Theme: Religion and World Peace
Where:
Sunday, November 17, 2024 (12:30 PM ~ 4:30 PM)
Venue:
McMaster University - Peter George Centre for Living and Learning (PGCLL) - Room #B138
Address: 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Ontario, Canada.
Extras: Free Parking | Free Admission | Free Refreshments
Click here to Register Online
Canada's Largest Multi Faith Event
Welcome to the World Religions Conference, where we address the profound challenges of polarization in our world. From political divides to religious differences, economic disparities to social inequalities, we are witnessing a troubling decline in empathy and tolerance, leading to an escalating cycle of conflict. This year’s theme, Exploring Religion and World Peace, invites us to confront the pressing question: How can we heal this fractured landscape? To tackle this vital issue, we have gathered representatives from major faith groups and philosophical traditions, united in their commitment to fostering understanding and promoting peace. Together, we will seek actionable pathways toward healing and harmony, highlighting the essential role of religion in creating a more peaceful world.
About World Religions Conference
The World Religions Conference (WRC) is a dynamic multi-faith event that unites renowned scholars from the world’s major religions to explore a common theme through the lens of their unique traditions. For over 40 years, the WRC has been an essential platform where diverse religious and ethnic communities come together in a spirit of tolerance, peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding. In light of the growing unrest and conflict in many parts of the world, the theme of Religion and World Peace has never been more relevant. By fostering dialogue on thought-provoking and timely topics, the WRC offers a unique opportunity for all major faiths to share their collective wisdom and teachings. Continually on the rise in terms of organizational standards, quality of content, and attendance, the WRC has become Canada's largest and longest running event of its kind!
The conference has a long tradition for bringing together renowned scholars for a deep and thought-provoking exchange of ideas. The event aims to explore the teachings and practices of different religious and philosophical traditions, with the hope that such mutual exploration will encourage better understanding and promote harmonious co-existence among the members of the society.
Participating Religions and Philosophical Traditions
Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Indigenous Spirituality and Humanism (Atheism and Agnostics)
The conference has been organized in Canada since 1981. It has a long tradition for bringing together renowned scholars for a deep and thought-provoking exchange of ideas. The event aims to explore the teachings and practices of different religious and philosophical traditions, with the hope that such mutual exploration will encourage better understanding and promote harmonious co-existence among the members of the society.
Date of Event: Sunday, November 17, 2024 12:30pm to 4:30pm
Venue: McMaster University - Peter George Centre for Living and Learning (PGCLL) - Room #B138
1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Ontario, Canada
For more info call: 1-877-INFO-WRC
Message from Dignitaries: To be shared later.
Program: To be shared later.
Speaker Profiles:
| Faith Group | Speaker | Headshot | Bio |
| Moderator | Dan Muys |  |
Previously holding office positions at Queen’s Park and on Parliament Hill , Dan Muys was elected in 2021 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He serves in the House of Commons of Canada as the Member of Parliament for Flamborough-Glanbrook. |
| Islam | Aizaz Khan |  |
Prolific speaker and a learned scholar of Islam. Imam of Baitul Islam Mosque, one of the largest mosques in North America located in Vaughan. Aizaz is a graduate from the Institute of Islamic Studies Toronto. Serving as a Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at. Served in Benin (West Africa), Cayman Islands and at MTA International, the community's 24/7 Islamic TV channel. Frequently appears in interfaith discussion and events across Canada. |
| Christianity | Fr. Yuri Hladio |  |
Fr. Yuri Hladio is a priest whose life flows between ministry, creativity, and service. His background is as diverse as his ministry, blending a love for theatrical improvisation, music performance, and storytelling with his deep commitment to serving others. Ordained to the priesthood in 2019, he now serves St. Maria of Paris Orthodox Church in Hamilton, Ontario, where he, his wife Nikyla, and their growing family joyfully participate in the life of a vibrant community. Fr. Yuri is also a Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces, serving as the Garrison Chaplain at the John Weir Foote Armoury in downtown Hamilton, offering pastoral care to military personnel. Whether leading worship, hosting a podcast, or providing chaplaincy, Fr. Yuri’s multi-disciplinary approach to life and faith allows him to connect with people in meaningful, imaginative ways—bringing a spark of life to every encounter. |
| Judaism | Cantar Paula Baruch |  |
Cantor Paula Baruch is the lead clergy at Temple Anshe Sholom, the oldest Reform Jewish Synagogue in Canada, founded in 1850. Cantor Baruch provides her community with pastoral care and guidance, lifecycle events, education for both youth and adults, and meaningful worship, ritual and observances. She has expertise in Music and Liturgy and Jewish Spiritual Direction. Cantor Paula Baruch has a passion for interfaith dialogue and learning. |
| Budhism | Venerable Thach Truong Dhammo |  |
Venerable Dhammo, a Theravada Buddhist monk, was born in Vietnam in 1963 and fled to Cambodia during the war. He eventually immigrated to Canada in the late 1990s. Since then, he has been active in the Khmer, Khmer Krom, and Vietnamese communities, establishing Buddhist temples and serving as the Abbot of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhist Temple of Hamilton, Ontario. He is also the president of the Khmer Krom Buddhist Monks’ Association of North America and a leader of the International Religious Freedom of Khmer Krom Federation. |
| Humanism | Doug Thomas |  |
Doug holds a B.A.in Research and Communications that Western thinks is a degree in Canadian History (Constitution) and North American literature. He feels they are entitled to their delusion. Doug also has a D.Ed.(English, History, Theatre Arts, and Co-op Education). He is a registered lobbyist to the Government of Canada Doug has been a Huxleyan agnostic since the 1960s and an active Secular Humanist since 2002. Since then, he has been an organizer and director with The Society of Freethinkers, and Humanist Canada. Since 2011, Doug has lobbied governments at all levels to eliminate systemic discrimination against non-believers. He is currently President of Secular Connexion [Séculière]. |
| Sikhism | Manohar Singh |  |
Manohar Singh is a Director of Religious Affairs at a Gurdwara in Brampton. He has been an activist on various community based issues over the last thirty years. He has participated in many conferences and workshops. |
| Indigenous | Stacey Laforme |  |
Born and raised on Mississauga of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), Chief Laforme, now retired, has served his community for over 20 years, being first elected to council in 1999. He has been very active throhgout MCFN's Treaty Lands and Territory, which encompasses 3.9 million acres of Southern Ontario. He is also known to be a notable storyteller, poet, and published author. |
| Hinduism | Raina Kalia |  |
Mrs. Raina Kalia moved as an immigrant to Canada in 2004. She grew up in the foothills of the Himalayas in India in her early years. Coming from a deeply spiritual background, with her grandmother being a religious narrator in a temple, she grew in a very secular neighborhood, and got exposed to Sikhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Muslim religion. Spirituality has been a guiding force in her life, with the understanding that it is a subjective experience which a person decodes based on their life, experiences, and inspiration. She will be sharing some wisdom nuggets from Bhagvat Geeta and the Vedas to share Hinduism’s perspective on World Peace. |
Follow Us
Follow us on our Social Media accounts:
- Twitter: https://x.com/wrconference/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrconferenceint/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Wrconference/61566362314260
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wrconference