When politicians from the most powerful countries meet in Huntsville, Ont., two years from now, a group of world leaders under a Higher Power may be gathering right here.
Lloyd Axworthy, president of the University of Winnipeg, has invited leaders of the world's faiths to his campus in 2010, the year Canada hosts the political leaders of the G8 countries in Huntsville, north of Toronto.
"I think it would give Winnipeg the feeling they would have a direct connection with the G8," says Axworthy, who sent the invitation to Japan with Rev. James Christie, dean of theology.
Christie is attending meetings of world's religious leaders in Japan this week in his volunteer capacity of president of the Canadian Council of Churches. Leaders of G8 countries meet in Hokkaido Toyako, Japan, July 7 to 9.
For the past three years, a religious leaders have gathered to discuss the priorities they would like the political leaders to address.
Last year, about 60 participants representing Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Shinto and aboriginal religious traditions from G8 countries and beyond met in Cologne, Germany, just prior to the political summit in Heilingendamm, Germany.
If the Winnipeg invitation is accepted, the religious leaders summit would be likely held in the recently renovated and restored Convocation Hall in the university's signature building, Wesley Hall, and the university would offer the use of its facilities and provide some meals, says Axworthy. He said the university would work with faith groups to get sponsorships and arrange travel subsidies to participants.
The possibility of leaders of many faith traditions meeting in Canada is already gaining interest in various circles, including the Canadian Jewish Congress, says Rev. Karen Hamilton of the Canadian Council of Churches.
"They are extremely interested and we are talking about what their involvement would look like as we move toward 2010," says Hamilton, who has major responsibility for planning the upcoming Canadian meeting.
This year, two different religious summits are being held in two locations in Japan, one after another, but Hamilton says Canadians would only hold one meeting.
"It shows two things, that the interfaith dynamics are developing globally," she says of the consecutive meetings which have some overlap of participants. "The second thing it indicates is how much passion and enthusiasm there is for the work" of inter-religious dialogue.
Holding such an event for religious and spiritual leaders from around the world on a university campus would also provide opportunities for students and the wider university community to get insight into the issues facing people of faith, says Axworthy.
"It would tie in very closely with (the university's) Global College," he says.
"It would be a terrific way to get our young people involved in (discussions) and debates about theology."
bsuderman@mts.net
The archbishop's message for Harper
If the leader of Canada's Catholics bumps into the prime minister in Japan, he has a simple message to deliver: Remember that what we do at home affects the rest of the world.
"I want (Prime Minister Stephen Harper) to know Canadian politics are not just for Canadians and that we're part of the larger word and all of the decisions we make have an impact on poorer countries," says Archbishop James Weisgerber of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg.
"We need to hold the government accountable to the promises we've made because in one sense they're minimal promises."
Weisgerber, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, flies to Sapporo, Japan, today to meet with dozens of religious leaders from around the world prior to the G8 political summit in Hokkaido Toyako July 7 to 9, which Harper will attend.
He's one of four Canadians -- including fellow Winnipegger Rev. James Christie of the University of Winnipeg's faculty of theology -- invited to Japan for a series of multi-religious events.
"They bring religious leaders together face to face, trust is built, relationships are built and the understanding of a common concern," explains Rev. Karen Hamilton of the Canadian Council of Churches, participating in her third consecutive religious leaders summit.
"When you sit in the same room and talk about the same things together, there's huge power to it."
Hamilton is participating in two separate gatherings of religious leaders prior to the G8 meetings, both with agendas addressing poverty, peace and hunger and multi-religious co-operation. At their conclusion, both gatherings plan to release joint statements to the politicians and the general public.
A draft statement from the World Religious Leaders Summit for Peace, the second of the two, is also concerned with the slow movement of G8 countries in fulfilling their promises to implement the Millenium Development Goals.
These goals are focused on reducing poverty and hunger, improving health conditions for children and pregnant women, educating children and ensuring environmental sustainability. For Weisgerber, his presence in Japan underlines the Catholic commitment to social justice and the responsibility of people of faith to cooperate for the greater good.
"One of the fundamental principles of Catholic teaching is that the goods of the Earth belong to all of the Earth. We're one family and certain people's wants can't trump another's needs."
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