author of "Dear Takuya', a children's book promoting acceptance of diversity among young children. She is also Fine Arts Commissioner for Cupertino, California. Kuldip Singh is the President of UNITED SIKHS - USA, a UN affiliated NGO, aimed at empowering underprivileged and minority communities He is a project management consultant working for Fortune 500 compa nies in the USA. He has participated in a number of interfaith forums and delivered lectures on the Sikh perspective. He actively promotes peace and harmony through multifaith, humanitarian relief and civil rights advocacy programs. Dr Kulbir Singh Thind, MD has been distributing for free his Gurbani CD since 1984. He has developed databases relating to Sri Guru Granth Sahib ind then developed many other specialised files of Sri Guru Granth Sahib text for the help of Sikh scholars and novices.
Join Michael Leunig, cartoonist, philosopher, poet and artist, as he works with music to create artistic expressions. Michael's commentary on political, cultural and emotional life spans thirty-five years and has explored the idea of an innocent and sacred personal world. In 1999 he was declared a national living treasure by the National Trust and awarded honorary degrees from La Trobe and Griffith Universities for his unique contribution to Australian culture. His work appears regularly in the Melbourne Age and The Sydney Morning Herald
Indigenous Food Insecurity Norma Kassi, Canada: Vuntut Gwich'in First Nation,
Moderator Anna Pinto, India: Meitei Robert Houndohome Hounon, Benin: Vodun Hwendo Room 111 Panel Discussion Today's economically driven multinational corporations and uncontrolled climate change are leading to the destruction or erosion of the traditional subsistence lifestyle of many Indigenous communities. This destruction not only creates food insecurity but also has a negative effect on other natural resources. Panelists in this session will discuss various aspects of this food insecurity and its impact on the well-being and survival of their respective communities. Norma Kassi, raised in Old Crow, Yukon, is Vuntut Gwich in (People of the Lakes). From 1985 until 1992 she was a member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. She has been a spokesperson in the effort to preserve the Porcupine Caribou Herd and serves on the International Gwich in Steering Committee for the Preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She is co-director of the Arctic Health Research Network: Yukon, engaged in health research. Anna Pinto is Executive Director of the Centre for Organisation, Research and Education (CORE), an Indigenous peoples' policy research and advocacy organisation based in the North East of India. An active member of the Indian Women's Movement for over two decades, she is also a prolific writer whose work addresses and critiques such issues as policy initia tives by the government of India and international agencies such as the World Bank Also known as His Majesty Daagbo Hounion Houna II, Robert Houndohome Hounon is the supreme spiritual leader of the great council of the Vodun Hwendo tradition. A veteran of numerous technical and spiritual positions, he is President of the association ELOSE, which has as its major aims a reconciliation between tradition and modernity the promotion of literacy, and the acquisition and transmission of written knowledge. He is also an adviser on interreligious action for peace in Africa.
A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr Shahriar Shojaeipour Dr Mohammad Jafar Elmi Najafali Mirzai Room 203 Panel Discussion In this session, Islamic scholars from the Islamic Republic of Iran will discuss the view of Shi'ism on several critical issues. Panellists will explore the basis of the ShiiteChristian dialogue, the characteristics and high flexibility of Shi'ism in comparison to other Islamic schools, and the Shi'a view of tasawwuf (Sufism) and 'irfan (mystical knowledge as two different paths. Dr Shahriar Shojaeipour is a faculty member and associate professor of History and Civilisation at the Islamic Research Institute for Culture & Thought. He holds a PhD degree in Islamic Studies and has taught subjects like 'Political Jurisprudence in Islam and Islamic Political Thoughts in countries like Romania. He has written several books on different topics and has also contributed a number of papers to different international conferences and seminars. Dr Mohammad Jafar Elmi is the Deputy (Research of the AlMustafa International University, Qum and the Managing Editor of the Encyclopedia of the World of Islam. He was formerly the Principal of the Islamic College of Advanced Studies, London. Dr Elmi is also a visiting lecturer of the Baqir al-Olum University. Qum. He has presented a number of papers in international seminars and conferences and has written nine books Najafali Mirzai is Director, Planning Commission for Religious Higher Education and Cultural Counselor of Iran in Lebanon and faculty member and Advisor to the President of the Al-Mustafa International University He has an MA in Philosophy from Islamic Azad University. His publications are Dictionary of Contemporary Idioms and Phrases', 'An Introduction to Higher Education in Religious Studies. 'The Biography of Sheikh Uthman bin Fawdi, and a number of published papers and treatises,
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Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience Rev Mark Dunn Helen Heath Scott Phillips Rev lan Smith Monsignor James Murray Mornington Interfaith Network, Respondent Banyule Interfaith Network, Respondent Sue (Denise) Talbot, Respondent Hans Christiansen Room 204 Interactive Workshop A panel of speakers from various interfaith initiatives from around Melbourne will present their experience of local interfaith work. They will highlight the role that local government can and does play in supporting local interfaith work. This program will look at four case studies of interfaith groups that are to varying degrees supported by local governments. The panel will consist of members of both the oldest interfaith network in Australia and more recent initiatives. At the end of the program, there will be time for discussion and questions from the floor followed by responses from members of newly emerging interfaith networks. Rev Mark James Dunn is Minister of the Word at St John's Uniting Church, Essendon. He has chaired the Uniting Care/Share Committee of the Victorian Synod and has served on the Synod Ecumenical Relations Committee and the Synod Nominations Panel. He has also served as a delegate to The Victorian Council of Churches. Mark is a keen supporter of the Moonee Valley Ecumenical Clergy Network and, in recent years, led the establishment of the Manningham Interfaith Network as its inaugural president Helen Heath has been actively involved in the Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong since 2000, serving as its President since 2004. She coordinates the very popular 'Tours to Places of Worship for the Network. Helen has been a representative on the Victorian Council of Churches and has also served on its Commission of Living Faiths, Dialogue and Community. Holen works as a Community Organiser for the Parliament of the World's Religions, Melbourne. Dr Scott Phillips trained in social anthropology and works in applied social research. He has conducted policy research for community organisations and governments as well as mining, manufacturing and banking companies. His work is focused on advancing social justice through intercultural dialogue, participatory governance and program evaluation. Scott is a Lay Minister in the Anglican Church and has been the Co-Convenor of the Hobsons Bay Interfaith Network since 2001. Rev lan Smith is Co-Chair of Darebin Interfaith Council. With 27 years of multicultural and multifaith experience working in Melbourne's North Western Suburbs, lan has been Vice President of the Victorian Council of Churches (VCCI and Past Chair of the VCC's Social Justice Commission. Currently, he is Chair of the Churches of Christ Social Justice Network He edited 'Earth Matters, the VCC's study booklet on faith and the environment, lan is minister of the Thornbury Church of Christ. Monsignor James Murray is the inaugural Chairman of Geelong interfaith Network, which began in 2003. In the early 1970s, James was one of the founders of the Christian ecumenical movement in Geelong After 31 years as the Catholic Priest of St Mary's Geelong, he retired in 2001. lle is still involved in ecumenical work and is now also working for peace among all the faiths and religions of Geelong. Reverend Hans Christiansen is the Associate Priest at the Anglican Parish of Sorrento and Rye.
Diversity, Unity and Community: Charting a Course for the Jews under the Southern Cross Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence Grahame Leonard Dvir Abramovich Room 207 Panel Discussion This program will put Australia's progress towards realising the full implementation of its unique vision of a multicultural society into historical context from a Jewish perspective. It will demonstrate that this vision is far from fully accepted by all Australians. For many. a multicultural society is dismissed as an ethnic issue and a useful means of effective assimilation. However, to succeed, our model must extend to, and be embraced by, all Australians, including our first people, Indigenous Australians. While this model remains a narrowly defined work in progress, success is far from guaranteed. Indeed, history elsewhere in the world, be it the new or old world, suggests that Australia needs to be united. determined and strong to succeed and resist outbreaks of anti-Semitism and other forms of antireligious hostility Jews arrived in Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet and have made and continue to make a distinguished contribution to Australia and its growth. The presenters in this program will reflect on this past and present contribution including the impact of the Shoah, and reflect on future scenarios for the Jewish community in Australia, its various traditions and internal dynamics, its relationship with other religious and ethnic communities and the impact of international events. Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence is Chief Minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney. He serves as registrar on the Sydney Beth Din and the rabbinical board of the Kashrut Authority Rabbi Lawrence is a founding member and director of the Jewish Arbitration and Mediation Service. Rabbi Lawrence has an MA hansl in Jurisprudence from St Catherine's College, Oxford University. He qualified as a rabbi in Jerusalem. He also graduated the Shaal & the Rothschild Foundation training courses for Diaspora rabbis Grahame Leonard is immediate past president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, prior to which he was the President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria for two years. He has held leadership positions in B'nai Brith and the Anti Defamation Commission Dr Dvir Abramovich is the Jan Randa Senior Lecturer in Hebrew and Jewish Studies and Director of the University of Melbourne Centre for Jewish History and Culture. He has published opinion pages in the Age and Herald Sun newspapers and is the editor of the Australian Journal of Jewish Studies. He has chaired sessions at the Melbourne Writers and Melbourne International Film Festivals.
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Sacred Activism: Cooperative Partnerships Advocating for Global Peace, Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals
James J Hurtak
Desiree Hurtak
Audrey Kitagawa
Roger Ross
Room 208
Panel Discussion
NGOs, parliamentarians, religious leaders, and community groups have key roles to play in carrying out the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Increasingly, governments and global institutions are recognising the importance of engaging communities of faith in the dissemination and implementation of MDG programs, and the delivery of needed services to remote populations. Expanding the level and variety of committed human resources and better managing their use is an urgent priority for social problem solving. With their broad outreach, communities of faith can be effective, positive agents of change. In the current global socioeconomic disarray and destabilisation, communities of faith must join hands to provide the inspired leadership that is needed to create just and equitable solutions to planetary crises. The decisions taken in the next decade by altruistic and compassionate leaders will determine how quickly the world can respond to the issues of survival faced by millions born into poverty and deprivation. This presentation will discuss how partnerships in and between faith communities and other stakeholders can create strategic alliances between compassionate service groups that will critically aid the achievement of the UN's MDGs.
James J Hurtak, PhD, is the founder and president of the Academy for Future Science. He has worked in the fields of education, science and spiritual philosophy, applying each to the task of cross-cultural understanding. He is the author of more than 12 books in 15 languages, including his most recent work, End of Suffering, and his films include 'The Voice of Africa: A Study of a Zulu Shaman' and 'The Light Body".. Desiree Hurtak is an author and activist for global consciousness and a sustainable future. Director of the Academy for Future Science, she works with Indigenous people in Africa and South America towards sustainable development solutions. Desiree has been involved in promoting solutions to our environmental crisis which include establishing cross-cultural dialogue on issues of science and religion.
Audrey Kitagawa is Co-Vice Chair of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, president of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, adviser to the World Federation of United Nations Association and chair of the NGO Committee on Spirituality. Values and Global Concerns, New York. A member of the advisory council for the Toda Institute for Peace and Global Policy Research, she also co-facilitates the United Religions Initiative United Nations Cooperation Circle. Rabbi Roger Ross is the Executive Director of the New Seminary for Interfaith Studies, the Executive Director of the Rabbinical Seminary International, and the Treasurer of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, New York. He received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Philosophy from New York University, and his ordination as Interfaith Minister from The New Seminary. Rabbi Ross received Rabbinical Ordination from the Rabbinical Seminary International.

Interpreting the Text: Creationism, Intelligent Design and Evolution
9:30-11:00am INTRARELIGIOUS SESSION
Phil Batterham
Rabbi Shimon Cowen
John Buckeridge
Room 209
Panel Discussion
This year, the scientific world is celebrating 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin and 150 years since the publication of 'On the Origin of Species. The theory of evolution through natural selection caught the religious world, Christian and Muslim, by surprise. It led to the development of creationism and intelligent design as alternative hypotheses based on literal interpretations of scripture. This panel of scientific and scriptural scholars will discuss the issues and the remaining challenges.
Phil Batterham is an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne. He is the executive of the International Genetics Federation and vice-president of the Genetics Society of AustratAsia. Phil is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council for Science and Mathematics Education. He is a co-author of the VCE Biology text, Biology 2, and a regular speaker on science in both primary and secondary schools.
Rabbi Dr Shimon Cowen has a dual background in secular and religious studies. He received a PhD in social philosophy from Monash University, Melbourne and rabbinic ordination Is'michal both in the Kollel Menachem Lubavitch, Melbourne, of which he was Program Director, and from the Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Rabbi S Y Cohen. He founded the Institute for Judaism and Civilization in 1998, with the purpose of helping to bring together the two worlds of religious tradition and secular society in discussion and, ultimately, harmony.
John Buckeridge is the president of the International Society of Zoological Sciences. He also chairs the International Union of Biological Sciences Bioethics Committee and has worked as an advisor to the UNESCO Commission for Ethics in Science and Technology. John is based in Melbourne, Australia, where he holds a chair in Natural Resources Engineering at RMIT University. His current research interests involve ethics, sustainability engineering, marine biology and palaeobiology. He has published widely on environmental issues, ethics, natural systems and education.
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 2) Archbishop Dr Philip Freier
Rabbi John Levi
Sheikh Isse A Musse
Mathew Crane Alana Bruce Azmeena Hussain Room 210 Seminar
This second of two parallel seminars, which will have the participation of the Parliament's senior and youth patrons, will discuss the future of religion in Australia and across the world. Recent decades have seen a very significant decline in mainstream Christianity together with a huge rise in those without a religion. In addition, new religious movements have emerged, adding to the diversity of Australia's multifaith society. This will be a discussion

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session in which young people, both Christian and nonChristian, will direct questions to some of Melbourne's most important religious leaders.
Dr Philip Freier became the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne in December 2006, following seven and a half years as Bishop of the Northern Territory. Dr Freier has been working towards engaging the Church with the wider community, particularly through his 'Prayer4Melbourne' quest, in which he has visited a range of public spaces, welfare centres and shopping malls. He is deeply involved in social justice issues affecting Indigenous peoples.
Rabbi John Levi is a former Deputy President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and is a Patron of the Council of Christians and Jews. (Australial. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws in 2006 for his contribution to the community and to Australian Jewish History. Rabbi Levi is an adjunct professor to the Australian Catholic University's AsiaPacific Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue, based in Melbourne, and has published several books.
Sheikh Isse A Musse, Imam of the newly built Virgin Mary Mosque and spiritual leader of Melbourne's Horn of Africa Muslim community, was born in 1946 in Somalia where he completed his primary and secondary education. He undertook his higher education at Ummul - Qurah University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts in the faculty of Shariah in 1983. The imam arrived in Australia in 1993. He has also taken a 2 year course in Vocational Education Training IVET) at Melbourne University where he received an undergraduate diploma in 2000. Shiekh Isse is a father of three and speaks fluent English, Arabic, Italian and Somali. His community service includes being Imam at the Islamic Council of Victoria Jeffcott Mosque in Melbourne for a period of 13 years between 1993 and 2005. He is also member of the the recently instituted National Council of Fatwa, the Dispute Settlement Centre in the Department of Justice, and an appointed marriage celebrant and a marriage counsellor.
Mathew Crane is Administrative Assistant at the Jim-baa-yer Indigenous Unit (Victoria) of the Centre for Indigenous Education and Research of Australian Catholic University (Ltd) at St Patrick's Campus in Melbourne. Alana Bruce is a 25 year old woman who is a member of the Jewish community. She completed a bachelor of arts, majoring in philosophy and social theory, before commencing a medical degree in 2007. Alana has spent time in Israel studying Jewish texts and belongs to a modern orthodox synagogue that has made moves to be more egalitarian and inclusive of women. Alana is also a part time professional jazz musician.
Azmeena Hussain is the personal assistant to the Executive Director at the Australian Multicultural Foundation. While working part-time, she is also in her fourth year of studying Arts/Law at Deakin University. Azmeena is actively involved in the Muslim community and is the Current Co-President of the Deakin University Islamic Society and Board Member of the Muslim Students Association. She is also a teacher at two Islamic weekend Arabic Schools.
The Common Enterprise of Peacebuilding: A New Model for Spiritually Motivated Social Action Within, Among & Beyond Communities of Faith
Rev Carol Carnes, Moderator
Rev Abigail Albert
Rev Jacqueline Triche Atkins
Dr Heather Dawn Clark
Rev Julie J Montague
Rev Mary Omwake
Rev Dr Joan Steadman Room 211
Seminar
The Gandhi King Season for Nonviolence (SNV) takes place annually from January 30th to April 4th. Now celebrating its twelfth year, SNV is a 64-day, spiritually
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motivated educational, media and grassroots awareness campaign. This interactive seminar will focus on the campaign's famous 'omni-local muliti-faith' model. Inspired by the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Martin Luther King Jr, SNV was co-founded in 1998 by the Association for Global New Thought (AGNT) and Arun and Sunanda Gandhi. With the support of AGNT, New Thought denominations banded together and invited other local faith leaders into dialogue to explore shared leadership of this annual campaign and to identify and activate demonstrations of local practices in nonviolence education and service. More than a decade later, a multifaith worldwide network stewards hundreds of ongoing programs in peace and nonviolence involving thousands of local participants annually. The Gandhi King Peace Train and YOUTH PEACEPORT program are just two of SNV's newest initiatives. Join leaders to discuss the spiritual and social value of bringing this inclusive model to your faith community.
Reverend Carol Carnes is the senior minister of the Center for Positive Living in Calgary, Alberta, where she carries on the tradition of New Thought to 'liberate religious thinking from superstition and dogma". A member of the leadership council of the Association for Global New Thought, she was inducted into the Board of Preachers of Martin Luther King International Chapel at Morehouse College in 2000. She has participated in the Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in India and Italy.
Rev Abigail Albert has been a religious science/new thought minister with the Affiliated New Thought Network since 2002 and is currently cochairperson of its membership committee. She and her husband, Steve Albert, are founding members of the All Faith Center, where Rev Abigail coordinates the annual Interfaith Summer Nights Program for the Poway Interfaith Team. Rev Abigail is a member of the All Faith Dialogue, the San Diego Interfaith Ministers Association and the Association for Global New Thought.
Rev Jacqueline Atkins is a licensed and ordained minister serving as executive minister and administrator at Power Circle Congregation in Chicago. She is responsible for board and leadership development as well as developing policies and procedures for the church's 23 ministries. She was inducted into the Morehouse Board of Preachers in the King Chapel in Atlanta in 2006 and received her Masters of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in May 2008.
Dr Heather Dawn Clark has been the senior minister of Capistrano Valley Church of Religious Science in San Juan Capistrano, California since 1999. She serves as task force leader for the Gandhi King Season for Nonviolence in her community. Dr Clark has also served for several years on the Religious Science International Board of Directors and the Association for Global New Thought Advisory Council.
Rev Julie Montague is the chair of the Board of Association of Unity Churches International and serves as Minister to Unity of the Valley Church in White Rock, British Columbia. Raised in Unity churches, she has studied and explored many faith traditions and honours the beauty and truth in each one.
Reverend Mary Omwake is a spiritual teacher, writer, radio host and retreat leader serving Unity ministries in Overland Park, Kansas and Maui, Hawaii. Mary has spoken at the United Nations for the Season for Peace and Nonviolence and was inducted into the Martin Luther King Board of Preachers in 1998. She has served on the International Association of Unity Churches and the Association for Global New Thought. She leads retreats and sacred tours to Assisi, Dharamsala, Africa and Hawaii.
Rev Joan Steadman is a community spiritual leader at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland, California. Under her leadership, the Oakland Season for Nonviolence was formed. In 2001, she was inducted into the Morehouse College Board of Preachers, and in 2002, she was granted the Gandhi King Ikeda award. Rev Joan was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 2008 by the United Centers for Spiritual Living.

