An Inter-faith Perspective on

Globalisation for the Common Good

 

 

 

 

The Annual International Conference Series,

Inaugural Conference, Oxford, 2002

 

 

To download the programme brochure as Adobe file (1MB) with photos click here

 

 

 

About the Conference Venue:

 

Why Kericho?                 

 

For many centuries, Africa remained labelled, in a rather casual and inconsiderate way, the ‘Dark Continent’. It suffered under the yoke of colonial subjugation and repeated economic exploitation. Its wealth of raw material, including gold and diamonds, was plundered and its people endured the untold sufferings of the slave trade. Africa was hastily carved up by the colonial nations in their scramble for a portion of the continent, and those regions that offered the most attractive climate and conditions were routinely granted to the aristocrats and those with wealth and power. After gaining independence, Africa became steeped in terrible debt for which, despite ‘debt relief’ programmes from the West, it is still suffering the consequences.

The conference venue in Kericho therefore throws into stark relief many of the challenging issues we face concerning ‘Globalisation for the Common Good’. It is surely time that humanity woke up to Africa’s enduring plight and found constructive ways to make amends and create real opportunities for regeneration and sustainable development.

The small town of Kericho owes its name to a renowned African healer and medicine man known as ‘Kerich’. People from far and wide would flock to see him in this green and fertile region of East Africa, so much so that the town was named Kericho in tribute to his remarkable healing gifts. Around the early 1900s, Kericho became home to settlers from the Indian Subcontinent, including a number of Sikh families. Today, the town is associated with one of the most eminent and influential Sikh saints of the twentieth century outside India. Remembered fondly as ‘Baba Puran Singh Ji of Kericho’, he was born in 1898 to a devout Sikh family in the Panjabi village of Gura. Married at a young age, he emphasised the Sikh principle of ‘Grihsthi Jeevan’, to live the life of a householder, carrying out all one’s responsibilities to family and society whilst kindling spirituality within, rather than choosing a reclusive life of meditation – in other words, this was to live like the lotus flower, with its roots in the muddy waters of earthly life, with spirituality blossoming like petals above.

Baba Puran Singh emigrated to Kenya in 1916 and spent a total of forty-seven years in Kericho itself, where he set up ‘Kericho Wagon Works’. There he focussed on earning a livelihood, being a father to his family and helping others in the town, notably through municipal improvement schemes, such as the renovation of hospitals, schools and churches. In recognition of his civic contributions, the town square was named Sant Puran Singh Square. He also devoted himself to a private life of meditation, a love for Kericho’s natural surroundings, and the practice and propagation of the Sikh faith, demonstrating that modernity and spiritual growth need not be contradictory. It was in 1952 that Baba Puran Singh’s spirituality was given open recognition by a visiting saint from India and, thereafter, Kericho became immortalised through his immense humility and compassion, resilience and conviction which drew thousands to the town. In the 1970s Baba Puran Singh came to England and became a catalyst for the spiritual regeneration of Sikhs in Britain and around the world and a driving force for interfaith understanding. He founded the international charitable organisation, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha whose headquarters are in Birmingham, UK, which promotes the spirit and practice of selfless service (‘nishkam sewa’) in the name of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith.

