The World's Parliament of World Religions began in 1893 as a forum for dialogue among all the faiths of the planet. The establishment of a 100th anniversary conference marked its centenary celebrations in 1993. While this conference is no longer in existence, the efforts made in the past century are being celebrated today.
Interreligious dialogue
The Council of World Religions (CoWR) is an interreligious group. Its primary goal is to promote peace and understanding through dialogue between all people. However, the Council has faced challenges with funding and participation in recent years. In 2004, the Council was ordered to pay $276,000.00 for expenses related to the Barcelona Parliament of World Religions. This dispute was triggered by the Madrid bombing of a train a few weeks before the parliament.
The Parliament of World Religions, an interreligious event that takes place every five years is organized by the organization. In 2009, Melbourne, Australia hosted the Parliament of World Religious, which featured more that 650 programs as well as over 1,300 speakers. Many prominent speakers addressed the meeting, including the Dalai Lama and theologian Hans Kung.
Peaceful coexistence
The Parliament of World Religions, which has been meeting seven days a year for 25 years, has gathered religious and world leaders from over 80 countries. Its purpose is to promote peace and harmony in the world through peaceful coexistence among religions. This event will include more than 500 programs as well as related events.
Education of religious leaders
It is more than just a matter of religious knowledge and skills that religious leaders need to be trained for multicultural environments. They need to have a better understanding of modern interfaith movements and be trained in interfaith relations. These are the issues this project is trying to address. This project aims to tap into the existing initiatives at participating schools and create a framework for multi-faith leadership education.
The research was conducted by the project team to assess the educational experiences of students attending participating schools. A focus group interview with students was conducted to document their experiences. A digital video recording of five seminars was also taken and an after-Parliament survey conducted with students. Many coordinators reviewed the course syllabus, and professors were interviewed in person and in writing.
Ambassador's Program
The Parliament of World Religions' Ambassador's Program is an opportunity for faith-based people to get to know one another and build mutual understanding. The program is organized by the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. The Council's purpose is to facilitate dialogues between peoples of different religions. Each month, a new Ambassador is introduced by the AAC.
The Parliament of World Religions was a catalyst to dialogue and relationships between people of different faiths. This has allowed for the creation of a framework that can help us envision a more just and sustainable world. The programme's goal is to encourage cooperation between world faiths. Because our collective efforts will ensure the wellbeing of the planet, this program has a mission.
Women's Task Force
The Women's Task Force in Parliament of World Religions recently concluded its inaugural assembly. Here, participants strengthened their interfaith programming as well as plenary sessions and worship. In the next years, the Women's Task Force hopes to increase its platform to include women with minority faith traditions and continue interfaith conversations.
The Women's Task Force is led by Dr. Elizabeth Ursic, PhD, professor of religion and spiritual director. Dr. Elizabeth Ursic, PhD is co-chair of Society of Biblical Literature's Women's Caucus. She is also a trustee of Parliament of World Religions. Her academic qualifications include a PhD degree in Religious Studies from Arizona State University, a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and a MBA/MA International Relations from Wharton School of Business. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and on more than one hundred radio shows.