Religions for Peace - USA June 2005 E-Newsletter

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In This Issue:

From Our Executive Director…

Executive Director Bud Heckman met with International Trustees of Religions for Peace - USA as a part of their semi-annual meeting. The Most Rev. Dr. John Onaiyekan, President of the Symposium of Espiscopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar and Co-Chair of African Council of Religious Leaders discusses the work of the US chapter, following a presentation before colleagues and trustees at the U.N..

Millenium Development Goals

On June 8th there will be a gathering of twenty-five American religious leaders to focus on the MDG campaign. They will explore how America's religious communities might work together to facilitate their achievement. Participants will also include officials from the UN and representatives from the NGO community. Religions for Peace - USA is working on resources and events that support the MDGs. This is a first of many efforts we will bring to your attention. For more information on this day long event at the Church Center for the United Nations, please click here.

Religious Diversity and U.S. - European Society

The Religion Communicators Council is enabling a unique teleconference/seminar on June 8, 2005 at 2:00pm, E.D.T.. Entitled "Understanding the Impact of Religion on Global Communication Needs," the event will feature Dr. Donn Tilson, Mr. Wesley "Pat" Patillo, Dr. John Esposito, and Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, and Ms. Renee Ahee. Please click here for more information.

"Tripartite" Interfaith Conference at the United Nations

Five Permanent Missions including Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Spain and the UK are currently working with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and UNESCO in organizing an interfaith conference at the UN on June 22. In a tripartite effort, the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN has been invited to be a co-sponsor and to assist in the preparation.

The Bureau sees this as an excellent opportunity for religious NGOs to engage with the Member States and the UN in interfaith collaboration. Should you have any questions about this initiative, please contact Hiro Sakurai, Interim President, Committee of RNGOs, at 212-727-7018 or email sgiunny@att.net.

It will be a one-day conference with the overarching theme of "enhancing interfaith dialogue and cooperation toward peace in the 21st century," the morning session will focus on "the role of religions in promoting intercultural understanding towards sustainable peace" while the afternoon session will focus on "exploring strategies to enhance interfaith cooperation for sustainable development." Each session will feature three panelists from Member States, civil society and the UN followed by five discussants on lessons learned/best practices on the two sub-themes. The outcome of the conference on strategies to enhance interfaith cooperation towards peace will be transmitted to the President of the 59th Session of the General Assembly as input to the High Level Plenary Meeting in September 2005.

2006 IARF Congress: Dignity in Difference

The International Association for Religious Freedom announces its 32nd World Congress entitled "Dignity in Difference" during March 26-30, 2006. Hosted by the Fo Guang Shan, a Buddhist monastery 300km south of Taipei, the Congress program and registration material is available at www.globalinterfaith.org. For more information about IARF, the oldest continuous international interfaith organization, please visit www.iarf.net.

National Conference of College/University Multifaith Councils

You may recall in January, we shared news with you of the first National Summit of College and University multi-faith councils, organized and hosted by our friend Dean Paul Raushenbush at Princeton University. Did you miss it? It is now available online in compressed format for those who have Real Media Players. To view it, click here. To download Real Media Player, click here. The next conference is expected at John Hopkins in the second semester of the 2005-6 school year. Stay tuned to RFP-USA e-news for more information.

More or Less Peace?

As far as "peace" goes, are things getting better or worse? The World Policy Institute at the New School University reports the US – in the midst of a protracted military action in Iraq and Afghanistan - is loosening its rules for arms sales and has added two dozen countries to the list that can receive weapons once prohibited from American arms manufacturers. Visit here. The US is the leading arms exporter in the world and is itself cresting the $500 billion/year mark on military expenditures. At the same time, just down I-95, researchers at the University of Maryland and George Mason University argue that the number and intensity of armed conflicts has fallen once again, as part of a 15-year decline, according to their survey. How do you see the world and measure peace?

Muslim/Christian Relations Training Opportunities

Via the Institute for Pastors and Pastoral Workers on Islam/Muslim - Christian Relations, Georgetown University and Hartford Seminary are providing an opportunity for Christian pastors to develop a clearer understanding of Islam through an institute during June 26 - July 2, 2005. Late registrations are still being accepted. Contact Michael Peterson at Georgetown University, 202-687-4005 or mlp34@georgetown.edu or click here.

