What do Presbyterian Christians and Sikhs share in common? What makes our traditions unique? Does interfaith dialogue strengthen or weaken faith? How do we love neighbors of different religions in difficult times? Join us for a fishbowl style interfaith dialogue between the Sikh Coalition and the Office of Interfaith Relations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In this interactive learning experience you will learn about Sikhism, Presbyterians and interfaith relations, see interfaith dialogue in action, and take steps towards building relationships of neighborliness and solidarity with the Sikh American community. February 1 marks the beginning of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week in February each year, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. For more information, contact Bob Brashear ([email protected]) at West-Park Presbyterian Church. Would you like to host a similar event for your church or group? Contact [email protected] at the Office of Interfaith Relations. West-Park Presbyterian Church previously screened Valerie Kaur's Divided We Fall: America in the Aftermath of 9-11 a film that documented the violence directed against the Sikh community in the wake of 9-11. Sponsored by the Sikh Coalition West-Park Presbyterian Church Committee on Witness to Society and the World, Presbytery of New York City Office of Interfaith Relations and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

What do Presbyterian Christians and Sikhs share in common? What makes our traditions unique? Does interfaith dialogue strengthen or weaken faith? How do we love neighbors of different religions in difficult times? Join us for a fishbowl style interfaith dialogue between the Sikh Coalition and the Office of Interfaith Relations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In this interactive learning experience you will learn about Sikhism, Presbyterians and interfaith relations, see interfaith dialogue in action, and take steps towards building relationships of neighborliness and solidarity with the Sikh American community. February 1 marks the beginning of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week in February each year, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. For more information, contact Alice Hudson ([email protected]) at Rutgers Presbyterian Church. Would you like to host a similar event for your church or group? Contact [email protected] at the Office of Interfaith Relations. Sponsored by the Sikh Coalition Rutgers Presbyterian Church Committee on Witness to Society and the World, Presbytery of New York City Office of Interfaith Relations and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

What do Presbyterian Christians and Sikhs share in common? What makes our traditions unique? Does interfaith dialogue strengthen or weaken faith? How do we love neighbors of different religions in difficult times? Join us for a fishbowl style interfaith dialogue between the Sikh Coalition and the Office of Interfaith Relations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In this interactive learning experience you will learn about Sikhism, Presbyterians and interfaith relations, see interfaith dialogue in action, and take steps towards building relationships of neighborliness and solidarity with the Sikh American community. February 1 marks the beginning of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week in February each year, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. For more information contact Greg Reid of Presbyterian Men at [email protected]. Would you like to host a similar event for your church or group? Contact [email protected] at the Office of Interfaith Relations. Sponsored by the Sikh Coalition Presbyterian Men, Presbytery of New York City Committee on Witness to Society and the World, Presbytery of New York City Office of Interfaith Relations and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

This series brings together teams from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other faith traditions for focused discussions on life and religion. Your preparation is essential; all students/groups must come with a faith adviser. All advisers are requested to RSVP to [email protected]. The dates and locations are: January 15, 6:30-8:00 PM Peace Academy 4630 South Irvington Avenue January 22, 6:30 - 8:00 PM Temple Israel 2004 East 22nd Place January 29, 6:30 - 8:00 PM Boston Avenue United Methodist Church 1301 South Boston Avenue February 5, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Service Project at Catholic Charities 2450 North Harvard Avenue The annual series is an effort to encourage interaction and dialogue among Christians, Jews, Muslims, and often persons of other faith traditions as well. The three-session Series has been enormously popular and successful since its inception in 1983, and provides an opportunity for high school students from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith traditions (and sometimes others) to discuss and learn about their own faith traditions while simultaneously exploring others. It fosters a strengthening of each participant’s chosen faith, better understanding of other faiths, and cross-cultural and inter-religious friendships. Teen Trialogue meets for three thematically organized sessions. All sessions are 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. (Except for the last session). Suggested discussion questions are provided. Adult team leaders from each faith tradition provide guidance and structure. Members of OCCJ’s Youth Committee oversee and facilitate the process. Teen Trialogue participants have said: “I liked gaining knowledge about other faiths.” “I liked meeting new people.” “I enjoyed experiencing different cultures and such.” “I really liked trying different foods.” “I enjoyed discussing faith with random groups.” “I liked being able to share personal experiences.” “I liked getting to know the different holidays of various religions.”

