Congrats to Prof.John Kurakkar,our newly elected Global Council Trustee from Asia Region

Congrats to Prof.John Kurakkar,our newly elected Global Council Trustee from Asia Region 

Our newly elected Global Council Trustees

Our newly elected Global Council Trustees

The following are the newly-elected members of URI’s Global Council from Asia

Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam (Muslim, Bangladesh)

A professor at the University of Dhaka, Dr. Islam worked with different religious scholars to establish the Warm Heart Association – dedicated to promoting inter-religious harmony.  He later established the Department of World Religions and Culture, before leaving his country to study Judaism as a Fullbright Senior Fellow.  Upon his return from the USA, he founded and now directs a Dialogue Center at Dhaka University, funded by the Bangladesh government. This is Dr. Islam’s first term as a Global Council Trustee.

“As long as I remain alive, I want to do my best to remove inter-religious hatred and enmity in order to keep my commitment [I made to my dearly departed] father.” (Dr. Islam)

Dr. Ravindra W. Kandage (Buddhist, Sri Lanka)

Dr. Kandage was a founding member of URI, and serves as the Executive Director of Sarvodaya Shanthisena Movement, a nationwide Sri Lankan network.  Having trained under the tutelage of the Apostle of Peace, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne of the Sarvodaya Movement, he and his organization are committed to the ideals of peaceful coexistence and offer full support of interfaith initiatives. Dr. Kandage returns as a Global Council Trustee for another term.

“Having been directly involved in prewar and post war reconciliation processes, I tell you here and now that URI has provided me a greater impetus to bring forth religious and ethnic groups through interfaith activities.” (Dr. Kandage)

Professor John Kurakar (Christian, India)

Professor Kurakar is a renowned teacher from the St. Gregorios College in Kottarakara, and an author of books related to literature, history and the environment.  He serves as the president of the Kerala Palliative Care Initiative and as the Chair of the URI South Asia region, as well as conducts an examination training center and publishing house in Kottarakara. This is his first term as a Global Council Trustee.

“I am proud to support Asia region through my contacts in different Asian countries.” (Professor Kurakar)

Youth Camp Photos

Minon Baby (Best Boy Actor in India) inaugurating URI South India Region Youth Camp- 2014 at 

Karickam International Public School (17 May, 2014)

New Executive Committee of URI Youth Movement in Kerala elected on 17th May

 Group workshop

 Our Youth Ambassadors

 Group discussion

Office bearers of URI Youth Movement in Kerala

 Budding artists who performed various items at the URI Youth Camp

 Group leaders who presented reports of 8 workshop groups at URI Youth camp

 Artist John Baby leading a session at URI Youth Camp- craft items with palm leaves

 Group discussion

 Group planning

 Participants of Youth Camp held at KIPS on 17 th May 2014

6th International Interfaith Conference on Holy Book

6th International Interfaith Conference on Holy Books

UNITED RELIGIONS INITIATIVE, SOUTH INDIA-SRI LANKA REGION

KARICKAM.P.O, KOTTARAKKARA, KERALA, INDIA-691531

Dear friends,

The inter-textuality series of conferences on Holy Books was started
in 2005 under the joint auspices of Cosmic Community Centre, Karickam
and Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Centre for Dialogue, Kottarakkara. Eminent
scholars from different parts of the world attend this biennial
program. Four books have been published with all seminar papers so
far. Themes of the conferences before were-
1.      2005 – Intertextuality of the Holy Books
2.      2007 – One Word, Many Versions: a Re-reading of the Holy Books
3.      2009-- Holy Books and Violence
4.      2011-- Holy Books and People of Differing Faiths
5.      2013—Holy Books and Life After Life
The sixth conference in this series will be held on 31st January and
1st February, 2015 at the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning,
Colombo, Sri Lanka. This will be followed by URI Asia Assembly from
2nd to 3rd February at the Sarvodaya headquarters in Colombo. Please
note that this is UN Interfaith Harmony Week and our programs will be
part of this celebration, too.
The theme this year is “Holy Books and Eco Spirituality.” As usual, a
book will be published with all papers that are to be presented.
Articles shall  be received before 15th November, 2014, so as to be
included in the book.
Registration fees will be 1000 Indian rupees (2000 Sri Lankan rupees)
per day for one participant. Kindly send in your registration and
papers as early as possible. A trip to Kandy will also be arranged on
the 4th (expenses shared).

For details:
URI Office, Karickam.P.O, Kottarakkara, Kerala, India-691531
Tel: 91-474-2663903 , 91 94465 93013
E-mail: urikarickam12@gmail.com

                                                                Dr. Abraham Karickam
                                                                Dr. Ravi Kandage (coordinators)