What Difference Does "One" Make? - The ONE Declaration

A diverse interfaith coalition of anti-poverty groups, celebrity spokespeople and hundreds of thousands of individuals across the United States have come together as ONE to fight the emergency of global AIDS, extreme poverty, and chronic hunger through the ONE Campaign. ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans - ONE by ONE - and is engaging Americans across the nation in churches and businesses, online and on college campuses, at community meetings and concerts. ONE is showing people the steps they can take to fight global AIDS, hunger, and poverty. This initiative does not ask for your money, but asks for your voice!

While hunger has decreased globally in the last three decades, it is currently on the rise and widespread in Africa. The AIDS emergency is killing people in their most productive years and leaving behind a growing generation of orphans. This is a time of desperate need, but also one of tremendous hope. ONE recognizes that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption, and targeting an additional one percent of the U.S. budget towards providing basic needs - education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans - would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries.

To support ONE, please sign the petition at www.bread.org, download more materials, and watch the ONE video featuring Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and Holly Hunter. You may also purchase white wrist bands to show your support at www.store.one.org

Do You Talk to Strangers?

During the month of June, Initiatives of Change, a Washington, DC - based organization, is encouraging individuals and groups to invite people of other religions and ethnicities to share a meal and conversation. Open Homes, Listening Hearts is a four year-old event that has demonstrated the power of sharing personal stories with people with whom we don’t normally interact. Breaking down walls of misunderstanding and building new relationships based on changing our perceptions is one way to increase tolerance and peace worldwide. We encourage you to visit www.ohlh.org or write info@ohlh.org for additional information on how to participate in this potentially life-transforming experience.

58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference

This year's Conference of the 3,000 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) associated with the United Nations will take place from September 7 - 9 at the United Nations in New York. The 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, entitled Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnerships and Renewal, will provide the forum for a dynamic and diverse gathering of civil society representatives in the week preceding the September Summit of world leaders. More than 2,500 NGO representatives and other civil society partners are expected to underscore their support for the work of the Organization in its 60th year, especially its efforts to eradicate poverty, promote human rights, and enhance collective human security through multilateral cooperation and deeper partnerships with civil society.

The Conference draws its agenda from the Secretary-General's report In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All, which outlines the agenda for the September Summit. The agenda revolves around three inextricable goals: the promotion of (1) peace and security, (2) development and (3) human rights. The agenda calls for action to strengthen the United Nations to meet these goals through renewal and reforms that are widely supported by the international community and civil society. The report cites key problems and reforms to be tackled through multilateral cooperation at the international, regional, national, and local levels. For further information and queries regarding the 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, including the draft programme, contact: dpingo@un.org or visit the DPI/NGO Section website. Queries may also be addressed to Sasa Gorisek, Information Officer, NGO Section, Department of Public Information, by phone: (212) 963-1859, or by e-mail at gorisek@un.org.

In January, NGOs represented by the NGO/DPI Executive Committee and CONGO joined forces to form the M+5 NGO Network, a broad-based working group that is monitoring civil society recommendations to the Millennium Summit during the official UN meetings that are taking place during 2005. Key among these
meetings are the General Assembly Informal Hearings with Civil Society on 23 – 24 June. As requested by the President of the General Assembly, Member States will consult with civil society organizations and private sector representatives regarding their views on the possible outcomes. These hearings will serve to
inform both the Millennium Summit and the DPI/NGO Conference.

The M+5 NGO Network is compiling a report on the views of civil society organizations which is expected to be presented at the General Assembly Civil Society Hearings in June. This report will be considered at the 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference. It will be posted in advance on the interactive Conference website. In this regard, the General Assembly Hearings serve as a preparatory meeting for the Conference as well as the Summit. For more information on the Millennium+5 Summit, click here.

Throughout the three-day Conference, participants will have multiple opportunities to dialogue with a variety of stakeholders to voice their views, expand their networks and interact with Member States on the eve of the Summit. In addition to seven plenary sessions, there will be 30 Midday NGO Interactive Workshops featuring the participation of civil society, United Nations and government representatives. The President of the 59th Session of the General Assembly has been asked to oversee an interactive dialogue between representatives of Member States, parliamentarians and civil society participants on the final day of the Conference, 9 September. For Conference registration information, contact delgadillo@un.org.

