The Parliament of the World’s Religions looks beyond 2009

After seven magnificent days, the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions has officially closed,
with a moving ceremony at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. His Holiness the Dalai Lama was one of the many religious and spiritual leaders at the ceremony,
drawing the curtain on a truly remarkable event. Thousands of people from more than 80 cultures and faiths attended more than 650 programs, with over 1300 world-class speakers and performers, living the mantra Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth.

The Reverend Dirk Ficca, Executive Director of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, hailed the
event a huge success and thanked Melbourne for its gracious hospitality.“The 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions reinforces what can be achieved when people from different faiths engage in dialogue and seek common ground,” he said. “Melbourne has been a wonderful host, showing itself to be multiculturally diverse and embracing, and the ideal location for this global ecumenical gathering.”

Reverend Ficca reinforced the importance of building on the 2009 Parliament’s legacy, and urged
delegates at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference to heal the earth for future generations.
“Today is about more than celebrating what has been achieved here – it is also a day for looking
ahead. I call on all attendees to capture this event’s legacy, cultivating harmony among religions,
honouring differences and working together for peace and justice around the world'

“To assist in this process, we have launched PeaceNext.org, a social networking site harnessing the energy gained here and providing a diverse voice for the religions of the world.”

Supporters of the Parliament of the World’s Religions can continue the legacy by registering at
PeaceNext.org to connect with members around the world. Users can upload photos, blog posts
and discuss topics of importance.

“Let’s build on the momentum from this event, and help address critical issues of global concern,”
Ficca concluded.