Join local religious leaders and experts as they address the topic “The Challenge of Civil Discourse: Religious Passion, Extremism and the Problem of Perception” at the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice’s 2014 Interfaith Trialogue Series in February. Dr. Gary Peluso-Verdend, president of Phillips Theological Seminary, will moderate each session. The programs are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. • Session 1, “The Good,” Feb. 2, 2-4 p.m., Peace Academy, 4620 S. Irvington – Kindness. Empathy. Compassion. When religious passion is channeled by a true believer, it can be a powerful contributor to the common good. Featured speakers are: The Rev. Floyd Schoenhals, retired bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Arkansas-Oklahoma synod; Rabbi Emeritus Charles Sherman, Temple Israel; and Sister Jackie Oyludag, Islamic Society of Tulsa. • Session 2, “The Bad,” Feb. 9, 2-4 p.m., Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, 1301 S. Boston Ave. – There’s a fine line between passion and extremism. That’s where religion becomes angry, triumphant. God loves me more than God loves you. Featured speakers include: The Rev. Floyd Schoenhals, retired bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Arkansas-Oklahoma synod; Rabbi Micah Citrin, Temple Israel; and Imad Enchassi, imam and president of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City. • Session 3, “The Media,” Feb. 16, 2-4 p.m., Congregation B’Nai Emunah, 17th and Peoria – The trouble is that we can’t always see these things clearly. We rely on the media, but it loves a fight. How can we tell what’s true or false? Featured speakers include: Mike Jones, associate editor, Tulsa World; Yvonne Lewis, news anchor, Tulsa’s Channel 8; and Rich Fisher, general manager, KWGS Public Radio 89.5 FM. For over 30 years, OCCJ has brought together Tulsans of various faiths for the annual Interfaith Trialogue. The series seeks to tackle tough issues in a way that helps us live together with our deepest differences. “The views expressed are sometimes deeply unsettling, and it feels healthy to confront our differences and to expose ourselves to views that are powerfully divergent,” says Marc Boone Fitzerman, Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Emunah. “It’s a never-ending conversation. Over and over again, it’s honest conversations on some of the most difficult issues in society. It’s a fearless project. The topics we have engaged in the past quarter of a century reflect that – violence, immigration, the relationship between religion and state.” Over the years, a broad variety of themes have been addressed. Says Sheryl Siddiqui, director of Community Relations and American Outreach for the Islamic Society of Tulsa, “Religion is one of the things that could bring us together, but it also divides us. OCCJ helps address the ills of our community in our interpersonal relationships.” The Rev. Dr. Bill Crowell, associate minister at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church and chair of the series for the 8th consecutive year, says of the planning committee, “We’re reaching out to the young population and young professionals, to involve them more.” The OCCJ Trialogue Series is made possible in part by the Tulsa Library Trust’s Alfred E. Aaronson Lecture Series Endowment. The Tulsa Library Trust’s Alfred E. Aaronson Lecture Series Endowment was initiated in 1969 on the occasion of Alfred E. Aaronson’s retirement from the Tulsa City-County Library Commission, the Gilcrease Museum Board and the Tulsa Community Relations Commission. Funds collected in his honor were dedicated to bringing authorities to the community to stimulate thought and action in fields where voids exist and offer other points of view. For more information please email [email protected].

To Celebrate and support World Interfaith Ha rmony The Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the World's Religions and All Paths Divinity School are hosting a Conversation in the Community on: Pluralism and Islam There are 4 parts to this Interfaith event 1. An interfaith panel 2. An interfaith café where small groups discuss the issues raised in the panel; 3. A second panel where important Muslim leaders talk about their outreach in their communities; and 4. a concluding no-host community-building dinner. The panelists in Part 1 are: Imam Jihad Turk, Milia Islam-Masjid, Dr. Hamid Malvani, Rev. Dr. Gwen Guibord and Rabbi Allen Maller and will be on this panel. The questions presented will be: (1) What are Islam’s attitudes toward interfaith dialogue and engagement? What special gifts does Islam bring to such dialogue? (2) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities for Muslims in living in a pluralistic society like the US? How in particular do you think Islamophobia might be countered? (3) Given that Islam is sometimes seen as a militant religion, comment on Islam’s messages of and attitudes to peace. Part 3: Islam Outreach in the Community panelists are : are Dr. Namazikah from the Iman Center, Farrah Khan from First Drops (a youth organization in OC), Ani Zonneveld from MPV. (We are waiting to hear back from two other panelists.) Concludes with important community-building no host dinner. Co-Sponsors: www.sccpwr.org www.allpathsdivinityschool.org

To celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week as designated by the United Nations, the Cornwall Interfaith Partnership (CIP) invites you to explore world religions by sharing a meal, listening to a presentation on how the Encounter World Religions Centre facilitates understanding of all the world’s major religions, and discussing with other participants in a spirit of mutual learning.

