Dr. Robert C. Henderson

Baha'I

USA

General Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i's of the USA

Dr. Henderson formerly served as a founder and Senior Vice-President of Air Atlanta, the first United States African-American owned jet airline in the history of aviation. He also served as a Managing Director of Tarkenton and Company and as a Federal Commissioner of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission. His initiation and direction of the study, "Models of Unity -- Racial, Ethnic and Religious" on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, in collaboration with the Chicago Human Relations Foundation, resulted in a landmark analysis of inter-group unity in the Chicago metropolitan area and stimulated similar studies across the country from Portland, Oregon to Atlanta.

He was invited by President Clinton’s Advisory Board on Race to participate in the religious forum held in Louisville, Kentucky and was invited by the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. to give a plenary address to the international conference on girls’ education, “Educating Girls: A Development Imperative.” Invited by Nobel Prize winner, Eli Wiesel, and former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, Dr. Henderson also participated in the process for promoting harmony among diverse groups, "Anatomy of Hate: Saving Our Children." He addressed the Eli Wiesel Foundation for Humanity sponsored “Education Against Hatred" Seminar at Haifa University, a conference that brought together Americans, Arabs, Germans, and Israelis to consider means for eradicating long-standing hatreds.

Lally Lucretia Warren

Baha'i

Botswana

Chairperson, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’I in Bostwan

Ms. Warren, a nurse and midwife, began her involvement in interfaith activities two decades ago by being one of the organizers of local observances of World Religion Day. She is part of the 2002 International Advisory Committee. She chaired a session at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions: “Strategies for Mainstreaming Gender into Peace Building and Inter-Faith Programs” and women raising children as peace market”

Dharma Master Hsin Tao Shih

Buddhist

Taiwan

Chairman and Founder, World Religions Museum

Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in 1948 in Burma, and having no chance of schooling, Master Hsin Tao was tricked into joining a guerilla army very early he began his studies at military schools. Since he heard the story of Bodhisattva Kuanyin, Master Hsin Tao made a vow to spend his life following the spiritual example of Bodhisattva Kuanyin. At 25 he was tonsured as a monk. The method of spiritual cultivation chosen by Master Hsin Tao was ascetic hardship and solitary living. Over the following years he would sit in meditation for 18 hours a day, eating only one meal, and reading sutras.

In 1989, at the age of 41, Master Hsin Tao reentered society and established the Ling Jiou Mountain Cultural Foundation. Since then Master Hsin Tao has traveled extensively, founded a monastery in Taiwan and more recently the Museum of World Religions. Of the Museum, Master Hsin Tao states: "By establishing a museum where the identities of different religions are brought together and where this identification is put into practice, we can realize the ideal of: Respect for each religion, Tolerance for every culture and Love for every life,Together we can create a new century of love and peace.

Samuel Ruiz Garcia

Christian Catholic

Mexico

Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Chiapas

Samuel Ruiz García was born on 3 November 1924 and is known as Tatic (meaning “father” or “elder”). It is an affectionate Tzotzil title. Ruiz was a Mexican bishop from San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, from 1959 until 1999. He became aware of the problem of the indigenous people and started defending them, this zone in Mexico is characterized by its poverty and its indigenous population. Some 40,000 indigenous Mexicans received some kind of help from this bishop for over 10 years. Samuel Ruiz offered his help in conflicts in Central America and defended indigenous populations in Mexico and in Central and South America. He contributed largely to calm the difficult situation between the Mexican government and the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (Zapatista Army of National Liberation).

He won the Simon Bolívar International Prize from UNESCO in 2000 due to his efforts to fight poverty, exclusion, corruption, and violence and for his help in the mutual understanding of Latin Americans. He became a symbol of Latin American liberation theology and a good mediator between conflictive groups. He was a prominent invitee to the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Presenter at the 2004 Parliament in Barcelona, Spain. His publish book: “Lessons Of The Zapatista Uprising”

Joseph Praghu

Christian Catholic

USA

CSLA

Dr. Praghu has been teaching at CSLA since 1978, although, he has been a visiting professor at UCBerkeley, Harvard, Occidental College, Boston University and universities in India and Germany, part of his new editions are: "Gandhi and a Culture of Peace", "Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspective" and "Hegel, India and the Dark Face of Modernity."

