April 5, 2016, Seoul, Korea — A delegation from Pacifica Institute attended the the 2016 Korea-US-Turkey Interfaith Cultural Exchange Peaceful Coexistence in Seoul, South Korea. The program was co-hosted by local Seoul based NGOs, the Korean Council of Religions for Peace, and the Hangang Network — bringing together religious scholars and academics from the United States, Turkey, and South Korea.
Reverend Dr. Taesik John Park, Chair of the Panel, welcomed the distinguished scholars, who were from Turkey, United States and South Korea to the 4th Peaceful coexistence conference. “Your participation in this conference will be very fruitful in terms of understanding interfaith dialogue in Korea and also a chance for us to express our religious diversity.”, he continued.
The first panel, titled, “Liberation and Salvation” was held at the Koreana Hotel, where debaters shared their ideas and thoughts on how their culture, traditions and religion have an impact on communities. A round-table discussion, titled, “Religious Extremism at the Grassroots Level” was also held at the Seoul National University, where delegations emphasized the importance of education dialogue activities having access to communities, including those that appeal and create interest in all levels for the public.
Participants also visited and attended meetings at Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Korean Orthodox Church, Dharma Master of Won-Buddhism, Rainbow International School, including a meeting with the H.E. Archbishop Kim. The purpose of the meetings and tours was to learn more about other faiths, traditions, and exchange ideas. On the final day, participants visited various historical sites in Seoul and Gyeongbok Palace, including the traditional Namdaemun Market.
“As the KCRP, we look forward to the opportunity to hold the 5th event in the United States, to experience interfaith dialogue in the United States, and to exchange our experiences with the religious leaders of the United States” , Reverend Gwang Joon Kim, the Secretary General concluded.
