Parliament of Worlds Religion 2004 Barcelona

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

Page 23

Welcome from the Program Task Force
Dear friends,
Welcome to the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions. The wide-ranging program described in this book offers a unique opportunity to engage the many facets of the theme "Pathways to Peace: the Wisdom of Listening, the Power of Commitment."
Thanks to the hard work of the staff in Chicago and Barcelona and their advisors around the world, 1500 program proposals were received from which four hundred have been selected. These programs represent our best efforts to achieve a balance of religious and spiritual traditions, emerging and well-known leaders, gender, regions and formats.
The aim of the program in its entirety is to help all participants:
Seek peace, justice and sustainability, and commit to work for a better world Acknowledge the humanity of the other, and broaden the sense of community;
Foster mutual understanding and respect and learn to live in harmony in the midst of diversity; and, Deepen spirituality and experience personal transformation.
The program for each day have been arranged in three primary sections:
Intrareligious: This section offers an opportunity to learn about the teachings, practices and dynamics of a wide variety of religious and spiritual communities, and the resources and rationales from within these traditions for dialogue and cooperation.
Interreligious: This section focuses on structured opportunities for dialogue and a wide range of panel discussions from a variety of religious and spiritual perspectives.
Engagement: This section offers an exemplary selection of successful projects and initiatives that are making a difference around the world, and sessions that help us to build capacity for effective dialogue and collaboration.
In addition to the programs, you are invited to join the morning meditations; participate in specialized symposia on a variety of topics; attend performances, off site events and the film festival; take advantage of the open space opportunities; invest time in the issue-oriented Assembly process and come together at the festive evening plenaries.
Peace,
In all of these activities, presenters and participants are expected to adhere to the Parliament principles of respectful dialogue, which include non-proselytizing, willingness to engage in interreligious dialogue, and a commitment to explore difficult issues from religious perspectives in a search for points where diversity does not need to lead to conflict.
"Listening" and "Commitment" are key words in the theme around which this Parliament's program has been formed. By listening to our traditions and to each other, and by making commitment to return home with new and specific ways to work for peace, justice and sustainability, participants at this fourth Parliament of the World's Religions will forge new Pathways to Peace.
Rev. Dr. William Lesher Co-Chair, CPWR Program Committee
Travis Rejman Co-Chair, CPWR Program Committee
22 Parliament of the World's Religions 2004
Raimon Panikkar
Co-Chair, Barcelona Program Committee
Dr. Francesc Torradeflot Co-Chair, Barcelona Program Committee