Panels focus on Sept. 11 topics

Two free panel discussions — on "The State of Peace in the World, with a Backdrop of 9-11" and "9-11: Diagnosis, Prognosis, Therapy" — will be held March 25 .

Johan Galtung, formerly a professor in the Matsunaga Peace Institute, will lead a discussion on diagnosis and therapy with faculty members from the University of Hawai'i: Elton Daniel, who teaches central Asian history, and Dru Gladney, an anthropologist in Asian studies. Commentary will also be given on the "axis of evil" and on the Muslim situation in China. The first discussion starts at 2 p.m. at the office and meeting center of the Religious Society of Friends, 2426 O'ahu Ave.

Serving on the evening panel, set for 6:30 p.m. at the sanctuary of Harris United Methodist Church, will be religious leaders from across the island: Richard Paw-U (Buddhist), Dan Bender (Jewish), Hakim Ouansafi (Muslim) and Fumiye Miho (Quaker).

Contact Carl 'Imiola at 696-9086 or cskiyoung@cs.com.

Church talks by anti-drug activist

Ted Stone, a North Carolina man who has walked across the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, to bring his message of hope for substance abusers, is in Hawai'i to talk at two area churches.

He'll be speaking at 8 and 11 a.m. services tomorrow at Nu'uanu Baptist Church, and at 6 p.m. tomorrow at First Southern Baptist of Pearl Harbor.

In the early 1970s, Stone went from respected Southern Baptist pastor to drug addict and convicted felon.

He has collected almost 500,000 commitment cards from people pledging to live lives free from drug abuse. And he has co-written two books on the subject.

For more information on Stone's appearances, call Matt Sanders at 734-6426.