At CSLA, he gives courses of introduction to philosophy concentrating on human values and views about reality and knowledge. He also teaches courses on Indian/Asian philosophy, 19 and 20C European philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of religion and social and political theory. His goals in teaching are threefold: 1. to actually do philosophy in the classroom, so that students learn how to think for themselves, 2. to provide students with both worldviews and detailed arguments, so that they are exposed to the excitement and rigor of the subject, and 3. to show the practical relevance of such thinking, to their personal lives and the world at large.

H. E. Msgr. Francisco Robles Ortega

Christian Catholic

Mexico

Archbishop of the Archdioceses de Monterrey

Rev. Robles is currently the Archbishop of the Archdioceses de Monterrey. He was named on January, 25, 2003, as the XI Archbishop of Monterrey, by the Pope Juan Pablo II. He was born in Mascot, Jalisco (Diocese of Tepic). He was the third child from a Christian home. He studied "Humanities" in the Smaller Seminary of Autlán; of "Philosophy" in the Seminary of Guadalajara and "Theology" in the Seminary of Zamora.

He was ordained Presbyter on July 20,1976 in the Parish of Mascot, Jalisco, for the Diocese of Autlán, by the H.E. Dn. Maclovio Vázquez, Bishop of Autlán. After his sacerdotal arrangement he completed his studies in Rome where he obtained the Degree in Dogmatic Theology in the Pontifical Gregoriana University.

He has served as a Vicar in the Parish of Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Autlán, Spiritual director in the Smaller Seminary of Autlán; Director of the Seminary of Autlán, etc. On regards of this Episcopal ministry. He was consecrated Bishop by S. And R. Mons. Alfredo Towers Romero, Second Bishop of Toluca.

Most Reverend Patrick J. Zurek

Christian Catholic

United States

Archdiocese of San Antonio TX

Patrick J. Zurek was born in Wallis, Texas, on August 17, 1948. He attended local elementary and secondary schools and received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and chemistry from the University of Houston. He also attended the Seminary of St. Mary, studying philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, and the North American College, Rome, studying theology at the Angelicum University. Subsequently, he earned a licentiate in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy, Rome. He was ordained a priest in Rome for the Diocese of Austin on June 29, 1975, by Pope Paul VI.

After several parochial assignments, Bishop-elect Zurek served as pastor of St. Thomas Church, College Station, and as diocesan director of permanent formation of clergy and as diocesan director of vocations. He has also served as vice president and president of the National Conference of Directors of Vocations. The Archdiocese of San Antonio serves a Catholic population of over 650,000 in a total population of 1.8 million. It is comprised of 21 Texas counties and parts of two others in the southwestern portion of the state.

H. E. Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja

Catholic

Indonesia

Archbishop of Jakarta

Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, Former President Delegate of the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, and former President of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia. He was born in Muntilan, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. On 1957 he entered St Stanislaus Novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Giri Sonta - Klepu, Semarang, Central Java, and took his first vows. He studied philosophy at De Nobili College, Pontifical Athenaeum, Poona, India, where he received his licentiate in philosophy. He did his regency at St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelan, Central Java, in the Archdiocese of Semarang. He Studied theology at St Ignatius College, Yogyakarta, in the same Archdiocese. He received tonsure from Bishop A. D'Souza in the chapel of De Nobili College, Poona, India. He also received Minor Orders from the same prelate. Cardinal Justinus Darmojuwono, Archbishop of Semarang, ordained him in Yogyakarta to the subdiaconate and diaconate.

His apostolic activity has been intense. He was subprefect and teacher at St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelang, and served as parish priest in Kalasan parish, Yogyakarta. He was rector of St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelang. In addition, he was a member of the 'Commissio de Ministeriis' of the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus; co-ordinator of the 'Commissio Educationis' of the Indonesian Jesuits; and national secretary of the East Asian Jesuit Educational Commission. He served as Provincial of the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus. On 1983 he was appointed Archbishop of Semarang (the Diocese had been established on 3 January 1961) and he received Episcopal ordination there on 29 January of the same year.

Dr. Jesus Castillo Coronado

Catholic

Belgium

Professor of the Saint John's International School
Philosophy and Religious Studies Department.