Today, Kericho is home to Africa’s largest Gurudwara or Sikh place of worship, which in recent years has been extended and refurbished as a ‘living’ monument to this great saint. For Sikhs who are endeared to the town and to the memory of Baba Puran Singh, the name Kericho is associated with the healing and rejuvenation of mind, body and soul, echoing the original legacy of the African healer ‘Kerich’ many year before. The spaciousand monumental Gurudwara, which has become a stunning architectural landmark in the region, envelopes Baba Puran Singh Ji’s modest family residence as well as workshop – the ‘Kericho Wagon Works’ – which is still operating 79 years on since it was founded in 1925. The site has been gazetted by the Government of Kenya as a place of spiritual significance. Another renowned Gurudwara in Kenya, which was the first to be built in the African continent, is in the small town of Makindu en route from Nairobi to the coastal resort of Mombasa, home to a long-established Sikh community. Still today, Makindu is a popular stop-over for pilgrims and travellers and is noted for its spiritually vibrant and refreshing atmosphere. Adjoining the Gurudwara an infrastructure has been built for ‘The Nishkam Puran Technical Institute’ envisaged to impart technical skills, with a faith dimension, to indigenous local youth. The visionary initiative, which in time should become a model to be emulated, is a combination of benevolence and charity exercised by followers of one faith into doing positive good for people of different faiths who are marginalised and less privileged. The unique enterprise thus strives to build bridges between different faith communities across physical and hierarchical borders, across nations and nationalities and, with the respective government’s blessings, to serve at the grass roots level. This development initiative can be seen as a practical example of the human spirit at work for Globalisation for the Common Good. The forthcoming April 2005 conference will be the second international programme to be hosted by GNNSJ in Kericho. In March 2004 it was the venue for a conference organised jointly by GNNSJ and Chicago-based CPWR (Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions) entitled ‘The power of commitment in improving the plight of refugees and addressing international debt cancellation for developing countries.’ This event brought together over eighty leaders and activists from around the world, including figures such as Rev. Professor Micheal Taylor, Director of World Faiths Development Dialogue; the Rev. Dirk Ficca, Executive Director of CPWR; and Hon. Dr. A. A. Moody Awori, the Republic of Kenya’s Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs. Faith is expected to be the ‘global prime mover’ of the 21st century in the third millennium. Globalisation without the faith element’s humane traits is bound to result in exploitation. To establish world peace and harmony, it is paramount that humanity eradicates poverty, through charitable acts and education, through exercising love for human beings, through actually practicing not theorising faith’s universal qualities of compassion, forgiveness, truthfulness, selflessness, humility and love. In turn, faith organisations should have an open door policy for social uplift, community development, conservation and environment issues as well as education and technical training. The Babylonian proverb ‘work is worship’ cannot be true without work having a faith dimension for its upkeep. The human spirit, being indestructible, is the only everlasting human ‘constituent’ that can, in absolute terms, guarantee sustainability. Finally, Kericho and the surrounding region can be considered as the emerald of Kenya; scenic and serene, it is a truly breathtaking, naturally carpeted ‘tea-country’ of tranquillity. The appreciation and protection of nature and the environment is mandatory for humanity within the globalisation context. Kericho is only an hour’s drive from the world’s largest fresh water lake – Lake Victoria Nyanza, and only some two hours drive from Masai Mara National Park, offering a chance to view Kenya’s extraordinary wildlife first hand. Conference participants will therefore have the opportunity to experience the region’s spectacular natural beauty during their stay. Nature according to the Sikh scripture is second to Godliness.

 

 

 

 

An Introduction and Mission Statement

 

 

 

 

 

The Children of Adam

Are limbs of one another,

In terms of Creation,

They’re of the self-same Essence.

Sa’adi.

 

 

 

 

 

What is to be done, O Moslems? For I do not recognise myself.

I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr, nor Moslem.

I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea;

I am not of Nature’s mint, nor of the circling heaven.

I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire;

I am not of the empyrean, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity.

I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Saqsin;

I am not of the kingdom of ’Iraqian, nor of the country of Khorasan.

I am not of this world, nor of the next, nor of Paradise, nor of Hell.

I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Rizwan.

My place is the Placeless; my trace is the Traceless;

’Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved.

I have put duality away; I have seen that the two worlds are one;

One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call.

He is the first, He is the last, He is the outward, He is the inward;

I am intoxicated with Love’s cup, the two worlds have passed out of my ken;

If once in my life I spent a moment without thee,

From that time and from that hour I repent of my life.

If once in this world I win a moment with thee,

I will trample on both worlds; I will dance in triumph for ever.

 

 

Rumi.

 

 

With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord

be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give

my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’ He

has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to

do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

 

Prophet Micah

 

Now is the time to know
That all that you do is sacred.

Now, why not consider
A lasting truce with yourself and God.

Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.

This is the time for you to compute the impossibility
That there is anything
But Grace.

Now is the season to know
That everything you do
Is sacred.

Hafez

 

 

Sooner or later, all the peoples of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

 

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Today the globalised world economy, despite many significant achievements during the last few decades, and especially since the end of the Second World War, in areas such as science, technology, medicine, transportation and communication, is facing major catastrophic socio-economic, political, cultural and environmental crises.

 

We are surrounded by global problems of inequality, injustice, poverty, greed, marginalisation, exclusion, intolerance, fear, mistrust, xenophobia, terrorism, sleaze and corruption. These problems are affecting the overall fabric of societies in many parts of the world.