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Mr Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk, is an editor, columnist and author. He has attended the last two Parliament events where hc spoke on aboriginal issues of North America. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian. Kanentiio is the author of three books including. 'Iroquois on Fire recently published by the University of Nebraska. He is the husband of the singer Joanne Shenandoah. Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, is a powerful and passionate spokesperson for Indigenous human rights and spiritual perspectives. An environmental champion, he speaks around the world, is active at the United Nations, and is widely known through his writings. He is a Professor Emeritus, in American Studies, SUNY Buffalo and the co-author of 'Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the U.S. Constitution Jake Swamp is employed with the Men for Change Program, part of the lethini'sten ha Family Violence Shelter. He is a former leader of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and was involved directly in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School-an acclaimed Mohawk language immersion school that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the United States and Canada.
East and West: Spirituality and Women's Leadership in Different Religious Perspectives Wendy Sargent Susan Brennan Arini Beaumaris Councillor Jennifer anis Room 212 Lecture Throughout history, women have exercised religious leadership, inspired by their particular spiritual tradition. Powerful religious figures such as Madonnas and goddesses have promoted a more powerful approach to women's spirituality and women's leadership. This panel of women leaders will explore these issues from religious traditions and secular perspectives. Over the past 25 years, Dr Wendy Sargent has coordinated spiritual multifaith projects with the Brahma Kumaris in South and East Asia. India, Australia and the Middle East. In the 1990s she returned to Australia where she published a book outlining methods of Eastern yogic transformation, Creative Raj Yoga Study Book'. Sargent is the coordinator of the UN Dialogue among Civilisations Forums in Australia. Susan Brennan is the YWCA World President. Susan is a barrister in administrative, town planning and environmental law. Former co-president of the YWCA of Australia, Susan Brennan began her life in the YWCA as a young woman leader on the board of her local association in Melbourne, Australia. She was recruited to the National Executive Committee at age 24 and was active in the development of a national policy framework to guide the advocacy of the YWCA of Australia Arini Beaumaris is the National Secretary, Australian Bahái Community. As a member of the Baha'i community, peace is a cause Arini has been involved in for 45 years. She was the first of two women to become a Director of a TAFE College in South Australia and has been in educational leadership for 20 years. She is currently completing her Doctoral Studies in the Gap between Moral Judgment and Moral Action at the University of Newcastle. Jennifer Kanis is an Employment and Industrial Relations lawyer and is the Convenor of Victorian Women Lawyers. Prior to becoming a lawyer. Jennifer was a secondary school teacher and communications consultant. Jennifer sits on all City of Melbourne council committees, is the Chair of the monthly People and Creative City Committee and Deputy Chair of the monthly Planning Committee.
Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education Sanchay Jain Vinod Kapashi Room 214 Panel Discussion This panel discussion addresses the following questions: Would the religion of nonviolence and self-control heal the world? What is the Jain perspective on the question of nonviolence and self-control? Does this perspective provide a new educational model for a culture of peace and nonviolence? Sanchay Jain has been associated with the Anuvrat movement for twenty years. Currently he is General Secretary of the Anuvrat Global Organization. He has been closely involved in developing the Children's Peace Palace at Rajsamand, India--a laboratory for the moral and spiritual transformation and all around development of children. He is also associated with the Balsambal orphanage Vinod Kapashi is the president of Mahavir Foundation in London. He lectures on Jainism in schools and colleges and has lectured at past Parliaments for the World's Religions held in Chicago, Cape Town and Barcelona. He has done extensive research in the Nine Sacred Recitations of Jainism and on the life of Jain Acharya Hemachandra. Mr Kapashi is an active Committee Member of the World Congress of Faiths in the UK. He has written sixteen books on Jain and non-Jain subjects.
The Haudenosaunee Prophecy Doug George-Kanentiio, USA: Mohawk/Iroquois,
Moderator Chief Oren Lyons, USA: Onondaga Jacob Andrew Swamp, USA: Mohawk Room 213 Special Panel The Haudenosaunee comprise a confederation of six eastern tribal nations in the United States, including the nations of the Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Mohawk, and Tuscarora. Like a number of other Indigenous cultures throughout the world that have prophecies, the Six Nations are well known for their message of peace, a central part of their prophecy, a prophecy that foretells of what or how changes will come to be and what impact they will have on the well-being of the people. Panellists from the Six Nations will discuss various aspects of the Haudenosaunee prophecy.
Strengthening Families with Weekly Family Night Lindsay Sanders Andrew and Helen O'Riordan and Family Room 215 Interactive Workshop Family Night is a practical weekly program aimed at strengthening families. It includes lessons on topics such as ways to strengthen family unity and cooperation, learning to use loving language and actions at home, community service, increasing family members' understanding of money management, and becoming prepared for challenges and emergencies. By sharing ideas, training and activities as a family on an organised and regular

