| RELIGIOUS LEADERS JOIN THE PRESIDENT'S RACE INITIATIVE IN 
LOUISVILLE TO EXPLORE STRATEGIES FOR RACIAL RECONCILIATION 
Washington, DC -- From Hindus to Christians, Catholics, Baha'is, Muslims 
and Jews, members of the faith community will join Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson 
Cook, Advisory Board member to the President's Race Initiative, in a 
forum to examine "the changing face of the faith community and solutions 
to bridging the nation's racial divide."  The meeting will convene on 
June 1, at Spalding University, Louisville, Kentucky.
 	
The forum will begin with opening remarks by Rev. Dr. Johnson Cook and 
Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.  Diana Eck, Ph.D., a Harvard University 
Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, will present an 
overview on "the changing face of the faith community in America."  Rose 
Ochi, Director of the U.S. Justice Department Community Relations 
Service, will moderate a panel discussion on the impact of the nation's 
changing racial demographics on the faith community nationally and in 
Louisville, followed by an audience question and answer session. Rev. Dr. 
Tony Campolo, Founder and President of the Evangelical Association for 
the Promotion of Education, St. Davids, PA, will give a keynote address 
on "racial reconciliation from a spiritual perspective."  An afternoon 
panel will explore key elements of promising practices that are 
successfully bridging racial divides. The day will conclude with 
discussion  groups on mobilizing and re-energizing our communities of faith.
 	
Among the panelists are:  Robert Henderson, Ed.D, Secretary-General and 
CEO of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United 
States; T. Vaughn Walker, Ph.D., Pastor, First Gethsemane Baptist Church, 
Louisville; Beverly Watts, Executive Director, Kentucky Commission on 
Human Rights; and Inez Torres Davis, Associate Minister, Evangelical 
Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL.  Additional participants 
include: Rabbi Stanley Miles, Temple Shalom, Louisville; Alfred Yazzie, 
Spiritual Advisor to the Navajo Nation, Window Rock, AZ; and Dr. Kunwar 
Bhatnagar, Leader, Hindu Temple of Kentucky.  Audience seating is 
limited.  For information on public attendance call 202-395-1002. 
 	
Last week in New Orleans, Louisiana, 200 national and local members of 
the faith community participated in a forum on the role of religion in 
racial reconciliation.  During the meeting, religious leaders exchanged 
various strategies on meeting the needs of multi-racial and ethnic 
congregations. 
 
WHAT:		Religious Leaders Forum in Louisville, KentuckyWHERE:		The Lectorium, Spalding University, Egan Leadership
 Center, 901 S. 4th Street
 WHEN:		Monday June 1, 1998,  9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 COVERAGE:   	Open to media. Press availability following the morning 
session.
 
 
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