Note: Registration is limited to NGOs working with the United Nations.

New Secretaries for Religions for Peace - USA

With the recent departure of Fr. Stan Deboe from the staff of Catholic organization the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Executive Council recently elected a new Secretary and Assistant Secretary. Rev. Koichi Saito, minister of the New York Center of Risso Kosei-kai and a native of Japan is serving as the new Secretary. Mr. Arvind Vora, chairperson for Interreligious Affairs for the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) is serving in the new role of Assistant Secretary. Both men bring a breadth of experience and fresh perspectives that are welcome.

Welcome to Our New Summer Staff

Ms. Kelsey Smith is our new Associate for International Affairs currently studying religion in Middlebury College. She says, "I have chosen to study religion because I feel that it is a subject of great breadth upon which I can build a thorough education. While I eventually plan to study international relations, I have chosen to focus my undergraduate education on the various faiths of the world as a means of better understanding the many conflicts that grow out of religious disagreements. I believe that understanding various faiths is the key to building a more just and peaceful future. In my time at Religions for Peace USA I hope to learn how I can do my part to achieve justice and peace through non-for-profit, non-governmental work. I also hope to learn more about the United Nations and the ways in which the non-governmental sphere achieves its goals through a partnership with the UN."

Ms. Jessica Levin is our new Associate for Child and Family Advocacy. She is also from Middlebury College majoring in religion with a focus in Jewish studies. She is of Catholic and Jewish background. Jessica has had the opportunity to approach history, politics, sociology, etc. through the lens of religious study. She has realized that in order to make some sense of the world, one must study and make efforts to understand a variety of people and their beliefs. For this reason, she is excited to have the opportunity to work with such a prominent, religiously diverse organization. With a passion for helping youth, Jessica is especially eager to learn about, and work on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Mr. Omar Ali is our new Associate for Finance and Administration this summer. Omar is a graduate from Stony Brook University receiving a degree in Business Management in May 2004. Born in Flushing, New York and now living in Huntington, NY, Omar is partially Pakistani and partially Guyanese making him accustomed to different cultures, customs, and backgrounds. "Having parents from opposite ends of the world but of the same religion, Islam, has given me an opportunity to understand the importance of culture in my life that I find very interesting. Religions for Peace - USA has given me an opportunity to get a better understanding of religions working for peace, interfaith coalitions and other cultures around the world."

Ms. Latoya Young is currently attending SUNY New Paltz as a Communications major with a minor in Black Studies. Throughout her education she has learned the injustices of the past. This is why she is happy to be working on the Return to the Earth project, seeking to repatriate Native American human remains. Latoya states, "Religions for Peace-USA offers a special point of view by giving different religious leaders a platform to come together. I am volunteering here because working with Religions for Peace-USA is a great way to meet these leaders and work in a diverse environment. I know that by volunteering here, I will give back to the community on a global scale."

Time is running out to line up summer internships, we still have volunteer and intern openings for I.T and Web Development and Fundraising and Development. Other positions are closed until the Fall. If you are in the NYC region and interested in working for RFP-USA, please contact us today. All applicants must submit a resume and a writing sample. To learn more, click here.

Since 1996, Religions for Peace has been working with senior religious leaders in South East Europe providing support to their peace efforts.

Regional Director for South East Europe, Mrs. Emily Coffman Krunic has, in the last few years, initiated, mobilized, and supervised community based organizations.

In a recent interview, she expressed the many challenges and achievements in a region that has, in the past and again recently, known tremendous turmoil.

With over 50 member religious communities and over 90 members on its three councils, Religions for Peace-USA, wishes to occasionally spotlight individual members or communities. This issue features The United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism.

The United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, founded in 1913, is the association of Conservative congregations in North America consisting of over 700 affiliated synagogues and over one-and-a-half-million members.

Our Vision:
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism promotes the role of the synagogue in Jewish life in order to motivate Conservative Jews to perform mitzvot (commandments) encompassing ethical behavior, spirituality, Judaic learning, and ritual observance.