Moreover, the twentieth century was the bloodiest in human history, with holocausts, genocides, ethnic cleansing, two world wars and hundreds of inter and intra-national wars. Furthermore, today after decades of selfishness, greed, individualism, emphasis on wealth creation without care about how this wealth is being created, the world is entering a period of reflection, self-examination and a spiritual revolution. Many people around the globe have come to an understanding that it is possible to create a better world if a critical mass of people with a sense of human decency and a belief in the ultimate goodness of humanity rise and realise their power to transform the world. More and more people around the world are realising that there are no short cuts to happiness. Material wealth is important. This should not be denied. However, physical wealth is only one ingredient for happiness. Realisation of a complete sense of happiness, inner peace and tranquillity can only be achieved through acting more on virtues such as wisdom, justice, ethics, spirituality and love. This spiritual revolution needs architecture and dedicated architects.


To address this need, in 2002, in Oxford, a small and humble movement for Globalisation for the Common Good came into being. This movement was for “Rekindling the Human Spirit and Compassion in Globalisation”. We wanted to have an alternative to the current dominant economic/free trade globalisation and to make globalisation good for all. Our movement found many dedicated and committed friends around the world. From Oxford we went to St. Petersburg, Russia, then to Dubai. This year we are in Kenya. 2006 will take us to Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii, while in 2007 we will be in India.

 

Globalisation for the Common Good Mission is to promote ethical, moral and spiritual values into the areas of economics, commerce, trade and international relations amongst others, as well as personal virtues, to advance understanding and action on major global issues by civil society, the private enterprise, the public sector, governments, and national and international institutions, leading to the promotion of collaborative policy solutions to the challenges posed by globalisation. We are committed to the idea that the marketplace is not just an economic sphere, ‘it is a region of the human spirit’. Whilst considering the many economic questions and issues we should also reflect on the Divine dimension of life, and should, in contrast to what is practised today, be concerned with the world of heart and spirit. We view the problem and challenge of globalisation not only from an economic point of view, but also from ethical, spiritual and theological perspectives.

We affirm our conviction that a genuine inter-faith dialogue and co-operation is a significant way of bringing the world together; leading to the creation of a harmonious environment needed to build a world of peace, justice and prosperity for all. The call for Globalisation for the Common Good is an appeal to our essential humanity to deal with some of the most pressing concerns of peoples the world over.

Religion has always been a major factor in the growth of human civilisation. Business and wealth creation when they are for a noble reason are blessed and vital for human survival.

 

Bringing religions and business together for the common good will empower us with humanity, spirituality and love.  It will raise us above pessimism to an ultimate optimism; turning from darkness to light; from night to day; from winter to spring.  This spiritual ground for hope at this time of wanton destruction of our world, can help us recognise the ultimate purpose of life and of our journey in this world.

In the beautiful and ever-lasting words of Eleanor Roosevelt; “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”. At Globalisation for the Common Good, we do believe in the beauty of our dream. We do know that you share this dream with us. Please accept my heart- felt thanks for who you are and what you do in serving the common good and thank you also for all your love, support and prayers.


 

Kamran Mofid

Founder Convenor

 

Greetings, Welcome and Thank You

 

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

 

It is our pleasure and honour to welcome you to the conference.  In these global and too often troubled times, we need new perspectives and models so that we can find humane answers to the challenge of globalisation, based on a profound respect for the diversity of cultures and religions in our world community.  As global events demonstrate, there is a desperate need to reintroduce spirituality, ethics, morality and faith into the debate on globalisation.

 

Looking at the conference programme, without doubt and hesitation, we can see that our accomplished speakers have risen well to this challenge.  The conference is truly privileged to have speakers of this calibre, sharing their views with us.  Without them there would have been no conference, and with them, we hope we can travel together to heal the troubled and torn cultures of our time and pave the way to global justice, peace and harmony.  We wish to express the conference’s respect and sincere gratitude to each of our presenters for their extraordinary commitment in being a part of this vital effort by giving their time and expertise freely.  Each one of our speakers brings a missing and essential piece that completes the process, leading to a better understanding of what globalisation is all about.  Hopefully, together, we can clearly argue for and insist on social and economic alternatives that address the roots of global injustice and inhumanity, leading to Globalisation for the Common Good.

 

We are also grateful to and thank all the conference delegates who have come from near and far to be with us.  It is wonderful for academics and non-academics to get involved and engaged with one another, so that we can all share each other’s varied experiences.  All of us must be given a voice to be heard.