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basis, family members help each other improve and build love and respect for sell and others. In a family, children learn about love, trust, loyalty, cooperation and service. They learn how to behave in a community and develop the attributes of good citizenship. Underpinning Family Night is the belief that in spite of challenges, regardless of differences, family relationships are the most satisfying part of life. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that the family is the fundamental unit of society and that the health of any society lies in the strength of its families. Thus, strengthening families will strengthen communities and nations. Dr Sanders has a PhD in Education and leads the religious education program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints locally. He also serves as one of the Church's senior local leaders in Victoria, Australia The O'Riordan family belongs to the Melbourne Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Courage to Care: Listening to the Messages of the Holocaust Survivors Anthony Weldon Kitia Altman Victoria Myers Room 216 Interactive Workshop Melbourne has one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors in the world. Drawing on their experience and the examples of non-Jews who stood up against the Nazi genocide, this unique educational program challenges individuals to reflect on their own stance to prejudice and discrimination. The program aims to show how one person can make a difference even in the most extreme circumstance and the potential consequences of choosing to be a bystander. Kitia Altman, who survived Auschwitz, enriches the program with her perceptions. Anthony Weldon is the chairman of Courage to Care in Victoria, which reflects a wide spectrum of Jewish opinion and practice. Kitia Altman, born in Poland, a survivor of Auschwitz, arrived in Australia in 1946. She later joined the Holocaust Museum, where she still works as a volunteer guide. She debated the Holocaust denier, David Irving, on national television, and in 2003 she wrote the book 'Memories of Ordinary People. She nominated a Polish Christian woman and a German killed by the Gestapo for the award bestowed by Israel on non-Jews who riske their lives to save Jews Vicki Myers has worked in Catholic education for over 25 years, recently joining the Catholic Education Office Melbourne after thirteen years as a Principal at Clonard College, Geelong. In 2008, she heard about Courage to Care and offered to host the exhibition. It proved to be a powerful learning experience for the school and broader community in Geelong. Vicki has a long involvement in social justice initiatives related to peace, dialogue, reconciliation and the environment
Leadership Among Muslim Males in the Post-9/11 Era Yasser Maghami Ahmed Rehab Hussein Rashid Mohammed El-leissy Fiyaz Mughal Amir Al-Islam Imam Khalid Griggs Amjad-Mohammed Saleem Room 217 Panel Discussion This distinguished panel of diverse and engaging Muslim men will examine the need for Muslim males to reflect upon what being a Muslim means, taking into account multifaceted roles of being fathers, husbands and leaders in the post-9/11 era. Panellists will talk about bridging the cross-generational gap between today's young Muslim males and older generations. They will reflect upon efforts to guide the next generation of Muslim men away from violence, extremism and political turmoil, towards tolerance, mutual respect, understanding and knowledge-based learning Yasser Maghami is an Australian Muslim who emigrated from Iran at the age of three. He has a Master's degree from the Australian National University's Center for Arab and Islamic Studies and has extensive experience in the analysis of Islamic and Iranian affairs. Having recently returned from Iran, Mr Maghami's research focuses on leadership trends amongst Muslim males in a post-9/11 world, comparing revivalist and reformist Islamic viewpoints. Ahmed Rehab is an American Muslim activist, writer, and Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy office. He is a regular contributor to the Chicago Tribune, the Huffington Post and CNN com and is a frequent guest on network and cable television news. Rehab serves on the boards of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigration and Refugee Interfaith Ministries, the Chicago Human Relations Advisory Committee, and the Egyptian American Society Hussein Rashid is a PhD candidate at Harvard University and has an MTS from Harvard Divinity School and a BA from Columbia College. In 2006, he became one of the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow. He is a frequent speaker and television and radio guest and is currently a visiting faculty member at Hofstra University Rashid is the author of the blog islamicate www. islamicate.com). His current research interests include the representation of Muslims in graphic novels. Mohammed El-leissy is a community worker with the Islamic Council of Victoria. He hosts the World Peace' program on Melbourne's SYN FM, which deals with issues of cultural and religious identity in Australia. He has served on numerous interfaith panels and recently returned from a tour of Southeast Asia, where he represented Australian Muslims to faith groups in the region Fiyaz Mughal is the Director of Faith Matters, which works on developing platforms for interaction between Muslim, Sikh and Jewish communities across the UK. He is the founder and director of two micro-finance projects in Palestine and Israel and has been appointed as the advisor to Nick Clegg MP on interfaith issues and prevention of extremism. Mughal was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Amir Al-Islam is a Distinguished Lecturer of African American History, Islam and World Civilization at Medgar Evers College (CUNYI in Brooklyn. He is the former Secretary General of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations, USA. He is chairman of the Board of the Inner City Muslim Action Network in Chicago, and Vice-Chair of the Malcolm X and Dr Betty Shabazz Memorial Education Center, and the Muslim Women's Institute for Research and Development
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Imam Khalid Fattah Griggs has been the imam of The Community Mosque of Winston-Salem in North Carolina since 1984. He is cochairman of the North Carolina-based Black Leadership Roundtable of Winston-Salem-Forsyth County. Griggs holds a degree in political science and English from Howard University in Washington, DC. He was part of the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s and was involved with the Islamic Party of North America in the 1970s after his conversion Amjad-Mohammed Saleem is the head of media and public relations for The Cordoba Foundation. He was the architect of a global partner ship between Muslim Aid and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. which was hailed by the British Prime Minister as a landmark example of Muslims collaborating with Christians during times of conflict in South Asia.
Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles Shaima'a Al-Hajj Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu Norah Ziad Elmagraby Room 218 Panel Discussion In this session, four young Muslim women from very different parts of the world shatter the stereotype that they are passive participants in their faith and evolving roles in society. To the contrary, they are actively engaged in their own Muslim communities and in the greater world community. Panellists will include an environmental activist who tells the truth about women's rights and Islam, a young civic leader fully engaged in inter- and intrafaith learning and activism on a global level, and two additional speakers whose names were not available at time of publication. Shaima'a Al-Hajj is a senior Management Information Systems Student at Dar-Al Hekma College, Saudi Arabia. She is an enthusiastic business student with a particular interest in marketing and has been involved in many business projects with major global enterprises such as Proctor & Gamble. She is an active member of international clubs such as the Toastmasters and the Model United Nations. She is very involved in global issues and has conducted many seminars regarding the financial crisis and urgent political problems. She is also an active member of the social community and an environmental activist. Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu is currently an assistant at the Muslim Journal. She worked directly tor world leader Imam w Deen Mohammed as Coordinator of his Islamic training program and joined the first delegation from his community to study at Abu Nour University in Damascus, Syria under the late Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro. Ndidi works closely in interfaith efforts with the Catholic organisation Focolare Movement and was a Muslim American delegate at their conference in Castelgandolfo, Italy, Norah Ziad Elmagraby is a Junior Nursing student at Dar Al-Hekma College, where she is founder of the Dar Al-Hekma Recycling club and Student Government President. She is also on the Dean's list for academic excellence. She participated in Zaied University's Youth Delegation to Dubai in 2008 for the Women as Global Leaders conference and led many community service projects.
Compassion as a Common Value / The Global Food Crisis as a Spiritual Challenge Solomon Katz, Moderator Anindita Balslev Rev Dirk Evers Rabbi Dr Alon Goshen-Gottstein Nomanul Haq Samdhong Rinpoche Room 219 Panel Discussion Compassion, recognised and recommended by all world religions as well as in secular moral traditions, must be implemented in all levels of our collective life. Today, we need to address a series of problems, among which food and water crises are in the forefront. We must examine these issues within today's political and scientific scenarios while also looking to the resources of religious traditions. We intend to explore the resources of different religious traditions and relate these to projects that seek to remove various sorts of inequalities. Earlier, in two conferences in Germany and India, we discussed religious concepts of compassion and their relationships to political and social behaviour with religious scholars, scientists and diplomats. This program will present our results to a wider public Dr Solomon Katz is director of the Krogman Center for Childhood Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania and is a professor of anthropology and a senior lellow at the Wharton School Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics. He was founder and Chairman of the Task Force on the African Famine for the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and is currently Chair of the AAA Task Force on World Food Problems. Dr Anindita N Balslev works in areas of Indian and Western philosophy. She was formerly Associate Research Professor at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen and has been a visiting professor at Aarhus University and various other universities in India and the US Dr Balslev has published many papers in professional journals and is the author of 'A Study of Time in Indian Philosophy. She is also the editor of Cross-Cultural Conversation Rev Dirk Evers is Associate Professor for Systematic Theology at Tuebingen University. He studied Protestant theology at the Universities of Muenster and Tuebingen and at the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary in Madurai and is an ordained minister of the Lutheran Church. His Christian theology of creation in dialogue with scientific cosmology won the ESSSAT prize from the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology in 2002. He has published numerous articles on systematic theology and science and religion. Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein has been director of the Elijah Institute and lecturer and director of the Center for the Study of Rabbinic Thought, Beit Morasha College, both in Jerusalem, since 1997. Ordained a rabbi in 1977, he holds a PhD and BA from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His nearly three dozen articles have appeared in edited collections and in such scholarly journals as Harvard Theological Review, Journal for the Study of Judaism, and Studies in Interreligious Dialog. Syed Nomanul Haq is a senior faculty member in the School of Humanities and the Social Sciences at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. A leading authority on religion and ecology and environmental ethics, Haq has published widely and contributed to several encyclopaedias, Haq received his PhD from Harvard University and has held positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Tufts University Samdhong Rinpoche is currently serving his second term as Prime Minister of Tibet in exile. He was born in Tibet and started his religious training at Drepung Monastery in I hasa, completing his middle school of the Madhyamika School of Buddhism at the age of twelve. He
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began teaching in 1961 and continued until appointed by the 14th Dalai Lama as one of the deputies of the Parliament of the Central Tibetan Administration. He was later unanimously elected as its chairman.
The Revival of the European Pagan Religions Rev Andras Corban-Arthen, Europe: Anamanta,
Moderator Jonas Trinkunas, Lithuania: Romuva Room 220 Panel Discussion The beliefs and practices of the Indigenous pagan religions of Europe were in many ways similar to those of Indigenous cultures from other continents. Some of the European traditions can still be found today, surviving mostly underground in remote rural locations, though a few are practised openly and have even achieved State recognition. They retain their original focus on experiencing the Great Mystery through spiritual communion with Nature, the veneration of ancestral beings, the honouring of sacred sites, and the observance of seasonal ceremonies and rites of passage. The panellists will discuss their experiences as keepers of traditional practices from Lithuania and from the Gaelic-speaking Highlands of Scotland and will also speak about the survival of other Indigenous spiritual traditions in both Eastern and Western Europe. Rev Andras Corban-Arthen is the spiritual director of the Earth Spirit Community, a religious and educational organisation dedicated to the preservation of Earth-centred spirituality, particularly the Indigenous European traditions. He has been a presenter at many interfaith events, including the 1993 and 2004 Parliaments, and the 2007 World Interreligious Encounter Of Hispanic descent, Rev Arthen teaches and lectures on the Indigenous European pagan religions throughout the US and abroad. Jonas Trinkunas is Krivis lhighest priest) of Romuva, the Indigenous
ligion of Lithuania, and teaches ethics at the Vilnius Pedagogical University in 1997, he was awarded the National Prize for his work and contributions in the field of Lithuanian culture. The main area of Trinkunas's activity is the revival and popularisation of the ancient Baltic faith of the Lithuanians.
the divine life force within each person, which can effect inner transformation. Through the latihan, individuals may discover their own human potential, inner nature, talent and unique guidance. The WSA encourages the expression of true talent in daily life, inspiring a variety of social, cultural, entrepreneurial, and educational activities. Subud members have established the GuerrandHermes Foundation for Peace, which is built on the view that teachers' spirituality is fundamental to the flowering and unfolding of children. Alexandra Asseily will speak about the Garden of Forgiveness, a place for gentleness and peace that she situated in the centre of Beirut. Sharifin Gardiner will share about supporting members work in the caring and social fields, in which the focus is on facilitating people to develop and take responsibility for their own lives. Through this presentation, the WSA hopes to expand its scope of interaction with like-minded associations and bring an all-encompassing spirituality into worldly initiatives and action for the benefit of the whole human community. Alexandra Asseily is a governor and founder of the Centre for Lebanese Studies, Oxford and is on the Board of the Guerrand Hermes Peace Foundation, Balamand University. She is a former member of the Advisory Board of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University. In 1978, she was co-ordinator of International Aid Organizations. She is a psychotherapist specialising in conflict resolution-whether in the individual, family, tribe or nation. Sharifin Gardiner is Chairman of the Board of Susila Dharma International (SDI), an affiliate organisation of the World Subud Association. The mission of Sol is to relieve human suffering and promote just and sustainable development through the following: partnerships and support for grassroots, participatory development and humanitarian initiatives: empowering individuals and communities to engage in positive human, social and economic change; and raising awareness of global is. sues and inter-dependence. Gardiner has been involved in Susila Dharma work for over thirty years
INTERRELIGIOUS 11:30am-1:00pm
Beyond the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Belief Systems and Their Deeper Philosophic Construct Dienen Karna Room 102 Lecture Australian Aboriginal religions are the oldest continuously practised beliefs in the world today. Unfortunately, most people--if they know anything about Aboriginal religion at all-know only about the dreamtime stories for children. During this session, Dienen karna will provide insight into the deep spiritual philosophies and complex, diverse traditional religious practices taught to her by her elders and passed on from the ancestors from time immemorial. Dienen karna is a Yai-idt midtung Elder from North Eastern Victoria
World Subud Association Alexandra Asseily Sharifin Gardiner Room 101 In this program, Subud members will speak about personal inspiration in the context of the World Subud Association IWSA). Subud is an association of people from various religions, beliefs, nationalities, and cultures, united by a spiritual practice called the latihan. The name Subud comes from the words Susila, Budhi, and Dharma, symbolising surrender to the experience of
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method (the BIV method) used in Sweden to address the identity problems experienced by young refugee children during the asylum-seeking process when they are especially vulnerable. Marie Joyce is an academic and clinical psychologist and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at Australian Catholic University. She is a founding member of the Refugee Tertiary Education Committee IRTECI. Ann Lidgren is Minister for Interreligious Issues within the Church of Sweden. She has a background in psychotherapy. Susan Ennis is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher who works with adult refugees in Australia and abroad. She is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Reviving and Maintaining Indigenous Languages: Saving Indigenous Languages in the Face of Globalisation Dr Darlene St Clair, USA: Dakota, Moderator Jacob Andrew Swamp, USA: Mohawk Clarence Jackson, USA: Tlingit Room 103 Panel Discussion The right of Indigenous communities to maintain or strengthen the continuation of their languages is an important part of Indigenous self-determination. Some communities focus on the classroom in their efforts to maintain languages, while other communities use innovative strategies such as language immersion. Panellists will discuss the importance of Indigenous language to the survival of future generations as well as its necessity in sacred ceremonial practices. lyekiyapiwin (Darlene St Clair) is an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at St Cloud State University and the director of the Multicultural Resource Center. Her career has focused on the education of Native peoples from early childhood to college, the integration of Native cultures, histories and languages into curricula, and the arts and cultural expressions of Native peoples. She is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and an enrolled member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota. Jake Swamp is employed with the Men for Change Program, part of the Icthini'sten ha Family Violence Shelter. He is a former leader of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and was directly involved in the creation of the Akwesasne Freedom School, an acclaimed Mohawk language immersion school that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the United States and Canada, Clarence Jackson is a Tlingit Clan Elder from the village of Kake, Alaska. He is of the Ch'aak (Eagle) moiety. Tsaagweidi (Killer Whale) Clan. He is on the board of directors for Sealaska Corporation, a regional. Native, for-profit corporation founded by the US Congress for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. He also serves on the board of trustees for Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Council of Traditional Scholars.
Perspectives on Sustainability: Buddhist and Jewish Perspectives Ross Moore Venerable Michael Lobsang Yeshe Adele Hulse Allyson Bader Helen Gardner Room 106 Panel Discussion This program consists of two parts. The first presentation offers a prayer for peace, two short talks by two very different Buddhists, and a short awareness meditation It concludes with the dedication of the positive energy generated from the session toward achieving Parliament goals, sustaining individuals working for positive change, and healing the earth. In the second part, members of the Jewish Ecological Coalition provide a brief introduction to the Jewish perspective on environmental issues and then present on activities undertaken by the B'nai B'rith Environment Group and the Jewish Ecological Coalition towards creating a more sustainable world. Dr Ross Moore lectures on art and design at the Australian Catholic University. He has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism since meeting teachers in 1983. Since then he was worked intimately with Tara Insititute, where he has been centre director and spiritual program coordinator. He regularly teaches Buddhist philosophy and meditation and is particularly interested in exploring relationships between Western and Eastern cultural traditions. Currently he is writing a book on meditation for international publication. Venerable Michael Lobsang Yeshe was born in London in 1966 to a Greek father and a Belgian mother. He was raised in Kopan Monastery in Nepal and has been a Tibetan Buddhist monk since he was seven. At age thirteen, he entered the Sera Jhe Monastic University in South India, where he spent eighteen years studying Buddhist Philosophy. Since then he has taught and translated in Buddhist centres around the world. He is currently translator for Venerable Geshe Doga at Tara Institute in Melbourne Adele Hulse has written a column for The Age for 22 years, under the pseudonym Sharon Gray. Three collections of her columns have been published. She is the author of 'Big Love', the biography of Lama Thubten Yeshe. Hulse has worked for the Makor Jewish Community Library in Melbourne since 2000. The Library has published 82 memoirs and six anthologies, mostly Holocaust related. Hulse has been President of the Centre for Grief Education at Monash Medical Centre since 2002
Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees Marie Joyce Ann Lidgren Susan Ennis Room 104 Interactive Workshop The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are more than 15 million international refugees in the world today. Significant numbers of refugees have recently settled in Australia and Sweden. This session will focus on several aspects of the refugee experience, beginning with the importance of religion and religious rituals in the time of crisis in the home country, the flight into refugee camps, and settlement in Australia. The first part will focus on refugees from Ethiopia, Iraq. Somalia and the Sudan and their healing process. The second part will focus on an innovative program in the camps to bring tertiary education to refugees through a combination of online and distance mode courses. The third part of the session will explain a pedagogical play
Allyson Bader has worked in Defence, telecommunications, procurement, knowledge management and consulting and has lived in Australia, Singapore and the US. She is a public servant who develops and delivers communications programs that support strategic financial initiatives. She
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enjoys using knowledge and technology to make work more productive and life more interesting. She also enjoys motivating herself and others to rethink, retuse, reuse, reduce and recycle. Bader has been active in the Jewish Ecological Coalition since 2007 Dr Helen Gardner began her career as a research biochemist and moved into computer programming and systems analysis. In 1989, she became a Community Development Officer and then trained as a counselling psychologist, completing a PhD in family psychology in 1996. Gardner chaired the committee for the 2007 Jewish Christian Muslim Association winter conference and has been chair of the B'nai B'rith Environment Group. She has been active in the Jewish Ecological Coalition and is an active member of a modern orthodox synagogue.
Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism (Premier Film Series Selection) Mary Evelyn Tucker John Grim Room 110 Film
Soldiers of Peace Room 107 Film Contrary to popular belief, there are fewer armed conflicts in the world today than ever before. However, the world is faced with new challenges, from climate change to a lack of fresh drinking water, to ever decreasing biodiversity, to diminishing oil reserves and an ever-growing population. This documentary film examines the different ways in which governments and individuals can face these problems-through war or peace. The film was directed by Tim Wise.
Across the United States, people of faith are standing up for the environment-from Evangelical Christians fighting mountaintop removal, to Muslims supporting sustainable farming, to Jews helping children experience the bond between nature and spirituality. This documentary portrays the growing movement of religious communities united in their efforts to protect the precious life on our planet. Marty Ostrow and Terry Kay Rockefeller directed the film. A question and answer period will follow the film. Leading Scholar on Ecology and Religion. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Mary Evelyn Tucker is a Senior Lecturer in Religion and the Environment at Yale University, holding joint appointments as a Research Scholar in the Divinity School, the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and the Department of Religious Studies. With John Grim, she cofounded the Forum on Religion and Ecology IFORE). Tucker and Grim also coordinated a ten-conference series on World Religions and Ecology at Harvard's Center for the Study of World Religions. Tucker has been a committee member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1986 and is vice president of the American Teilhard Association, Author of many books on religion and ecology, she has recently published Worldly Wonder: Religions Enter Their Ecological Phase (Open Court Press, 2003). She is the co-editor of books on ecological views of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism. She has published the volume Confucian Spirituality co-edited with Tu Weiming, and, The Record of Great Doubts: The Philosophy of Chi lhttp:// www.religionandecology.org/About/founders.php) John Grim is currently a Senior Lecturer and Scholar at Yale University teaching courses that draw students from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale Divinity School, the Department of Religious Studies, the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, and the Yale Colleges. He is Coordinator of the Forum on Religion and Ecology with Mary Evelyn Tucker, and series editor of World Religions and Ecology. from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions.)
Shared Security for the Earth Community Bishop Geoffrey Davies Tu Weiming Additional speakers to be confirmed Room 109 This session will address diverse aspects of security, including concerns ranging from the ecological, economic, and development perspectives, informed by religious understandings. What does it mean to frame security in it's broadest sense, including all people, and acknowledging the entire web of life? Security in a globalizing world is dependent on global relations among peoples, and mutual understandings and actions about preserving the environment. What does security mean for the individual and the many, in the light of global warming? What resources can be brought to bear to conceptualize a future that offers security for all? And how may religious resources support the steps towards such a future? Bishop Geoffrey Davies is Coordinator and founder member of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute, which works to raise awareness of environmental issues such as climate change among different faith communities. He participated in Christian Aid's Cut the Carbon march around the UK, which aimed to draw attention to global warming and the urgent issue of reducing our carbon footprint. Dr Tu Weiming has been a Professor of Chinese History and Philosophy and Confucian Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University since 1981. He is former Director of the Harvard - Yenching Institute (1996-20081 and is currently interpreting Confucian Ethics as a spiritual resource for the emerging global community. As a renowned international scholar and thinker, he is committed to the study of Confucian teachings in the modern age.
Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family Omie Baldwin, USA: Dine', Moderator Clarence Jackson, USA: Tlingit Oki Kano, Japan: Ainu Room 111 Panel Discussion Mental and spiritual illness manifests itself in a wide array of human difficulties, exhibiting symptoms such as substance abuse, destruction of families, child abuse and neglect and more. During this panel discussion we will explore the need for healing these ills, particularly within Indigenous communities-only by healing ourselves and healing our families and communities can we hope to heal the planet. Topics will include the use of traditional healing, the forced adoption of Indigenous children, and problems experienced by this lost generation.
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Omie Baldwin is a member of the Dine' INavajol Nation. A clinical social worker at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ms Baldwin is also co-chair of the American Indian into Science group on campus. She has served for several years as a board member of the Fund of the Sacred Circle, Headwaters Foundation for Peace & Social Justice, Minneapolis, Minnesota Clarence Jackson is a Tlingit Clan Elder from the village of Kake, Alaska. He is of the Ch'aak (Eaglel moiety. Tsaagweidi (Killer Whalel Clan. He is on the board of directors for Sealaska Corporation, a regional, Native for-profit corporation founded by the US Congress for the Tlingit. Haida, and Tsimshian people. He also serves on the board of trustees for Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Council of Traditional Scholars. Oki Kano was born near Tokyo, Japan, in Kanagawa Prefecture. He shares his Ainu heritage through his music by playing the ancient Ainu stringed instrument, the tonkori. He has been involved with the United Nations Committee for Human Rights on the subject of land rights and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples, particularly the way those issues have affected his Ainu community.
A New Conscience: Making a World of Difference Alon Goshen-Gottstein Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Swami Atmapryananda Mike Ghouse Alexis Yancey Jaami Room 203 Panel Discussion Repeated war, crippling poverty and pestilence have left humanity feeling numb and helpless in the 21st century, At this juncture of the third millennium, humanity is at a crossroads and desperately craving hope. The repository of this elusive hope is the Divine power and it is necessary to harness and mobilise this in order to attain sustainable peace. The mind is an immensely powerful tool with the capacity to be either one's best friend or indeed one's worst enemy. It is both the nucleus of divine power with infinite capability as well as the site of the hidden enemy that can propel one towards greed, cruelty, lies, selfishness, arrogance, hate and condemnation. It is the cultivation and empowerment of the spiritual mind that creates an inner peace which when collectively marshalled can lead to peace within the nation-state and throughout the world. The panellists will explore how a new conscience can be discovered to make a world of difference through sharing wisdom.
Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects Orhan Cicek Ahmet Polat Mehmet Saral Dr Salih Yucel Sureyya Cicek Cemen Polat Room 204 Panel Discussion Australia's unique multicultural and multifaith structures can foster relationships between the immigrant and faith communities. Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Muslim scholar and educational interfaith leader, has developed a worldwide vision together with practical conflict resolution ideas. In Australia, his vision is being implemented by Melbourne-based Australian Intercultural Society (AIS) and Sydney-based Affinity Intercultural Foundation (Affinity in many projects and programs for the wider society. These organisations and their flagship projects bring many different communities together around common ground based on mutual respect. AIS and Affinity provide educational and interfaith services such as international Abrahamic conferences between Muslims, Christians and Jews; series of social cohesion conferences: Ramadan iftars dinners and gatherings; and educational seminars and workshops. This program will outline and discuss Gulen's vision as well as his activities in Turkey, Australia, and across the world. Orhan Cicek is the executive adviser to the Australian Intercultural Society and the Affinity Intercultural Foundation. Ahmet Orhan Polat has been a dedicated educator since 1992. He has been a teacher and administrator in private Turkish schools in locations such as Turkmenistan and Crimca in Central Asia, and Melbourne and Sydney in Australia. He is currently General Coordinator of the Australian Intercultural Society in Melbourne and is a PhD candidate at the University of Western Sydney in New South Wales. His doctoral research is about the 'School Choice of Parents as the private Turkish schools in Australia'. Mehmet Saral is the President and one of the founding members of Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Sydney. Dr Salih Yucel completed the Bachelor of Islamic Theology at the University of Ankara in 1982 and Master of Theology at the University of Sydney in 1996. He worked as a pastoral care consultant for Muslim patients in Harvard Medical School's hospitals for six years. He attained his doctorate from Boston University in 2007. His doctoral research was about Medicine of the Prophet from the earliest to the modern period. Currently, he is a lecturer in Islamic Studies at Monash University Sureyya Cicek is a PhD candidate at Monash University and works with the Australian Intercultural Society. Cemen Polat has studied Bachelor of Economics and Business Administration between 1992 and 1996. In 2002 she extended her study and completed Master of Teaching in Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. Since 2003 Cemen Polat has been teaching Senior Economics and Business Studies and has been appointed as HSC Economics marker by NSW Board of Studies for the past three years. She has delivered papers on the international conferences in Melbourne and Los Angeles. Currently, Cemen Polat is undertaking a research project on The Worldwide Turkish School Movement: Educational Philosophy and Funding:
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also been the Director of the Native American Research and Training Center in the DFCM. A medical anthropologist, Dr Joe has been engaged in a number of community-based research projects with American Indian/Alaska Native communities. Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa was born a Svikiro lin Shona, his native tongue)-a carrier of many earth and water spirits, and a Mhondoro-one who is in constant prayer on behalf of others. As a vessel of the Spirits, Mandaza receives visions and dreams, makes offerings, performs healing rituals, and serves as messenger for the Ancient Ones. Mandaza teaches us to become living prayers in service of the One Spirit. Constantino Pinto is co-founder and current director of Fundacao Lafaek Diak (FLD - The Good Crocodile Foundation, an Indigenous Timorese nonprofit, non-government community development organisation. He and his family lived through the Indonesian military invasion and occupation of East Timor.
Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict Charlito S Ayco Room 207 Lecture This program will present how Habitat for Humanity affiliates on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines have sought to contribute to the cause of peace by building houses for both Muslim and Christian victims of armed conflict, including former combatants. Dubbed 'Peace Builds, these projects help contribute to the improvement of Christian-Muslim relations, with Filipinos of both faiths-including government soldiers and ex-combatants-rebuilding houses and communities together. The first Peace Build was on land donated by a former rebel commander who envisioned a community for both Muslims and Christians. Various government and nongovernment organisations partnered with Habitat for Humanity in building houses for the poor and in developing the community. Habitat also mobilised volunteers from the greater community, including formerly antagonistic communities made up of a largely Christian Indigenous people known as the Blaan. A typical Peace Build initiative consists of building decent, durable, and affordable shelter for ex-combatants and internally displaced peoples with the help of volunteers; implementing livelihood projects; improving access to water, environmental sanitation facilities, and services such as health and electricity, and strengthening existing structures for peace and development, including the mainstreaming of peace and development community plans. Charlito S Ayco is a member of Habitat for Humanity Australia,
Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism Ismail Albayrak Raymond Canning Fr John Dupuche Mehmet Seker Dr Anita Ray Room 209 Panel Discussion People of diverse ethnic, religious and political backgrounds now live together in all cities of the world. This situation poses a substantial civic and theological challenge, as recent events in New York, Madrid, London, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East reveal. We can no longer take harmony for granted. During this session, five panellists from the Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue at Australian Catholic University will discuss the challenge of a pluralistic society from the perspective of practical theology. Drawing on case studies from within the world's three largest religious traditions-Christianity, Islam and Hinduism-the panel will investigate the efforts of visionaries like Pope John XXII, Francis of Assisi, the Prophet Muhammad and the Hindu poet-saints. The participants will examine the different historical contexts of these remarkable visionaries and explain how they built bridges of understanding to other faith communities. The intention of the session is not merely to pinpoint defining moments on the long trajectory of interfaith relations. Rather, the panellists will seek to establish that the milestones are actually signposts, beckoning each of us to take courageous and imaginative steps in the service of human rights, justice and peace. Ismail Albayrak received his PhD from Leeds University in 2000. He taught Qur'anic Studies, classical exegesis, contemporary approaches to the Qur'an and orientalism at Sakarya University in Turkey. In November 2008 he was appointed to the newly established Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations at Australian Catholic University. A graduate of the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, Raymond Canning teaches theology at Australian Catholic University, Canberra campus. His major work is on the unity of love for God and neighbour in St Augustine. Since 2006, Prof Canning has been a coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Interfaith Relations, and director of the AsiaPacific Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue.
Health and Healing: Indigenous Healing in the Modern Allopathic Medical World Dr Jennie R Joe, USA: Dine, Moderator Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa, Zimbabwe: Shona/
Ndebele Constantino Pinto, East Timor: Timorese Room 208 Panel Discussion The health status of many Indigenous communities is substandard and many communities around the world are faced with escalating new health challenges or diseases that are not easily cured with modern medicine. In addressing some of these problems, Indigenous communities are utilising many resources, including that of their Indigenous healers. This panel will discuss some of these culturally-based interventions. Dr Jennie R Joe is a member of the Navajo Nation. She is on facul in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. Since 1987, Dr Joe has
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instrumental in revitalising Chan (Zen) Buddhism in Taiwan. Since join ing monastic orders in 1998 and prior to his current position, Master Jian Zong served as Vice Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery: Abbot of Great Enlightened Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan, and administrator and instructor at the Chung Tai Buddhist Institute.
Rev Dr John Dupuche is a Parish Priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. His book, Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual', was published in 2003; Jesus, the Mantra of God'. in 2005; and Vers un Tantra Chretien in 2009. He is chair of the Catholic Interfaith Committee and research officer at Australian Catholic University. He has established an interfaith household together with Swami Sannyasanand and the Venerable Lobsang Tendar. Mehmet Yavuz Seker received his MA degree from Sakarya University in Turkey. He is currently a PhD candidate at Australian Catholic University and is working on the topic, The Qur'anic Origin of Sufism. He has authored several books and is a regular columnist for Zaman Australia He has written several articles in the Turkish magazine Yeni Umit (New Hope) and he is a special advisor to Turkish schools in Melbourne. Anita Ray holds a Science degree from the University of Sydney, a Licentiate in Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity, an Arts degree from Murdoch University and a PhD in Sanskrit literature from La Trobe University. She has lived for two decades in Pakistan and India and has lectured for fifteen years in Australian Universities. She is presently a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne.
The Stolen Generation and The Apology Melissa Brickell Representatives of Stolen Generation Victoria (SGV) Room 212 This presentation will focus on the ways in which people and organisations can support and address the needs of those people affected by practices and policies of removing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from family, community, country and culture. It will also highlight a personal journey that contributed to The Apology by the Prime Minister of Australia to the Stolen Generation. Melissa Brickell, a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjeri people, resides in Melbourne. Her work and active community involvement over the last eighteen years have focused on cross-cultural awareness and reconciliation among Australians. Brickell received a Reconciliation Award from Maribyrnong City Council for advancing the rights and community life of Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. She is also actively involved in the Stolen Generations movement in Victoria and nationally The primary purpose of Stolen Generation Victoria (SGV) is to support and address the needs of people affected by practices and policies of removing Aboriginal and Torres Strail Islander peoples from family. community, country and culture,
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue: Dialogue at the Level of Spiritual Practice and Experience William Skudlarek Rev Heng Sure Venerable Jian Zong Room 210 Seminar The Benedictine Confederation established Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID) in 1978 in direct response to a request of the Vatican that Catholic monks and nuns dedicate themselves to an ongoing dialogue with the great religions of the East. In this program, an American Catholic monk and Secretary General of MID, the Ven Jian Zong is the Abbot of the Houston branch of Chung Tai Chan Monastery and two additional two Buddhist monks, who have participated in MID-sponsored activities, will describe monastic experience and practice. They will show how the similarity of monastic renunciation, vows, daily lifestyles and spiritual practices means that monks have a unique relationship to institutional structures. Monastics share much across religious boundaries that they might not share with other members of their own faith tradition. Monastic interreligious dialogue will be presented as a special form of interreligious dialogue that emphasises listening and hospitality and focuses on spiritual practice and experience. William Skudlarek has been a Benedictine monk at Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota for fifty years. After serving as President and then Executive Director of the North American branch of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, he was appointed Secretary General in 2008. From 1994 to 2001, he lived at a Benedictine monastery in Japan, where he regularly participated in zazenkai and sesshin offered by the San'un Zendo in Kamakura. Rev Heng Sure is the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery and a former Global Councilor of the United Religions Initiative. He has been a Buddhist monk for 33 years, and holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union, in Berkeley, California (USA) and an MA from the University of California, Berkeley. An author and musician, Rev Sure recently released the CD Paramita: American Buddhist Folk Songs Ven Jian Zong is the Abbot of the Houston branch of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, founded by the Grand Master Wei Chueh, a spiritual leader
The Hazards of Writing About Religion Barney Zwartz James Jupp Hanifa Deen Rabbi Aviva Kipen Room 213 Panel Discussion Writing about religion is fraught with potential hazards. How does one deal with sensitive themes like religious vilification, conversions, persecuted religious minorities, conflicting beliefs, claims of supremacy and the interface between religion and politics? How can one deal with difference without falling into a crusading spirit or becoming a bland harmonist papering over' conflicts? Sometimes writers who articulate their own personal traumas provide fuel to polemics. How then does one explore religious differences and possible tensions in a way that keeps dialogue open? As a writer how do you bridge the distance between your own religious background and a religion not your own? On the other hand an author may want to harness subjectivity to create a colourful, page-turning narrative without distorting the truth. And often it's the journalist's role to write about complex issues within a 350-word limit while coping with an impatient editor. How do you stay true to yourself as a writer without censoring yourself and how do you avoid being sued? Finally, how do you engage a wider readership not necessarily interested in religious topics"? During this session, a panel of
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writers of narrative non-fiction, journalists, reporters and academic authors will address these questions.
Barney Zwartz is religion editor of "The Age, where he has worked for 28 years. He has covered religion since 2002. Mr Zwartz has a degree in theology.
Professor James Jupp is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute at the Australian National University.
Hanifa Deen is an award-winning Australian author of narrative nonfiction. She is of Pakistani ancestry; both her grandfathers came to Australia in the 19th century. Her books include: 'Caravanserai: Journey Among Australian Muslims'; 'Broken Bangles'; The Crescent and the Pen' and The Jihad Seminar".
Rabbi Aviva Kipen, (Session Facilitator), the first Australian woman ordained a rabbi, is experienced in international interreligious dialogue, education and innovative programming. Former Executive Secretary for the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Australia and a 2008 Australian Association of Southeast Asian Nations interfaith dialogue participant, she designed and delivered Victoria's Multi-faith Celebration of the Australian Centenary. Her core ministries have been as congregational rabbi, funeral and loss specialist, and researcher into the work of clergy in Human Research Ethics Committees.
Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse
James F Moore
Barbara Strassberg
Christoffer Grundmann
Joseph Edelheit
Rebecca Burroway
Fatima Sattar
Meg Bero
Room 214
Panel Discussion
This interdisciplinary program will focus on the critical issues of providing health care, especially to those in impoverished areas. Providing effective and sustainable health care requires attention to a complex interplay of factors that reach far beyond the building of clinics, training of health care professionals and dispensing of medications. Good health care stems from effective partnerships among a variety of people and institutions. Panel members will provide data on basic conditions of sanitation, safe water supply and child nutrition as well as the role that interethnic conflict and interreligious differences play in supporting or impeding an environment conducive to healthy living. This session will run for three hours, into the lunch hour.
James F Moore is Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University. He has authored numerous books and articles, including the Templeton awardwinning 'Cosmology and Theology: The Re-Emergence of Patriarchy". He is co-director of the HIV Symposium project at the Zygon Center for Religion and Science and is on the boards of the Wyman Institute, the Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science, and the Studies in the Shoah series of the University Press of America.
Barbara Strassberg is Professor and Chair of the Aurora University sociology program. Her academic interests include the sociology of culture. ethics, human rights, social justice, science and religion, and interdisciplinary scholarship. Strassberg earned her Master's and PhD from the Jagiellonian University and has studied at Ecole Superieure des Hautes Etudes and the University of Chicago. She is the author of two books and
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more than one hundred articles, chapters, book reviews and conference papers.
Christoffer Grundmann, MTh, has been a Lutheran minister for over thirty years. He has taught at the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, the University of Hamburg, and Valparaiso University, where he holds the John R Eckrich University Chair in Religion and the Healing Arts. He has also worked as theological consultant and chaplain at the German Institute for Medical Missions and with the Center for Health-Care Ethics of the Lutheran Church of Lower Saxony.
Dr Joseph Edelheit, Director of Religious and Jewish Studies and Professor of Philosophy at St Cloud State University, has been a rabbi for more than 35 years. He has a DMin from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago and was the first rabbi to complete his doctoral work in Christian theology. He served on President Clinton's Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and currently co-directs Living India, a nonprofit focused on HIV/AIDS prevention education..
Rebecca Burroway received her BA in English and Sociology from Aurora University, MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and MA in Sociology from Duke University. A PhD candidate at Duke, Ms Burroway is currently involved in several other research projects examining health insurance inequality among low-income Americans, domestic violence and child immunisation rates in the Dominican Republic, cross-national disparities in AIDS death rates, and issues of control among female sex workers in India.
Fatima Sattar is currently a student and teaching assistant in the doctorate program in Sociology at Boston College. She received her MA in Middle Eastern Studies and BA in Sociology. Her MA research project is titled 'A Study on the Reconstruction of Memory of Violence from the Aftermath of the 1947 British Partition of India'. She presented her BA thesis research project, Varying Attitudes Toward Foreign Accents', at the American Sociological Association's annual meeting in 2006.
Meg Bero is the Executive Director of the Schingoethe Center for Native American Cultures at Aurora University. Previous positions include curator, associate director and art educator. She has taught courses in Native American Spirituality and Native American Art and developed a museum studies curriculum for Aurora University. Bero has received awards for her curatorial work and educational programming and was named 1999 Illinois Museum Educator of the Year. She is featured in Who's Who in America and Who's Who of American Women.
The Importance of Family
Elder Dirk Smibert
Dienen Karna
Rabbi Rayna Gevurtz Mejinderpal Kaur Room 215
This session will highlight the importance of family in faith communities and in society at large. Elder Dirk Smibert from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and religious leaders from other faiths will share their perspectives. The family provides the ideal selling to learn key values such as love, understanding, cooperation and service, which lead to the development of responsible, caring citizens contributing to more harmonious and productive communities at all levels. After hearing from each of the participants, the interfaith panel will discuss topical family issues together in an interactive forum.