Our Mission:
• The mission of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is to strengthen and serve our congregations and their members.
• We create, develop and disseminate educational, religious and tikun olam (repairing the world) programming to meet the needs of our congregations and their members.
• We seek to create communities of Conservative congregations in each of our regions and throughout North America.
• We work in concert with other institutions and organizations of the Conservative Movement to promote, nurture and foster a vibrant Movement.
• We are both an advocate and a spokesperson for the congregations of the Conservative Movement.
• We are dedicated to strengthening the connections between North American Conservative Jews, the Jewish People and the State of Israel.

USCJ was active internationally through protests and resolutions during the darkness of the Holocaust; it spoke out vigorously on behalf of freedom for Soviet and Syrian Jewry; and it continues to become involved in pressing issues that relate to world Jewry. As an activist Jewish organization, the United Synagogue has established a tradition of reaching out to those in need.

For more information about United Synagogue and its projects email info@uscj.org or visit www.uscj.org. The USCJ is represented in Religions for Peace-USA through Mr. Mark Waldman, Director of Public Policy for United Synagogue (waldman@uscj.org).

In this section we feature interesting, replicable projects of our member religious communities or thought-provoking publications for our common mission. You can order any of these books from Amazon with one click. A portion of the proceeds will benefit RFP-USA.

No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam
By Reza Aslan
An Iranian born doctoral student at University of California at Santa Barbara, Mr. Aslan has written a literate, accessible introduction to Islam (or more accurately, "Islams") in his recently published book. He offers that current events in the Muslim world have less to do with a clash between the West and Islam - the West, he says, is "merely a bystander" - and more with the internal conflict between Muslims themselves over who will write the next chapter in Islam's history. This, he argues, is the real jihad: not holy war against the West, but the struggle for Islam's soul among the reformers and traditionalists. He places his hope in the like-minded liberals who he suggests, constitute Islam's silent majority. "The fact is that the vast majority of the more than one billion Muslims in the world readily accept the fundamental principles of democracy" and are committed to "genuine Islamic values like pluralism, freedom, justice, human rights, and above all, democracy."

Swords and Plowshares: Jewish Views of War and Peace
By Rabbi Edwin Goldberg
What does Judaism say on the subjects of terrorism, violence, and war? This timely new book presents relevant texts - biblical, rabbinic, and medieval - along with examples from modern history, to answer these questions. The book also provides brief essays to help guide the reader through the texts and suggests questions for discussion and contemplation. The author, Rabbi Edwin Goldberg, is senior rabbi at Temple Judea in Coral Gables, FL, an instructor at the University of Miami, and the author of Midrash for Beginners and Heads and Tales: Stories of the Sages to Enlighten Our Minds. Forthcoming in Fall 2005.

Journeying Together: The Catholic Church in Dialogue with the Religious Traditions of the World
Published by the Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue with forward by H.E. Francis Cardinal Arinze
Primarily meant for Christian readers and published by the Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue and its President, the Nigerian Francis Cardinal Arinze, this small booklet serves as an introduction to various religious traditions. By no means an exhaustive survey, this book attempts to reflect each religious tradition as it understands itself. It provides a window through which the reader may be able to glance at the vast richness to appreciate what is true, noble and good in religious traditions. In addition to chapters on the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Shinto, Confucian, Taoist, Jewish, Islamic, Zoroastrian, Sikh, and Christian traditions, it also features chapters by Pope John Paul II on Jews and Christians, Muslims and Christians, and interfaith dialogue.

Speaking Faith: The Essential Handbook for Religion Communicators is a completely revised seventh edition of the standard guide to the field, recently released by Religion Communicators Council, an interfaith organization which includes many NCC-related professionals. Practical in focus, Speaking Faith has 16 chapters with such hands-on help for houses of worship as 'Graphic Identity,' and 'Getting Out the News.' The book, published with assistance from the National Council of Churches, is $19.95 per copy, plus $6.00 shipping.

"Fear's a dangerous thing/
It can turn your heart black, you can trust/
It'll take your God-filled soul/
Fill it with devils and dust"
- Bruce Springsteen "Devils and Dust"

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