 

 

We are most grateful to Hon. Dr. Moody Awori, The Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs, for his kind acceptance to be the Patron of the Conference. We also give our grateful thanks to the Government of Kenya, its Ministers and Officials who have provided much assistance to us. We are honoured to be in Africa-The Cradle of Civilisation- and Kenya-The Cradle of Humanity.

We are grateful to and thank our Local Organising  Committee (LOC) in Kenya.  Space alone has kept us from naming all of them. They have given their time, expertise and know-how as volunteers to Globalisation for the Common Good. We thank them all. We are however, particularly grateful to Sutinder Singh Jabbal, the Chair of (LOC), for all his support and hard work. Faith Muniu, our Conference Secretary, deserves a special thank. She has worked tirelessly, with great dedication and sense of humour. We would also like to thank Hayer Bishan Singh, Indish Hayer, Pal Singh Bhachu and Davinder S. Devgun for all their support. We thank the Audio Visual Department at Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, especially Nirmal and Sukhwinder, in preparing and the printing of the Programme. Finally, we thank our mutual good friend, Dr. Josef  Boehle for his continuous hard work in maintaining the commongood website and help in developing the conference programme.

 

This week, all of us, experienced and newcomers, young and old, students and teachers together will form a community, committed to exploring and debating visions and ideas for celebrating diversity, appreciating uniqueness, enabling us to transform disagreements into understanding and mutual respect.

 

In addition to plenary sessions and workshops, there will be opportunities for informal spontaneous meetings and dialogue between participants all through the week.  This, we sincerely hope will result in invaluable collaborative learning experiences and networking as well as rich personal interactions.  Please try to participate also in the cultural and social activities to cement further the newly formed friendships.  I hope you will take full advantage of all these activities.

 

In conclusion, we invite you to share a common belief in the potential of each one of us to become self-directed, empowered, and active in defining this time in the world as opportunity for positive change and healing and for the true formation of a culture of peace by giving thanks, spreading joy, sharing love, seeing miracles, discovering goodness, embracing kindness, practicing patience, teaching tolerance, encouraging laughter, celebrating diversity, showing compassion, turning from hatred, practicing forgiveness, peacefully resolving conflicts, communicating non-violently, choosing happiness and enjoying life.

 

 

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh and Kamran Mofid


 

 List of Speakers

 

 

 

 

 

Hon. Dr. A. A. Moody Awori, EBS, M.P.

The Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs, The Republic of Kenya

Dekha Ibrahim Abdi

Director, Wajir Peace&Development Initiative, Kenya

 

Rev. Prof. J. Baitu

 

Director, Centre for Social Justice and Ethics, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya

Teresa Baldwinson

 

Justice and Peace Campaigner, UK

Rev. Michael Bos

 

Director, Al Amana Centre, Sultanate of Oman

Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke

 

President, World Congress of Faiths, Oxford, UK

Shaheen Chandbhai,

Student, Centre for Women Studies and Gender Analysis, Egerton University, Kenya

Prof. Dr. Michael Chege

 

Advisor to the Minister for Planning and National Development, Nairobi, Kenya

Bagher Talebi Darabi

 

Centre for Religious Studies, Qom and Advisor, Institute for Interreligious Dialogue (IID), Tehran, Iran.

Cliff Edwards

 

Realign Consulting, UK

Prof. William F. Fore

 

 

Adjunct Prof. Divinity School, Yale University and Founder/Moderator Religion Online, USA

Moraa M. Gesicho

 

Department of Business Administration, Kenyatta University,       Kenya

Wayne Green

 

Global Affairs Consultancy, UK

Prof. Wendy C. Hamblet

Department of Philosophy, Adelphi University, USA

H.E. Dr. Ahmad Jalali

President of 31st UNESCO General Assembly (2001-2003) and President of the World Heritage General Assembly of UNESCO (2003-2004)

Dr. Judith Rahima Jensen

 

Director, Educational Solutions, USA

Prof. Yahya R. Kamalipour

 

 

Head, Department of Communication and Creative Arts, Purdue University Calumet, and Managing Editor, Global Media Journal, USA

Jim Kenney

 

Executive Director, Interreligious Engagement Project, USA

Prof. Mumtaz Ali Khan

 

University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India

Daniel Lewis

 

Chief, Disaster, Post Conflict and Safety Section, Un-Habitat, Nairobi, Kenya

Todd Lorentz

 

Centre for Global Negotiations, Brandt 21 Forum, USA

Sr. Beatrice Mariotti

 

