wfn.org | Parliament of World Religions Gathers 6,000 in Cape Town

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - December 3, 1999 --  The executive
coordinator of an extraordinary summit of world religious leaders, to be
hosted next August by the United Nations, said that the delicate task of
selecting invitees is underway at the Parliament of the World's Religions
meeting here through Dec. 8.

The 1999 Parliament, the largest, non-legislative gathering of spiritual
leaders and practitioners of its kind, had registered nearly 6,000 people 
in two
days since its gala opening Dec. 1.

Bawa Jain, executive coordinator of the Aug. 28-29 summit and a Parliament
trustee, said he is soliciting input on a summit agenda and who should be
invited.  Jain acknowledged that the selection process will involve delicate
diplomacy.

"No matter what we do, there will be complaints"  from religious communities
about omissions, Jain said.  "I'm in the process of going around the world
seeking further advice,"  he added.  As the director of international and UN
affairs for the Interfaith Center of New York, Jain has long worked with the
Secretary General's office.

The idea for the unprecedented summit came from a conversation two years ago
between UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Cable News Network owner Ted
Turner.  Acoording to Jain, Turner told Annan that to achieve peace in the
world "you have to bring together religious leaders at the UN and get them to
sign a declaration."  Turner promised to broadcast summit proceedings on CNN,
said Jain.

Jain added that he is working with interreligious leaders at the Parliament
and elsewhere to draft such a declaration.  Besides creating a dramatic point
of interfaith harmony, the summit will be designed to provide a continuing
network of religious resource for the secretary general and political bodies.

"We hope this will result in identifying conflicts where religion is a major
factor,"  he said.  Ultimately, experts from a council of senior religious and
spiritual advisors "could be 'parachuted' into trouble spots," he said.

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Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions
Mim Neal, 312 629 2990, mimneal@cpwr.org
John Dart, 818 363 3984, jdartnews@aol.com
http://www.cpwr.org