Kochi to promote inter-religious harmony through dialogue

Kochi to promote inter-religious harmony through dialogue
TNN Oct 16, 2011, 07.46AM IST
KOCHI: Emphasising on the theme 'Significance of spirituality in the
twenty first century', the International Interfaith Dialogue India
(IIDI) will begin in Kochi on January 28 next year.

The three-day conference, which is expected to see 250 delegates from
across the world, is happening for the first time in India after
Geneva and Madrid.

Talking to reporters, IIDI president M D Nalapat said vice-president
Hamid Ansari would inaugurate the conference and eminent personalities
like Karen Armstrong, John Esposito and Bishop Desmond Tutu are
expected to attend the programme. "The conference, which was earlier
confined to Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, would also see
representatives of Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism
participating this year. We hope clarity of vision and philosophical
bases to emanate from the international seminar," Nalapat said.

According to the programme co-ordinators, the conference at Le
Meridien is expected to see 50 delegates from India and 200 from
abroad discussing how religion plays a vital role in moulding the
world view and in building a society where justice prevails.

Earlier swamy Shankaracharya Onkar, patron of IIDI, said the decision
to choose Kochi as the conference venue was taken after taking into
account the inter-religious harmony that exists in Kerala. "Through
this programme we want to unify various religions for inculcating
basic human values," the swamy added.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-16/kochi/30285927_1_kochi-inter-religious-harmony-international-seminar