wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Geneva inter-religious weekend 12-14 Nov. features

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World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 27/10/2005

GENEVA INTER-RELIGIOUS WEEKEND
"RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES: FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE?"

Does the quest for religious identity, evident in many places around the
world today, lead inevitably to opposition to other religious traditions?
And how, in contexts of religious and cultural plurality, can we move
beyond tolerance to positive respect between religions?

During the weekend of 12-14 November, a series of events - public panel
discussion, youth forum, international colloquium, inter-faith celebration, cultural exhibition - will offer the Geneva public an opportunity to
explore avenues towards better mutual understanding and acceptance of
religious and cultural diversity.

Various prominent Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim personalities in the field of inter-religious dialogue, as well as 80-90 young people
from all over Europe, have been invited to attend the events, jointly
organized by the Geneva Inter-religious Platform and the World Council of
Churches (WCC).

Entitled "My neighbour's faith and mine. Religious identities: for better
or for worse?", the three-day weekend has been designed in an effort to
respond to contemporary criticisms of religions, accused of neglecting the
spiritual and being at the root of numerous conflicts.

The weekend will include the following events:

- Public panel discussion on the theme of religious identities
Saturday 12 November, 20:00, Salle Frank-Martin
Speakers include Ruth Dreifuss, former president of Switzerland; Rabbi
Marc-Raphael Guedj, former chief rabbi of Geneva; Larbi Kechat, Algerian
sociologist and rector of the Adda'wa mosque in Paris; Jean-Claude Basset,
Geneva Inter-religious Platform founder; and Lama Nèldjorpa Wangchouk, a
Tibetan monk.

- Two-day youth interfaith forum: "Generations talk about identity"
Saturday 12 November, 09:00-18:00, & Sunday 13 November, 10:00-16:00,
Salle Frank-Martin
For 80-90 young people between the ages of 18-35 from Geneva, Europe and
the Middle East. Speakers include French rap singer Abd Al Malik and Perry
Schmidt-Leukel, Glasgow University theology professor.

- Interfaith celebration
Sunday 13 November, 18:00, Saint Peter's Cathedral
Open to the general public, the celebration will feature a Bosnian
multi-faith choir "Pontanima", Hindu classical dance and music, symbolic
acts, and a pledge to promote peace and dialogue.

- International colloquium: "An end to tolerance?"
Monday 14 November, 09:15-17:30, Ecumenical Centre
Speakers include Rita Gross, a Buddhist from the USA; Mahinda Deegalle, a
Buddhist from Sri Lanka; Larbi Kechat, a Muslim from France; Rashied Omar,
a Muslim from South Africa; Ravin Ramdass, a Hindu from South Africa;
Anant Rambachan, a Hindu from Trinidad/USA; Ruth Dreifuss, former Swiss
president; Samuel Kobia, WCC general secretary; and Hans Ucko, WCC
programme executive for Inter-religious Relations and Dialogue.

- Performance by Konya whirling dervishes from Turkey
Monday 14 November, 20:00, Salle Frank-Martin

A background text on the challenges of religious pluralism, "Fortresses
into wellsprings. Soothing the thirst for spirituality, affirming human
dignity", identifies dangers and resources for "a spirituality that would
nourish and sustain our lives in the complex, pluralistic and ever-changing world," and includes a number of affirmations and "acts of commitment".

Both the WCC and the Geneva Inter-religious Platform are active in Geneva,
and have a mission to foster dialogue and understanding among different
faiths. Since 1992, the Platform has been providing an informal meeting
space for the many traditions and confessions which live side by side in
the Geneva area while the WCC has been involved in the field of inter-religious dialogue for over thirty years.

The inter-religious weekend is being organized with the support of the
Banque Pictet & Cie.

More information on the 12-14 November inter-religious encounter,
including the programme and the background text, is available on the WCC
website at:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/interreligious/vivre-ensemble.html

Media contact: Elisabeth Wilson  +41-22-783-1083

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.