THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS RESULTS IN THOUSANDS OF

COMMITMENTS TO ADDRESS RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AND OTHER URGENT ISSUES

FACING THE WORLD

 

The Barcelona meeting of 8,000 religious leaders and lay people deemed a success

(Barcelona, 14 July 2004) - As the Parliament of the World's Religions came to a close after a

week of debates by nearly 8,000 members of diverse religious communities centered around

commitments on the issues of religious violence, access to safe water, the fate of refugees

worldwide, and the elimination of developing countries' debts, religious leaders who convened the

gathering deemed the event a success.

The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religion's Executive Director Dirk Ficca said that one

fundamental difference between this gathering and others discussing the same subjects was that,

"when people of faith commit to address religious violence and other pressing issues facing the

global community they follow through. We make a commitment not only to the world, but out of

a deeply rooted religious or spiritual conviction. That is what makes the Barcelona Parliament

commitments so special, and why this year's Parliament in Barcelona is going to make an impact."

Andre Porto, a 34-year old social activist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who pledged at the previous

Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa in 1999 to organize an interfaith coalition to address the

illegal gun trade in the Favelas of Brazil reported that the Rio religious community's lobbying and

social activism campaign resulted in a strong law halting illegal gun sales. "Our progress and

success in Rio de Janeiro's Favelas is an example of the feasibility and effectiveness of

commitments made at the Parliament of World Religions."

Rev. Dr. William Lesher, Chair of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions' board

pointed out the immeasurable outcomes of the Parliament. "Along with the strong commitments

made this week, the mere presence of 8,000 people from so many different religious and spiritual

traditions and places in the world is a meaningful outcome in and of itself. The impact of this is

perhaps not as measurable, but equally remarkable in today's world."

The Parliament's priorities over the next five years are to assist the world's religions in meeting

their commitments. "Our organization's work does not start or end here", said Ficca.

"The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions has established a network of interreligious

movements in partner cities around the world", said Diane Goldin, founder of the Annual Goldin

Institute for International Partnership and Peace. "These strong grassroots partnerships are a

powerful vehicle for implementing these commitments."

Ficca continued: "The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions has also developed a

process to monitor and support the implementation of the Barcelona Parliament commitments,

including best-practice manuals and a web-based communications network in order to support and

assess the impact on the world's pressing problems. We are also exploring partnerships with other

sectors of society such as organizations within the UN system, the World Bank and organizations

that promote corporate social responsibility."

The Barcelona Parliament Commitments include what Ficca called "simple and profound acts",

often developed in concert with civil society organizations. Some examples include:

Religious violence

• "Organize the interreligious community in Sarajevo to bring Palestinians and Israelis to Bosnia,

to the House of Peace in Ratna Monastery and develop approaches to building communities and

relationships in order to provide peace and prevent future conflicts." - Vjekoslav Saje, Center for

Religious Dialogue, Catholic, Bosnia Herzegovina.

• "Include religions and peacemaking in my program policies related to preventing deadly conflict

and engage our congregations across the country and policymakers in Washington DC." - Bridget

 

Moix, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Christian, USA.

• "Work with the Israeli Jewish community in Jerusalem to publicize the TV series "Search for

Common Ground", especially a one-hour special on Palestinian refugees. Organize screenings and

turn out Israeli Jewish people to see it." - Sharon Rosen, Jewish, Israel.

• "Continue to organize an interfaith community in Rwanda to help genocide survivors, prisoners'

families and released prisoners." - Saleh Habimana, Rwanda.

• "I will create a guidebook for youth about the role of the world's religions in bringing about

peace in order to enhance their awareness about religions, but mostly to get rid of their prejudice

against other religions." - Yasutomo Sawahata, Switzerland. International Debt

• "Raise $10,000 to support Jubilee USA advocacy effort and establish a Center for Global

Awareness to link local and global issues and provide international people to people contact on the

debt issue and interfaith dialogue." - Pastor Bill Harman, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, USA.

• "Coordinate with the Jubilee Foundation to strengthen the internal voice within India for debt

forgiveness. I have already begun working with micro-credit creating Pilot Model Village in West

Bengal." - Sliami Shuddhanaunda Brahama Chari, India.

• "I will join an organization campaigning for debt cancellation from Spain." - Anna Balaguer,

Spain.

• "Work with my synagogue to introduce this issue to the congregation and speak to the reform

group and the St. Francis Catholic Church Women's Group about the Parliament and my

commitments." - Emily M. Axelrod, Jewish, USA. Water

• "Work with the women in my community to develop a strategy on how to increase access to

clean water by building wells and covering bore-holes. Organize young women to form small

groups and develop trainings for them on how to accomplish their goals." - Carmeline Achieng,

Kenya.

• "Engage the Unity Community and interfaith group to plan and implement a project to make

clean water accessible to a community in Haiti and West Africa." - Rev. James Trapp, Unity, USA.

• "Engage Mediterranean people involved with mountain conservation to promote a network for

protection of Mediterranean mountains as a source of water, natural resources and spiritual

values." - Puri Canals, the World Conservation Union, Catholic, Spain.

• "Reduce water pollution by promoting care and concerns from the public to the government of

Taiwan and create trust and commitments between all religions in Taiwan." - Dharma Master Hsin

Tao, Taiwan.

• "In drought prone areas create a demonstration plot and an extension of services." -Saran

Singh, Sikh, India. Refugees

• "Engage the spiritual leaders of the Hindu and Sikh communities of my country in making people

aware of the refugees and telling their stories of suffering so that hearts are touched and people

have an irresistible urge to help them. We will mobilize the community to volunteer in the medical

 

facilities of refugee camps with the help of other doctors." - Dr. Inderjit Kaur, All India Pingalwara

Charitable Society, Sikh, India.

• "Engage my church community to research what is happening to arriving refugees at the

international airport and begin working with agencies to ensure that they are treated fairly." - Rev.

Johanna Boeke, Christian, UK.

• "Engage the Office for Ethnic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago to lobby the legislature to

grant drivers licenses for those who do not have legal papers and to refugees." - Bishop Francis

Kane, Vicariate II/Archdiocese of Chicago, Catholic, USA.

• "To help new migrant community members who do not have enough food and no shelter. I will

educate other young people to open their mind and hearts to accept people from other

communities who need help because of their suffering." Meas Sokeo, Muslim, Cambodia.

• "Organize interreligious prayers and humanitarian help for people in areas of earthquake,

drought, flooding and war." - His Holiness Mahamandaleshhar Paramhans Shami

Maheshwarananda, Austria.

General

• "To speak more about issues of this Assembly in my own community and in my own job.

My first step is to educate my church community about the impact of debt in developing countries,

the need for clean water in many parts of the world, legislation regarding refugees and immigration

and the networks available to impact these issues." - Archbishop Jukka Paarma, Evangelical

Lutheran church of Finland, Christian, Finland.

• "Organize a forestation program among the school children in one of the villages in India to help

the ecology and give them an opportunity to know and interact with youth from other religions in

their community." - Dr. Homi Dhalla, World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Zoroastrian, India.