FIFTH INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH CONFERENCE

FIFTH INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH CONFERENCE

The fifth International Interfaith Conference on Holy Books was hel at Karickom International Public School on 30^th September to 3^rd Cotober, 2013. 30 Scholars from different countries presented their papers based on Holy Books.

The official inauguration of the conference was held on 1^st October at 4 p.m. Rt. Rev. Thomas Mar Thimotheos presided over the meeting. Dr. Abraham Karickom welcomed the gatherings. Swami Chaturvedi, chairman, Ramanuja Mission Trust, India inaugurated the Holy Book Conference. Swami
Sachidananda Bharati released the Book “Life after Life “The Alexander Marthoma Amity Award presented to Dr. M.J Joseph (Former Director of Ecumenical Christian Center, Bangalore) during the meeting. Best Uri-cc award presented to Mr. Rajan Cosmic, Director of  Odanavattom c.c. URI Art award presented to Mr. Sidhartha Siva, the National Film Award winner for Best Director of the film” 101 Chodyangal. Essay competition award presented to the student Afna Jaleeb. Merit award presented to Sajimon, State ward winner of Best teacher.

Ian Fry, Swami Kesavadas, Jayanthi R. Chawan, Helina Ermolina also spoke on the occasion. Prof. John Kurakar expressed vote of thanks. The cultural programmes were at 2 p.m on 1^st October. Thiruvathira, Group Dances, Mohiniyattom, Group songs, Mappila pattu, Oppana and other entertainment programs were performed. URI arranged a study tour on 3^rd October for the delegates from different parts of the world. Study team visited Pothencodu Santhigiri Ashram  and world famous tourist center “Kovalam”.

Prof. John Kurakar

VICTOR KAZANJIAN

Victor Kazanjian
Dean of Intercultural Education and Religious and Spiritual Life

Dean Kazanjian supports Wellesley College’s commitment to educating students for national and global citizenship by implementing an integrated co-curricular program of intercultural and interreligious education that equips students with the knowledge and skills they will need for leadership and life in a diverse and interdependent world.

He provides leadership for the new Office of Intercultural Education and has primary responsibility for the development and leadership of intercultural education activities, trainings, and programs that educate and promote awareness, understanding, and appreciation of diversity and inclusion on campus, and increasing multicultural competency throughout the campus community. He is the founder of Wellesley's Multifaith Religious and Spiritual Life Program, which seeks to respond to the rich diversity of beliefs represented among community members through a vision of a multifaith community in which all particular expressions of belief are celebrated; no one tradition is seen as normative; and dialogue about common religious, spiritual, and ethical principles is nurtured. This program provides support for people of all religious, spiritual, and humanist traditions and builds community among people of diverse backgrounds and working with faculty, staff, and students.

Dean Kazanjian is also the co-founder and president of Education as Transformation, Inc., an organization that works nationally and internationally with colleges, universities, and educational institutions exploring issues of religious pluralism and spirituality in higher education. As co-director of the Peace & Justice Studies Program at Wellesley he teaches on issues of social justice, conflict transformation, and community change, with a focus on race and class in America, and diversity and democracy in the United States and India.             

Publications

Dean Kazanjian writes and speaks regularly on issues of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, developing multifaith and multicultural communities, spirituality and education, leadership and learning, principles of peacemaking, diversity and democracy, and social justice and institutional change. His recent publications include:

Books

·         Co-editor of Education as Transformation: Religious Pluralism, Spirituality and a New                       Vision for Higher Education in America (New York: Peter Lang, 2000),

·         Co-editor of Beyond Tolerance: a Campus Religious Diversity Kit (Washington: NASPA, 2004)

Articles

·         “Building a New Global Commons: Religious Diversity and the Challenge for Higher Education,” in the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue (Summer 2010)

·         “Design from Dialogue: Houghton Chapel and Multifaith Center at Wellesley College,” in Faith & Form: The Interfaith Journal on Religion, Art and Architecture (2009)

·         “Towards Multi-cultural Learning Communities” in Building the Interfaith Youth Movement (New York: Alta Mira Press, 2006)

·         “Religion, Spirituality and Intellectual Development,” in the Journal of Cognitive Affective Learning , Oxford College at Emory University, Summer, 2005.