As a Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Smibert supervises various jurisdictions in the Pacific Area of the Church, including assignments in Pacific Island nations, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Elder Smibert has served as one of the Church's mission presidents and has held various local leadership roles.. Professionally, Elder Smibert has primarily worked in senior positions within the advertising, marketing and sales industries. He is married and has five children.

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Dienen Karna lor Ann Warren, her name in English is an Elder of North Eastern Victoria. She is a medicine woman of the Aborigine Ya'idtmidtung (pronounced Yamadangl. Prior to her rabbinic training. Rabbi Rayna Gevurtz earned a BSc IPsych) and was a Youth Director for Young Judea. She has served as a rabbiat Isaac Mayer Wise Temple in Ohio and Temple Bat Yahm in California. She joined the Temple Beth Israel (TBI) rabbinic team in Victoria after serving as rabbi at King David School. In addition to her general rabbinic duties at TBI, Rabbi Gevurtz has particular responsibility for family programs. She is married to TBI rabbi Gersh Zylberman, and they are blessed with two daughters and a schnoodle. Mejinderpal Kaur is legal director and chair of the UK chapter of UNITED SIKHS, a registered charity which serves minority and underprivileged communities globally through programs for civil and human rights advocacy, human development and humanitarian relief. She leads the legal team that is fighting for the right to wear the Sikh articles of faith in Europe, particularly France.
will outline his work plans and experience and share earth-friendly and people-friendly insights based on the fundamental beliels of l-Kuan Tao such as respect for the Sky and the Earth, worship of the Sage, carrying out of filial duties to parents, and refinement of bad habit into goodwill Dr Jeng Fu (Joseph) Chen is the Secretary General and Vice President of World I-kuan Tao Headquarters. He received his Bachelor of Science degree at California State University at Los Angeles and also holds a Doctorate in Religious Studies from the University of the West, California, USA. He has served as commissioner and Chairman of the Cultural Commission of the City of El Monte since 1997. He is the author of the book 1-Kuan Tao'.
108 Bowls: A Mala of Water Ven Bonnie Myotai Treace Room 216 Lecture Water is a shared reality of the human experience. Our existence depends upon it, we are made of it, its crisis is our own, its beauty heals our hearts as perhaps no other natural element can. This talk profiles the movement inspired by the Bodies of Water School (BOWS) of simply 'paying attention to water, in which groups of 108 people agree to place small ceramic cups (each made and fired ritually as an offering by a BOWS artist) filled with water in a windowsill in their home. What began with a few Buddhist practitioners now includes people of many faiths, engaging in a simple gesture that is seemingly private and has already changed the way hundreds of people live. Ven Bonnie Myotai Treace is the founder of Hermitage Heart Zen and the Bodies of Water School of Practice. For many years she was the Vice-Abbess of Zen Mountain Monastery and Abbess of the Zen Center of New York City, having received ordination and transmission in the Soto School of Buddhism. Her work in recent years has been dedicated to the intrareligious and to bringing environmental protection and celebration into contemplative depth.
Closing Remarks on Conflict Resolution Dharma Master Hsin Tao Father Leonel Narvaez Room 219 Panel Discussion When people of conviction, skill and knowledge commit themselves to understanding, nonviolence and peace, aggression can be stemmed and, sometimes, ended. Summing up the insights, inspiration and knowledge gained in the Conflict Resolution Sessions, Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Father Leonel Narvaez and others discuss practical ways to achieve peace building in our time. Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948 and came to Taiwan at age thirteen. He became a monk at age 25 and established the Wu-sheng Monastery on Ling-jou mountain in 1983. He founded the Museum of World Religions and is president of the Global Family of Love and Peace. The series of Buddhist -Muslim dialogues he initiated in 20 have been conducted in ten countries, including the UNESCO Paris and UN in New York Father Leonel Narvaez is a Catholic missionary who initially worked with nomadic tribes in Eastern Africa and currently works in the forest of the South Amazon area of Colombia. In 2000, he established the Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation. He was a key figure in the Goldin Institute's 2007 global gathering on the topic of reintegration of former child soldiers
Healing the Earth: Buddhist and Hindu Theological Perspectives Rajendra Damodara Yenkannamoole Venerable Miao You Dr Tong Yun Kai Dr TV Muralivallabhan Room 220 Lecture
I-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace Jeng Chen Room 217 Lecture It is the ideal of I-Kuan Tao that when all peoples and nations live as one family on the five continents, viewing each other with respect and equality, there will be both in ner peace in individuals and world peace among nations. To make this ideal into a reality. I-Kuan Tao has extended substantial assistance to relieve human suffering caused by natural catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; the tsunami in Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka; the cyclone in Myanmar; and the earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. In his presentation, Dr Chen
In this program, practitioners of both Buddhist and Hindu theological traditions will share their teachings about healing the Earth. The first part of this program will explore how meditation and vegetarianism can heal our relationships with each other and reduce our impact on the environment. The second part of the presentation will posit the idea that we can achieve a sustainable future and lasting world peace by fostering a genuine commitment to treat the human community with understanding, compassion and love.
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PROGRAM DE
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
11:30am-1:00pm INTERRELIGIOUS SESSION
LUNCHTIME PROGRAMMING 1:00-2:30pm
Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse, Continued Room 214
Rajendra Damodara Yenkannamoole is the founder of the Vasudeva Kriya Yoga and hails from a small village in South India. He has Master's degrees in Chemical Engineering as well as Business Administration and currently resides in Melbourne. Rajendra met his Guru, Sri Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranandji, in 1996. In 2008 and 2009. he organised seminars on sustainable living through Yoga in Melbourne by bringing together various Yoga and Naturopath Schools on a single platform. Venerable Miao You is a resident teacher of the Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong region of New South Wales. A disciple of the renowned Master Hsing-Yun of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, she has been sharing and promoting the teachings of Humanistic Buddhism for nearly ten years in Australia. Before joining the Buddhist Order, she was a teacher and has a degree in Early Childhood Education from Macquarie University Dr Tong Yun Kai, DBA, MBE, is the President of the Confucian Academy and Managing Director of four companies. In 2005, he was granted the World Peace Award by World Religion Federation in Japan and was awarded by US President Bush the President's Award for Educational Excellence as an outstanding Confucian Scholar In 2009, the Lincoln Memorial Foundation for Peace awarded him the World Peace Grand Prize. He has received 170 honorary titles from institutions around the world Dr TV Muralivallabhan is a Reader in Economics. His areas of interest are sustainable development, eco-spirituality and environmental education. He authored a book on sustainable development and many articles on these topics. He has presented papers in 25 international conferences on various aspects of sustainable development and successfully completed the Kailash-Manasarovar Trek in 2005 in Tibet.
This interdisciplinary program will focus on the critical issues of providing health care, especially to those in impoverished areas. Providing effective and sustainable health care requires attention to a complex interplay of factors that reach far beyond the building of ctinics, training of health care professionals and dispensing of medications. Good health care stems from effective partnerships among a variety of people and institutions. Panel members will provide data on basic conditions of sanitation, safe water supply and child nutrition as well as the role that interethnic conflict and interreligious differences play in supporting or impeding an environment conducive to healthy living. This lunch hour session is the continuation of a three hour program. For a complete list of speakers. please see the 11:30am listing.
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Page #369

Index of Presenters
160 356 352
223
288, 359
339
Ashktorab, Farhad............. Asseily, Alexandra Atkins, Jacqueline Triche.............. Atkinson, Esme. Atmapriyananda Swami Atmatattwananda, Swami Shiva Aunty Lois Australian Sikh Youth .................. Avdheshanand Giri, HH Swami.............. Awasthi, Pandit Abhay.. Ayco, Charlito S.............. Ayoub, Matta Azar, Gita..................
319
266 318
338
తరం
346
290
247
***
..... 355
.........
.
Abdallah, John Ishvaradas.....
..339 Abedin, Saleha ................
.271 Abhary, Kazem ...........
191 Abimbola, Baba Wande............................... 138. 155, 187, 249.312 Abimbola, Ifaboyede Michelle McElwaine Oguninhun...........187.312 Abramovich, Dvir.....
...........350 Abrchart, Peter
.................... 147 Abualthom, Kamal
..................... 317 Abubakar, Abdulkadir M
..........................210 Acharya, Kala
..... 140, 162, 273 Adams, Robert
233 Afari, Yasus ....................
.................. 309, 338 Africa, Marites.......
...................... 332 Agnivesh Swami
................ 153, 162, 216 Ahluwalia, Pal
.... 161, 186, 288 Ahmed, Saleem ...........
...................336 Albayrak, Ismail.................
360 Albert, Abigail...................
352 Alderton, Lindsay .............. Alexander, Samuel........ Al-Hajj, Shaima'a..................
355 Alhaulalia, Pal
244 Alhomoudi, Fahad A..........
........ 152, 186, 291.312 Ali, Ayisha
.................265, 312 Ali, Afroz....
................ 150, 195, 225, 260, 265,291 Ali, Wajahat.............
.....................277 Ali, Win
................... 207 Al-Islam. Amir ........
.............. 158, 212,354 Allender, Susan Chou....
.......................165 Allibhai, Shamir ..............
................. 254,327 Al-Qurashi, Suhair Hassan............ ................ 301,318, 335 Altman, Kitia .................
.....................354 Amarananda, HH Swami...........
............... 222, 254, 307 Amin, Azril Mohd
184 Amosa, Maulolo T.................. Anderosov, Tatiana............ Anderson, Joan.. Anderson, Pat............... Anderson, Hilary Andersson, Dan-Erik.....
.236 Anes, Malou Pascual................ Antia, Ervad kaivan ......
............ 181, 222 Arafat, Mohamad Bashar ...........
................ 147, 304 Arafi, Ali Reza Argumedo, Alejandro ...............
........144, 208, 307, 322 Ariarajah, S Wesley....................
..................... 156, 308 Arimbawa, Ida 'Pedanda GK Sebali Tianyar................... 226,318,331 Arini, Ni Ketut.......
..........135, 226,301,331 Aritonang. Jan Sihar .............
................. 314 Ariyaratne, AT.....
.......... 139.162.212, 216, 267, 278 Armstrong, Karen.....................
233 Arnold, Philip
322 Arthen, Andras Corban..............
........... 142, 170, 356 Arthen, Deirdre Pulgram ............. Arthen, Isobel ............
.................. 153 Ashen, Brian ...............
.................... 193
353
Babie, Paul.. Bader, Allyson Baehr, Kyra.
.............. Bagir, Zainal Abidin .............. Baheh, Sukkriya-Ayu...... Bahfen, Nasya................
................... 243, 272, 276 Bah-kenneth, Asatu..................
.242 Bailey, Bernice.................
............ ........... 178 Balachandran, Nivy ...............
................... 326 Baldwin, Omie
......................328, 358 Balslev, Anindita.................. Banchoff, Thomas ..........
239, 318 Bandel, Ehud
166 "Banyule Interfaith Network .............. Barton, Greg Batra, Mina Singh ...................... Batrouney. Trevor ...... Batterham, Phil.. Bauer, Shyla ................. Beaumaris, Arini Beckwith, Michael...........
143. Beestermuler, Gerhard Beilharz, Rolf..
251 Beirne, Paul.................. Bela, Theophilus... Belik, Yonatan... Bell, Margaret...............
264 Bell, Stephanie..
160 Benavides, Marta
............ .... 246. Benge, Kate Bennett, Vidagdha.......... Bentley, Peter ................. Benvenuti, Anne .........
280 Bernshaw, Michele..................
158 Bero, Meg.. Bews, Samantha.......................
329 Bhikha, Zain
.......... 172, 199, 220 Bhikkhu. Phrapalad Sudhammo............... ................... Bilimoria, Purushottama.......
............... 158, 234 Blackford, Russell.....................
...........................306 Blakefield, Glenda.........
................... 189 Blaney. Joanne...............
.........269,321
- ROU
146
...165
275
....... 195
362
222
170,217,299
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Index of Presenters
Blissman, Beth.
Blow, Uncle Reg
Blundell, Patricia.....
Boeke, Johanna (Jopie).
Boeke, Richard
Bohnett, Thomas.
Bone, Jane.
Bouma, Gary..
Bouzo, Irene..
Bowen, Liz Bowler, James.. Boyd, Anne.
Boyd, Denise.
Boz, Tuba
Bramlett, Bruce...
Braybrooke, Marcus
Braybrooke, Mary.
Breasley, Adam.
Bregar, Janet...
Brekke, Torkel
Brennan, Frank...
Brennan, Susan. Bretherton, Di. Brickell, Melissa.
Briggs, Carolyn.
Brodeur, Patrice. Broughton, John. Brown, Jean..
Bruce, Alana
Brugnola, Orlanda.
Brunnick, Leo.
Bubshait, Hana.
Buchanan, Angie.
Buchanan, James.
Buchanan, Ray....
Buckeridge, John
Buckley, Anisa
Buckley, Emmett.
Bukhari, Sheikh Abdul Aziz..
Burber, Benjamin..
Burdon, Peter....
Burgess, MaryCatherine.
Burrow, Sharan
Burroway, Rebecca
Butalia, Tarunjit Singh..
Butler, Diane.......
Butler, Helen.
Buys, Karoline Venator. Byamugisha, Gideon
Byars, Rickie
Byrne, Cathy
Caesar, Merekaraka..
Cahill, Desmond P.
Cain, Kim
Camilleri, Joseph
366 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

196 164,223 167,252, 310 179, 205 147, 179, 205 192, 198 193
144, 193, 290, 317
251
154
276
332
150
290
194
.179, 279, 252, 323
155, 179, 316 210 190, 287 317
196
353
154
237, 238, 250, 361
322
318
334
.224 .351 147, 218 246 147
142
227
148
351
325, 336 278 248
182
279
170
324
362
320
226, 295, 331
268
.201
192
214
283
211 184, 314 157
154, 289
Canbolat, Muhsin. Candir, Ali Riza Canning, Raymond. Cardinal, Lewis. Carland, Susan Carman, David. Carnes, Carol... Carroll, Seforosa
Carroll, Sandra
Casey, Karen.
Cathey, Robert.
Cazar, Ruel
Cengel, Yunus A.. Chaffee, Paul.
Chahal, Devinder Singh..
Chaitanya, Brahmacharini Nivedita.
Chaitanya, HH Swami Sandeep Chalmers, Donald
Chandler, David. Chandrabhanu, Dr. Chang, Peter Chapman, Rick
Chapple, Christopher Key.
Charlesworth, Max:
Charoenpolpiriya, Naree.
Chatfield, Joan... Chaudhari, Praveen.. Chen, Jeng...
Chenery, Mary-Faeth. Chernus, Ira.
Chew, Alice
Chiba, Shin..
Chih, Bhikshuni Heng..
Childers, Doug.......
Chishti, Noor-Malika. Chittister, Joan.
Chokyi, Thubten. Chopra, Tasneem Christiansen, Hans. Chubb, Arnavaz..
Cicek, Orhan
Cicek, Sureyya
Clark, David LC
Clark, Heather Dawn..
Clark, Vicki..
Clarke, Geoff.
Clarke, Jeremy.
Clarke, Len
Clarke, Mrinali..
Clayton, Philip...
Clugston, Rick.. Cohen, Andrew Colburn, Ben.. Coll, Pauline Collins, Jacinta Collins, Mary Anne.