Jesus Castillo Coronado has a background in philosophy, holds Masters and Ph D Degress in Theology from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and did posdoctoral studies on the relathionship between philosophy, religion and science. He teaches Philosophy and Religion at Saint John's International School and has been a guest lecturer at Lumen Vitae and coordinator of the Vesta Initiatives of the Office for International Students and Scholars of the KULeuven (Belgium). He has taught Medieval Philosophy and Systematic Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake (Mundelein, IL, USA), is the editor of Faith Seeking Humanity: The Theological Endeavor of Juan Luis Segundo (Louvain Studies 22 [1997] 3) and Livres e Responsaveis: O Legado Teologico de Juan Luis Segundo (Sao Paulo: Paulinas, 1998) and is a member of the Global Issues Network.

Dr. Fabian Salazar

Christian Catholic

Colombia

Professor of the University of

Universidad del Rosario Colombia

Fabián Salazar has started his social work as a volunteer in marginalized communities, fruit of this encounter with the Colombian reality and his personal search of God, and as a secular person he studied Theology in the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogota, in this same university where he studied Bioethics. He was Coordinator of the Cultural center of the Arquidiócesis of Bogota, professor of the international Institute of Theology at Distance and Professor of Theology at the Rosario University. His academic contact with the religions carried him next to another colleague to propose the Rosario University of Bogotá, the creation of the Center of Theological Studies and of the Religions in order to promote the religious knowledge, the dialogue and the social joint work in favor of processes of solidarity, peace and justice in Colombia and its integration to international level.

Israel Batista

Christian Protestant

Ecuador

Secretary General of the Latin American Council of Churches.

Rev. Israel Batista, Secretary General of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), has responded to the call to alleviate the social violence in Central and South America. Batista and the CLAI organization have undertaken initiatives in the scopes of mediation in the conflicts and youthful delinquency. These initiatives aim to end the violence of the bands and to form to leaders of churches on the way to treat the conflicts and the violence in the communes. Batista works for a Latin America that already does not undergo the plagues of the civil wars and the violence within each nation.

He was ordained Pastor at the Methodist Church of Cuba. Graduated in Theology at the Evangelical Seminary of Theology of Matanzas and Bachelor in Computer Science at the University of Havana. He has held positions like: Pastor of the Methodist Churches in Havana, Matanzas and Cienfuegos. Pastor of the Latin American Community in Geneva, Switzerland. National coordinator of the Council of Cuba Churches. Professor and Dean of the Evangelical Seminary of Theology of Matanzas. Director of the Provincial Library of Matanzas (Ministry of Culture). Secretary of Program in Unit II. "Justice, Peace and Creation" of the World-wide Council of Churches. Secretary General of the Latin American Council of Churches. In his Ecumenical experience: he has hold diverse positions in the Council of Churches of Cuba (CIC)> he is Member of the Board of directors of CELADEC. He is the leader of Movimiento Estudiantil Cristiano (MEC). And leader at the World-wide Advice of Churches CLAI.

Hans Ucko

Christian Protestant

Sweden

Interreligious Relations and Dialogue, World Council of Churches

Rev. Dr. Hans Ucko was born in 1946 in Sweden, studied in France, Sweden, Israel, and India. He is an ordained minister of the Church of Sweden. He received his Ph.D. from the Senate of Serampore, India. His thesis "A Proposal for a Critical Interaction on Concepts Integral to the Jewish Tradition, as used in Jewish-Christian Dialogue, and in Minjung and Dalit Theologies, with special Emphasis on the Concepts of 'People' and 'People of God'" has been published by LIT-Verlag, Münster, 2002, under the title The People and the People of God in Minjung and Dalit Theology in Interaction with Jewish-Christian Dialogue . Hans Ucko is the Program Secretary in the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue of the World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland. Other publications include Common Roots and New Horizons (WCC, Geneva 1994), People of God and Peoples of God - A Christian-Jewish Encounter in Asia , (WCC, Geneva 1995), The Jubilee Challenge: Utopia or Possibility? (WCC, Geneva, 1996). He is the editor of the biannual WCC publication Current Dialogue and has written extensively on Jewish-Christian and interreligious dialogue in several languages.

Dr. Ucko is since 1989 the Program Executive in the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue of the World Council of Churches, Geneva , Switzerland . He has published an extensive number of articles and papers, covering issues such as interfaith dialogue, Jewish-Christian relations, Theology, Missiology, Liturgy in several languages. He is on the Board of Trustees of Hartford Seminary and an official observer at the International Council of Christians and Jews. He is the editor of the biannual WCC publication Current Dialogue.

Dr. Ricardo R. Saavedra Hidalgo, PhD

FIADASEC
Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner before United Nations

Dr. Ricardo Saavedra Hidalgo holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Health Sciences, Master Degree of Education and a Doctoral Degree in Psychology in Organizational Leadership.

