Main speakers will be present at
DAILY PRESS BRIEFINGS
7-9 June 2005, at 13:00-13:30
at the Ecumenical Centre, 150 route de Ferney
Addressing some of the critical issues facing interreligious dialogue today, the 7-9 June "Critical moment in interreligious dialogue" conference will attempt to make a critical assessment of dialogue, identifying what has been learned from past experience in interreligious dialogue "so that we might begin to imagine the future".
More than hundred participants of diverse faiths and traditions, including many prominent voices in interfaith dialogue, academics, religious scholars, humanitarian workers, activists and journalists will attend this event.
Schedule of press briefings with conference speakers:
Tuesday 7 June:
H.H. Aram I, WCC central committee moderator
Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, WCC general secretary
Prof. Wande Abimbola, chief of African religion
Dr Heba Rauouf Ezzat, Muslim political scientist, lecturer
Wednesday 8 June:
Swami Agnivesh, Brahmin Hindu leader and activist
Rev. Valson Thampu, minister of the Church of North India (CNI)
Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, Muslim scholar and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award
Rabbi Naamah Kelman, dean at Hebrew Union College
Dr Vinu Aram, Hindu medical doctor
Dr Parichart Suwanbubbha, Buddhist staff member of Mahidol University Research Center of Peace Building
Thursday 9 June:
Rabbi Ehud Bandel, vice president of the International Council of Christians and Jews
Dr Marion Best, vice moderator of the WCC central committee
Prof Tarik Ramadan, Muslim author and university lecturer
Prof. Anant Rambachan, Hindu scholar and professor at St Olaf College
Ven. Bhiksuni Chuehmen Shih, South Asian coordinator of Buddha's Light International Association
French interpretation will be provided.
Plenary sessions are also open to press, and French interpretation will be available.
Speakers' biographical information as well as the conference programme are available at: