A message from our Board Chair, Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
 Dear friends,
In his speech at the 2009 Parliament, His Holiness the Dalai Lama encouraged us to be people of action. I couldn’t agree more. Today, I am pleased to share how both the Parliament’s physical and virtual networks continue to support the work of the interreligious movement.
Our Partner Cities initiative represents our physical network — an international grassroots movement enabling people from around the world to develop interreligious relations and determine their preferred agendas for advocacy and action in their own communities.
PeaceNext.org represents our virtual network — a social networking site to connect one-to-one, create groups and organize around issues important to their own local communities. Each supports the other: online activism strengthens on-the-ground collaboration. With these important initiatives — and through supporting each other— I am confident the impact of the 2009 Parliament will continue to multiply.
In peace,
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Chair, Board of Trustees
Bridging the World
 Over seven nights and six days, from December 3 — 9, 2009, the Melbourne Parliament welcomed over 6,500 people representing over 200 religious and spiritual traditions from more than 80 countries. Attendees chose from over 550 programs, including daily observances, intra- and inter-religious programs, symposia, expert panels, sacred performances and art exhibits. The 2009 Parliament was an unforgettable exchange of all that makes the world beautifully diverse.
Click here to watch the 2009 Parliment highlights video montage
Our Work Continues
The Council is the guiding infrastructure that organizes periodic parliaments. We are already hard at work planning for the 2014 Parliament, growing the Partner Cities Network, and continuing to support the interreligious movement. Here are highlights of our recent work:
- New Board Chair Imam Dr. Abdul Malik Mujahid and Executive Director Dirk Ficca will be attending the 3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists in Doha, Qatar, on March 20-21.
- In March, Partner Cities Director Zabrina Santiago attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) while participating in Restoring Dignity, Women of Faith Leadership Summit — a landmark event of Religions for Peace. Click here to read the report.
- The Council will be participating in the Religion Communication Congress, a once-a-decade multi-faith forum for religious communicators from April 7-10, 2010 in Chicago.
- Executive Director Dirk Ficca represented the Council at a steering committee meeting in New York City for the effort to establish a UN Decade for interreligious dialogue and cooperation.
- In Washington, D.C., Executive Director Dirk Ficca recently met with a member of the Obama delegation to the Melbourne Parliament, continuing discussions on the constructive role that religious and spiritual communities can play in promoting social cohesion.
- Board Chair Emeritus Rev. Dr. William Lesher, and Executive Director Dirk Ficca, visited with local interreligious groups and 2009 Parliament participants in Hong Kong and Yogyakarta, Indonesia in January.
Stay tuned for our next issue to feature
“Voices from Melbourne.” | | |
