Parliament of Worlds Religion 2009 Melbourne Australia

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

Page 236

PROGRAM DESCRIE Sunday, December 6, 2009
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
232 PWR - Parliament of the World's Religions Jain Education International