Welcome to NCCI

Interfaith Coalition for Peace and National Council of Churches in India
Commission on Unity
Jointly organize

Inter-faith Round Table on ‘Peace and Justice, Faith and Culture’

Place:Guwahati                                           Tentative Date: 9-10 Sept 2010

Aim:
Peace, justice, love and harmony are the core teaching of all faiths. But today religions are used and misused for selfish gain which creates hatred, tension and conflict among different religious groups. The North East India is clouded by many insurgency movements. Armed culture among the young people is on rise. Killings of innocent lives, economic blockage, bandh become everyday affairs. Life is under threat. It affects all life. The root causes of violence need to be addressed. One religious group cannot solve the ongoing conflict among different religious persuasion and ethnic groups. Interfaith peace coalition in collaboration with civil society is imperative and only option. Therefore, this inter-faith roundtable on `peace, justice, faith and culture’ to find is organized to find ways and means of interfaith peace coalition.

Objectives:
•To build Trust among the people of different faiths, confessions, ideologies and Sciences
•To Deepen Pluri-faith Life Affirming Spirituality among the Local Congregations.
•To make the participants to be the Agents of Change.
•To encourage the people to be inclusive in sensitizing about the threats to all peoples by Violence and Terror Attacks, Faith and Culture etc.
•To help the faith communities to be worthy of their existence on creating peaceful and healthy communities by joining their hands with another-faiths.

Programme Methodology:
It is a roundtable for interfaith peace coalition. The primary objective is to empower religious leaders for interfaith peace efforts. The roundtable will attempt to mobilize different religious perspectives on interfaith peace initiative. The roundtable will comprise of panel discussion, group interactive session and key note presentation from peace activists, scholars and religious leaders. There will be also sessions to listen to success stories of local peace initiative.

Participants:
Altogether 30 participants will be invited. 20 from different faith based organizations, 10 Participants from the NEICC constituent member churches. Gender balance is will ensured. Youth’s participation will also be considered.

Expected Out Come:
•Motivate participants to be agent of peace.
•Uncover the nexus between religious conflict, unjust economic system, migration, and ecological degradation.
•Provide skills to peace practitioners.
•Work out a mechanism to create interfaith peace platforms at grass root level.
•Create an Interfaith Forum for Peace and Justice in North East India.

Date:      9-10 September 2010
Venue:    Guwahati

Hospitality and Travel Assistance:

The participants’ local hospitality and only 3AC can be reimbursed (No incidentals from the organizers) by submitting the tickets.

Other information:
• Every Participant’s co-operation is solicited in presence, attendance, and active participation during the programme and programme venue from the beginning till the end.
• Please bring your faith scripture and participate in Inter-faith Worships

Programme Facilitation:

Interfaith Coalition for Peace (ICP) and Commissions on Unity of NCCI

Coordinators and Contact Persons:

Mr. Amrith Kr. Goldsmith
C/O CBCNEI Office
Panbazaar, Guwahati-1
Assam
Mobile: 09435196398

Rev. Miss Awala Longkumer
C/O House No. 42, Lower Lengrijan,
Dimapur-797112, Nagaland.
Mobile; 09436831438

Fr. Tom Mangatthuthazhe
C/O Bishop’s House, Diphu
Karbi Anglong, Assam-782460
Mobile: 0945066461

Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi
Secretary, Commission on Unity, NCCI
Christian Council Campus, Civil Lines, PO Box 205,
Nagpur – 440001, MH.
Tel: 07122521312; Mobile: 09422306295
Email: srongpi@nccindia.in, srongpi@gmail.com

Tentative Programme Schedule

Thursday 9 Sept 2010
14:30 to 17 – Arrival and Registration
17:00 to 17:30    - Tea
6 pm –Welcome & Introduction: Dr. Solomon Rongp
Inaugural address: Mr. A. K. Goldsmith
Felicitation:
Dignitary -1
Dignitary -2
Dignitary -3
Key-note: ‘Peace and Justice, Faith and Culture’: Rev. Fr. Dr. Pakiam Samuel

Announcements and Vote of Thanks.

Friday: 10 Sept 2010
8:00 to 8:30 – Breakfast
8:30 to 9:00 – Singing
9:00 to 11:00- Session I: Peace and Justice Issues in NEI
-    Interfaith Worship: Rev. Awala Longkumer
-    Key-note address : Dr.Mehmood
-    Panel discussions – 3 Panelists from different faiths
-    Group discussions
-    Group Reporting

11 to 013:00 Session II. Faith and Culture with reference to Freedom of Religion and Conversion

-    Key note Address –
-    Panel discussion – 1. Hindu 2. Islam, 3. Bahai, 4. Budhism, 5. Christian
-    Group discussion
-    Group Reporting
Announcements

1: to 2- Lunch Break

2:00 to 5:00- Session III. Conflict Resolution and Peace Building.
-    Worship
-    Key-note address –Fr. Tom Magatthuthaz
-    Panel discussions - 3 Panelists
-    Group discussions
-    Group Reporting
-     Vote of Thanks