Towards a Global Family: A Buddhist-Muslim Dialouge

United Nations, September 3-4, 2008 - UFMEP President, Salwa Kader, was a key speaker for the panel discussion on “Peace and Human Rights” in the UN as part of the 10^th Dialogue for the Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue Series. Other speakers included Ms. Daisy Khan, Executive Director for the American Society for Muslim Advancement (“ASMA”), Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, founder and chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, Sharon Salzberg, a New York Times bestselling author and a prominent teacher for Buddhist meditation practices and Rev. Hogen Bays, Zen-teacher and co-founder of the Great Vow Zen Monastery. The event was organized by Global Family for Love and Peace and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations.  The aim for the discussion was to bring the two religious communities together to share perspectives and commonalities that can help further advance goals of peace and harmony.  

Discussion Topics

" What are some Dimensions of the Buddhist and Muslim and Muslim understanding of peace that can be contributive to our current global situation? What do women’s perspectives have to bear on these issues? What are Buddhist and Muslim contributions to the understanding and active promulgation of Human Rights in the world today?”

“The Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue series was initiated to foster a new global communication on how Buddhism and Islam can respond together to the challenges created by the political, religious, economic and cultural crisis facing the world in the 21st century. The Dialogue's goals are to create a partnership between Buddhist and Muslim communities in order to face these challenges on a peaceful basis of cooperation and friendship.”