Interfaith Studies

Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions World Conference on Religion and Peace The Temple of Understanding International Association for Religious Freedom World Congress of Faiths The Millenium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders International Interfaith Centre Interfaith Youth Core Minorities of Europe United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace Initiative Peace Council United Religions Initiative
Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions CPWR: Vision: Harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities, enriching their commitment and contribution to a just, peaceful and sustainable world. Mission: To broaden and deepen inter-religious understanding, cooperation, bringing the inspiration and wisdom of the world's traditions to bear on critical issues. The Council's work develops in four strongly inter-linked dimensions: Parliament Event - next one in 2004 or 2005. Global - Foster the engagement of the world's religious and spiritual communities with other guiding institutions to address critical issues. Chicago - Foster a vital community-based, socially-engaged interreligious movement. Multi-Local - Foster a network of vital community-based, socially-engaged interreligious movements in metropolitan areas. Contact: 70 East Lake, #205, Chicago 60601, USA. Tel: 001 312 6292 990. Fax: 6293 552. E-mail: [email protected] www.cpwr.org
World Conference on Religion and Peace Religions for Peace is the largest international coalition bringing together leaders from the world's great religions who are dedicated to achieving peace. Respecting cultural differences while celebrating our common humanity, Religions for Peace works in dozens of countries to promote multi-religious cooperation, improve living conditions and bring greater security to all the world's citizens. Working on an international, regional, and national basis, Religions for Peace helps religious communities unleash their enormous potential for common action, mobilizing collaborative efforts to effect change in the areas of Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation, Human Rights, Children and Families, Development and Ecology, Disarmament and Security, and Peace Education. Contact: 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: +1 212 687-2163 Fax: +212 983-0566. E-mail: [email protected] www.religionsforpeace.org
The Temple of Understanding ToU, founded in 1960 by Juliet Hollister, is organized to promote understanding among the world's religions, to recognize the oneness of the human family and to achieve a 'spiritual United Nations'. Spiritual Summit Conferences have included the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa and Thomas Merton. Vi deos and study guides of education programs make interfaith understanding of Religious and Spiritual Traditions available for a wider public. An NGO with ECOSOC Consultative Status, the Temple actively participates in UN Summits and interfaith celebrations of the UN. Chapters exist in India, Argentina, Venezuela and the University of Maryland. Juliet Hollister Awards honor religious leaders, civil servants and artists whose work signals appreciation of the interfaith heritage of humanity. Contact: 720 Fifth Avenue, 16th floor, New York 10019, USA Tel: 212 246 2746. Fax: +2340. E-mail: [email protected] www.templeofunderstanding.org
International Association for Religious Freedom was founded in 1900 as an organisation to bring together people "striving to unite Pure Religion and Perfect Liberty". It has 90 affiliated member organisations in 27 countries and 10 national chapters, mostly in Asia, Europe and N America. The purpose of IARF is to work for Freedom of Religion and Belief because it is a precious human right that potentially enables the best within our religious lives, or our search for truth or enlightenment, to flourish. It requires freedom from oppressive outside interference or discrimination, mutual understanding, respect and the promotion of harmony (or at least tolerance) between religions and an essential accountability towards the rights of their own members and others. IARF's strategic plan for 2001-07 aims to implement five different types of programmes specifically designed to enhance religious freedom. Contact: 2 Market Street, Oxford OX1 3EF UK.. Tel: 00 44 1865 202744, Fax: 202746. E-mail: [email protected] www.iarf-religiousfreedom.net
World Congress of Faiths convened by Sir Francis Younghusband (explorer and mystic) in 1936, is a pioneering fellowship dedicated to bringing people of different faith convictions together for mutual understanding, cooperation and dialogue. The Congress sponsors the annual Younghusband Lecture, which is given by a prominent figure of spiritual or intellectual stature, and organises conferences, seminars, retreats and pilgrimages. WCF's journal, World Faiths Encounter, enjoys a high reputation for its good scholarship and accessible reading. The newsletter, One Family, keeps members in touch with people and events. Although support for WCF is concentrated mostly in the UK, its connections are global. A number of members are used as international speakers and have many publications to their name. Contact: 2 Market St, Oxford OX 1 3EF, UK. Tel: 0044 1865 202751 Fax: 202746. E-mail: [email protected] www.worldfaiths.org
