Note to Correspondents

Symposium in ‘Unlearning Intolerance’ Series

 

To Focus on Faith, Dialogue, Integration

 

“Faith, Dialogue and Integration” will be the focus of a symposium organized by the United Nations Academic Impact in the Department of Public Information, on 26 November 2012 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Conference Room 6 (North Lawn Building).

Organized in association with the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, the symposium coincides with the 800^th “urs” — or anniversary of death — of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty.  For years, the urs of Moinuddin Chishty has brought together people from all walks of life and from all religions to his shrine in Ajmer, India.  The symposium, to be conducted in the form of a conversation, will focus on a renewal of dialogue, aimed at building better understanding, harmony and collaboration among peoples of different cultures and faiths.

Speakers invited to participate in the conversation are:

·         Dr. Deepak Chopra, Author and Physician

·         Syed Salman Chishty, Director, Chishty Foundation (India)

·         Jonathan Granoff, President, Global Security Institute

·         Tene Howard, Associate Director, Global Kids (New York)

·         Dr. Neal King, President, International Association of University Presidents (IAUP)

·         Shula Koenig, Founding President, People's Movement for Human Rights

·         Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice-President (and former President) of the New York Board of Rabbis

·         Roland Schatz, Founder and CEO of Media Tenor International (Switzerland)

The symposium will also include readings from poetry and sacred writings, which will be rendered by Ambassador Eduardo Ulibarri, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations and Chairman of the Committee on Information; Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations; Roberto Cuccia of Bellini Conservatory, Italy; Prof. Alvaro Romo, Secretary-General-elect of IAUP; and Prof. Ichiro Tanaka of Osaka College of Commerce, Japan.

The symposium will be webcast and can be viewed at webtv.un.org.

The event is open to all, but requires registration.  Those interested to attend are requested to register at http://outreach.un.org/unai/2012/11/15/unlearning-intolerance-seminar.

The “Unlearning Intolerance” seminar series was launched by the Outreach Division of DPI on 21 June 2004 in order to examine different manifestations of intolerance and explore ways to promote respect and understanding among peoples.  It offers opportunities to discuss how intolerance, wherever it exists and for whatever reason, can be “unlearned” through education, inclusion and example.  Previous topics discussed in the series include anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hate media.

For further information, please contact Hasan Ferdous at ferdous@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record