PRESS RELEASE
MASHDOTS COLLEGE
Contact Person: Sofi Boyle
411 E. Acacia Avenue
Glendale, CA 91205
Tel. (818) 548-9345
Fax: (818) 548-9342
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: mashdotscollege.org
PROMINENT SPEAKERS WILL HIGHLIGHT ROTARY’S
13TH ANNUAL PEACE CONFERENCE IN PASADENA,
CHAIRED BY DR. GARBIS DER-YEGHIAYAN
The beautiful Travis Auditorium of Fuller School of Psychology, 135 N.
Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, California has been selected as the venue for the 13th
Annual Rotary International District 5300 Peace Conference which will take
place on Saturday, May 10, 2008, 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. The theme of the Conference
is: "ENGAGING THE OTHER – THE POWER OF COMPASSION’.
Now more than ever . . . at a time of rising turmoil, a time that calls for
new thinking, new vision, new understanding, and new ways of relating in an
increasingly interconnected and interdependent global community, Rotary
International District 5300 is proud to present a multidisciplinary and multicultural
conference examining concepts of "THE OTHER" from a cross-cultural perspective
to promote wider public dialog about images of "US AND THEM" – the roots of
negative stereotyping and prejudice, and how to move past artificial barriers of
misunderstanding and distrust to cultivate compassion and capacity for
appreciation, diversity, reconciliation and peace.
Mr. Charles M. Barr, Governor of Rotary International District 5300 will
welcome the august gathering. Dr. Garbis Der Yeghiayan Past District Governor of
Rotary International and President of Mashdots College will serve as Conference
Chair and Moderator. Dr. Der-Yeghiayan is the founder of the District’s peace
conferences and has chaired all 12 past conferences.
Distinguished speakers include: California State Senator Dr. Jack Scott; Los
Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca; Rabbi Steven Jacobs, President of Progressive
Faith Foundation; Salam Al-Mrarayati, Executive Director of Muslim Public
Affairs Council; Rev. Leonard B. Jackson, Senior Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa; Grand Master Tong Suk Chun, President of World Cultural and
Sports Foundation; Dr. Henry Safavi, President of American University for
Humanities; Robert Jones, Director of Field Operations, National Insurance Crime
Bureau and Retired FBI Manager; Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, Executive Director of
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice in California; Dr. Andrea
Shields, Executive Coach-Psychologist; Kenneth R. Boyd, Past District Governor of
Rotary International and C. Ray Carlson, Rotary International District 5300.
World-renowned artist Mark Strickland will exhibit his works, 8:30 A.M. –
2:00 P.M., which expose the effects of cultural turmoil on the enduring human
spirit.
Established on February 23, 1905, Rotary International is the world’s first
service organization. Currently, Rotary boasts a membership of more than 1.2
million professional men and women who belong to more than 32,000 clubs
worldwide. Today, Rotary International encourages its clubs to focus on a broad
spectrum of service activities such as, hunger, the environment, violence
prevention, illiteracy, drug abuse prevention, polio eradication, youth, the elderly,
AIDS awareness and education, and other global projects. Rotary clubs around the
world are united under the motto "Service Above Self." The Rotary Foundation
is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the mission and efforts of
Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through global
humanitarian, educational and cultural exchange programs. The Rotary Centers for
International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution provide Rotary World Peace
Fellows the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in conflict resolution,
peace studies, international relations, and related areas. Each year up to 60
Rotary World Peace Fellowships are offered on a competitive basis. The Fellows
are chosen from countries and cultures around the globe based on their
potential as leaders in government, business, education, media and other professional
areas. Rotary Center alumni have demonstrated their ability to further global
understanding and peace in their work for United Nations agencies, and other
non-governmental organizations, along with national governments and
international businesses. Interested individuals may learn more about this and other
Rotary programs during the upcoming Peace Conference.
Admission is free. For on-line registration, please e-mail to:
[email protected]. You may also wish to visit the Rotary International District 5300 website
at District5300.org for a complete program.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