Dr. Saavedra is currently Executive Advisor for International Development of Southern Christian University, Universidad Central de Nicaragua, and Universidad San Juan de la Cruz.

Dr. Saavedra currently supports to help reduce the vulnerability of poor people affected by natural disasters, conflict and environmental degradation – events which, sadly, are increasing. Dr. Saavedra also helps poor people to make a better living – by enabling producers to improve their production, processing and marketing. Dr. Saavedra helps poor communities respond to the challenges of new technologies, helping them to access simple effective technologies that can change lives forever, bringing positive, lasting change to people's lives in developing countries.

Dr. Ricardo R. Saavedra Hidalgo is Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of FIADASEC before United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). FIADASEC (International Federation of Associations of Social, Ecological and Culture Aid) www.fiadasec.org is a group of associations from different countries around the world. The main objective of FIADASEC is to help people in general to increase the levels of self-consciousness with a social development, self-consciousness, ecological and cultural education for peace that help to develop a complete human being and improve quality of life. Some of the recent activities made by FIADASEC:

Social aid activities:

Build and development of “The Integral Development Center” in Bani, Dominican Republic where we assist HUNDRED of children providing them food every day, and health care for the Santa Rosa Community (2522 families) through the medical center offering pediatric, dental, gynecologic care, internist, psychological care, layer assistance and vaccinations programs. Technical Schools such us sewing and tailoring, literacy programs (alphabetization) for adults. Building and development the “Alina Sanchez” feeder for hundreds of children in the Palave community where we assist 1427 families. Expending and assisting children with hydrocephalic valves.

Build and development of “The Integral Development Center” La Vega, Dominican Republic where we assisted children providing them food every day, and health care for the Juan Pablo Duarte Community (thousands of beneficiaries) through the medical center offering pediatric, dental , gynecologic care, internist, psychological care, layer assistance and vaccinations programs. Technical Schools such us sewing and tailoring, alphabetization for adults.

Environmental activities:

Lectures about Transgenic farming and Food Environmental Summit. Reforestation of parks and community fields at different cities. Ecological and Global Warming Awareness

Cultural Activities:

International assistance to all the FIADASEC members sending facilitators to increase knowledge to promote the education for peace and sustainable development. Giving lectures, workshops and seminars such as: “Increasing your life will”, “Resolving your relationships”, “You can get what you want” “Educating in moral values”

Reverend Isai

Dr. Mario Pereyra

Uruguay

Christianity

Clinic Phycology Professor, Universidad de Montemorelos, NL, México.

Dr. Pereyra specialized in Clinical Psychology, having the rolls of Family Therapist, Researcher, writer, University professor and Visitor Professor in the universities of Argentina, Chile, Peru, Haiti and Spain. He was recognized with the Certificate of “Excellence in Psychology” given by the American Psychological Association, Washington, US. He is author of several books and more than 350 articles of published newspapers and magazines of many countries which are based on family therapy, forgiveness and reconciliation, happiness. Currently he is Post graduate and graduate professor in the school of Clinical Psychology of the University of Montemorelos, NL, Mexico. He has attended and performed various congresses, seminaries, workshops, forums all of them orientated towards mental hygiene, therapy for forgiveness-reconciliation, solutions strategies for the conflict.

Rev. Dr. Wesley Ariarajah

Christian Protestant (United Methodist Church)

USA

Professor of Ecumenical Theology/Inter-religious understanding at Drew University

Dr. Ariarajah is the Former Deputy General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). He also is a Methodist Minister from Sri Lanka, who served as a Minister of the church, a lecturer in the History of Religions and New Testament in the common Protestant seminary of the Churches. In his education he has attained a Bachelor in Divinity (BD) degree from the University of India (is this what the university is called? If not, then it should say… from a university in India) after that he did his postgraduate work at Princeton (TH.M) and at the University of London (M.Phil and Ph.D.).

He had been at the forefront of the Council on Interfaith Dialogue at the World Council of Churches for a period of 10 years, time in which he represented the diverse and respect of all of the major religions in the world. At first glance, one would have a hard time discerning which of these religions he loved the most. That is why he is very recognized as a popular teacher in the field of religion. Presented at the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa: “Ecology as Experience in African Religions” In his publications we can mention: Hindus and Christians: A Century of Protestant Ecumenical Thought, The Bible and People of Other Faiths, among others.