The fourth annual Interfaith Festival of Sacred Music, presented by the La Verne Cultural Arts Society on Saturday, offers more than just an enjoyable evening. Joanne Wagoner, the society’s vice president, said the popular presentation “is not merely entertainment. It is our attempt to create opportunities for people to experience diverse cultures and faiths, and to build respect, understanding and community.” The 7 p.m. concert at The Meeting House at Hillcrest in La Verne was inspired by a similar interfaith event in Morocco where Muslims, Jews and Christians have live peacefully for more than 300 years.

Interfaith Caring Ministries has been a cornerstone in helping to fill in gaps within government social service, health, and education. There are over 25,000 working poor families in ICM’s service area. We provide services that will assist our clients with their basic living needs and help them achieve self-sufficiency. Plans are underway for Interfaith Caring Ministries’ 4th Annual 5K Fun Run and Walk, “Superheroes Strengthening our Community.” Community members of all ages are invited to find their inner superhero and come dressed up in their wondrous attire (optional, but encouraged) to participate in this exciting event while helping Interfaith Caring Ministries fulfill its mission of “strengthening our community one family at a time.”

WHERE AND WHEN Exceptional event that will be held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (DC room) on 8 February 2014 from 11h30 to 13h00 (GMT) on the occasion of the 2014 WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK. GLOBAL TALK - SPECIAL GUESTS: Special guests will include notably: Jorge Sampaio (former President of Portugal, former UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations), moderator; Alexandre Palma on behalf of D. Manuel Clemente (Patriarch of Lisboa); Abdool Vakil (President of the Muslim Community in Lisbon); José Carp (President of the Jewish Community in Lisbon); Fadi Daou (Chairman and CEO, ADYAN Lebanese Foundation for interreligious studies and spiritual solidarity) directly from Beirut will also participate in this session, among many others. CONTEXT The UNGA Resolution on “World Interfaith Harmony Week” reaffirms that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of sustainable peace within and among societies. SPECIFIC GOAL OF THE EVENT Further to fostering dialogue, this 2014 celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week aims at promoting constructive engagement among Muslims, Christians and Jews and other faiths. The aim is to take a more practical direction, building on the examples of those communities in which different peoples come together regularly in professional associations, or on the sporting field, or in other social settings. Such day-to-day contacts carry less of the artificiality of established dialogue, and can be especially useful in demystifying the “other”. What if people from various religious backgrounds, faiths and beliefs get their act together in order to create a “World Interfaith Harmony Week Scholarship” to provide to Students academic assistance in emergencies? What if in 2014 Syrian Students are prioritized? Let’s match words with deeds in order to change the life of those who are victims of sectarian violence and deadly conflicts fueled by the lack of dialogue, tolerance and pluralism. Let’s sponsor Syrian Students and let them resuming their studies. CALL Join this global conversation! Enrich it with your own experience and views! Join our “World Interfaith Harmony Scholarship” initiative! Make a personal commitment! ______________________________________________________________________ On the UN World Interfaith harmony Week On October 20, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously established the World Interfaith Harmony Week through the adoption of a Resolution upon an initial proposal by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010. The UNGA Resolution on “World Interfaith Harmony Week” reaffirms that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of sustainable peace within and among societies and it proclaims the first week of February of every year the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs. _____________________________________________________________________ What does the Dialogue Café stand for? Dialogue Café (DC) is the first public high quality video collaboration network specifically designed for civil society – open to individuals and organizations with a social, educational or cultural mission - including foundations, civil society organizations, grassroots community groups, universities, schools, social enterprises, social entrepreneurs and innovators, artists and cultural organisations, public sector bodies and agencies and so on. We also seek to ensure diversity amongst our participants, paying particular attention to gender, age, and ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Together with Cisco Systems and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Dialogue Café Association has set up since 2010 a global network of physical spaces - Dialogue Cafés. It enables city-to-city and multi-city conversations and activities. So far there are 12 Dialogue café connecting Amsterdam, Cleveland, Lisbon, London, Melbourne, Northampton, Paris, Wroclaw, Rio de Janeiro, Florence and Ramallah and Beirut. (for more details see: www.dialoguecafe.org)