On February 15, the Center for Interfaith Relations announced the programming for the 2013 Festival of Faiths, Sacred Silence: Pathway to Compassion. At Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s request, the Center for Interfaith Relations is hosting a special Festival of Faiths to help prepare the community for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Louisville from May 19th through 21st.** The Festival of Faiths, now in its 18th year, will take place May 14th through 19th at Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Galt House Hotel.
Programming for the May 2013 Festival of Faiths has been carefully planned to reflect its dedication to the historic meeting of the Dalai Lama and Thomas Merton in 1968. The Festival will feature renowned experts on meditation and compassion, drawn from the faith traditions of the world and recent scientific research on compassion. Programs will include daily guided public meditations, keynote addresses, films, and a dedication to Thomas Merton “in his own voice.”
SEE A COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Presenters include molecular biologist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard; globally recognized ecumenical teacher Fr. Richard Rohr; Rabbi Arthur Green, a preeminent authority on Jewish thought and spirituality; Seyyed Hossein Nasr, one of the world’s leading Islamic scholars and spiritual leaders; Arjia Rinpoche, director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana; and many more.
SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF FESTIVAL PRESENTERS
Festival highlights include a mini retreat on Tibetan Buddhism; presentations on how compassion is defined in Eastern and Western spiritual traditions; programming for middle school and high school students; and discussions about sacred silence from the Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Hindu traditions. The festival’s signature events will take place Saturday, May 18, when festival presenters will engage in an interfaith dialogue focused on the festival theme, Sacred Silence: Pathway to Compassion. Later that afternoon, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer will host a dialogue on compassionate governing. On Sunday, May 19, several Festival of Faiths presenters will join His Holiness the Dalai Lama on stage during his public talk at the KFC YUM Center.
Tickets for the May 2013 Festival of Faiths will be available in March through the Actors Theatre of Louisville box office.
See the festival of Faiths website, www.festivaloffaiths.org, for more information. For questions, call (502) 583-3100 or email festivaloffaiths@interfaithrelations.org.
**NOTE: The Dalai Lama’s visit to Louisville is hosted by the Drepung Gomang Institute. For details, email dllouisvillemedia@gmail.com. Information is also available at www.dalailamalouisville.org.