The Millenium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders MPS convened at the United Nations in August, 2000 and brought together 1,200 delegates from 110 nations - the first such gathering of religious leaders in UN history. The Summit's goal was to build an interfaith alliance to strengthen the UN system by bringing world religious leaders into the peace process. The Summit's achievements include the signing of a Commitment to Global Peace by the assembled delegates and an agreement to explore the creation of an international religious council which would be available to the Secretary General and UN community worldwide. MPS engages religious leaders in global issues through partnerships with governments, business and civic leaders and initiatives in different regions. Contact: c/o RuderFinn, 301 East 57th St. 3rd Fl. New York 10022, USA. Tel: 001 212 593 6438. Fax: +6345. E-mail: [email protected] www.milleniumpeacesummit.org
International Interfaith Centre facilitates networking, encounter, education and research between religious and spiritual individuals, organisations, and communities throughout the world. IIC promotes international interfaith activity to: -Create understanding and harmony between people of diverse faith traditions -Identify positive models to support cooperation, peacebuilding and human rights -Address global critical issues -Contribute to conflict transformation. IIC initiates projects, conferences, seminars, publications and consultancies to further these aims and encourage the peaceful and harmonious engagement of religious and secular people in our world. IIC acts as coordinator of the International Interfaith Network. Contact: 2 Market Street, Oxford OX1 3EF, UK. Tel: 00 44 1865 202745 Fax:-202746. E-mail: [email protected] www.interfaith-center.org
Interfaith Youth Core IFYC is a youth-driven international interfaith organization committed to nurturing a new generation of compassionate global leaders through programs that integrate intercultural encounter, social action and interfaith reflection. Founded in June 1999, the IFYC has done projects in Europe, the Middle East, North America, Southern Africa and South Asia. The IFYC is currently developing approaches to community-based interfaith work while also expanding and strengthening its international network of faith-based youth activists. Contact: IFYC, Pobox 408865, Chicago, IL 60640 USA. Phone: 001 773 334 4480 E-mail: [email protected] www.ifyc.org
Minorities of Europe MoE works towards the advancement of education, empowerment and civic participation of people, in particular of young people from minority/disadvantaged communities, through promotion of positive intercultural relations throughout the community of Europe. We pursue our activities in observance of the spirits of international conventions and covenants regarding human rights, minority rights, womens rights, and will do our utmost to overcome and prevent discrimination based on criteria such as cultural origin, nationality, religion, race, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. Contact: 40 Stoke Row, Coventry CV2 4JP, UK. Tel/fax: 0044 24 7644 3475E-mail: [email protected] www.moe-online.com
United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace Initiative launched by Lama Gangchen in June 1995, looks for the creation of a permanent democratic space at global public level, where all those religious institutions and spiritual movements, which are willing to join forces with the UN in the task of building peace, can meet and find out useful ways of co-operation. The initiative is at present engaged in a process of consensus building and preparation of a collective proposal. Contact: Via Verde 9440, (Lo Curro) Vitacura, Santiago, Chile. Tel/fax: 56 2 2185578. E-mail: [email protected]
Peace Council works on the assumption that there is a spiritual dimension to all of life and that the world's religions have a wealth of insight, understanding, faith, and hope to bring to bear in the world. In the face of conflict, injustice, poverty, discrimination, and misuse of the creation, the Peace Council frames its work in spiritual terms and works to provide peaceful and constructive solutions in difficult situations. Its present initiatives include on-going work in Chiapas, Bangkok, Palestine/Israel, and the Korean Peninsula. New priorities for 2001-2002 include Colombia, The Sudan, and Iraq.Contact: 2702 International Lane #108, Madison 53704 WI, USA. Tel: 001608 214 2200. Fax: 001 608 241 2209 E-mail: [email protected] www.peacecouncil.org
United Religions Initiative URI is a rapidly growing global community whose purpose is to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously-motivated violence, and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings. The United Religions Initiative is a network of self-organizing Cooperation Circles located on 5 continents and in more than 30 countries around the world. The community of Circles is sustained and strengthened by an effective communications and knowledge-sharing network, a vital and growing staffing presence in regions around the world, and focused support and organizational capacity-building in a wide range of areas including peacebuilding, resource-sharing and global fundraising Contact: Pobox 29242, San Francisco 94129, California, USA. Tel: 001 415 561 2300. Fax: +561 2313. E-mail: [email protected] www.uri.org