Headmistress, St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Dubai, UAE

Rev. Prof. John Maviiri

 

Rector and Vice Chancellor, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya

Prof. Ali Mazrui

Director, Institute of Global Cultural Studies, Binghamton University, USA and Chancellor, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

Paul McCarthy FRSA

 

Principal Teaching Fellow, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, UK

Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

Founder-Convenor, An Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation for the Common Good, UK 

Roger Montgomery

 

Bishop, Spirit of Peace Monastic Community, USA

Dr. Mansoob Murshed

 

Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague, Netherlands

Rebecca Napier

 

Research Intern, Centre for Survivors of Torture, Dallas, USA

Hon. Prof. Peter Anyang' Nyongo, M.P.

 

Minister for Planning and National Development, Kenya

Emmanuel Franklyne Ogbunwezeh

Candidate, Faculty of Social Ethics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universitat, Germany and Nigeria

Prof. Mar Peter-Raoul

 

Marist College, Marist Praxis Project, Founding Resident: Beloved Community House (Casa de Beloved Communidad), USA

Dr. Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos

Reader in Law, University of Westminster, London, UK

Dr. James Bernard Quilligan

 

Director, Centre for Global Negotiations, Brandt 21 Forum, USA

Rev. Alan Race

 

Editor-in-Chief, Interreligious Insight, UK

Prof. Ahmad Sadri

 

Chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department, Lake Forest College, USA

Prof. Mahmoud Sadri

 

Department of Sociology, Texas Woman's University, USA

Jane Samuels

 

Director of the Removing Unfreedoms Project, UK

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh

 

Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha

Dr. Keyvan Tabari

 

Attorney-at-Law, USA

Dr. jur.Thilo Tetzlaff

Institute of Global Law, University College London (UCL), UK

 

Cemal Usak

 

Secretary General, The Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Istanbul, Turkey

Sr. B. K. Vedanti

 

Director, Brahma Kumaris, World Spiritual University (Africa)

Dada Vratadhiirananda

 

Principal, Ananda Marga Academy, Nairobi, Kenya

L. Muthoni Wanyeki

Executive Director, African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMENT), Kenya

Prof. Lawrence Woods

 

Department of International Studies, American University of Sharjah, UAE

Monday 18th April

 

 

Arrival at Nairobi Airport

 

 

Transfer to hotel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 19th April

 

8.00 - 9.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

 

Morning

Visits to Kenya National Museum and

Ananda Marga Academy, Kangemi, Nairobi

 

 

Lunch – hosted by Brahma Kumaris, World Spiritual University, Africa

 

Afternoon

Visit to the Animal Orphanage Sanctuary, near Nairobi

 

 

Dinner, hosted by Interfaith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 20th April

 

7.00 - 8.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

 

8.30 am

Depart for Kericho

 

1.00 pm

 

Lunch at Emelentaita Lodge

 

5.00 pm

Arrive in Kericho, Formal registration and room allocation

7.30 pm

Dinner

 

Thursday 21st April

 

6.00 – 6.30 am

Meditation and excersise (Optional)

Instructor: Dada Vratadhiirananda

7.30 – 8.30 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

9.00 am – 12.00 pm

Opening Ceremonies of the

4th Annual International Conference

 

 

Chair: Dr. Kamran Mofid, Founder-Convenor

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh

 

Traditional Kenyan Music, Dancers and Welcome

 

Welcome to Kericho and the Gurudwara

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh

 

Globalisation for the Common Good

Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

Opening Address and Welcome to Kenya

Hon. Dr. A.A. Moody Awori, E.B.S, M.P.  Vice president and Minister for Home Affairs

 

The Book Launch- Promoting the Common Good:

Bringing Economics and Theology Together Again  

 

Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke and Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

Presentation of the Book by Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh to the Delegates

 

Ground Breaking and Tree planting ceremonies; Nishkam Puran Institute

 

12.00 – 1.45 pm

Lunch

2.00 – 3.30 pm

Africa and Globalisation for the Common Good

(Session 1)

 

 

Chair: Prof. Ali Mazrui

 

Rev. Prof. John Maviiri

Africa and Globalisation: Contribution to the Common Good

 

Dr. James Bernard Quilligan

What Next for Africa? Twenty-Five years After The Brandt Commission Report

 

Hon. Prof. Peter Anyang' Nyongo, M.P.

