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March 27, 2009
Dear Krishna,
As we reflect on our fruitful 3 days together for the
International Conference on Religion, Conflict, and Peace,
and on behalf of our staff, organizations, and supporters,
we wish to express how much we appreciate and value your
contribution of time, effort, talent, and goodwill in
supporting it’s mission. Your willingness to step forward
to help promote and facilitate this important public
dialogue is commendable and a testament to your commitment
to this work in the world, and we are grateful that you
joined us in launching this year’s program.
By Sunday’s closing, opportunities were already emerging
for both individual action and collaboration beyond this
first conference and in developing the program for 2010.
Our task now is to follow up on these opportunities and
share them to allow us to maintain the connection and
inspiration generated, and to promote effective ways of
putting principles into practice. Through our website,
conference blog, and virtual journal we will be compiling
and posting information on outcomes and future plans, as
well as offering opportunities for keeping participants
linked for cooperation and mutual support. We are also by
design fundamentally collaborative and invite those
interested to join us in this mission.
Our intent is to grow a network around this annual event
to carry forward ideas and action plans that feed into
subsequent events. If you have thoughts on ways to help
accomplish this or wish to be more actively involved in
supporting this effort please do let us know. Important
help can include offering feedback and ideas to consider
as we develop the program looking to next year, assisting
with raising awareness of the RCP Conference by reaching
out to more individuals and organizations to participate,
securing financial and in-kind resources to support the
conference and it’s outcomes, offering needed in-kind
services, assisting our organizational team, etc.
The response to this first effort confirms we are tapping
into a deep concern and need to address these issues in an
inclusive public dialogue, and that the intent of the
conference reaches people at a meaningful level. We feel
forums such as this provide the vital space for inviting
increasingly more people into the process and joining our
wisdom to explore ways of healing and transforming toxic
energy and dynamics that feed negative belief systems,
polarity, and the creation of enemy images of each other.
The potential for where this quality of engagement leads
is great in cultivating understanding, a consciousness of
peace, and instilling practical hope that can move us to
positive action in our personal and professional lives.
Your effort and support have clearly contributed to this
task, and we look forward to continuing to work with you
as we advance the mission of the RCP Conference.
Sincerely,
Steve Olweean, Director of Common Bond Institute
And on behalf of
Achmat Salie, Director of Oakland University Islamic
Studies Program |