INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HOLY BOOKS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HOLY BOOKS

Dear friends,

We are happy to announce the Fourth International Interfaith Conference on Holy Books (Intertextuality Series) to be held at the URI office, Karickam from 27-29 August, 2011. You are most cordially invited to attend. The theme will be “HOLY BOOKS AND PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS” (How different Scriptures view People of diverse Faiths). A book on the topic will be released during the conference with papers that are to be presented at the meeting.

Kindly note the following:

1. We will provide free hospitality. Participants will have to meet their own TRAVEL expenses.

2. Comfortable accommodation will be arranged for foreign delegates with our families in and around Kottarakkara. (Accommodation can be arranged in hotels upon request for those who can pay their own expenses)

3. The nearest airport is TRIVANDRUM (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM) in Kerala.

4. The last date for receiving papers will be 30^th April. (Articles received after this date will not be published in the book)

5. Registration fees will be Rs. 500/ (Five hundred Indian Rupees)

6. Official inauguration of the program will be at 3 P.M on Saturday, the 27^th at Jubilee Mandiram chapel, Kottarakkara. Concluding session will be at the Karickam International Public School at 3 P.M on Monday, 29^th August.

7. Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Centre for Dialogue, Kottarakkara and Cosmic Community Centre, Karickam will be the local organizers.

8. Rev. Dr. Ruwan Palapathwala of RMIT, Melbourne shall be the Program Manager.

9. A tour program will be arranged to Kuttalam Waterfalls (Courtalam) on Tuesday, the30th. (Expenses shared)—Two hours journey by bus.

Dr. Abraham Karickam

Executive Secretary

URI Asia Region.

Mob : 0091-9446593013

Tel : 0091-474-2454087

Email : karickam@gmail.com

www.urisouthindia.org

INTERFAITH COOPERATION CIRCLES

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INTERFAITH COOPERATION CIRCLES

Interfaith Cooperation Circles (CCs) are the heart of URI. Independently organized, self-governing and self-funding, they build cooperation among people of all faiths and traditions to address the most pressing issues facing their collective communities, including poverty, religiously motivated violence, environmental degradation and more.

Some examples of CC work include:

• Winning full citizenship for poor and disenfranchised brick workers in Pakistan
• Rescuing “child soldiers” in the Ugandan civil war
• Brokering a truce between factions of the Christian church in Kerala, India
• Working with government officials, teachers and police to increase social cohesion and stem violence before it starts in urban areas of Catalonia
• Urban reforestation in New Delhi, India
• Helping religious and cultural minorities in the conflict-prone province of Mindanao, Philippines have their voices heard by government officials in Manila

Cooperation Circles range in size from a minimum of seven members to tens of thousands, representing at least three faiths or traditions, including the non-religious, and subscribe to the shared vision outlined in URI’s Charter. They are connected to one another and the global URI network through eight regional anchor points, where regional coordinators help CCs build capacity, organize regional gatherings and trainings, and seed new CCs. URI’s global office in San Francisco provides support for regional leaders, maintains a global communications network, organizes conferences to bring CCs together from all over the globe, and supports three global initiatives, the Traveling Peace Academy, the Young Leaders Program and the Environmental Satellite.

PROF.JOHN KURAKAR

UNITED RELIGIOUS INITIATIVE (ALL KERALA INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK OPEN QUIZ COMPETITION )

UNITED RELIGIOUS INITIATIVE
ALL KERALA INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK OPEN QUIZ COMPETITION

URI Central committee conducted an All Kerala Interfaith Harmony weeks Open Quiz Competition at Karickom International Public School on 12th February,2011. Prof John Kurakar. State president of the Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithy inaugurated the event.Dr Abraham Karickom, Executive director,URI welcomed the gatherigs. De Samuel Nellikattu presided. All Kerala Quiz Competition was the part of the Interfaith Harmony week celebrations 22 students from various schools participated in the informative quiz competition. Prof.John Kurakar, Dr Abraham Karickom and Prof George Mathew were the quiz masters. Kumari Mincy Michael won the first place. Justin Monachan & Fathima Shajahan won the second and third prizes. The first prize carries Rs 2000,second Rs1000, third Rs 500. Quiz Masters distributed cash awards,Trophies and Merit certificates to the winners.

PROF. JOHN KURAKAR

Uri- important notice

UNITED NATIONS INTERFAITH

HARMONY WEEK CELEBRATION

Dear Friends,

We are happy to inform you that the United Nations General Assembly has decided to celebrate February 1-7 as Interfaith Harmony Week, every year. As part of this celebration, we are organizing an all Kerala Open QUIZ Competition for school students on Saturday, 12^th February, 2011 at 10 .30 A.M at the KARICKAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, KARICKAM, KOTTARAKKARA.

Please note the following:-

1. QUIZ will be based on General Knowledge and Holy Scriptures of various religions (fifty-fifty)

2. Any number of students can participate from one school

3. Registration fees will be Rs. 10 per student

4. Winners will be awarded cash prizes and certificates (First- Rs 2000; second-Rs.1000 and third Rs. 500). Winning schools will get special Trophies also.

5. There will be a few elimination rounds (written exams) depending on the number of students and ten students will be selected for the final oral round.

6. Participants will have to report at 10 A.M with letters of introduction from respective Headmaster/ Principal

All are requested to organize various programmes in your respective institutions to make the UN Interfaith Harmony Week a big success. You are also invited to participate in the special Interfaith Harmony Meet at Cosmic Community Centre, Karickam at 2 P.M on Sunday, 6^th February, 2011. Prof. Ashraf A Kadakkal (University of Kerala) will be the key-note speaker. Looking forward to your support and guidance,

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Abraham Karickom

United Religions Initiative (Important Notice)

United Religions Initiative (Important Notice)

NOTICE

The United Nations has decided to celebrate February 1-7,2011 as Interfaith Harmony week. This will be regular feature every year.
URI is making arrangements to celebrate it all over the world with a series of programs. All CCS are requested to make this event a big success.
URI central committee will be organizing a special Inter-faith get together at the URI office Karickom on Sunday 6th February at 2 p.m. Prof Dr Ashraf A.Kadakkal (Kariavattom Campus, Trivandrum) will be the chief guest.
All CC members are requested to attend with family and friends. Bus fare will be provided to participants from distant CCS

Dr. Abraham Karickom

Prof.John Kurakar

SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERRELIGIOUS INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERRELIGIOUS INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

The second International Conference on Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue at the Dhaka University was inaugurated today by the Education Minister of Bangladesh Mr. Nurul Islam Nahid. Hon. Minister for Religious affairs Adv. Shajahan Mia was also present. Vice Chancellor Areffin Siddique was on the chair. Agencies like UNESCO and the Ministry of Education are uniting with our CC here to make this program a great success. About 150 delegates including 40 foreign participants are attending. More than thirty papers will be presented during different sessions in three days. It is really heartening to see that great Universities are taking interfaith activities very seriously, as reflected in the presence of numerous scholars from various foreign Universities. Prof. Kazi Nurul Islam (Department Head and a Temple Universiity product) and his team deserve much praise in making the whole program a big national event.

Dr Abraham Karickom share the room with Dr. Leonard Swidler of Temple University, Philadelphia, a versatile genius and long-time champion of interfaith cause. Three of our TPA trainees are also attending this conference.

Prof. John Kurakar