136
205
360
253
.275
324.
352
189, 292
162
282
157
200
330 287, 320
142, 186, 348
149, 240 318, 344
.202 198
248, 301
281
253
188, 235
.234 242, 285 336
187, 199, 209
363
182
156
207
196
299
173.
171
139, 152, 163, 182, 214, 233, 238, 254
292
214
.350
.226
359 359 244, 317 .352 238, 240, 252
141
141
242 191
187, 199, 209, 234
212, 278 224, 256 .202
334
264
325

Page #371

Index of Presenters
325 ............. 300, 336
.177 ....................... 151
203
... 329
............... 139,
..................
136
Condron, Barbara...... Condron, Daniel R Connelly, Cath ........... Cooper, Rasheeda.................. Corell, Hans
..................... Cortese, Dave.................... Costello, Tim Cousens, Di........................ Cowen, Shimon................ Coyle, T Thorn................... Crameri, Carmel .................. Crane, Mathew Luke.
.............. Cray, David.... Crochet, Laura........................ Croker, Alan....................... Cross, Emeretta...................... Crumlin, Rosemary .................. Cunio, Kim ..................... Curott, Phyllis Czerny, Shimon Margarete....
215
............... 237, 250, 351 .................
250 ................. 140 ....................310
...............262 ........... 137.255, 338 ........ 142. 170.182, 292
................232
Dhalla, Homi ..............
..........187, 267, 273,310 Dhillon, Balwant Singh
142, 279, 323 Dhillon, Jamel K ..............
......................332 Dickinson, Ashley
............................334 Dileri, Said Ehsanullah....... DiPierdomenico, Robert Dipper'.
................... 253, 317 Diroff. Nicole
.....................320 Disanayake, Marcelle ...............
...................3226 Dixon, Alvin ................
.................. 253, 266 Dixon, Robert ........ ...........
..........................225 D'Montford, She .................
..........................271 Dobson, Isabel Thomas.
................. 169. 187.
169, 189,260 Dodd, Christine......
.200 Doherty, Peter ..................
........................... 187 Doig. Meredith. ................. Donovan, Jeremy Yongurra Yerin Dorff, Elliot.. Doshi, Ekta................. Doshi, Nitin ....................... Doty, James ................... Dowrick, Stephanie ................. Drumm, Rene
315 Dubash, Perviz..
....................226 Duderija, Adis.
................. Duff, Jean.... .
.............. 163. 192 Dumasia, Ervad Armin .........
................ 181.222 Duncan, Bruce.......
................... 249 Duncan, Tom................
...................... 164 Duneja, Prabha.. .............
........................157.219.325, 336 Dungan, Lynette............. ............. 168, 174, 217, 257, 296, 341 Dunn, Mark................
..................350 Dupuche, John................
.................. 305, 360 Durie, Mark................
.................... 164
---..........
156,321 ......... 135, 261, 268
....................329
312
280
229 ........153, 227, 274, 358
........362
............
Daffern. Thomas. Daftary, Kirit C............. Dalili, Raz Mohammad Dalton, Anne Marie Daly, Nuria..................... Daneshforooz, Josh.. Darabi, Bagher Talebi........ Darmawan, Camellia ................. Dasa, Bhakata...................... Dastagir. Golam..................... Dastoor, Dolly.. Davenport, Elizabeth .............. Davidson, John .... Davies, Bishop Geoffrey ........... Davies, Murray....... Davies-Kildea, Jason.......... Davila, Javier ................... de Kretser, Governor David.. de Quadros, Andre............... de Quadros, Marcel .................. de Silva, Padmasiri.. de Souza, Marian............ Deen, Hanifa .. DeLange, James................ Dellal, Hass. Dellinger, Drew Denenberg, Steve .............. Denton, Elizabeth Devararyapuram, DR Kaarthikeyan.......... Devi, Swami Ma..... Devi, Upala. Devi, Karunamayi Vijayeswari............... Devine, Catherine Dhaliwal, Avtar Singh ....................... Dhall, Dharam Pal..............................
239
............. 158, 166, 234
................... .. 193 .......................361
Edelheit, Joseph..... Edwards, Denis.........
............... 187, 199, 209 Effendi, Fuad...
..................... 195 El-Amin, Suad...
............................. 155 Elemani, Elaine
............. .310 El-leissy, Mohammed ....................
...............243, 354 Elliott, Bishop Peter ... Ellis, Brian....
....................306 Ellmann, Liz..................
........................ 168 Elmagraby, Norah Ziad.
..............
.....................291.355 Elmi, Mohammad Jafar .................
........................... 349 Elsayed, Ramzi .......................................................................334 El-Tigani, Amal Ali..........
272 Elton, Gopi.. Elvey, Anne..................... Emeleus, Susan................ Emmanuel, Dominic................. Engebretson, Kathleen... Ennis, Susan
....................... 348.357 Enright, Kerry..................
.......... 189 Epperson, Eileen ................
..................145 Eppinger, Paul.................
............. 167
.241
173
290
327
---
277
315 ............ ............... 274 ...............341, 348 ........................314

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Index of Presenters
Evans, Hugh.. Evers, Dirk
Fagenblat, Michael..
Fai, Ghulam Nabi.
Falvey, John Lindsay..
Feisal, Imam.
Ferguson, Laurie
Ferraro, Lisa
Fiaz, Shazia.
Ficca, Dirk..
Finn, Seamus.
Fischer, Tim. Fisher, John W.... Fitzgerald, Anne
Fitzpatrick, Michael.
Flannery, Wendy.
Floyd, Tony.
Foose, Ryoko.....
Forgasz, Rebecca.
Fouce, Paula. Foundas, Emmanuel
Fox, Christina.....
Fredericks, Neville
Freeman, Laurence
Freeman, Lorender
Freier, Archbishop Philip
French, Hal...
Frew, Donald....
Frichner, Tonya Gonnella Frick, Martin Fukushima, Kanako.. Fyfe, Margaret.
Gandhi, Sohan Lal Gangadean, Ashok... Gardiner, Sharifin.
Gardner, Harry....
Gardner, Helen
Garner, Ann
Gawler, lan.
Gawryn, Francyl.
Gbowee, Leymah
Gelfer, Joseph.
Genende, Ralph. George-Kanentiio, Doug..
Gerry, Frank......
Gerschevitz, Conrad
Gevurtz, Rayna....
Ghadialy, Rashna
Ghosh, Manjulika. Ghosthawk-Trudell, Tony.
Ghouse, Abdul Rahim..
Ghouse, Mike
Gibbs, Charles
Giles, John......
368 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

235 355
236 151, 321
150, 162, 234
254
145
185
.214
230, 317
.276
247
193
175
337
.321
189
157, 333
237
171
233
240
.314 148, 180 .329 .219, 240, 244, 351
296 .245
.145, 211, 223, 315, 322
159
268
325
309, 321 179
.356
.283
.357
.341
181, 269
345
.267 247
259, 276, 305 322, 353
299 144 362 187, 294
197 305
272 341, 359 214, 230, 332 167
Gill, Ajmer Singh... Gill, Glenda
Gill, Gurdarshan Singh. Ginwala, Reena...
306
341
334
216
240
266
135, 307
283 338
245, 334 179 .143
Goshen-Gottstein, Alon172, 254, 279, 287, 293, 308, 323, 338, 355, 359 Gotlieb, Kim.
343
Goto, Alan
336 320
Gray, Bettina.
.137, 212, 241, 354
151, 188, 200, 347, 358
362
.290
.254
.290
321
173
.264
.231
.292
309
Gioi, Hue.
Global Foundation, Glover, Sevadevi.
Goldburg, Peta....
Golden Age Ensemble of the.
Gonzalez, Gerardo
Goodman, Maureen.
Gordon, Kenn.
Griggs, Khalid Fattah. Grim, John
Grundmann, Christoffer.
Guan, Yeoh Seng.....
Guerrand-Hermes, Simon Xavier.
Guerreiro, Rosa Maria..
Guingona-Africa, Marites..
Gulam, Hyder........
Gulshan, Giani Gurbax Singh. Gumo, Sussy.
Gunesekera, Mohini.
Gurudev Ji, HH Sri Sri Sri Vasanth..
HH the 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje, Various followers of... 270
Haar, Gerrie Ter........
196
Habel, Norman.
Habito, Maria Reis Habito, Ruben L F. Hadsell, Heidi.
217, 274, 327 158, 281, 308 158, 281, 323 155
.265 334 240 247,314
Hai, Hamid
Hailu, Mussie
Hain-Sharlow, Charlotte.
Haire, James.
Halafoff, Anna.
Hall, Gerard
Hall, Matthew
Hall, Stuart
Handa, Haruhisa... Hanmer, Stephen.
Hansra, Balwant Singh..
Haq, Nomanul...
Hardon, Michiel Harmer, Michael Harms, Steve
Harris, Grove...
Harris, Lyndon.
Harrison, Uncle Max Dulumunmun
Harrower, Bishop John.
Hart, Archbishop Denis. Hart, John.....

.165, 275, 276, 290, 310
273 347 153, 166 136, 139 208, 254
142, 309, 341, 348
213, 355 276
324
196
292
145
160
219
169
.274

Page #373

Index of Presenters
Hart, Sande. Hashim, Janaan...
Hatzoglou, Nick Haworth, Danny.
Hayes, Margaret Heap, Lisa.
Hearn, Kathy..
Heath, Helen.
Heckman, Bud.
Henare, Manuka.
Henderson, Amorntip Cherry
Henderson, Michael.
Hendriks, Aunty Joan
Hennessy, Margot...
Hernandez-Andrews, Karen L.
Herzberg, Benjamin.
Heydari, Jalal......
Heywood, Catherine.
Higginbotham, River..
'Hinduism Today, Editors of
Hino, Kanami.........
Hirschfield, Brad.
Hirsh, Di
Hoare, Elder..
Hobby. Kristen.
Hochheimer, John L..
Hocking, Colin
Hodder, Jacqueline
Hogan, Linda..
Hogg, Charles.
Hoi, Jung Wai.
Hollingworth, Peter.
Honey, Colin.
Hood, Alison.
Horibe, Asayo.
Hosseini, Nosrat..
Hosseini, Tina.
Hounon, Robert Houndohome.
Houseman, Sarah.
Howorth, Paul..
Hrasna, Robert
Hu, Jian
Hubbard, Ed
Hughes, Philip.
Hull, Shaikha Safa
Hulse, Adele........
Hunsinger, George
Hunter, Joel.
Hunter, Nathan..
Hurtak, Desiree
Hurtak, James J
Hussain, Azmeena..
Hussain, Nazeem
Hussain, Nurul Jihadah
Hussein, Fatimah. Hutchens, Anna.

242, 251
147, 233, 335 253, 317
337
210
324
143
350
320
225, 265
201
145 .304 165
243, 267, 304
.278
162
348
194
338
.345
228, 238, 246, 296 .270 .219
168, 174, 217, 257, 296, 341
290 .204 193 202, 203
.259
170
266
244
.254
249, 328, 33
291 291
312, 319, 349
241 276
229 180, 311 263 193, 225
253
.357
193
274
169
302, 351
179, 302, 351
351
276
170
290
207
Hynan, Kerryn... Ibanez, Armando Ibrahim, Anwar.. Ibrahim, Heba
Ijaz, Helene
Imai, Eugene.
Imber, Madelaine
Imoto, Atsuya..
Ina, Masaki...
International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Isahak, Amir Farid... lye, Ali Moussa.....
Jaami, Alexis Yancey.. Jackelén, Antje.
Jackson, Robert...
Jackson, Clarence.
Jain, Bawa
Jain, Dipak.
Jain, Divya.
Jain, Naresh.
Jain, Sanchay..
Jain, Vivek.
Jambudvipa Ensemble. James, Helen..
Jameson, Jill.
Jamison, Gard. Jamshidi, Bahar
Janki, HH Dadi
Jeeyar Swamiji, HH Sri Chinna.
Joe, Jennie R
Johansson, Margareta Dahlin
Johns, Greg..
Johnson, Bhakti...
Johnson, Janice Marie
Jones, Jeremy.
Joyce, Marie. Jupp, James
Justenhoven, Heinz-Gerhard.
Kachhara, Narayan... Kadarsih, Eko. Kahlon, Gurbux Kaur. Kajaria, Nirmala. Kak, Subhash...
Kalakruthi Senior Students Kandemwa, Mandaza Augustine
Kaneko, Masanori....
Kanis, Jennifer.
Kano, Oki....
Kao, Kim Hourn
Kapashi, Vinod Kaplan, Martin. Karakoyun, Ercan Karam, Azza.. Karasaki, Keita

334
.306.
161, 186, 314
197
.316.
345
202
345
203
301
235, 315 208
359
150, 210, 213, 236, 288 204
.249, 312, 346, 357, 358 154 228, 266, 323 340
204
353
.340
248 203, 281
226 345 160.
254, 301, 345
260, 307 320, 360
196
154
212
192
144
357
.361
282
223
213, 226, 331
263
271 155 185
142, 202, 301, 360
268 353 333, 358 198, 318 .353 182 .205 208
345
www.parliamentofreligions.org 369

Page #374

Index of Presenters
Karna, Dienen.
Karunamayi, Amma Sri.
Kassi, Norma.
Katz, Beth
Katz, Solomon..
Versha, Amrit Kaur..
Kaur, Harpreet...
Kaur, Jessi Jasjit).
Kaur, Mejinderpal.
Kaur, Valarie.
Kawai, Mr.
Kaya, Faris
Kean, Amy..
Keene-Lund, Sheila.
Keertiji, Davendra..
Kelkar, Manjiri.
Kelly, Michael
Kennealy, Stacey
Kennedy, Ellen...
Kennedy, Cameron.
Keren-Black, Jonathan
Kerr, Sam
Kerr, Harry.....
Khalafalla, Khaled.
Khalsa, Bibiji Inderjit Kaur.
Khalsa, Gurukirn Kaur
Khanal, Dadhiram Khanal, Neeti Aryal Khanna, Madhu
Khrishna, Elizabeth. Kiliç, Mahmud Erol.
Kille, Andrew
Killelea, Steve.
Killsback, Leo.
Kim, Sunggon
King, Barbara
King, Petrea
Kipen, Aviva...
Kirazli, Sadik
Kirby, Michael.
Kitagawa, Audrey... Kloostra, Elbert
Kloostra, Kristen
Knitter, Paul..
Knowles, Tamara.
Koay, Kelvin
Kohn, Rachael
Koide, Haruka.
Korbman, Bernard. Kramer, Thomas.
Krippner, Stanley..
Krishna, Anand.
Krishnan, Srilata
Kugler, Sharon..
Kula, Irwin.
Kung, Hans.
370 PWR- Parliament of the World's Religions

356, 362 307 159, 211, 249, 349
-229 150, 213, 225, 265, 355)
263
263
.230, 325, 336, 348
264, 362 195,276 286
330
166
215
223
294
.202
169
.305
305
169 226, 310
.289
.270
263, 359 167,344
182
182
244
.321
148
194
243, 274, 283
299, 315
184, 314 143 292 333,361 151 284 179,351 305 305
240, 279, 287, 323
170 188
228, 237
268 230
280
.273.
149
140 167 153, 246
266, 274, 283
Kurozumi, Munemichi. Kurukkal, Prem.. Kuspinar, Bilal. Kuzuno, Tsugio Ky, Kalyan..
Lacey, Denise.. Lacey, Josie
Lal, Harbans
Lama, Jimmy.
Landau, Christopher.
Landau, Melanie
Lauder, Glen
'Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir'
Lawrence, Jeremy..
Lee, Colin.
Lee, Heather.
Lee, Jinwol..
Lee, Stanley Chun-Wei.
Lefebure, Leo...
Leighton, Trent
Lempp, Inge. Le-Nguyen, Tony.. Leonard, Grahame
Lepard, Brian.
Lerner, Michael Lesher, William.
Leuning, Michael Levi, Rabbi John
Lewis, Don
Lewis, Peter.
Lhuillier, Natalie Lindner
Lidgren, Ann
Light, Helen
Lindahl, Kay.
Lindsay, Mark R. Ling. Coralie
Lipsky, Joy-Ellen. Lipson, Brian
Lister, Kyle. Little, David. Little, Layne.. Livingstone, Glenys Locke, Kevin... Lokawua, Margaret Lokesh, Munishree.
Long, Mary. Long, Pat...
Longstaff, Simon Lovat, Terence.....
Lowe, Michael..
Luckett, Erika
Lyman, Linda.
Lynge, Aqqaluk. Lynton, Mitzi. Lyons, Chief Oren.

182, 300 301 330
183, 249, 250, 312, 322, 333
291
316 193, 292
.155, 186, 309, 341
201 .330
168, 275, 310
.241 164
228, 303, 350
.201 .338
149, 254, 259
188
266
192
191
153, 226
.350
235, 236, 263
153, 240, 257
282 .349
166, 343, 351
194
238
231
357
262 251,311 319 237
194
314
229
196 .245 271, 280 168 .145, 198, 206, 223, 237, 320
268 204 332 274, 283 273, 283 266 185 295 159, 208, 251
167
153, 213, 249, 311, 322, 353

Page #375

Index of Presenters
Macaulay, Rowland MacDonald, Mary N
Macdonald-Radcliff, Cardinal Alistair
MacEwan, Michelle
Mackenzie, Tessa.
Mackey, Brendan.
MacQueen, Benjamin. Madigan, Patricia...
Madigan, Trish.
Madsen, Frank G.
Maetala, Ruth
Maghami, Yasser.
Mahadeva, Rathika Suresh
Mahamid, Ibtisam.
Majokah, Ali.
Majzner, Victor.
Makkar, Avtar Singh..
Malak, Abd
Malhotra, Kulbir
Mallaby, Richard. Mangunjaya, Fachrudin.
Manimala, Varghese.
Manousos, Anthony..
Mansour, Deacon Jiries Manton, Jill......
Margos, Maryam..
Markus, Andrew Marshall, Katherine Marshall, Larry.. Martin, Caroline.
Martin, Matthew
Martin, Nancy.
Martin, Sieneke
Masel, Deborah
Mason, Michael
Mataji, Pravrajika Ajayaprana..
Mathew, Thomas
Mathews, Freya
May, John..
Mayotte, Judith A.
McCallum, Ron.
McCarrick, Cardinal McCollum, Patrick..
McCowan, Tim
McDonald, Gemma..
McDonald-Harrison, Trish
McDonough, Carol.
McGoldrick, Will
McGraw, Barbara
McKeon, Simon
McLean, Eliyahu.
McPhee, Michael
McRae-McMahon, Dorothy
Meehan, Leslie...
Meghani, Mihir..
Mehta, Geeta..

