The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
Calendar of US Conferences and Conventions 2010
The Gulen Institute Dialog of Civilizations Platform, January 22-23 2010, Houston, Texas
Conference on “Social Challenges of the 21st Century: The roles of government, civil society, media and educators.”
For more information, visit http://www.guleninstitute.org/index.php/Conferences/
Sikholars Conference, February 20, 2010, Stanford, CA
“The Sikholars: Sikh Graduate Student Conference seeks to bring Sikhs and non-Sikhs working on Sikh-related issues to an annual conference that unites a breadth of graduate expertise. From academia, to health, law, and business entrepreneurship, the conference will bring together a wide array of disciplines and scholarly interests to create an institutionalized channel to present papers on research, and informal circuits or networks for continued discussion. Inviting submission of abstracts, the two-day conference elicits proposals on various aspects of Sikh economic, political, health, cultural, and social life.”
For more information, visit http://www.sikholars.org
Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Developments in Buddhism in the West, March 18-20, 2010, Berkeley, California
“This conference seeks to explore contemporary and historical developments of Buddhist thought and practice in American Buddhisms, Buddhisms in the West, or Buddhisms outside Asia. How has the Buddhist tradition been shaped by the transnational movement of peoples, diasporas, or immigration? How has the rise of global communication, tourism, and capitalism affected the way Buddhism is understood, taught, and practiced? How do we define ‘modern’ Buddhism? The West? Or even ‘Buddhism’ itself in an increasingly globalized world?”
For more information, visit http://www.shin-ibs.edu/eventreg/Berkeley2010.php
5th Annual Kellogg conference at Siddhachalam, April 2-4, 2010, Kellogg School of Business, Chicago, IL
“Dr. Dipak Jain and Jain volunteers and leaders will be sharing their collective wisdom and strategize on strengthening JAINA and serving Jains in North America.”
For more information, visit http://www.jaina.org/?page=JAINALeaderHome
5th Annual Buddhist Women’s Conference, May 1, 2010, Chicago, IL
The conference day offers a multifaceted program that includes education, reflection and celebration, to provide opportunities for Buddhists from all traditions - both lay and ordained - to deepen their life in the Dharma. It will also offer those interested in Buddhism a chance to meet women practitioners and learn about Buddhism.
For more information, visit http://www.dharmawomen.org
35th Annual ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) and 11th ICNA-MAS (Muslim American Society) Annual Convention, May 29-31, 2010, Hartford, CT
“Experience the aura of a near perfect Islamic environment, where we eat, sleep, and pray with over 10,000 Muslim brothers and sisters while among the presence of world renowned scholars. Set amid a beautiful backdrop of the Hartford riverfront, hear loud and clear the azan 5 times a day and come within smelling distance the aroma of living in a Muslim community. For 3 days we walk as 1.”
For more information, visit http://icnaconvention.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
The 69th Annual Conference of the American Humanist Association, June 4-6, 2010, San Jose, CA
“Our annual conference draws hundreds of humanists from across the U.S. to hear world-renowned speakers, connect with fellow nontheists and have a say in the future of the organization. We work alongside other national organizations in the community of reason, and also reach out to our progressive allies to work on issues of common concern.”
For more information, visit http://www.americanhumanist.org/What_We_Do/Annual_Conference
Jakara Conference 2010, June 17-20, 2010, Fresno, CA
“As ‘People of the Shabad’ and the ‘next generation’ of Sikhs it is our duty to explore, understand, know, and love our Guru. This year at Jakara, we will experience ‘The Guru Granth Sahib: History of the Sikh Soul”
For more information, visit http://www.jakara.org/what-we-do/j-konference/registration-2010
Pagan Spirit Gathering, June 20-27 2010, Salem, Missouri
“The Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America's oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since its inception in 1980, PSG has been bringing together hundreds of people from throughout the United States, plus other countries, to create community, celebrate Summer Solstice, and commune with Nature in a sacred environment. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, PSG is open to long-time practitioners as well as newcomers to paths of Wicca, Paganism, Shamanism, Celtic traditions, Native American ways, Ecofeminism, Animism, Nature Mysticism, Pantheism, and related forms of Ecospirituality. PSG is an opportunity for personal renewal, networking, education, and cultural enrichment.”