NEPAD and the Status of Africa in the Era of Globalisation

3.30 – 4.00 pm

Coffee / Tea Break

4.00 – 5.30 pm

Africa and Globalisation for the Common Good

(Session 2)

 

 

Chair: Prof. William Fore

 

Rev. Prof. J. Baitu

Globalisation and Social Justice in Africa

 

Emmanuel Franklyne Ogbunwezeh

Africa as a Stranger in the House of Globalisation

 

Dekha Ibrahim Abdi

Interfaith Structures in Northern Kenya: Responding to Local Conflict, Contributing to Global Peace

 

7.00 – 8.30 pm

Dinner

9.00 – 10.00 pm

Reflections on Meditation and Inner Peace

Chair: Sr. B.K.Vedanti

Friday 22nd April

 

6.00 – 6.30 am

Meditation and excersise (Optional)

Instructor: Dada Vratadhiirananda

7.00 – 8.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

8.30 – 10.30 am

Africa and Globalisation for the Common Good

(Session 3)

 

 

Chair: Prof. Yahya Kamalipour

 

Prof. Dr. Michael Chege

The Brain Drain Issue in Africa: Is there a Problem?"

 

Moraa  Gesicho

Building Blocks to Peace in Africa and Globally: The Role of the Civil Society

 

L. Muthoni Wanyeki

African Women’s Human Rights in a Globalised World

 

Shaheen Chandbhai

Of Economic Justice and Gender: Structural Adjustment, Globalisation, and Poverty in Rural Kenya

 

10.30 – 11.00 am

Coffee / Tea Break

11.00 – 12.30 pm

Religion, Culture and Globalisation for the Common Good

 

Keynote Address

 

Chair: Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

Prof. Ali Mazrui

On God and Globalisation: Between Piety and Pluralism

 

H.E. Dr. Ahmad Jalali

Globalisation for the Common Good and the Divine Religions: A View from Islam

 

12.30 – 1.45 pm

Lunch

2.00 – 4.00 pm

Inter-faith Dialogue and Globalisation for the Common Good             (Concurrent Session)  (Session 1)

 

 

Chair: Prof. Ahmad Sadri

 

Jim Kenney and Rev. Alan Race,

Bridges:The Intrreligious Insight Paradigm

 

Sr. Beatrice Mariotti and Dr. Judith Rahima Jensen

Dialogue and Reconciliation: Pathways to Peace and Justice in Islam and Christianity

                     

Roger Montgomery

Hafez, Haleh and Global Unity

 

 

2.00 – 4.00pm

Ethics, Spirituality and the Common Good in the Age of Globalisation   (Concurrent Session)  (Session 2)

 

 

Chair: Dekha Ibrahim Abdi

 

Paul McCarthy and Cliff Edwards

Realisation for the Common Good

 

Dr. David W. Lutz

On Resolving the Conflict between Catholic Social Thought and Business Management Education

 

Prof. Mumtaz Ali Khan

Globalisation Coincides with Indian Humanism

 

Bagher Talebi Darabi

Study of Religions Promotes Interfaith Accommodation: A Case Study of Ian

 

4.00 – 4.30 pm

Coffee / Tea Break

4.30 – 6.00 pm

A Humanitarian Perspective on Globalisation

(Concurrent Session)   (Session 1)

 

 

Chair: Paul McCarthy

 

Daniel Lewis

Sustainable Relief and Reconstruction in Post-crisis Situations

 

Dr. H.L. Ndlovu

A Call for Interfaith Joint Social Action to Combat the HIV and AIDS Pandemic

 

Teresa Baldwinson

Towards a Level Playing-Field

 

4.30 – 6.00 pm

Philosophical and Political Perspectives on Globalisation (Concurrent Session)   (Session 2)

 

 

Chair: L. Muthoni Wanyeki

 

Prof. Wendy C. Hamblet

Is Religion the Root of Evil?

 

Prof. Mar Peter-Raoul

Jihad vs. the Beloved Community

 

Wayne Green

Concepts of Globalisation and Africa

 

 

7.00 – 8.30pm

Dinner

 

8.30 – 10.00 pm

Cultural and Social activities

 

Saturday 23rd April

 

 

 

6.00 – 6.30 am

Meditation and excersise (Optional)

Instructor: Dada Vratadhiirananda

7.00 – 8.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

8.30 – 10.30 am

Faith and Development in the Global Age

(Concurrent Session)  (Session 1)

 

 

Chair: Rev. Prof. J. Baitu

 

Todd Lorentz

Non-dualism:  Bridging the Gap in Human Development

 

