International Day of Peace Vigil 2008 in Pakistan

21 September 2008
End Time Message Church, Sargodha

Report (PDF illustrated, 5 pages)

View slideshow (external link)

Karnataka 2008 intervention

On 7th October 2008, leadership of IARF’s India chapter met with the Chief Minister of the state of Karnataka, where anti-Christian riots have claimed lives as in better-reported Orissa.

SACC Karnataka 2008 intervention (PDF)

International Day of Peace Vigil 2008, Mysore

20^th September 2008
Teresian College, Mysore

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Swami Nityasthanandaji, president of Sri Ramakrishna Ashram delivered an inaugural address stressing peace in the world as starting from the home first. It also comes from understanding other religions and their principles. No religion and its books speaks of violence. Today’s youth should work hard to mix with those of other religions.

Mr. Tanveer Sait, M.L.A., stated that Islam preaches peace, and whatever is happening in the world today is being done by sadists and people who do not believe in the principles of their religion. Islam says killing a person is like killing the entire Humanity. He added that if we want peace, we should change ourselves, and the whole society changes and we attain peace.

Students were given importance during the programme: The Qur’an, Bible and Bhagavad Geetha were exhibited, with readings conveying the peace message by students of the respective religions. Exactly at 12 noon candles were lit and one minute of silence was marked, for the Day of Peace and those who lost their lives during the recent bomb blasts in Bangalore, Ahmadabad & Delhi.

Inter-religious cultural performances took place between the speeches.

Fourth SACC Member Group Workshop 2008

23—24 August 2008

Member groups from various parts of Indiaparticipated in the Fourth IARF Member Group & India Chapter Leaders Workshop & Interfaith Seminar, presided over by IARF president Thomas Mathew.

11 Member Groups & India Chapter leaders presented their annual reports of the previous year. They also discussed their involvement in interfaith activities and the problems faced in the respective areas. Members came up with lots of suggestions to solve intra- and inter-religious issues with the support of SACC in their respective states.

Report on Fourth SACC member group workshop 2008 (PDF illustrated, 5 pages)

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IARF Belfast Conference July, 2008

24-27 July 2008

IARF Europe & Middle East members gathered for a conference in Belfast, N. Ireland, sponsored by the ELPN (European Liberal Protestant Network) and the IARF.

EME Conference Belfast 2008 – Report by Jeff Teagle (PDF illustrated, 9 pages)

Belfast 2008 – report by Rev. Dick Boekem (PDF, 4 pages)

4th SACC Member Group Workshop, 2008

4th IARF-SACC Member groups’ & Chapter leaders’ 2-day Workshop & Interfaith seminar 

Mysore, 23-24 August 2008

Please see the report here (PDF)

Natalie Gulbrandsen Day, May 8

Thursday, May 8th
@ Meadville Lombard Theological School

A celebration of the life of Natalie Gulbrandsen, dd 1991, former moderator of the UUA and a leader in so many peace and justice issues.

Friends of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists and the International Association for Religious Freedom, U.S. Chapter, will honor Natalie.

Details

IARF U.S. Chapter Newsletter~Winter 2008

Members and Friends of IARF,

We hope you enjoy our recent edition of the U. S. Chapter Newsletter! As always we welcome your feedback and input.winter-2008-vol-9_issue-1-final.pdf

The 12th IARF India Chapter conference, 2007

Held in the southern tip city of India, Kanyakumari, on 14-16 December 2007.

The conference was inaugurated by the Honorable Law Minister of India (State) K. Venkitapathy, and the valedictory function led by the Honorable High Court Judge P. Jyothi Mani.

Around 250 delegates from different parts of India and many dignitaries – bishops, Hindu monks, Muslim imams & IARF International President Rev. Abhi Janamanchi – attended various programs over the three days.