Conference Announcement
The 6th Annual
International Conference on an Interfaith Perspective on Globalisation for the
Common Good
A Non-violent Path to Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
(Building a World that is Just, Free and Prosperous for All)
Istanbul:
The City of Understanding and Reconciliation between East and West
5-9 July 2007 – Istanbul
With
Post-Conference optional visits to:
(9-11 July,
Konya (the resting place of Rumi)
&
11-14 July, Symrna, Aegean District and Bursa (the first Capital of Ottoman
State)
Convenors:
Dr. Kamran Mofid, Founder-Convenor
Globalisation for the Common Good
Initiative
www.globalisationforthecommongood.info
&
Dr. Sammas Salur
Department of Public Administration
Fatih University, Istanbul
With Support of
Cemal Usak, Secretary General
Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Istanbul
http://www.cul-dialogue.org/?url=/home
Conference Board of Advisors
Prof. Dr. Alparslan Açıkgenç, Fatih University, Turkey
Rev. Prof. J.
Baitu, Director,
Centre for Social Justice and Ethics, Catholic University of Eastern Africa,
Nairobi, Kenya.
Dr. Josef Boehle, Research Fellow in
Globalisation, Religion and Politics, Department of Theology and Religion,
University of Birmingham, U.K
Alfred Bonner, Journalist, New York, USA
Rev. Dr. Marcus
Braybrooke, President,
World Congress of Faiths, Oxford, UK
Prof. Dr. Ömer
Çaha, Fatih
University, Turkey
Prof. David
Coleman, Dean of
Humanities and Fine Arts, Chaminade University,
Honolulu, USA.
Baqer Talebi
Darabi, Centre
for Religious Studies, Qum, and Advisor, Institute for Interreligious Dialogue,
Tehran, Iran
Prof. Dietrich
Fischer, Academic Director, European University for Peace Studies
(EPU), Austria
Dr.
Mitra Forouhar, International Lawyer and faculty member, European University for
Peace Studies (EPU), Austria
Prof. Linda Groff, Political science& future
studies, California State University, and Director, Global Option Consulting,
USA
Prof. Dr. Kenan Gürsoy, Galatasaray University, Turkey
Dr. Gabriele
Frohlich, Founder,
Global Development, Germany
Dr. Farhang
Jahanpour, PT
tutor, Kellogg College, Oxford, and former Editor, Near East and North
Africa, BBC Monitoring, UK
Prof. Dr. Mehmet
İpşirli,
Fatih University, Turkey
Prof. Yahya Kamalipour, Head, Department of Communication
and Creative Arts, Purdue University Calumet, and Managing Editor, Global Media
Journal, USA
Prof. Dr. Lütfullah Karaman, Fatih University, Turkey
Prof. Dr. Bekir Karlığa, Marmara University, Turkey
Jim Kenney, Executive Director, Interreligious
Engagement Project, USA, and former International Director, Parliament of the
World Religions (CPWR)
Dr. Audrey
Kitagawa, Advisor
to the World Federation of United Nations Association, USA
Prof. Jeannie Lum, College of
Education, University of Hawaii, Manoa, USA
Rev. Prof. John
Maviiri, Rector
and Vice Chancellor, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
Prof.Fr.
Peter Milward SJ, Emeritus Professor and Director, Renaissance
Institute, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, International Movement for a
Just World, Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Niyazi Öktem, Istanbul Bilgi University,
Turkey
Rev. Dr.
Ruwan Palapathwala, Melbourne College of Divinity& the Centre for
Social Inquiry, Religion and Interfaith Dialogue, Australia
James B. Quilligan, Director, Centre for Global
Negotiations, Brandt 21 Forum, USA
Rev. Dr. Alan Race, Editor-in-Chief, Interreligious
Insight, UK/USA
Dr. Şammas Salur, Fatih University, Turkey
Prof. Stephen M. Sachs, Emeritus Professor of Political
Science, Indiana University, and Editor/Chair, Non-violent Change Journal, USA
Jehangir Sarosh, President (Europe Region), World
Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), UK
Prof. Dr. Vildan Serin, Fatih University, Turkey
Dr. Keyvan Tabari, Attorney-at-Law, USA
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Psychiatrist, Turkey
Fedayi Uzun, Educational Expert, Kano, Nigeria
Prof. Lawrence Woods, Department of International
Studies, American University of Sharjah, UAE
Introduction
& Overview
Conflict resolution
in international affairs is currently undergoing enormous pressures, due in
part to the challenges of globalisation and its many cultural, religious and
economic contexts. To address this crisis, which has sadly been described as a
“Clash of Civilisations”, we propose a dialogue among civilisations:
an inter-active international symposium to contribute meaningfully to
the promotion of a global culture of prevention and non-violent conflict
resolution, mediation and negotiation.