Cemal Usak

Good Deeds: Justice and Peace

 

Jane Samuels

Journey to the Source of Interfaith and International Development

 

Dr. Mansoob Murshed

Marginalisation in an Era of Globalisation

 

8.30 – 10.30 am

Inter-faith Dialogue and Globalisation for the Common Good  (Concurrent Session)  (Session 2)

 

 

Chair: Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke

 

Prof. Mahmoud Sadri

From Irony to Inclusion: Early Models for Interfaith Dialogue

 

Rev. Michael Bos

From Plurality to Pluralism: Religious Coexistence in the Age of Globalisation

 

Prof. Ahmad Sadri

Disestablishment: A Trans-civilisational View

 

Prof. Lawrence Woods

High, Lows and the Way Forward: On the Challenges of Promoting Interdisciplinary and Interreligious Dialogue at the American University of Sharjah

 

 

 

 

8.30 – 10.30 am

International Law and Globalisation

(Concurrent Session)  (Session 3)

 

 

Chair: Prof. Wendy C. Hamblet

 

Dr. Keyvan Tabari

Africa and the Emerging International Law

 

Dr. Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos

Inside looking Inside: Legal Transplants as Always- Already There

 

Dr. jur.Thilo Tetzlaff

Intellectual Property and Music Downloads - Free at Last?

 

Rebecca Napier

Challenges of Resettlement in the Global Village: Somali Bantu Women in Texas

 

10.30 – 11.00 am

Coffee / Tea Break

 

 

11 –

12.00 Noon

Media, Reporting and Globalisation for the Common Good

 

 

Chair: Jim Kenney

 

Prof. Yahya R. Kamalipour

Global Media and Global Perceptions

 

Prof. William F. Fore

American Empire and the Mass Media

 

 

12.00 – 1.30 pm

Lunch

 

 

2.00 – 5.00 pm

Visit to Tea Plantation and Factory

 

 

7.30 – 9.30 pm

Gala Dinner

 

 

9.30 – 11.30 pm

Inter-faith Music Gala

 

     Sunday 24th April

 

7.00 – 7.30 am

Meditation and excersise (Optional)

Instructor: Dada Vratadhiirananda

8.00 – 8.45 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

9.00 – 9.45 am

Open Forums

 

 

1. Africa and Globalisation for the Common Good (GCG)

Chair: Rev. Prof. John Maviiri and Prof. Ali Mazrui

 

2. Theological and Economic Aspects of (GCG)

Chair: Rev. Marcus Braybrooke and Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

3. An Inter-faith/ Ethical/ Spiritual Perspective on (GCG)

Chair: Jim Kenny and Rev. Alan Race

 

4. Global Media, Reporting and (GCG)

Chair: Profs: William Fore and Yahya Kamalipour

   

5. International Law, Human Rights, NGOs and (GCG)

Chair: Dekha Ibrahim Abdi and Dr. Keyvan Tabari

 

10.00 – 11.10 am

Globalisation for the Common Good: The Way Forward

 

 

Chair: Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh and Dr. Kamran Mofid

 

10.00 – 10.10 am   Spokesperson- Forum 1 to report back

 

10.00 – 10.20 am   Spokesperson- Forum 2 to report back

 

10.20 – 10.30 am   Spokesperson- Forum 3 to report back

 

10.30 – 10.40 am   Spokesperson- Forum 4 to report back

 

10-40 – 10.50 am   Spokesperson- Forum 5 to report back

 

10.50 – 11.10 am   Conveners Respond and the Concluding Remarks

 

11.10 am             Conclusion of the conference at Kericho

 

 

11.10 - 11.45 am

Free time / packing

 

11.45 – 12.45 am

Lunch

 

 

1.00 pm

Departure from Kericho

 

 

Group One: To Nairobi/ Nairobi International Airport

Group Two: To Lake Naivasha

 

 

     Monday 25th April

 

7.00 – 8.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

8.30 am

Depart for Makindu from Lake Naivasha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Tuesday 26th April

 

6.00 – 7.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

7.15 am

Depart for Mombassa from Makindu

12.00 pm

Arrive Mombassa

Lunch and sight seeing tour

 

6.00 pm

Ferry crossing and departure to Tiwi Resort on the Indian Ocean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Wednesday 27th April

 

8.00 – 9.00 am

Welcoming Reception and Breakfast

1.00 – 2.00 pm

Lunch

 

 

