Parliament of Worlds Religion 2009 Melbourne Australia

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

Page 218

PROGRAM Saturday, December 5, 2009
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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