202
.322
285
177
.321
.278
156. 331
231, 292
203
.242
354
332
248, 335
326
262
.309
.193
266
204
166
278
171
248 174, 217, 257, 296, 341 291 331
139, 152, 163, 184, 239, 254, 274, 318, 347
289
322
190
231
348
262
141
292 .205
234, 327
234 196
324
Theodore 152, 192, 252, 254, 285, 294
180, 194, 292 145, 274 295, 339
224
332
140
161
283.
248
147
284
345
235
.273.
Melbourne Bid Team and Board of Management,
Members of the. Melchior, Michael. Mellor, Elizabeth.
Mellor, Ken
Menon, Sangeetha.
Merchant, AK.
Merlino, James. Mews, Constant.
Meyerhof, Nina
Mia, Min [M Smith)
Michel, Thomas.
Miles, Bernadette:
Miller, Seamus
Mills, Jane..
Miner, Tim..
Minicon, Rodney Minto-Cahill, Maria
Mirzai, Najafali...
Mistry, Pervin J..
Miyake, Yoshinobu. Miyamoto, Nobuko... Mobini-Kesheh, Natalie
Moghul, Haroon. Molloy, Jan.. Momen, Moojan. Momen, Wendi.. Montague, Julie J Moody, Awori.
Moore, James F.
Moore, Ross.
Morgan, Aunty Pat.
Morgan, Fred
Morgana, Fabienne.
Morita, Chisato
Mornington Interfaith Network..
Morrison, Keith.
Morton, John....
Mostafavi, Mahdi.. Mother Maya.
Muchtar, Maya Safira Mueller, Michelle..
Mughal, Fiyaz....
Mujahid, Abdul Malik.. Mulenkei, Lucy... Mulia, Siti Musdah.
Mulvey, Penny.....
Muniji, HH Amrender Muralivallabhan, TV. Murphy, Kathleen.. Murphy-Wandin, Aunty Joy. Murray, Monsignor James. Murtiyah, Gusti Koes
Musa, Gerald
Musse, Sheikh Isse A. Muyskens, Sam

317
248, 288
.283
180
199
.263
145
272
201
.319
330
168, 174, 217, 257, 296, 341
236
224
229
160
268 147,349 187 178 172
196, 281, 292
277
274
201
201
352
186
362
357 319 .319, 324 .271 256,345
350
224 178 186, 232 182, 259, 318 149
325, 336 243, 321, 354 210, 230, 241 .157, 249, 320, 328
186, 195, 233, 271, 314
.240 183, 270, 343
363 149 147 350
220, 226, 331 196, 304
159, 351
320
www.parliamentofreligions.org 371

Page #376

Index of Presenters
Muzaffar, Chandra Myers, John ............... Myers, Victoria................
..... 158, 166, 233, 235, 289,313
..........214 ......................354
O'Riordan, Helen ... Oude Vrielink, Philip............... Oziel, Tanya
... 156, 329
315
215 190 226
299
.................
140 ..........156. 164, 269.363 ............... 156
.. 328 ..................... 211, 315 ..................... 249
190 196
210 288
270
..........
Naderi, Abdul Aziz.............. Nagle, Kellie Naidoo, Thillayvel..... Nakasone, Ronald... Namdarian, Kayzad. Nanda, U Pu Nar 328 Narayanan, Yamini. Narvaez, Leonel.. Nasoraia, Ganzibra 'Dr Brikha HS Nayaka, U. Naylor, Minnie Lucy ........ Negash, Almaz .................... Neowarra, Paddy................. Neri, Elwyn Infante Newman, Andrew................. Newman, Philip.................. "Ngangkaris (Traditional Healers) Nguyen, My Ly .......... Nichot, Helen ................ Nickisch, Patrick Nijjar, Ravinder Kaur......... Nilsson, Mali. Nimitkulpon, Arachapon............... Nishimura, Eshin.... Nixon, Christine................ Nkulu-N'sengha. Mutombo............... Noko, Ishmael Nokolu, Esther................... Noll, Gregor Norbu, Rinchen ........ 'North American Theological
School Students' .... Nutgit. Pansy Nunn, Nigel.. Nyomi, Setri................. Nyunt, U Win................
149
...........
.
............... 144
285
Pahwa, Inderjeet Singh ... Palaniswami, Paramacharya....
................ 330, 338 Palapathwala, Ruwan.............. Palma, Renee De
................ 339 Pandey. Triloki..... Pappas, Michael G Parameshananda Swami................. Parma, Gede. Parton, Trevor
228, 332 Parulkar, Vaibhav ............. Patel, Abdul Hai Patel, Deepti V.................
...........
239 Patel, Ikebal..................
.................. 195, 331 Patterson, David. ............
................... 308 Pattni, Prabhudas.........
...................... 198 Paulette, Francois ................ ......................139, 159, 183, 251 Paulson, Shirley.................
...................... 189 Pawlikowski, John..............
.................. 166, 279, 323 Pedersen, Mark ..............
270, 278 Pedersen, Kusumita.....
191.315 Pell, Cardinal George .............
152, 164 Pellach, Peta. Pemberton, Barbara Penn, Janet. Pepper, Miriam...............
............... 140, 153 Perkins, John L..............
................ Perkins, Steve.................. Perlman, Zachary.
336 Perry, Constance R. Perry, Dain......
327 Peters, Christopher ..
..................... 163, 172, 322 Petersen, Ken.................
.................... 149 Peterson, Genevieve.......... Peterson, Daniel C.. Peuraca, Zvjezdana............ Phillips, Scott..
........................ Pike, Bronwyn................
...................268 Pike, Elizabeth.................
...................223 Pinto, Constantino..
.....................142, 145, 206, 360 Pinto, Anna ................ ...................... 209, 223, 237, 311.320, 349 Pinto, Constantino Pizzuto, Vincent ..... Polat, Ahmet.... Polat, Cemen ................. Polzin, Beverley ............ Postma, Maureen. Poulos, Elenie................
........ . Powell, Ruth .... Powers, Gerard.... Prabhu, Joseph .............. ................. 146, 156, 171, 234, 235,315,339 Pragya, Vinay Prajna Ji, Samani Mangal..............
................. 270
288
207 203 169
- 327
....174.217, 257, 296, 341
.. 190 .....................336
198
184
328
........................ 204 .........138, 152, 194, 235
150 ......... 163, 242, 252, 279 .... ......... 197
193 355
.........
191
Oats, Simon ............. O'Brian, Ellen Grace. O'Donnell, Greg..... Ogega, Jacqueline ...................... Ogunade, Raymond.... O'Higgins-Norman, James ................ Okakpu, Ndidi Amatullah.. Okita, Kiyokazu........ Oladipo, Caleb.... Omar, Irfan Omwake, Mary Mary...... O'Neill, William Orbito. Monsignor Marcos............. Orend, Brian ........ O'Riordan, Andrew......
197
266
ll, R
uth
.................................................
200
........
196 353
.. 172
372 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions

Page #377

Index of Presenters
............... 177
Prajna, Samani Akshay. Prajnanananda Giri, Paramahamsa ................ ................ 221. 230, 318 Prakash, Cedric
.........................317 Prasada Mataji.. Yogini Sri Chandra Kali.......
221.307 Pratt, Douglas....
...................... 165, 290 Premawardhana, Shanta D' ............... ............... 155, 162, 216 Prideaux, Richard.......... ..............
............ 263 Prowse, Bishop Christopher..
................... 135, 347 Puri, Swami Gopal.
135, 261 Putney, Bishop Michael...........
................ 135, 347
205
Rose, Or N.... Rose, Richard Rose, Sue. Rosen. David....
..................... 154, 166, 204, 228, 252, 254 Rosen, Sharon. .............
............. Ross, Roger ..................
...................229,351 Rossi, Philip
........................................244 Rudd, Pauline .................
199,209 Ruddin, Nurlia ..............
..................... 220, 226,331 Rukkun, Sheikh Hussein Abu ..
................... 248 Runzo, Joseph
.................196,218, 236, 324 Rwabuhemba, Tim M...
.....................208 Ryan. Pamela
........................ 275, 327 Rzesniowiecki, Helen ..................
.......
Quarch, Christoph ............. Quinn, Terrence
................265
162
...........
273
.... 201
.........
353
le bob..
.....
.
..........
306
273
164
Rahmani, Mariam........... Rait, Gwenda....................
240 Rajagopal, PV.....
............................... Rajkumar, Srimati Tara... ................
.301 Rakhecha, Priyadarshana..........
270 Ramadan, Tariq. ....................... 186, 195, 233, 248, 279, 313, 316, 346 Ramani, Natesan ............. Ramey, Ibrahim Abdil-Muid... Ramnarace, Vijay Ramsay, Robin................. Ramsay, Tamasin Randall, Uncle Bob.
307 Rangarajan, Swarnalata.........
182 Rao, Seshagiri.
................ 156, 307, 341 Rao, Narayan ................
... 303 Rapoport, Walter .................
...........................204 Rashid, Hussein...............
.................277, 327,354 Ratanakul, Pinit..
............................................ 190 Rauf, Feisal Abdul
......238, 261, 265, 312, 313 Rauschenbush, Paul .................
................ 318 Ray, Anita
........................360 Reale, Andreana...................
............................. 242 Reeves, Gene.....................
...................... 186,312 Rehab. Ahmed..
.........243, 265, 267,354 Reid, Donald
.287 Reid, Kaye.
..................
308 Rider, Elyse............ Rigby, Kate..... Rigdon, Bruce............ Riley, Philip................... Rinpoche, Samdhong. ...........
...... Rinpoche, Traleg Kyabgon............. River, Temario Rivetna, Rohinton ...... Roadcup. Alisa................. Robinson, lan ................
........ Robinson, John................ Rohrlach, Carey ................... Roller, Louis .................... Rooney, Pauline .....................
.......... Rose, Deborah Bird ..................
................. 327, 347 Rose, Jim..................
.................. 232
Saberi, Fakhreddin..... Sachedina, Abdulaziz .............. Sackey-Milligan, Rose........ Saeed, Abdullah.....
..................... 284,319, 330 Saionji, Yuka.
................ Sakurai, Hiro.............................
............................. Salamo, Elisheva
325, 336 Saleem, Amjad-Mohammed.
Mohammed...................................148, 250, 265, 354 Samarawickrama, Ranmal................
325 Sanders, Lindsay ......................... Sanders, Paul...
.............. Sandhu, Anahat Kaur Sandhu, Ranbir Singh .....
........................264, Sankarnarayan, K
.......................................... Santiago. Zabrina..........
................... 152, 203, 317 Sanyu, Pari...
....................224 Sanyu, Visier Sanyu. Visopiano........
................... 237, 250 Saperstein, David........................ 139, 161, 228, 235, 240, 244, 289 Saral, Mehmet
..359 Saraswati, HH Pujya Swami Chidanand.......................... 254, 260, 307 Saraswati, Swami Mayatitananda Mother Maya) ............ 182, 259, 318 Sargent, Wendy.....
..................... 353 Sarveswaran, Vidya ........................................................................ Sattar, Fatima.......
................ Sawahata, Yasutomo .................. Sayar, Ibrahim Scarth, Catherine ............ Schaaf, Kathe Schafer, Kava.................. ....................... 168, 174, 217, 257, 296, 341 Schmidt-Leukel, Perry...
..................... 317 Schmitz-Perrin, Rudolf
................... Schutz, David ....... Scott, James ................. Seker. Mehmet................
360 Sekhar, Shobha ...........
185 Sellers, Robert. Selmanovic, Samir .............. Serwah, Mary Issaku...
................... 299, 315 Seta, Bena............................
207 Shafiq, Muhammad........................,
...210, 241
146
266
287

www.parliamentofreligions.org 373

Page #378

Index of Presenters
Shah, Raksha. Shah, Girish
Shah, Param
Shah, Pravin K.
Shahsavandi, Shohreh.
Shamasundar, NV
Shamoon, Jan. Shan, Harnam Singh Shanahan, Brian......
Shankar, Sri Sri Ravi
Shankarananda, Mahant Swami.
Sharlow, Stewart.
Sharma, Arvind...
Sharma-l uital, Parsuram..
Sharone, Ruth Broyde.
Shatz, Roland..
Shaw, Sylvie.
Shenandoah, Joanne.
Shergill, Jagdeep (Jag) Singh
Sheveland, John Shi, Chang Shen.
Shi, Chang Wu Shields, Kalvinder. Shojaeipour, Shahriar
Shukla, Suhag....
Shults, F LeRon.
Shumei Youth.
Siddiqi, Muzammil...
Singer, Tirtza
Singh, Bhai Manmohan Singh, Bhai Mohinder
Singh, Bhai Sawarn
Singh, Devinder Pal
Singh, Balvinder
Singh, Bhai Sahib Mohinder
Singh, Indrajit...
Singh, Gurpal..
Singh, Gurvinder Pal
Singh, Jasbir.
Singh, Jathedar 'Singh Sahib Ciani Gurbachan'
Singh, Kuldeep.
Singh, Kuldip
Singh, Kulmeet.
Singh, Kultar.
Singh, Navkiran
Singh, Piara
Singh, Sarbpreet..
Singh, Simran Jeet.
Singh, Bhai Sukhbir.
Singh, Jagjit.
Singh, Jasbir.
Singh, Roop.
Singleton, Andrew
Sinkevicius, Arturas
Siraj, Sirajul.
Sirivudh, Prince
307, 329 292, 324, 338 .240 235, 279, 315, 318 165 171,282, 291 285
332
286
326
157
325, 336, 344 325, 336, 344
177
349
338
187, 199, 209, 225, 265
256, 268 156 307
262
161, 303
262
232 232
254, 287, 309, 316, 335, 359
306 230
374 PWR Parliament of the World's Religions

.268 194
.261
309
147
167
291
142
331
197 205, 232
287, 309, 348
264, 306 348
230
262
306
158
232
197
309
230
232
309 141
299, 315
160
198
Sison, Lilian
Sivaraska, Sulak
Skudlarek, William.
Slaby, Michael.
Sloan, Jane
Smibert, Dirk.
Smith, Alana
Smith, lan...
Smith, Sally.
Smith, Sue
Soetendorp, Awraham Soliman, Yasser. Somaiya, SK... Somaiya, Shantilal.. Sorensen, Christian. Spaeth, Drake
Spector, Helen.
Sri Chinmoy International Music Group'
St Clair, Darlene
St-Amand, Utsahi Neree.
Stanton, Joshua.... Steadman, Joan..... Steele, William.. Stein, Art. Stenberg, Leif Stephens, Max.. Stewart, Fumi Johns
Sticha, Taraka
Stickland, Robert.
Stimson, Joni..
184, 252, 314
139, 153, 166, 226
137, 361
212, 278
.163
362
.153
.350
208
283
153, 278
334 .303 273, 324 143 194
.152, 287, 294, 317. 216 157, 206, 237, 250, 357
191
153
.352
.276 232 244, 282 .308
342
185
260
247
Stolen Generation Victoria (SGV), Representatives of.
Stone, Deborah.
Storie, Deborah Strassberg, Barbara.. Streeter, Carla Mae. Strickland, Danielle. Strickland, Paul R.. Stuart, Stephen.... Stückelberger, Christoph. Subbiondo, Joseph.
Subhani, Annette.
Subramanian, Pandit Gowrishankar
Sugino, Kyoichi.
Suina, Joseph Henry.
Sujato, Bhante
Sukyo Mahikari Members.
Sulutan, Lilybeth....
Sunim, Chi Kwang
Sure, Heng..... Suryodarmo, Suprapto. Sussman, Lance.. Sussmilch, Therese. Suwan, Parichart. Swadling, Kathleen Swami, Yadunandana
Swami, Indradyumna

.361
158
242
362
287
299, 334
.287
306
155
146
230
182
314
142, 209, 250, 302
220 219 145, 210
149, 168, 228, 242
137, 190, 226, 272, 331, 332, 361
173
156
193
321
336
185
206

Page #379

Index of Presenters
Swamp. Jacob Andrew Swearer. Donald........ Sy, Serigne Mansour Syalee. Sangat Singh.... Syamsiyatun, Siti................. Syamsuddin, M Din.. Syarikin. Ninie G................ Szczytnicki, Elias Szoke, Helen ...........
.181.213.322, 353, 357 ....................... 166, 288
.......................245
....................... 142 ..................... 155, 278 ........... 161, 184, 312
....................... 155 ............... 152, 239, 254
Tripp, Amos.............
.............. 163, 208 Trivedi, Ami..............
.....................337 Trubetskova, Irina.
........................ 285 Tsomo, Karma Lekshe.......................... ......... ...... 158, 182.226 Tsukuta, Kohei ...............
................... 268 Tucker, Mary Evelyn ........................... 150. 159. 188, 200, 278, 281, 358 Tumpkin, Mary...............
.................. 143 Turakhia, Kunal.
.................. 216 Txukarramae. Chief Megaron ........... .............. 209, 251, 307
al.
....
. 164
es.....
Ucko, Hans..........
.....................282 Ukrainian Catholic Choir...............
............................ 260 Ullah, Hajjah Maria.
...................... 180, 288, 335 Ungunmerr-Baumann, Miriam-Rose .......
211 ur Rehman, Hafiz Aziz
242 Uthup. Thomas ...................
208 Utreja, Laj.................................................... Utter, Jeff..
........................
204
**
.219
143
... 217
Tahseen, Mohammad.
............ 162 Takizawa, Kazuo .................
.................... 345 Talamantez, Ines..
........ ..... 231.240 Talbot, Sue (Denisel...................
........... ...350 Talcott, Sarah......................
...................... 332.340 Tamasese. His Highness Tupua..........
....................... 145 Tan, Thich Phuoc ................
.............. 149.169,346 Tan. Jian.. ..................
180, 230 Tao, Dharma Master Hsin .......... 136, 158, 164. 186, 254, 281, 287, 363 Tapungao, Tito............
.......................310 Tatar, Burhanettin ....
................ 147, 186, 312 Taylor, John ..................
....................... 205,334 Taylor. Larry M...
...................... 190 Taylor, Jennifer Maytorena............
............. 171, 243, 327 Taylor-Young, Leigh..
........................... 178 Tebecis, Andris ................. Teel, Roger.....................................
.................. Tence, Maria ..................
................ 310 Tenney, Meredith ...........
175 Terasaki, Hirotsuga ......
286 Terena, Marcos ..........
144, 172, 202, 211,328 Thangsurbkul, Ping Ping Worakate..............
201 Thatte, Dileep ....
............... 303 Thind, Kulbir Singh..............
348 Thorpe, Robert
347 Tidman, Marjorie.................. Tidman, Natasha ................. Tidman, Peter..
229 Tidman, Raymond ..................
229 Tierney, Nathan....................
196 Tinney, Mary.............................
204 Toh, Swee-Hin...........................
199.321 Toloui-Wallace, Shadi.
.286 Tomatsu, Yoshiharu...............
.................... 149 Tong, Yun Kai
.........................363 Tonson, Paul...................
270 Torpey. Julia...................
295, 339 Towle, Philip.......................
203 Trainor, Michael................... Trapp, James Treace, Bonnie Myotai ............... Trebilcock, Freeman.................. Tresemer, David
314 Tresemer, Lila Sophia ...............
....... ..............314 Trevino, Yoland...
230, 332 Trinkunas, Jonas........
...... 172, 356
Valerio, Danilo Robles van Rompaey. Sandi...... van Wilgenburg. Catherine ........ Van Zyl, Debrah.
.339 Vanderfeen, Nola....................... .................. 174, 217, 257, 296, 341 Vasan, Mangalam Vaswani, Dada JP ...............
....................... 261, 301 Vega, Carla.....................
.................. 172 Veiga e Castro, Jorge.. Vendley, William F.................................... 164, 198, 230, 243, 248, 279 Venkataraman, Swaminathan....................
235 Venkatesan, Archana..........
245 Veylanswami, HH Satguru Bodhinatha............................. 219.318, 338 Vichie, Stancea Victorian Office of the Australian Baha'i Community ................... Vicziany, Marika.... Vidich, Andrew............... Villumstad, Stein ................... .......................156, 257, 279, 284, 321 Virani, Nargis
.................... 291 Visser, Prashan De................ Viswanathan, Shehara ....
...................... Viswanathan, Wilma....
334
229
229
.................
139, 184
............156,
Waks, Manny.................. Walid, Dawud................. Walker, Dennis ... Wallace, William ............ Wallis, Jim ................... Walsh, Thomas ... Walsh, Patrick................ Wang, Robin Wangchuk, Dorji ............. Ward, Linda............................... Wareham, Sue ............. Warren, Lally Lucretia............. Watson, Grant. Webber, Ruth..
......................
......
......
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Index of Presenters
........... 169
Zema, Demetrio............... Ziselsberger, Georg.......... Zong. Jian zum Mallen, Frank .................... Zwartz, Athalia. Zwartz, Barney ............... Zygier, Geoffrey ...............
217 .............. 180,361
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269
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170
Wee, Paul A..
.............. 214, 267, 304 Weeramantry, Christopher Gregory .............. ................. 164, 244 Wei, Jian
.180 Weiming. Tu.....................
................314 358 Weiner, Matthew.. Weldon, Anthony..................
354 Wells, Jane Wentworth, William.... .............
336 Westbury, Christine................
177,259 White, Nereda Wijaya, Yahya.... Wijenayake, Mala. Wijenayake, Shakila ...........
............. Wikström, Rev Cecilia ................ Wild, Jeff Wiley, Eleanor ....................
211 Wilkes, George R....
........ .. Williams, Di. ................................. Williams, Erin ................................ Williams, Prem & Jethro.. Wilson, David ............................... Winter, Heather.
............... Wirabhumi, Eddy Supriono.
..................226, 331 Witt, Janette...........
............. ... 270 Wodon, Quentin ...
..... ......... 208, 239 Woliansky. Adela .............
....................326 Wollen, Philip.....................
........................ 196 Woloschak, Gayle..
................... 150 Wong. Michael T H.................
..................... 225, 265 Wood, Pushpa
310 Woodlock, Rachel....
.........158, 237, 275, 310 Woods, Fred E...................
............ .... 348 Woolf, Tahnee....
.....................241 Woraback, Jindi................
218 Worl, Rosita ..
144, 163, 237, 307, 312 Wright, Russell.............. Wu, Chao-Ti...................
..................... 190
228
Yaffe, Hanna Yamamoto, Tomokazu. Yao, Xinzhong......................... Yarbrough, Denise "Yayasan Dharma Samuan Tiga' ... Yenkannamoole, Rajendra Damodara.... Yeshe, Michael Lobsang. Yetunde, Pamela........ Yiadom, Nana Osei Boakyewa..... Ying. Jian.......... Yokoi, Yoshinori.......... York, Michael You, Miao.............. Youhana, Joseph. Yucel, Salih
317 231, 327 226, 256
.363 ..357
202 ................ 183, 223, 250 ................... 157, 166 ......................... 268 ................ 194, 247
363
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Page #381

