URI- HOLY BOOKS CONFERENCE AT BANGOKOK,THAILAND

URI- 7^TH INTERNATIONAL HOLY BOOKS CONFERENCE AT BANGKOK, THAILAND

7th Holy books conference was held at Bangkok Students Christian center on01 t0 03september, 2017.Fifteen years ago that Dr. Abraham karickam met some great scholars at the Melbourne University for an interfaith conference. They included Dr. Ruwan Palapathwala Wala, Dr. Ian Fry. Dr. Santhoshkumar , Fr. Gosbert Byamungu, Robert Catalano, Kesava Dasa Swami etc. The first Holy Books. Conference was born at KOTTARAKKARA under the patronage of URI Cosmic Community Centre ,Karickam and Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Centre for Dialogue, Kottarakkara. Our idea was to organise one meeting in two years and so far we were fortunate to conduct seven. The previous one was in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

It is our practice to publish a book also, with all papers presented during the conference. We were able to bring out six books so far. The theme this year was "Holy Books and Creation Stories- In Search of the Original Cosmic Design". Dr. John Samuel ( Executive Director of Forum Asia ) inaugurated the same at a meeting chaired by Rev. Dr. Charles Gibbs, founding Executive. Director of URI. Those who flew to Bangkok for paper presentation this year included Rev. Dr. Ward Bauman ( USA ), Dr. Santhi Hettiarachchi ( Sri Lanka ), Rev. Dr. Charles Gibbs( USA), Morgana Sythove ( Netherlands ), Dr. Abu Taher ( Bangladesh ), Dr. Varadan Chandar ( Sri Ramanuja Mission Trust India ), Muhammad Jehangir Alam ( Bangladesh ) , Vrajapathi Swamiji from the Vedanta Institue, Calcutta, Dr. Matthew Cobb ( USA ), Fr. Thomas ( India ), Dr. David ( USA ) and Swami Varun Agarwal from the. Vedanta Institute, Calcutta. Chief of the. Ramanuja Mission Trust, Chaturvedi Swamiji spoke to the participants through video conferencing. Forty delegates from different parts of the world attended. The Inauguration meeting was held on 1st September at Bangokok Students Students Christian Conference Hall.  Dr. Abraham Karickom welcomed the delegates. Rev. Dr. Charles Gibbs, founding Executive. Director of URI presided. Prof. John Kurakar, Global Council Trustee expressed vote of thanks to the Chief guests.

Secretary