Parliament of Worlds Religion 2004 Barcelona

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

Page 87

Partner Cities
The Goldin Institute for International PARTNER THE GOLDIN INSTITUTE Partnership and Peace is an annual forum to bring together grassroots peace activists CITIES
FOR INTERNATIONAL from current and potential Partner Cities to provide the methodologies, tools and
NETWORK PARTNERSHIP AND PEACE mutual support needed to enhance the interreligious movement for peace, justice,
Parliament. Feedback and suggestions gathered through this and sustainability in their cities and create effective
unique international gathering will help guide the direction of
the Goldin Institute and the Partner Cities Program for years to partnerships internationally. These encounters and
come. conversations are the cornerstone of the emerging Partner Cities Network of the Council for a Parliament Each day programs will be categorized into intrareligious, of the World's Religions.
interreligious and engagement. During a five-day period,
programs will cover the following areas: Participants in the Goldin Institute gain the capacity and inspiration to help religious and spiritual communities and
• Importance of Partnership: Partnership is a peace activists in their area understand each other, live
cornerstone of the Partner Cities Program. Learn about together in peace, and work constructively on issues facing
the Council's philosophy on partnership and hear from their city. The Goldin Institute provides an opportunity for
cities around the world that have engaged in fruitful grassroots leaders to share their experiences and learnings as
partnerships. their own journeys unfold. In these growing relationships, the interreligious movement in each Partner City can uncover
Making Local to Global Connections: Every opportunities for cooperative action on issues of common
community has a unique set of dynamics and issues that concern.
make interreligious community building both essential
and challenging. These programs will discuss how Perhaps most importantly, meeting face-to-face at this unique
religious communities address critical issues as well as annual forum and developing enduring friendships can offer
explore how systemic issues affect communities on both the kind of mutual support that will sustain participants in
the macro and micro levels. their important work. As the Goldin Institute facilitates and documents these encounters and conversations, an ever
Sharing our Best Practices: Within our cities expanding set of resources will be developed and shared with a
cooperative efforts between and among religious and growing set of partners.
spiritual communities have led to valuable learnings and
reciprocal models for cooperation. These presentations The success and learnings of the 2002 Goldin Institute in
will give rise to discussion about how religious and Chicago and 2003 Goldin Institute in Manresa suggest an
spiritual communities can best facilitate positive change emerging character and programmatic trajectory for the Goldin
within their cities and between cities. Institute and Partner Cities work of the Council. While we are in the early stages of the organic unfolding of the work of the
Developing Capacity: Each of the participating cities Goldin Institute and Partner Cities, this work is guided by the
has a variety of partnerships in different stages of following core principles:
development. These programs will help existing
interreligious partnerships build their capacity for creating • Balance of Community Building and Social Action
positive change, and hopefully create new ones. Bridging Local and International Dynamics Engaging Religious and Spiritual Communities and Other
Returning Home: Creating effective lines of Sectors of Society
communication and building the grassroots networks · Grounded in the Grassroots Realities
through existing grassroots organizations is essential to • Metropolitan Centers as the Locus
long-term growth and development of the Partner Cities • Religious and Spiritual Convictions
Program. Learn from the Council's staff about how your • Inductive and Facilitative Approach
city can be part of the Partner Cities Network after
Barcelona. During the week of the Parliament event, the Goldin Institute
Each day during the "Open Space" section of the program, staff for International Partnership and Peace will sponsor 15
will facilitate a discussion based on one of the above themes. programs that feature grassroots activists and religious leaders involved in the Partner Cities Program. This series of programs
These open discussions will focus on connections between
programs, the local dynamics of your community or city, and will address critical issues, highlight best practices, and build
the broader Partner Cities Network. On the evening of July 8, the capacity of interreligious initiatives around the world.
the series will kick off with a reception for all existing partner Accordingly, program leaders will serve on panel discussions,
cities and people interested in becoming part of the Partner lead guided conversations and help introduce the Partner Cities
Citings to Program to the thousands of participants attending the
86
Parliament of the World's Religions 2004