For more information, visit http://www.circlesanctuary.org/psg/
Ninth Annual Worldviews Seminar at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, June 21-26, 2010, Dearborn, Michigan
The University of Michigan-Dearborn has since 2002 offered an intensive one-week seminar on world religions using metropolitan Detroit as a resource. The seminar dates are from Monday morning, June 21, through noon on Saturday, June 26. “Worldviews,” as the course is popularly known is available as a non-credit workshop at a reduced fee for people in the community who are interested in knowing more about the religious of the world in our community. It is also available for three hours of undergraduate or graduate credit is available through UM-D as “Religion in Contemporary American Culture” (Religious Studies 401/501). In addition to classroom lectures and discussions, students visit and meet people from a variety of religious communities including Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Muslim and others. Included in the fees are meals and transportation. Instruction for the course is provided by Dr. Lucinda Mosher, world religions scholar, assisted by faculty of the Pluralism Project at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
For more information, visit http://www.circlesanctuary.org/psg/
47th Annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Convention: “Nurturing, Compassionate Communities: Connecting Faith and Service,” July 2-4, 2010, Chicago, IL
“As the largest Muslim convention in North America, the annual convention brings together thousands of attendees including individuals, families, businesses, non profit organizations, and people of other faiths. This convention provides an excellent opportunity to businesses and organizations to reach out to potential customers in many ways. The attendee demographics encompass a wide spectrum of professions and backgrounds.”
For more information, visit http://www.isna.net/Conferences/pages/Annual-Convention.aspx
9th Biennial Young Jains of America (YJA) Convention 2010, July 2-5, 2010, New Brunswick, NJ
“To provide Jain youth the opportunity to engage in spiritual, networking, and social activities . . . the convention offers enriching dharmic discussions and unique social events from a range of activities that involve art (talent competition) to a night of memories (formal dinner and dance). The result is a network of Jain youth to carry . . . tradition to the next generation.”
For more information, visit http://youngjainsofamerica.org/2010convention/
NAIN Connect 2010, July 25-28, 2010, Salt Lake City, UT
“Better interfaith relations are a critical component of building caring, connected communities and a more peaceful harmonious world. Interfaithers know that. The challenge is to extend our reach by getting others to understand and get involved. The focus of Connect 2010 is on doing just that.”
For more information, visit http://www.nain.org/NainConnect2010.htm
33rd Annual 2010 National Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Convention, October 29-31, 2010, Madison, WI
"The Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., is an educational group working for the separation of state and church. Its purposes, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism….The Foundation acts on countless violations of separation of state and church on behalf of members and the public."
For more information, visit http://www.ffrf.org/outreach/convention/convention-overview/
United Jewish Communities General Assembly, November 7-9, 2010, New Orleans, LA
“The General Assembly (GA) is the premier annual North American Jewish conference, attracting Federation lay leaders and professionals as well as the leadership of UJC’s partner organizations and other important national Jewish organizations. It’s an event that inspires and engages current and emerging Jewish leaders, tackles the most critical issues of the day, and showcases the best of the Federation movement. The GA plenaries, forums and workshops feature top speakers from the political, business and non-profit realms.”
For more information, visit http://www.jewishfederations.org/local_includes/ujcfiles/ga10/ga2010.html
General Assembly of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service Centennial Gathering, November 9-11, 2010, New Orleans, LA
“The year 2010 will mark the one hundredth anniversary of the Edinburgh World Mission Conference, an event that is often regarded as the symbolic beginning of the modern ecumenical movement. With this in mind, the boards of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service have called for their 2010 General Assembly . . . to be a gathering of the movement, not simply an assembly of these two organizations. Leaders of various partner bodies - in this effort to realize a visible unity of faith, witness, and service - have indicated their strong interest in participating in this centennial assembly, including the National Association of Ecumenical and Interreligious Staff (NAEIS), the organization of State Ecumenical Executives (SEE), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Council of Churches, the Caribbean Council of Churches, the World Student Christian Federation, and the U.S. Conference of the World Council of Churches. Representatives from several of these are serving on the Centennial Assembly planning committee, further signifying the distinctive character of this gathering. The theme for the Centennial Assembly will be ‘Witnesses of These Things: Ecumenical Engagement in a New Era.’”
For more information, visit http://www.ncccusa.org/ga2010/
15th North American Zoroastrian Congress (NAZC) 2010: “Preserve! Protect! Perfect!” December 29, 2010- January 1, 2011, Houston, TX
“Ten years ago, at the Seventh World Zoroastrian Congress, Zarathushtis from all over the world gathered in Houston to celebrate our heritage – our Odyssey. Now, we invite you to visit us to rekindle our common bonds – to preserve the past, protect the present, perfect the future!”
For more information, visit http://www.fezana.org/files/NAZC2010/NAZC1.pdf
Tenth Annual Worldviews Seminar at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, June 20- 25, 2011, Dearborn, MI
The University of Michigan-Dearborn has since 2002 offered an intensive one-week seminar on world religions using metropolitan Detroit as a resource. The 2011 seminar dates are from June 20-25. In addition to classroom lectures and discussions, students visit and meet people from a variety of religious and spiritual communities including Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Muslim, Native American and others. Instruction for the course is provided by Dr. Lucinda Mosher, world religions scholar, assisted by faculty of the Pluralism Project at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
For more information, contact:
Sharie Beard
College-Wide Programs
College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters
sbeard@umd.umich.edu