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)

India Proposes 10% Budget Increase in defence spending; 3.3% Boost for Procurement

India has proposed a 10 percent increase in defense spending for the financial year beginning April 1, but the plan includes a boost of only 3.28 percent for new weapon procurement compared with a jump of 9 percent the previous year.

Indian Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram announced in Parliament Feb. 17 that defense spending for 2014-2015 would be 2.24 trillion rupees (US $36.3 billion) compared with 2.36 trillion rupees in 2013-2014. Because the rupee was weaker at that time, the defense budget was worth only US $33.95 billion.

For weapon and equipment purchases, the equivalent of US $14.93 billion has been allocated for the next fiscal year, compared with US $14.56 billion for the current year.

The budget allocations proposed by Chidambaram could change, however, when the new government announces its budget after general elections slotted before May. Chidambaram presented an interim budget, which would govern spending only for the next four months.

“The budget proposals are subject to change by the new government after the general elections. As such the latest proposals only give adirection of the defense spending in the year 2014-15, because these figures can be changed by the new government,” said Nitin Mehta, defense analyst.

Resources available to buy new arms over the past year shrunk sharply because of a decline of more than 10 percent in the value of the rupee against the US dollar, and because funds for weapons were diverted for other purposes.

The Indian defense minister diverted US $1.3 billion from the Capital Head of the budget, which was intended for new weapons andequipment, to the Revenue Head, which is largely used to pay salaries, pensions and other day-to-day equipment for the troops, said a Defence Ministry source.

The fund diversion affected the inking of several defense projects, including the purchase of Boeing AH-64-D Apache helicopters worth US $1.16 billion, Boeing Chinook heavy-lift helicopters worth US $833 million, and the purchase of 145 light howitzers from the US subsidiary of BAE Systems for US $583 million.

The fate of defense projects in the pipeline will only be decided by the next government, scheduled to take over in June.

“If the failure to spend [US $1.66 billion] in 2012-13 is also taken into account with the falling rupee and diversion of funds, then the picture is a clear starvation of fresh contracts by the government in the last two years and the trend looks the same given the small increase in money for weapons and equipment,” said Mehta.

URI Annual Youth Camp 2014

UNITED RELIGIONS INITIATIVE

SOUTH INDIA – SRI LANKA REGION

MUNDACKAL BUILDINGS, KARICKAM P.O

KOTTATAKARA

URI Annual Youth Camp 2014

Date    : 17 – 18 May 2014 (Saturday & Sunday).

Venue : Karickam International Public School.

Theme : Golden Rules for World Peace.

Dear friends,

We are happy to inform you that the URI Annual Residential Youth Camp 2014 is scheduled to be held at Karickam International Public School from 17^th to 18^th May 2014. The theme will be Golden Rules for World Peace. Eminent scholars will be giving leadership.

Each CC is requested to send maximum number of delegates. Registration fees will be Rs. 150 per candidate (Rs. 100 for Dalit Members).

Participants have to register their names before 10^th May 2014 at the following address:

URI Office

Karickam P.O                                                                                                     Dr. Abraham Karickam

Kottarakara                                                                                                        (Exe. Secretary, URI Asia Region)

Ph: 04742663903, 9446593013                                                

Email: urikarickam12@gmail.com                                                      Prof. John Kurakar

                                                                                                                                (Regional Chairman)

                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                      Sajan Koshy (Regional Convener)

                                                                                                                               

                                                                                   Anila S.V 

                                                                        (Camp Coordinator)                                                                                                 

                                                                                                               

N.B:

1.       Campers are to bring Plate, Cup, Bed sheet and Pillow.

2.       Best Campers will be awarded Cash prizes.

3.       Talent night and Camp fire arranged on 17^th night.

4.       Mobile and Camera not allowed.

URI SOUTH INDIA - SRILANKA

URI Karickam

URI Karickam

URI Karickam