Excitment was in the air, when high represantatives and leaders of Religions met from October 18-22, 2009. Every two years, since 2003, the gathering of world religious leaders, that make up the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders (www.elijah-interfaith.org), takes place in a major religious site or important city. This has been the first time, that they met in Israel.
The meeting was devoted to the theme "The Future of Religious Leadership". In panel discussions and workshops, it explored what it means to be a religious leader, in all participating religions, what challenges religious leaders face today and how religious leaders should be trained. One specific focus of the meeting was how forgiveness is practiced as part of the vocation of the religious leaders in all religions.
At a Christian School, talk between participants of the conference and pupils.
For several days the representativs of Hinduism, Sikhisim, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and from the Baha´í and Druze Religion used the opportunity to meet on an academic but also on a personal level. Interactions not only happened between the representatives but also with students at Haifa University and Pupils of a Christian Seminary. Some of the pupils of the Seminary, that is situated in the Territories, have never met a Jew before and thus were eager to learn more especially about them.
Marching together for peace... religious representatives (left to right): Archbishop Elias Chacour (Christian), Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein (Jewish), Bhikkhu Sanghaseena (Buddhist), Swami Atmapriyananda(Hindu), Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh (Sikh).
One of the major goals of the conference is to learn to listen more and comunicate deeper, that the understanding of the other religions will grow.
Religious Representatives hold up ceramics with their religious symbols
The participants said, while remaining rooted in their own religious tradition, it is important to respect one another and find ways to dialogue and meet on various levels, thus enhancing peace.
The Conference Participants in Haifa at the Baha´í World Center.
more pictures upon request and on: www.events007.blogspot.com
Some messages of participants of the conference: www.message-to-the-world.blogspot.com
2 comments:
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Optimism, pessimism; good times, bad times: we all need to keep our center, which is another word for the soul, and we must all communicate. "Resolve what stands between you and your loved one." Start a conversation with AJEMediation.com.
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