LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — Participants of this year’s Lake Junaluska Peace Conference will be exposed to a dialogue of better understanding of the faith communities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. September 20–22 are the dates for this time of learning about one another’s faith traditions, examining what each brings to the search for peace, celebrating our common heritage and exploring ways we can be more effective “Peace Builders” in our local communities.Jimmy L. Carr, Lake Junaluska’s Executive Director, said the Peace Conference is an event all persons should attend.
“Lake Junaluska is delighted to once again provide the site and staff support for the Lake Junaluska Peace Conference. We appreciate so much the Peace Committee’s work in offering such a timely conference. Their efforts allow Lake Junaluska to serve the church and the community by providing challenging speakers and information to assist persons in becoming the peace makers that Christ calls us to be,” Carr said.
Speakers from each faith will describe what their scriptures and practices have to bring to the Table of Peace. Workshops will teach skills in being Peace Builders. Through prayers, celebrations, and the arts, we will experience what each contributes to the search for peace.
“This year's Peace Conference centers on an issue that has universal implications. There is much agreement that we will not have world-wide peace until the major religions understand each other better and develop genuine respect for one other. As we focus this year on the three Abrahamic Faiths, we hope a significant number of persons from each faith group will be here. Come expecting to be challenged by the presenters. Come with an open mind and an eagerness to enter into creative dialogue with persons of other faiths,” Garland Young, Chair of the Peace Conference Planning Committee, said.
Leadership for the event includes:
Archbishop Elias Chacour:
Father Chacour, a native Palestinian, was ordained a priest in the Melkite Catholic Church in 1965. In 2006, he became the Archbishop Metropolitan of the Melkite Diocese of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and all of Galilee in Israel. He has long been a strong voice for peace and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel and has worked with all factions and faiths.
Rabbi Arthur O. Waskow:
Rabbi Waskow has been one of the creators and leaders of Jewish renewal and of several important interfaith projects addressing issues of peace, justice, and healing of the Earth. He founded the Shalom Center in 1983 and has been its director since then, shaping it into a prophetic voice.
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed:
Dr. Syeed is the National Director of Interfaith and Community Alliances for the Islamic Society of North America. The ISNA is an umbrella organization with 300 affiliates across the US and Canada. He has been actively involved in fostering understanding among the world’s religions and has participated in interfaith dialogues at different levels.
Dr. Lisa Schirch:
Dr. Schirch is professor of peace-building at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She serves as executive director of the 3D Security Initiative, which promotes civil society perspectives on conflict prevention and peace-building in US security policy-making.
Cost: $89 ($79 before August 1, 2009); $65 – Students
Register online at www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx, by Fax (828) 452-1956 or by phone (828) 454-6656. Lodging reservations can be made at www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx or by calling 1-800-222-4930. Please let the reservations representative know that you are attending the Peace Conference.
Note: Clicking on the registration address above will take you to the Peace Conference homepage where there are links to on-line registration, plus full information about leadership, schedule, workshops, lodging, and event sponsorship.
For more information, please contact: Pam Naplen at (828) 454-6656, pnaplen@lakejunaluska.com
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