Today’s
world of globalisation is marked by immense wealth and acute poverty. Moreover,
total concentration on wealth creation and economic growth – without our knowing how or why – has led to an erosion of moral and
spiritual values. It has also resulted in a destructive decline in the
institutions that have traditionally promoted and protected these essential
human values: the family, religious institutions and community structures.
There is a growing a poverty of values such as love, compassion, justice,
morality, solidarity, spirituality and faith, alongside an increase of
materialism and consumerism in many parts of the world. And when social justice
and human rights are routinely denied for the seemingly invisible amongst us,
peace remains only a dream.
We
believe there is an alternative, based on the moral and spiritual values shared
by all the world religions. The mystic tradition in every faith affirms that
all of life is sacred. The most powerful way for faith-based and spiritual
communities to influence beliefs, norms and institutions is through a prophetic
voice and public action. Highly visible faith and interfaith affirmation of the
great spiritual truths of peace, justice and the sacredness of the Earth and
human life can make a tremendous contribution to the non-violent path of
conflict resolution and the creation of a world that is just, free and
prosperous. Action and service by spiritual and faith communities and groups
can provide a vital source of inspiration and energy for the healing of the
world.
Call for Papers
Papers, pre-organised panels, and
roundtable submissions are invited from observers, commentators, academics,
post-graduate students and NGOs to address issues related to globalisation and non-violent conflict resolution within
the identified theme of the conference. Individuals
may propose linked panels, panels or papers.
We specifically
welcome papers from economists, businesspersons, philosophers, theologians,
historians, political scientists with an interest in international relations,
political theory or political economy, sociologists, psychologists, medical
professionals, peace researchers, conflict resolution specialists, lawyers,
environmentalists and geographers, as well as those engaged in inter-faith in
action projects.
We encourage
presentations from all disciplines and perspectives, focusing on, but not
limited to: globalisation; religions & globalisation;
non-violence & peace building; ethnic conflict resolution; the changing
nature of warfare; peace & conflict in a post-9/11 world; women, childern,
conflict & peace; religion, conflict & peace-building; the role of
media in war-making & peacekeeping; the economics of war & peace;
international law, cross-cultural & inter-faith dialogue; the role of
education in peace-making; the path to becoming a peace-maker; forgiveness,
reconciliation & conflict resolution; pandemic disease, aids, global
warming, environmental degradation & violent conflict; the role of human
rights & democracy in cultivating peace, dialogue, dispute resolution;
social change & non-violence; sustainable development, ecological balance,
community revitalization, reflective practice, intercultural relations,
grassroots movements & organisational transformation; poverty reduction,
peace, justice & conflict resolution; the creation of a culture of peace
through tourism; faith & economic life; spiritual business, capital &
peace making; selfishness, greed, materialism & violent conflict; moral
economy, fairness, compassion, responsibility & conflict resolution; youth
leadership, conflict resolution & peace-making.
You are invited to
submit a one-page abstract of your paper, which should include a working
title, the author’s discipline and field, address, institutional affiliation
and email address.*
Please send your abstract by March 15, 2007 to
Dr. Kamran Mofid and Dr. Sammas Salur:
k.mofid@btopenworld.com and ssalur@fatih.edu.tr
A dedicated conference
website is under construction. It will include various details about the
symposium, including academic panels, workshops and seminars, as well as
information about social/cultural/sightseeing tours and the cost of attending
the conference. Please note that travel arrangements and costs are the
responsibility of the attendee, and the Conference Organisers unfortunately are
not able to offer financial support. However, the overall costs will be highly
subsidised, enabling many to attend. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to
contact us with any questions that you might have.
With warmest regards
and best wishes,
Kamran Mofid and Sammas Salur
* Note: the Conference
Committee reserves the right to refuse permission to participate without
explanation.