The Gifts and Challenges of Controversy:
Tools for Deep Connection
Here's a link to conference information in
.pdf form.
Co-Hosts: The Interfaith Bridging Initiative and the Human
Rights Center at The University of Minnesota
Sunday,
Oct. 19, 2008 1:00 PM -- 7:30 PM
In times gone by, boarding houses would frequently post signs
cautioning guests not to discuss religion and politics at the
communal table. A recipe for sedate dinners perhaps; but sedatives
quickly wear off. Avoiding conversations that touch on sensitive
issues and on viewpoints foreign to us may work for a while --
provided that we live ensconsed in our isolated enclaves.
The world of the 21st century, however, is not a world of isolation.
Thanks to transformations in our technology, the walls of our
various ghettos are tumbling. We need new ways to engage with one
another. We need new tools that will help us honor our truths and
core values while also standing in meaningful connection with those
who embrace ideas and approaches we find foreign or simply wrong.
To meet that need, the Interfaith Bridging Initiative and the Human
Rights Center of the University of Minnesota have come together to
create a one day conference in the fall of 2008; and we would
appreciate your assistance in making the event a success.
Key Note Speaker: Prof. Kenneth Fox, Director Conflict Studies
Programs at Hamline University.
Click here for first 11
minutes of Key Note.
-
breakout sessions offering a variety of conflict
resolution tools
-
a communal dinner (where discussion of religion and
politics will not be discouraged)
-
an assortment of artistic offerings that that will offer
commentary on conflict and peace making.
Schedule:
1:15 Centering/Greetings
1:30 Kenneth Fox, Key Note Address
2:15 Break
2:30 First Breakout Session
4:00 Break
4:15 Second Breakout Session
5:45 Dinner
6:15 Closing Plenary Session
7:00 Dance Performances, Closing Song
7:30 Shalom/Salaam/Pax Eiraynai
The Interfaith Bridging Initiative serves as an agent for enhanced
communication and collaboration among Twin City interfaith leaders
and organizations. The Human Rights Center works locally,
nationally, and internationally to provide training, educational
materials, and assistance to professionals, students, and volunteers
working to promote and protect human rights.