Index of Programs
108 Bowls: A Mala of Water ............ 12 Steps: A Complete, Non-Denominational Spiritual Path for the 21st Century 2 Jews, 3 Opinions: An Open Conversation on the Implications of the Parliament for Our Jewish Communities............. 2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 1........ 2014 Site Selection Orientation Part 2
A Baha'i Perspective on the Right to Development A Buddhism for Today: Introduction to Rissho Kosei-kai.............. A Buddhist Story Just for You................... A Celebration of the Cosmos and its Processes from a Mystical, Inclusive Perspective.................................... A Celebration of Urantia, Our Planet................. A Course in Miracles Unleashed: A Direct Encounter with Jesus Christ in the Evolution and Enlightenment of the Human Species .............. A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine ....... A Listening Place Each Day (Fri)............. A Listening Place Each Day (Mon).. A Listening Place Each Day (Sat)............... A Listening Place Each Day (Sun).
........ A Listening Place Each Day (Tuel...... A New Conscience: Making a World of Difference........
................. A New Ethical Manifesto for the Global Economy A Qur'anic Moral imperative: Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice ............... A Religion of Healthy Mindedness - New Thought's Uniquely American Contribution to the Arena of New Religious Community
............... A Review on Shi'ism from the Islamic Republic of Iran... A Spiritual Audit of the World's Workplaces: Sharing Our Stories of the Human Spirit at Work A String and A Prayer: Creating Universal Peace Beads A Tale of Two Women: A Multifaith Reading of the Sarah/Hagar Narrative.............................. ABC 'Compass Live Recording... Aboriginal Reconciliation in Melbourne: Working for Land Justice and Reconciliation ............... Aboriginal Women - Healing the Land and its people............ Accommodating Indigenous Spirituality in the Contemporary World: Valuing and Respecting the Importance of Indigenous Spirituality.... Achieving Sustainable Peace..... Adapting to Climate Change: How, and How Far?... Addressing the Shadow in Our Own Traditions.................... African American Muslims: Mirrors for Global Justice.................. African Religions in Latin America.. Agape Choir...... Ainu indigenous Spirituality and Culture of Japan. All We've Got: A Documentary Film about Hope................ Alternatives to Empire, Another World is Possible..................... American Outrage....... Amerta Movement: the Gardening of Mandala Salam ............. AMES: People, Programs and Pathways An Exploration of Gurmat Sangeet - Sikh Musical Heritage.............. An Islamic Conscience: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis Analyse This!: Views of Young Saudi, Australian and American Muslim Women on Their Faith and Evolving Roles..... Ancient Jain Mantra: Sound and Spirituality Anglican Sunday Morning Liturgy..................... Appreciating and Cultivating Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) and Pancasila to Address Religious Radicalisms in Indonesia............ Appreciative Inquiry and Healing the Earth: Extending Faith Beyond the Realms of Religion.... Arctic Peoples: Environment and Traditional Ways....... Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (Religions for Peace Asia).................. Australian Pagans Speak: A Community Forum Australia's Diverse Cultures and Multifaith Communities: Fethullah Gulen's Vision and Building Bridges Projects............. .............. Awakening Meditation..........
..............
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Index of Programs
Baha'i Devotional Gathering: 'The Earth is but One Country
Basic Tenets and Karma in Jainism
Being a University Chaplain in the 21st Century....
Best Practices in Interfaith Youth Work: Religious Schools and Community-based Programs Respond. Beyond Beliefs Muslims and Non-Muslims Living in Australia
Beyond the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Belief Systems and Their Deeper Philosophic Construct Blogistan: Muslims Dialogue through New Media.
Blue Gold: World Water Wars.........
Breaking Barriers: Global Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace....
Breaking Through Patriarchy: New Visions for Women of Faith.
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue
Building a Culture of Peace - Development on the ground in El Salvador.
Building Cities of Harmony.....
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice: Indonesian, Turkish and Kashmiri Case Studies.
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Baha'i Approach....
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice: A Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue...
Burma VJ
Burying and Resurrecting Our Tlingit Culture..
By the Fig and the Olive Tree: A Qur'anic Perspective on Healing the Earth with Care and Concern.
Calling Out to Allah: The Role of Du'a (Supplication) in Islam And Its Benefits for Inner Peace
Cambodia in the Aftermath of Genocide: Where Does Faith Come in?.
Caring Practices for the Earth
Australia and USA Green Faith........
Caritas Australia - Community Development in a Multifaith and Multicultural Environment. Catholic Mass, Coptic Rite.
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite - Friday..
Catholic Mass, Roman Rite - Tuesday..
Catholic Mass, Ukrainian Rite...
Celebrating Diversity and Unity: An Inclusive Spiritual Service Celtic Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions
Challenge of Shinto: An Approach to Living Together in Diversity...
Chan Meditation to Ease the Body and Mind at All Times and on All Occasions..
Changing the Conversation about Islam and Muslims Through Film: Shia, Puerto Rican-American and Australian Voices
Changing the World from the Inside Out: Making a Difference through Evolutionary Enlightenment....
Charter of Compassion.........
Christian Action and Witness For the Environment: What You Can Do When You Go Home
Christianity and Ecology.........
Christian-Muslim Engagement: Action through Understanding in the Writings of Said Nursi.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Morning Observance..
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir
Climate Change and the Arctic: The Indigenous Perspective. Climate Change and the Question of Overconsumption... Climate Change as a Concern for Justice
The Road to Copenhagen - Climate Change: the Burden and Challenge for the Next Generation. Closing Remarks on Conflict Resolution.
Cohesion and Unity in the Sikh Community....
Colonisation: Indigenous Peoples Striving for Self-Determination.
Come into the Presence of God! A Celebration of the Divine in Words, Music and Silence. Compassion as a Common Value / The Global Food Crisis as a Spiritual Challenge Compassion Rising (World Premiere)..
Compassionate Eating for the YouTube Generation.
Conflict Transformation and Peace Building..
Contemplative Shacharit (Jewish Morning] Service...
Convening Education Session: Schooling. Young People and Social Inclusion.
Convening Session Conflict Resolution.... Conversation with Sr Joan Chittister.....
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Index of Programs
Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Opening Ceremony... Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part One ....... Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders: Part Two .............. Courage to Care: Listening to the Messages of the Holocaust Survivors........ Creating a Stress-Free Mind and a Violence-Free World: Violence Ends Where Love Begins............... Creative Methodologies for Interreligious Dialogue............. Creators of Peace.. Criteria for Deciding the Eternal Truths. Cultivating Universal Intelligence................. Cultivations of Solidarity: A Textual Analysis ......
.......... ............ ...........
ths..............
........ ..........
Daily Puja: The Daily Jain Ritual of a Shwetambar Jain Idol Worshiper Dance Workshop - Expression of Emotions......... Dancing the Seven Sacred Directions ........ Dark to Dawn: Being Creative about Depression.... Darwin in the Dreaming.... Decolonising our Hearts and Minds, Healing the Earth and Ourselves: North American Indigenous Perspectives Democracy and Diversity in Global Perspective............ Developing a Dynamic Interfaith Movement for Your City or Area ................ Developing an interreligious Community: How Silicon Valley Used the Partner City Process................. Development of Indigenous Foundations: Helping Communities Develop Foundations for Indigenous Peoples ...... Devotional Singing and Meditation for Inner Peace....... Dhakiyarr vs the King Premier Film Series Selection).............. Discoveries from "Mapping' Faith Engagement in the International Development Challenge ........... Diversity. Unity and Community: Charting a Course for the Jews under the Southern Cross Divided We Fall. Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Session ................... Does the Media Have Faith? - Daily Youth Workshop...............
..............
Ears Wide Open: The Art of Inloquence.. Earth Charter as a Global Ethics for a Sustainable Future ....... East and West: Spirituality and Women's Leadership in Different Religious Perspectives............... East Asian Perspectives on Ecology .................................. Ecological Wisdom: Towards a Sustainable and Peaceful Ecology................. Edmonton's Experience of Reconciliation with Indigenous People
253 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World ...........
288 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Practical Initiatives and Examples of Multi-Religious Education .......................... 217 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Resources for and Obstacles to Multi-Religious Education in One's Own Tradition...257 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: The Need for Multi-Religious Education for All Religious Leaders.......
.. 174 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: Virtues and Skills for Multi-Religious Education..
296 Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious World: What We've Learned ... What Next Steps We Hope to Take ...................................... Education for Successful Societies.................... Enabling Response: Contributions of the Ecological Humanities toward an Environmental Culture..... Ending Legaliscd Violence Against Children -- A Religious Imperative..........
200 Engagement for Justice: Meeting the Needs of Refugees.
357 Engaging Faith-Based Organisations for the Millenium Development Goals: Comparative UN Experiences .........
208 Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 3 of 3.. Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 1 of 3.................... Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future 2 of 3....................... Environmental Issues Affecting the Health of Indigenous Peoples.. ............. Experience the Women's Interfaith Network....... Exploring the Future of Religion and Spirituality............................... Exploring the Universality of God's Religion .................. Expressing Our Links with the Environment....................
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Index of Programs
Faith in Action: How Faith-Based Organisations Care for People in Need Faith, Community and Disaster Risk Reduction.....
Faith, Culture and Policing: The Victorian Experience.
Faith-based Education in Human Values for a Sustainable Future.
Faith-Consistent Investing........
Families: Family and Kinship in Contemporary Indigenous Communities
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and
Cooperation for Peace (Session 1)..........
Feeding a Plan of Action for the UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace (Session 21..
Five Pillars of Spiritual Life..........
Footy Training Clinic - Offsite Youth Workshop......
Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, the Gunditjmara People and Brambuk Cultural Centre. Freedom of Religion and Belief: The Project of the Australian Human Rights Commission. Friday Jumu'ah Congregational Prayer
Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse..
Furthering Global Human Thriving through Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Discourse, Continued.
Gathering of the Spirit of Peace in All.
Gender and Equality and the Sikh Faith.
Given Life by Heaven and Earth: A Shinto Observance..
Global and Interreligious Education through Peer-to-Peer and Online Learning in Australian and US Schools Global Ecological Crisis: A Time for the Reunion of Science and Religion?.
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Open meeting: final assessment and report on project.......
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Religion and the Future of Humanitarian Intervention in a Sustainable and Just World Global Ethics and Religion Forum - Rotary International Peace Fellows, International Christian University
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - The Role of Religion in Post War Treaties, Constitutions and International Law.. Global Ethics and Religion Forum - What is Peace in a Sustainable and Just World?..
Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel I. Global Ethics and Religion Forum - World Religions Perspectives on Justice, War and Peace - Panel II.
Global Ethics and Religion Forum: Religion and Post War Reconciliation in a Sustainable and Just World of Human Rights. Global Meditation: Experiencing a Powerful Key To Healing, Transformation, and Empowerment.. Global Poverty Project.........
Globalisation and Spiritual Values...
Globethics.net Principles: Sharing Values across Cultures and Religions Grassroots Community Organisers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity. Grassroots Community Organizers Networking for Interreligious Solidarity Green Buildings, Green Cities - An Ethical Path Forward.......
Green Patriarch' and 'The Arctic: The Consequences of Human Folly.
Guided Gathering of Mind through Seven Steps Guided Metta (Loving-Kindness) Meditation.... Gurbani Kirtan: Sikh Sacred Classical Music...
Halting the Spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Challenges for Faith.
Has Economics Triumphed Over Ethics?..
Healing the Earth One Workplace at a Time - Spiritual Paths Through the World of Work.
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern: Religious Responses to the Earth Charter...
Healing the Earth: A Meditation of Universal Oneness.
Healing the Earth: Buddhist and Hindu Theological Perspectives
Health and Healing: Healing the Person, Healing the Family..
Health and Healing: Indigenous Healing in the Modern Allopathic Medical World
Hear the Voices of the Indigenous Elders.
Hearing the Concerns and Voices of Indigenous Youth.
Hearing the Other: How Can Cultural Organisations Best Work with Indigenous Communities?. Hindu Intrafaith Meet: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Hinduism in the Western World. Hindu Jewish Leadership Initiative............
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Index of Programs
248
Hindu Meditation: Spirituality in Everyday Life...... Hindu Meditations for the Earth Hindu Perspectives on Interfaith Understanding................ Hindu Spirituality in Dance: Odissi Performance. History of the Inupiat: Nipaa Ilitqusipta/The Voice of Our Spirit (Premier Film Series Selection)......... Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action .... How a Jain Starts the Day: The Rituals ............. How a Profound Spiritual Theology Can Overthrow Poverty............ How Can Interreligious Dialogue Address Global Food, Water and Climate Problems? How Spiritual Progressives Can Help Move Both Religious and Secular Communities to Enlarge their Focus Beyond
Personal Fulfilment or Individual Salvation toward a Global Transformation............
...................293, 342
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1-Kuan Tao: Healing the Earth with Care and Concern, Sharing Wisdom in the Search of Inner Peace...... In Search of Sustainable Pathways..... Indigenous Biodiversity.. Indigenous Food Insecurity.................... Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 1)........ Indigenous Land Rights: Struggles and Survival (Session 21...... Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: the Struggle for Recognition Indigenous Perspective on Education: Building Academic Skills with a Strong Cultural Grounding ................ Indigenous Perspectives on Conflict Resolution .............. Indigenous Women: Protecting Culture, Promoting Cultural Strengths... Innovative approaches to Multicultural and Interfaith Education in Schools........... Integration of Immigrants and Refugees into Australia: Interfaith and Cross-cultural Understanding. Interfaith and Multinational Reflections on Aging and the Human Spirit........ Interfaith and the Future of Africa............. Interfaith Australia, Social Cohesion and the Muslim Communities..... Interfaith Dialogue and Education for a Culture of Peace: A Workshop for Empowerment and Transformation................. Interfaith Dialogue and Institutions of Higher Learning: India, Indonesia and United States Case Studies Interfaith Dialogue in Victorian Schools ............ Interfaith Engagement: Issues, Reflections and Prospects... Interfaith in Australia: The Co-ordinating Work of the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations ........ Interfaith Marriage: A Workshop in Working with Difference.. Interfaith Understanding in Sikh Theology and History. International Indigenous Repatriation ............ International Parnter Cities and 2009 Ambassadors Reception ................ Interpreting the Text: Apostasy and Homosexuality................ Interpreting the Text: Creationism, Intelligent Design and Evolution................. Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Church in Australia and Melbourne................ Interreligious Dialogue in Conflict Resolution Panel.. Interreligious Dialogue Making a World of Difference to Establish Peace: Sikh Perspective... Interreligious Partnerships for Ending Hunger ........... Interreligious Regional Concerns: Africa.......... Interreligious Regional Concerns: Europe.. Interreligious Regional Concerns: Middle East... Introducing Quakers: What Canst Thou Say?..... Introduction to Big Mind Big Heart................. Invoking Inner Tranquility: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation................ Islam 101 Series: War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet's Struggle Islam 101 Series: Applying Islamic Principles for a Just and Sustainable World ............................ Islam 101 Series: How Islam Deals with Social Justice, Gender Justice and Religious Diversity ................ Islam 101 Series: Muslim Women's Contributions to a More Just and Sustainable World................... Islam 101 Series: Reverence for the Virgin Mary and Jesus in Islam...... Islam 101 Series: Women's Rights as Human Rights in Islam Islam and Politics: Faith. Governance and Society .............. Islam and the West: Creating an Accord of Civilisations ...................
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Index of Programs
Islamic Education: Vehicle for Social Cohesion ............ Islamic Finance. The Compassionate Approach to Market and Money
Jain Heritage and Education for Peace and Harmony. Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education ........ Jain Principles for Corporate Social Responsibility Jaina Doctrine of Ahimsa and Sustainable Living................. Jainism and the Environment.............. JCMA: A Working Model of Interfaith in Action... Jewish Morning Observance - Saturday ....... Jewish Reform Morning Observance - Wednesday......... Joanne Shenandoah: Healing Through Music.. Journey into America.......... Judaism, Vegetarianism and Tikun Olam (Healing the World).
309 270
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Kanyini ............. Knit Together in Love: Communities Enriched by Altruistic Handicrafting.. Knowing Home: A Presentation of Indigenous Spirituality Krishna Consciousness and the Environment
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Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part I: Living in Community............ Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part II: Living in Community in the Shadow of Injustice......................... Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part III: Addressing Alienation within the Human Family and with the Natural World..
.............. Landscape of Faith: Sharing Wisdom for a New Vision of Community - Part IV: The Arts as Transformation......... Lavalla Catholic College Liturgical Choir.......... Le Carnaval Spirituel..
............... Leadership Among Muslim Males in the Post-9/11 Era................
354 Leaps Of Faith. Learn Arabic Letters in 90 Minutes -- An Interfaith Cultural Presentation You Can Use...... Learning to Forgive: Healing Our Past, Creating Our Future Let's Shake .............. Life of Jesus: Non-Christian Perspectives......... Listening With a Heart of Mercy Living a Good Life: The Secular Way..... Living Ahimsa Meditation: The Power of Harmony in our Thoughts, Speech and Action... ............. Living in Peace Not Pieces: How to Find and Remain Anchored in Joy. Peace, and Bliss Amidst the Waves and Storms of Daily Life................ Living Mindfully For A Peaceful And Sustainable Future .....
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Mamaa: The Untouchable Ones ..... Managing Multicultural and Interfaith Relations in a Pluralist Society: Funded Programs of Australian and Victorian Governments................. Many Meanings of the Ramayana............... Many Religions, One Community: The Theory and Practice of Living Together in Muslim Spain and India.................
....... Maori Custom Law and Listening to the Land -- Australian Aboriginal Meditation Master Class in Raja Yoga: A Pathway to Healing and Transformation........ Media Savvy for Better Coverage.. Meditation and Sacred Music.................. Meditation as a Therapy: How Traditional Techniques Translate into Modern Healing Meditation for Better Life. Meditation Training and Practice................... Meditation: The Heart of All Things ................... Meditation: the Ultimate Transformative Experience...... Melbourne Buddhist Leaders Observance. Melbourne: An Interfaith Experience.. Men Who Love the Goddess ............. Michael Leuning................
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Page #387

Index of Programs
Middle Way Meditation.
Migrar o Morir/Paying the Price (Premier Film Series Selection)..
Milestones and Signposts in Interfaith Relations: the View from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Monastic Interreligious Dialogue: Dialogue at the Level of Spiritual Practice and Experience. Morning Observance with Dr Haruhisa Handa (Toshu Fukami)...
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Session.
Mother Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts - Daily Youth Workshop....
Mother of Compassion: Ancient Secrets to Inner Peace: Healing Our Earth, Our Faith, and Ourselves. Movement Mudra of Traditional Solonese Dance.
Multifaith Insights on Deep Ecology.
Multifaith Perspectives on Interreligious Holidays and Celebrations...
Muslim Women Securing Their Own Individuality: Different Societies, Same Struggle.
Muslim Women's Artistic Expressions of Faith and Interfaith.
Naga Chants.......
Neighbourhoods of Difference: The Uniting Church in Australia and Interfaith Relations.
New Directions in Asian Religions and Ecology on the Ground (Southeast Asia]
New Muslim Cool.
Not Broken...........
Not in God's Name.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Response and Advocacy by Religious Communities. Numen: The Nature of Plants.
Observance in the Haudenosaunee Prophecy and Spirituality. Observance on (Native American) Cochiti Pueblo Spirituality. Observance on Dene (Indigenous Canadian) Spirituality.. Observance on Tlinglit (Indigenous Alaskan Native) Spirituality. Observance on Zimbabwe Shona/Nodebele Spirituality. Observance Session with Father Freeman
Offerings for Barong Pa-Hayu Buwana / World Peace Barong.. Older People: Revered or Redundant.....
Om Shanthi Om......
On the Way of Love: Ruby Performs Music Inspired by Rumi. One Voice, Many Musics: Many Faiths, One Community. Open Space Conversation with Cardinal McCarrick. Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance Monday.. Orthodox Jewish Morning Observance - Tuesday Orthodoxy in Australia: Current and Future Perspectives.. Our Impact on the Land Has the Same Impact on Us Our Interreligious Future......
Our Interreligious Future - Part Two...
Outreach to Indigenous Aetas in the Philippines...
Pagans and Religious Freedom..........
Panentheism: God and World in an Ecological Age..

