Katharine Hamer
Contributing Writer

AS Canadian president
of the international
Association for
Religious Freedom
(ZARB), Harold Rosen
reaches out from West

Vancouver to the world.
Rosen, the son of a Roman

Catholic mother and 2 Russian
Jewish father, is the minister of
West Vancouver’s Unitarian
Church and a keen proponent
of the interfaith movement.
Originally from New York
City, Rosen has been based on
the North Shore for 12 years.
He says he was drawn to
Vancouver because of its “cul-
tural diversity and beautiful
surroundings”: qualities he

a In:
mai

believes make the city ideal for
hosting the LARF's
“Vancouver International
Interfaith Congress on
Millennial Challenges,” at
UBC July 29-August 3

Under the banner of
“Creating an Earth
Community,” the conference
will bring together 600 partici-
pants from around the world,
representing virtually every
religious denomination.

“The challenges we, as
humanity, face at the millennial
threshold require a far greater
unity among us,” says Rosen.
“Our workshops — include
themes like globalization and
how religious communities can
unify to respond to its chal-
lenges. Another focus will be
on religious freedom and
threats to this fundamental
right.”

The five day conference will
feature international speakers
with workshops on themes

HAROLD Rosen: bring-
ing people together.

such as ‘revering nature,’ ‘nur-
turing spirit,” ‘sharing wealth,
and ‘preserving freedom.’

Onc of the highlights of this
year’s conference will be a heal-
ing, circle led by members of
the Musqucam Nation, says
Rosen, who describes the cere-
mony as creating a “healing

relationship towards the earth
and the indigenous peoples of
the earth.”

Japanese delegates, he adds,
have expressed a particular
interest in taking part in the
ceremony. As practitioners of
the ancient Shintoh religion,
many consider themselves to be
an indigenous people.

The conference will also
assess the progress of the inter-
faith movement over the past
century and into the future. ”

Founded in 1900, the IARF
is a non-government organiza-
ton based in Oxford, England.
ft has member groups in 25
countries, with an aim of bring-
ing together people from dif
ferent cultures and faiths to fos-
ter openness and understand-
ing, particularly with reference
to social justice and human
rights issues.

“Now there’s an alphabet
soup of international interfaith
organizations,” says Rosen.

This year BC Hydro expects more than 3.5 million
phone cails from customers. And each year this
number grows. To make sure we are available
when you cali, we are making a number of

changes, including:

_installing new phone systems to manage the

increasing volume of calls

creating four Call Centres to take cails from all

over British Columbia

increasing the number of agents available to.

answe7 your questions

providing a toll-free number (1 800-BCHYDRO)

for all of British Columbia

offering an easy-to-use web site so you can ;
contact us electronically (www.behydro.com):

“Buc the LARF was the first.”

Rosen thinks that “if reli-
gions can co-operate, there are
goed odds that nations can co-
operate. With all the major
changes the world is going
through, we need a moral and
spiritual component. There’s .
an increased international
awareness of ecological issues.
We have one earth; and no one
country can call the shots. Even
scientists like David Suzuki are
saying that unless we have a
spiritual reverence for the
earth, we won’t be motivated
to change the global ethic,”

” “Many say religion is dying.
I say religion i is transforming,”
Rosen says, citing the new age
movement and the introduc-,
tion of spiritual practices into
the business world. ..

A companion conference
for women delegates will pre-
cede “Creating An. Earth
Community.” Called “Patterns.
for the New. Millennium:
Women with Roots, -Wisdom
and Wings,” the women’s con-
ference. features an opening
night keynote address and per-
formance by local songstress
Ann Mortifee.

Coordinator.: Barbara Van
Hee says | the women’s confer-
ence is “a more comfortable <,

lace for women to up.”.
and talk intimatciy Spore thee
_ spirituality,” than the larger,’
mixed conference,

Information ‘about “ch
-» Congress is available: ‘at! the
TARE website: http J fiarfreli
giousfreedom.net. To. register
locally, contact ‘Harold Rosen «
| at 926- 1621. For. information -
-about the women’s conference,
‘contact Barbara’ Van, Hee a
925-8022. +.

West Vancouver police offi

... cers Will continue to teach high
; ‘School aren to tangle

s ‘summer bat they'll be taking a

While these changes are being made over the next _
several months, you may experience some delays

when calling — us.

We apologize. for. any .

. inconvenience and we look forward to being able -
to deliver the kind: of ‘uality service you expect

‘approach, by” targeting

: retailers who sell to minors

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end he of ioe and ‘alcohol

abuse through’, the’ squad’
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purchasi
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>? North Shore ‘Health: Region,”
«he said, ‘adding,

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