Posted on: Sunday, August 19, 2001

Honolulu may bid for faith conference

Associated Press

A group of Hawai'i church officials is working to bring a world religion conference to Honolulu in 2005.

The Parliament of the World's Religions would likely bring 8,000 people to Hawai'i, according to organizers.

A meeting is scheduled for Friday at Central Union Church to discuss presentation of a bid for the convention. The Rev. Robert Thompson, chairman of the trustees of the Chicago-based Council for the World Parliament of Religions, will speak.

Jerry Chang, a former United Nations representative in Paraguay and a past vice president of the East-West Center, is spearheading the effort. He was one of 14 Hawai'i people who attended the 1999 conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

Several countries are bidding to be host to the next parliament, Chang said. The council requires the host city organization to work as a planning partner, which includes financial commitments.

Chang said the goal of the international interfaith parliament is to find common ground through which the world can live in peace.

"If there is no dialogue, we can't find common ground," he said.