The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky

Christian Orthodox

United States

Ecumenical officer, Orthodox Church in America

The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky

Ecumenical officer, Orthodox Church in America

Ecumenical Officer of the Orthodox Church in America, which is in unity with the Russian Orthodox Church, the Very Reverend Leonid Kishkovsky takes a fitting place in Chautauqua's Week One focus on Russia.

Having immigrated to the US in 1951, studied at the University of Southern California, and graduated from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1968, Reverend Kishkovsky was ordained to the priesthood of the Orthodox Church in 1969. He served in a parish assignment in San Francisco until 1974, at which time he became Rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Sea Cliff, New York, and Assistant to the Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, positions in which he continues to serve into the present.

Among numerous national and international involvements, from 2000-2003 Reverend Kishkovsky was also Moderator of Action by Churches Together (ACT), the Geneva-based ecumenical alliance of churches and humanitarian agencies), and had served prior to that as President of the National Council of Churches of Christ USA, an organization for which he continues to serve on the Executive Board and General Assembly. He is also on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Church World Service (CWS), and is editor of The Orthodox Church, a monthly publication of the Orthodox Church in America.

M. P. Mathai

Christian

India

Professor and Director, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University

Dr. Mathai holds an M.A. from Kerala University, M.A from Madurai Kamaraj University and a Ph.D. from Mahatma Gandhi University. He has a long career as a teacher and lecturer in St. Peter’s College, Kolenchery. He Served as Principal of St. Peter’s College, Kolenchery for two years. Selection Grade Lecturer/Reader in the School of Gandhian Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. He has been a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Gopuri, Wardha, Maharashtra since 1990. He has published some books and articles such as: Meditations on Gandhi, Samakaleeka Samasyakal, Mahatma Gandhi’s World-view, Gandhi Darsan Grandhavali a study series of 5 short volumes on the life and ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, Sahitya Padhanangal, (Current Books, Kottayam, 2004). His has published over twenty research articles, as well as books.

He has traveled extensive though US and delivered lectures and conducted workshops on Gandhi’s life and message, particularly on ‘The Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.’ at the invitation of Non-Governmental Organizations.

Tu Weiming

Taoist / Confucianist

USA

Director, Harvard Yen Ching Institute

Tu Wei-Ming is a Professor of Chinese History and Philosophy at Harvard University. He was born in Kunming, China and educated in Taiwan (B.A. at Tunghai University) and North America (M.A. and Ph.D. at Harvard University). Professor Tu is currently interpreting Confucian ethics as a spiritual resource for the emerging global community. He assumed his tenure as the Director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute in January 1996. In 1985, he was a Fulbright Research Scholar in China and was asked to teach "Confucian Philosophy" in the Department of Philosophy at Peking University. He also taught the modern transformation of Confucian humanism as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Philosophy and History at Taiwan University. Invited by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, he delivered 16 lectures under the general rubric of "A Confucian Critique of the Enlightenment Mentality" including the following topics: (1) modernity reconsidered; (2) the cultural implications of the rise of East Asia; (3) Confucian China and its modern fate; (4) on Confucian spirituality; (5) dialogue of civilizations; and (6) toward a global ethic. The lectures were given at New Delhi, Madras, Santineketan, Lucknow, and Vanarasi November 24 through December 14, 1995.

Tu Wei-ming’s research interests are Confucian humanism, Chinese intellectual history, philosophies of East Asia and comparative religion. He has served as Chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion and Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is currently chair of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy, Academia Sinica; vice chair of the Board of Directors of the International Confucian Association in Beijing; co-moderator of the Aspen Seminar on The Chinese in the Global Community; fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; member of the Advisory committee to the Program Committee of the American Philosophical Association; faculty advisor of the Singapore and Malaysia Association; member of the International Advisory Panel of Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the National University of Singapore; Board of Directors of the American Association for Chinese Studies; and member of the International Advisory Board of the book series "Global Encounter: Studies in Comparative Political Theory" (to be published by Rowman & Littlefield). He is also an interviewee of "Intercultural Visual Library of the Year 2000" that is sponsored by the UNESCO. He has published in Chinese and English.

Dr. Seshagiri Rao

Hinduism

USA

Chief Editor, Encyclopedia of Hindusim

K.L.Seshagiri Rao is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia, and Chief Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hindusim project. Dr.Rao is also one of the founding editors and regular writers for "Interreligious Insight", published by the World Congress of Faiths,