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Partner Cities and 2009 Ambassadors International Reception.
Pastoral Responses to HIV/AIDS from the Global to the Local Perspective...
Peace at the Heart of the World.....
Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony for Reconciliation Among Religions and Peace Among Nations..
Peace-Building in Mindanao: A Strategy to Promote Social Cohesion Among Diverse Communities of Faith in a Situation of Armed Conflict...360 People Call Us Pagan - The European Indigenous Traditions..............
Personal and Professional Journeys of Women Leaders: A Worldwide Dialogue...
Perspectives on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East..........
Perspectives on Sustainability: Buddhist and Jewish Perspectives
Pilgrimages, Tourism and Meaning......
Pilgrims Progress 2008: Research on Those who Attended the Sydney World Youth Day
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Index of Programs
Plant Perspectives
Politics and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Religious Democracy in Iran. Poverty in Wealthy Countries: Challenges Ahead..
Poverty Must No Longer Be With Us
Poverty Symposium Closing Session
Poverty, Health and Religion in Australia.
Practising Yoga: Covert Conversion to Hinduism or the Key to Mind-Body Wellness for All?
Pray the Devil Back to Hell (Premier Film Series Selection).
Praying Together in Times of Happiness, in Times of Sorrow? The Ongoing Dilemma for the Interfaith Movement Praying with Lior (Premier Film Series Selection)..
Preksha Meditation...
Preservation of Sikh Heritage..
Preventing Violence Against Women: Australian and International Perspectives.
Private Property, Religion and the Environment
Proselytisation and Religious Freedom
Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 1). Protecting Religious Freedom & Sacred Sites: Examples from Indigenous Communities (Session 2). Pure Mind, Pure Land: A New Lifestyle for World Harmony..
Purifying the Heart and Soul through Remembrance of Allah: Dhikr As An Islamic Devotional Act for Inner Peace
Rastafari: the Livity of Spirituality.
Reality, Religion and Responsibilities: Individual Commitments
Recent Developments in Jewish Christian Dialogue....
Reconciliation with Land - Reconnecting Spirituality, Ecology and Human Creativity, and Reverence for Earth Reconciling Religious Values and the Universal Entitlement to Human Rights
Reflections on the Global Financial Crisis.
Religion and Belief in Public Schools....
Religion and Global Media
Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding: The Case of Israel-West Bank-Gaza. Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding: The Case of Thailand...
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of Afghanistan. Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Colombia.... Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Myanmar...
Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: The Case of Papua New Guinea. Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: the Case of the Philippines. Religion, Science, and Environmental Activism (Session 3)...
Religion, Spirituality and Life Threatening Illness..........
Religion, Spirituality and Wellbeing: Implications for Living and Learning.. Religions and the Resolution of Violent Conflict............
Religions for Peace Gathering....
Religion's Imperative to Present 'the Other Faithfully (Session 1]...
Religion's Imperative to Present 'the Other' Faithfully (Session 2)... Religious and Spiritual Responses to Disasters....
Religious Conflict and Persecution: The Cases of Myanmar, Thailand and Iran Religious Dimensions of the Reconciliation Process in Timor-Leste... Religious Dual Belonging: The Future of the Dialogue of Experience?. Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue: IARF and Its Work in India
Religious Identity Formation: The Templars in Australia......
Religious Leaders for a Sustainable Future............
Religious Leadership in a Global Perspective...
Religious Responses to the Ecological Crisis as Climate Change Grows
Religious Unity and Nonviolence.....
Remembrance of Allah and His Prophet Through Song. Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Session
Removal: The Indigenous Reality - Daily Youth Workshop... Renewal: Religious Grassroots Environmentalism [Premier Film Series Selection).
384 PWR- Parliament of the World's Religions
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Repatriation: Reclaiming Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights............. Respect for the Earth: A Morning Observance Respecting and Defending Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles: An Islamic Global Perspective........................................................ Restoring Peace and Fostering Dialogue within Religious Traditions: The Experience of Christian Ecumenism in Australia and Beyond ....... 308 Returning to Right Relations between Christians and Indigenous Peoples in North America and Australia: A Powerful Source of Learning......266 Rev Moon's Vision of Global Family .................
................. 141 Reviving and Maintaining Indigenous Languages: Saving Indigenous Languages in the Face of Globalisation ... Reviving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaiming Strength and Identity (Session 11..........
viving Indigenous Spirituality: Reclaimina Strength and Identity (Session 21 Revolution Chapter 1 Rivers of Life: Community, Water and Spirit in Australia.................. Rivers of the Heart: Indigenous Knowledge and Literature. ......................................... Role of Religion and Spirituality in the Public Discourse ............. Role of Youth ........
........
.... 357
142
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Sacred Activism: Cooperative Partnerships Advocating for Global Peace, Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals Sacred Earth: Music for Inner Peace. Sacred Envy: Exploring What We Love about Our Own Faith, What We Admire in Others and What Challenges Us in Both .............. Sacred Music of India: Natesan Ramani and Manjiri Kelkar.......... Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: A Call for Collaboration ......... Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Current Initiatives..................... Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Stories from the Frontlines Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Teachings of the Traditions ............. Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: The Time is Now................................ Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Working Session ................ Sacred Sites, Sacred Solidarity: Working Session II................. Sancta Sophia Meditation Community: Promoting Peace through Interreligious Dialogue. Sanctuaries for Healing the Earth: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Ceremony......... Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement - Grassroots Development, Conflict Resolution and Education ............. Science, Spirituality, and Overcoming Religious Conflict (Session 2. Securing Food and Water For All People: The Compassion of a Qur'an Based Approach................... Seeking Heaven on Earth - Our Common Quest. Selections from the New Film Journey of the Universe .................. Self-Enquiry Meditation ............. Self-Inquiry: The Yoga of Thought and Feeling ................. Seon (Zen Meditation Practise...... Shadi Toloui-Wallace
............ Shared Security for the Earth Community .........
...... Sharing Scarce Resources in an increasingly Globalised World.... Sharing the Zoroastrian Environmentalist Faith: Building Bridges with Indigenous Communities. Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace.................. Sharing Wisdom - Fostering Peace: A Workshop For the Interreligious Panel.................. Sharing Wisdom in Search of inner and Outer Peace..... Shinto Prayer for the Sunrise Ritual ............ Shum, A Language of Meditation... Signposts of Engaged Spirituality: Faith and Interfaith Initiatives for Building a Culture of Peace ................. Sikh Diaspora and Global Sikh Community Sikh Observance by Guru Nanak Nishkani Sewak Jatha................. Sikh Observance organised by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha............ Sikh Panel on Principles and Articles of Faith ...................... Sikh Youth Perspectives.......
...................................... Silent Meditation - Ch'an..... Simonel!).... Sing Praise for the Earth...... So That You May Know One Another: The Call for Social Cohesion in the Qur'an .... Socially Engaged Buddhism: a Pathway to Peace
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Index of Programs
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Soldiers of Peace.... Solstice Sites and Celebrations .................. South African Songs for the Soul... Spanish Language Session 1 of 2 ..................
age Session 1 of 2 ............................................................... Spanish Language Session 2 of 2................... .............................
.......... Spiritual Companionship: Listening with a Grateful Heart.. Spiritual Education and Interreligious Learning for Primary Elementary) and Secondary Students................ Spiritual Intimacy: Taking Interfaith Engagement to the Next Level Spiritual Practice. The Inner Search.. Spiritual Progressives: Networking Towards a New Bottom Line.................................................... Spirituality and Healing in Melbourne's North .... Spirituality and the Western World.... Sport as a tool for Peace - Daily Youth Session.. Sri Aurobindo, a Prophet for the 21st Century.............. Sri Chinmoy International Music Group Open Space Concert......................... .................... Sri Chinmoy: A Spirituality of Transformation... Sri Sri Yoga: A Celebration of the Diversity in Yoga....... Stop the Traffic, People are Not for Sale: Human Trafficking and Slavery in the World Today. Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 1)................... Strangers Becoming Neighbours: Community Interfaith Responses to Interdependence (Session 2) ................ Strangers in a Strange Land: Integration of Religious Minorities, their Families and their identities into Australia.... Strengthening Families with Weekly Family Night ............. Strengthening One's Faith Through Interfaith Dialogue.............. Striving to Live in a Livable World Session 11............................... Striving to Live in a Livable World (Session 2)................... Substance and Soul: An Exploration of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the World's Non-Dual Religious Traditions..... Sufism and Peace: A Meeting Point for All Religious Traditions.............. Sukyo Mahikari: Light and Principles for Peace and Harmony Whatever the Faith Sunrise Morning Sadhana...................................... Sunrise Yoga ......... Sustainable Way of Life Through Shumei Natural Agriculture ... Sustaining Spiritual Practices in a Changing World............
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Tackling Peace and 'SAG it's all about human rights)'................ Taking just-a-minute : Meditation on the Move ................... Taking Our Place in the Interreligious Movement: Women in Society, Peacemaking, and Interfaith Dialogue........ Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (Premier Film Series Selection....... Taking the Initiative...the Role of Youth in Global Interfaith Action. Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Session....... Talkin' 'Bout My Generation - Daily Youth Workshop.. Talking Faiths: Your Story, My Story and Our Story, across Schools and the World Wide Web Tari Sesaji Tri Yoni Saraswati ................ The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 1). The After Party - Legacy and Young People (Session 2)............. The Art of Creative Expression: Youth Workshop.... ............ The Art of Qur'an Recitation: Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace......... The Black GST (Genocide. Sovereignty, Treaty).... The Breath of Life The Calling to Interfaith Ministry and Interfaith Practice.................. The Centrality of Spirituality in Australian Indigenous Education .............. The Challenge of Islamophobia and the Media: How Innovative Dialogue is Changing the Landscape............ The Changing Shifts in Religion and Spirituality on the Asia-Pacific Rim ...... The Chiefs Prophecy: Survival of the Northern Cheyenne Nation The Common Enterprise of Peace-building A New Model for Spiritually Motivated Social Action Within.
Among & Beyond Communities of Faith....... The Crisis and the Opportunity: Wisdom from Faith Traditions and Communities........
.......
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Index of Programs
The Dhamma Brothers (Premier Film Series Selection] The Digital Revolution and the Age of Religious Pluralism... The Divine Feminine
The Divine Purpose of Life: The Hindu Journey Within
The Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Peoples.........
The Episcopal Church Confronts Racism: 'Traces of the Trade'.
The February 2009 Bushfires in Victoria: Religious Response in the Role of Recovery and Renewal.
The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People [Seminar 1). The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne's Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People (Seminar 21. The Gift of Global Community...
The Imam and the Pastor' and 'Australia's Muslim Women'.
The Imam and the Pastor: An Exploration of Muslim-Christian Dialogue and Collaborative Power in Nigeria.. The Impact of Modernity and Climate Change in Oceania
The Impact of Women in Conflict Resolution.....
The importance of Family
The Last Yoik in Saami Forests?..
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 1)..
The Legacy of the Melbourne Parliament (Part 2)..
The Lost & Endangered Religions Project: Preserving the World's Religious Diversity.. The Mandaeans in Australia: Baptism, Living Water and the Link to John the Baptist The Many Faces of Peace........
The Master Key - Unlocking the Innter Treasures
The Muslim Green: Muslim Contributions to Healing the Earth..
The Gulen Movement's Global Peace and Social Reconciliation Vision and Projects: Lessons Learned from Germany, the US and Medina.......205 The Haudenosaunee Prophecy......
The Hazards of Writing About Religion
The Headscarf Debates: Religious Dress and Secular Fundamentalism..
The Holy Scriptures and Questions of Intended Use
The Human Face of Climate Change
The Necessity of Nuclear Disarmament and Steps Toward its Achievement
The New Archaic: Neuroscience, Spiritual Practice and Healing.
The New Planetary Narrative; Connecting Ecology, Social Justice and Cosmology..
The Path of a Multifaith Chaplaincy: Parliament Labyrinth as Spiritual Observance The Power of Spiritual Experience...
The Practicalities of Getting from 'Is' to 'Ought': Religion, Science and Ethics
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth 1.
The Prayer of Women for Giving Peace on Earth II..
The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition...
The Reality of the Universal Human Family: Interreligious Cooperation in Healing the Earth
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation (Part 1).............
The Responsibility of the Mainstream for Reconciliation [Part 2)...
The Revival of the European Pagan Religions....
The Rights of the Poor and the Orphan in the Qur'an: Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World..
The Road to Copenhagen - Is Climate Change the New Slavery?..
The Road to Copenhagen - The Burden and Challenge for the Next Generation
The Role of Media in Conflict Resolution - Panel
The Role of Religion in Mediating Conflict.
The Sacred Art of Listening: Hearing From the Heart...
The Sacred Fire: The Music of Hildegard of Bingen.
The Sacred Journey.
The Sacred Planet...
The Samoan Experience.
The Science and Spirituality of Climate Change....
The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World (Part 1) The Search for Inner Peace: Multifaith Views from Women around the World [Part 2]
The Soul of Kalaupapa..

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Index of Programs
The Spiritual Dynamics of Hearing/Listening and Healing: Awakening to the Flow Within, Between and Among Us The Spiritual Tradition of Scientology ...... The State and Religious Freedom .............. The Still Mind, Emptiness and Divine Love...... The Stolen Generation and The Apology ...... The Street Theology of Anger and the Logic of Dying to Win ..... The Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan: Universal Sufism................. The Swami and the Rabbi: A Conversation....... The Torah through Paintings and Poetry........... The Tree of Humanity and the One God of All Religions: The Brahma Kumaris............... The Urantia Papers - What's Love got to do with it?......... The Vision of Humanity: The Components of Peace ............ The Warfare is Over: Science and Spirituality as Allies for the Sake of the Planet (Session 1). The Way of Balance ........ The Women's Interfaith Initiative and Grassroots Movement... The Wurundjeri People of Melbourne .............. The Zoroastrian Ethos of Compassion ...... There are No Back Row Seats in The Hoop of Life ................. Thirst (Premier Film Series Selection)............... Thomas Berry and the Great Work of Our Time.. Towards a Shared Language of Religious Training: Interfaith Education for Religious Leaders ................. Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions. Towards a Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions, Continued Towards the Heart of Humankind: Critical Considerations of Unity, Diversity and a Declaration of Global Spirituality................. Traditional Knowledge: The Value of Teaching and Preserving Traditional Knowledge Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion Session 11...... Transforming Compassion in Science and Religion (Session 21...................... Turning the Dharma Wheel Twenty-One Moments of Stillness...........
320
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ........ UN Millennium Development Goals, Challenges and Opportunities for Global Stability Understanding the Wisdom of Muslim Obligatory Prayers: Salaat & Inner Peace............ Understanding Vodun. A West African Spirituality.............
................................................... UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific: An Interregional Perspective on Interreligious Relations....... Unitarian Universalists - Working for Peace, Civil Rights, and Earth... Uniting Church Prayer Service Unity in Diversity through the Arts and Religiosity of Indonesia........... Universities, Interreligious Dialogue, and Social Justice: A Conversation... URI - Global Community Gathering...............
Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations Vegetarianism - Ethics, Environmental Concerns, and Complex Realities.... Veneration of the Ancestors................. Violence Finds Refuge in Falsehood: Religion and the Future of Torture... Viswamitra in Union with the Universe Voices of Challenge and Wisdom: Gay and Lesbian Perspectives on Faith, Spirituality and Embodied Grace.............. Voices of Peace: Models for Productive Coexistence Among Youth......
Walking With Wisdom by Jeremy 'Yongurra Yerin' Donovan ......... What Religious Insights Can Bring to Secular Education ................ Who Do We Want To Be: Exploring the Mission of the Jewish People in the 21st Century. Who is My Neighbour? Religious Identity and the Limits of Love.... Whole Self - Whole Earth........... Wings of the Spirit in Concert.............. With One Voice....
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Index of Programs
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Women of Faith Network, Religions for Peace, Australia and New Zealand Women's Peace Initiatives............ Working Together, The Health of Two Worlds... Working with Self, Benefiting Others ............... World Subud Association ......... Worship and Justice ............
Yoga as a Spiritual Practice Yoruba Religious Observance ............... Yoruba Worship of the Earth and Veneration of the Environment ....................... Youth Projects - Sustaining Peace from the inside Out. Youth Spirituality: Join the Evolution! Youth, Spiritual Development and Activism................
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Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 1....... Zoroastrian Daily Morning Prayers and Worship: Day 2... Zoroastrianism: Its Stewardship for All Creation. The Animate and Inanimate........ Zoroastrians: Their Imperative to be Bridge Builders..............
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Page #395

You've travelled across the world for the 2009 Parliament of Religions.
So, what's Next? PeaceNext
Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions
Changing the world in seven days is a pretty monumental task. Fortunately, the world's largest interreligious event is bringing you the world's most comprehensive social network for interreligious engagement. We welcome you to PeaceNext, the official online social network of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. Sign up today at the Council Hub in the
Main Foyer of the Convention Centre. Go to www.PeaceNext.org to get started!
During the 1.818-odd days until the 2014 Parliament of Religions, PeaceNext will be our indispensable tool as we strive to make the world a more just, peaceful, and sustainable place. Create a Profile. Learn about religious traditions. Work and collaborate in grassroots efforts with interfaith leaders in your area and network with people of common values from all around the world. Share resources and ideas while showcasing your local initiatives, Organise a city group to apply to our Partner Cities Network. Get started by registering,
online today at to www.PeaceNext.org!
The 2009 Parliament of Religions is our point of departure.
Our destination? Peace Next.
OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKS
In addition to our own social networking site PeaceNext, there are a variety of ways you can connect to the Parliament of Religions online and help to spread the word.
Follow the Parliament on Twitter SUISSE at PWR2009. To find and share info
on this week's Parliament, use the hashtag #pwr 2009. To write about the ongoing work of the Parliament, use the hashtag #cpwr.
The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR)
maintains its own fan page to promote interreligious work year in and year out. Become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/ parliamentofreligions
You Tube
View and upload videos at http:// www.youtube.com/user/ parliamentofreligion
The Parliament of Religions 2009 Facebook Group includes video, photos, and discussion of our Melbourne Event. Join up at http:// tinyurl.com/parliamentofreligions 2009
flickr
View and upload photos at http:// www.flickr.com/photos/ parliamentofreligions
Find the Parliament of Religions on MySpace at myspace http://groups.myspace.com/
parliamentofreligions
If you have an Adobe, PowerPoint, or Word document to share, find us on SlideShare at http://www.slideshare.net/ parliamentofreligions
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What's Next? PeaceNext.org Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions Every five years, the world's greatest interreligious event welcomes thousands of people to see the world through different eyes. People of different faiths come together to learn, grow and celebrate their diversity. They realize that despite their religious differences, they share a similar calling to build a more just, sustainable and peaceful world. Friendships are made. Wisdom is shared. Lessons are learned. Souls are touched. Why wait another five years? The Council of the Parliament of the World's Religions is pleased to announce the creation of PeaceNext, our very own social network that will bring together the global interreligious community in dynamic and far-reaching ways. Share a reflection. Post a photograph. Pass along a link. Celebrate your community's accomplishments. Share your city's interreligious concerns. Find a friend you met at the Parliament on the other side of the globe. Meet a new friend who lives on the other side of town. It's not the Parliament, but it's the digital extension of the event. Friendships are made. Wisdom is shared. Lessons are learned. Souls are touched. Not every five years, but every single day. COUNCIL FORA 20 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS Please take five minutes and register today at PeaceNext.org