7.00 pm

Gala Farewell Dinner and Entertainment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 28th April

 

 

All day Breakfast / Lunch and Departure to Nairobi for flights home or to connect for Safari

 

________________________________________________

 

 

 

2006 Conference Announcement and Call for Papers

An Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation for the Common Good

 

 

 

 

 

The 5th Annual International Conference on

An Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation

 

Globalisation for the Common Good: East Asia and Pacific Island Communities

The Quest for Identity, Justice and Peace

at

Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii

June 21 – 25, 2006

 

 

The Year of Solidarity with the peoples and communities of East Asia and the Pacific Islands

 

 

 

 

 

Convenors: Dr. Kamran Mofid, Founder-Convenor

and

Dr. David L. Coleman, Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts, Chaminade University

 

It is with great pleasure that we inform you of The 5th Annual International Conference on an Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation for the Common Good: East Asia and Pacific Island Communities -The Quest for Identity, Justice and Peace

The Conference will take place at Chaminade University of Honolulu from June 21-25, 2006. The University is nestled in the hills with breathtaking views overlooking Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean. Participants will be housed on-campus in newly refurbished apartment-style accommodations.  After the conference, participants will be afforded the opportunity to take tours of the Islands of Hawaii and to experience this wonderful region of natural beauty and friendship.  

Further details about this and past symposiums can be seen at our web site: www.commongood.info

This 5th International Conference on Globalisation for the Common Good addresses a world quest for international understanding, dialogue, justice and peace in Asia and the Pacific.  A large  number of speakers and delegates from around the globe will contribute to the mission of the Conference in a unique way.

In the decade of the Pacific, the world’s attention is focused on the emerging face of globalisation in Asia and the Pacific. Our unique perspective in this place is as a bridge of cultural understanding through which we can look at economic, political, military, environmental, and religious institutions as they interact in Pacific region. Our experiences are moulded in the bold heritage of the sea-faring peoples of the Pacific and their experience of autonomy and colonization, of communities imbued with beauty of song, chants, natural beauty unparalleled in the world and frustration and suffering brought by war and economic exploitation rippling across the Pacific in confrontations between the West and East in war for economic supremacy. In the past half a century the peoples of the Pacific have asserted their cultural identities, contesting for respect and attention to their needs and their unique gifts, while being buffeted by waves of commercialisation and westernisation.

It is beginning in this experience that our conference seeks papers, participants and insights into the effects of globalisation on the peoples of the Pacific. Moving onto the shores of the great Asian continent, the conference also seeks papers on the impact on globalisation on the great cultures and economies of East Asia. In these global and too often troubled times, we need new perspectives and models so that we can find humane answers to the challenges of globalisation, based on a deep respect for the diversity of cultures and religions in our world community. There is a desperate need for new and practical ways of reintroducing spirituality, ethics and faith into the debate on globalisation. Asia and the Pacific present a unique experience on the phenomena of globalisation with both cultural and economic resources that challenge a singular, Western definition for the cultural and economic relations among a truly global family of nations. Even the understanding of the common good, seen through the cultural lens of Confucianism, Buddhism, Shinto, and the religions and ways of life of the peoples of the Pacific becomes a richer concept and challenge to the status quo relationships among nations today.

Globalisation for the Common Good is proud to be involved in this vital and humanitarian debate. We are also equally proud and honoured that so many dedicated and committed specialists have joined us, so that, in the interest of solidarity and comradeship, justice and peace for all, together with our sisters and brothers of these islands, in an international conference in middle of the Pacific, we can share our research and develop a community of discourse on how best to move forward.

Papers, panels, and roundtable submissions are invited from observers, commentators, academics and NGOs to address issues related to globalisation within the identified theme of the conference.

Specifically welcome would be papers from economists, businessmen / women, philosophers, theologians, historians, political scientists/international relation, sociologists, psychologists, medical profession, peace researchers, conflict resolution specialists, lawyers, environmentalists and geographers as well as those engaged in inter-faith in action projects.  You are invited to send a one page abstract which should include a working title, the authors discipline and field, address, institutional affiliation and email address by 15 January 2006 to either of the conference convenors.

Kamran Mofid, PhD   
            k.mofid@btopenworld.com

and

David Coleman, PhD   
            dcoleman@chaminade.edu

           

            For frequently updated information on the conference please visit the websites:

 

http://www.commongood.info

 

http://www2.chaminade.edu/humanities/commongood (registration site)

 

 

 

 

 

Notes