Parliament of Worlds Religion 1999 Capetown SA

Author(s): Parliament of the World’s Religions
Publisher: USA Parliament of the Worlds Religions

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1999 GIFTS O F SERVICE то THE
мен шижими и
Supporting an Evolving Global Ethic for a Peaceful 21st Century
The Boston Research Center (BRC) is an international peace institute with a mission to foster dialogue among scholars and activists on common values across cultures and religions - seeking in this way to support an evolving global ethic for a peaceful twenty-first century. Human rights, non-violence, ecological harmony, and economic justice are focal points of the Center's work. This year and next, the BRC's programs and publications are focusing on Cultures of Peace to support the UN International Year for the Culture of Peace in 2000. A three-part conference series, "From War Culture to Cultures of Peace: Challenges for Civil Society" was held this spring along with parallel Peace Camps for children ages 5-12. Presentations from the series (on family life, education, economic justice, and religions and peace) can be read on the Center's website at: www.brc21.org.
A book to be published by the BRC in November 1999, Buddhist Peacework: Creating a Culture of Peace, is a collection of essays by Buddhist leaders from around the world, representing a wide range of Buddhist traditions, who describe, in practical terms, how Buddhist teachings and social actions are contributing to a culture of peace. The Center hopes this publication will serve as a model for leaders of other religions traditions to reflect and conduct further dialogues on their own faiths' practical contributions to peace. Other recent BRC books are serving to stimulate dialogue on the role of religions in creating a peaceful world. 'Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Non-violence in Religious Traditions' presents articles by scholars from eight major religions on the roots of non-violence within their traditions. The three-volume Earth Charter Studies kit is a resource for teaching the grassroots, interfaith, global effort to develop a Charter to guide humanity's relations with Earth.
Boston Research Center for the 21st Century
USA
BUILDING
BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING
WORLD
Victory Over Violence
Victory Over Violence is a project of the SGI-USA Youth Peace Committee (YPC) to raise awareness about violence, it's cause, and possible solutions. SGI-USA held 1,700 meetings in August 1999, resulting in 10,000 individuals signing a non-violence pledge. A traveling exhibit was created, along with a workbook and video, to facilitate discussion and inspire ideas about how to become non-violent. The program is being expanded to local governments, civic organizations and other religious organizations, and the YPC seeks to create a global network of youth who can speak with one voice toward resolving problems that threaten human lives. Soka Gakkai International - USA
Establish a World-Wide Network for Interfaith Dialogue
The World Summit of Religion and Conservation (WCSRC) in the year 2001 will celebrate the 2600th Janma Kalyanak, the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, and the building of Centers for Interfaith Dialogues in India, the USA, South Africa and throughout the world.
The WCSRC hopes to take initiative for the establishment of a Regional Parliament for the World's Religions comprising SARCC countries, commencing sometime towards the end of the year 2001. Vanasthali in New Delhi will be established as a model environmental project. Such projects may be established in many cities in India and abroad particularly in SARCC countries.
The WSRC proposes to establish distress relief work, such as orphanages, leprosy treatments, and sight saving initiatives. It will also undertake to establish new initiatives for the benefit of the aged and elderly that will assist them with options for public service. spiritual studies and enjoyment, cultural and other leisure occupations. It will also try to establish one to one relationships between elderly persons (those above 75 years old) and young persons.
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