HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	212
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO establish A statewide interfaith steering committee.

     WHEREAS, much of the violence in the world arises out of conflict and misunderstanding between different religious faiths; and

     WHEREAS, an effective means for minimizing misunderstandings between different religious faiths is to promote open channels of communication between the various religious faiths; and

     WHEREAS, the Council for a Parliament of World's Religions is having its quintennial meeting in Sydney, Australia in December of 2009, which will have an estimated eight to twelve thousand participants; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature has received proposals for pursuing a similar meeting of religious scholars and leaders in Hawaii in 2011; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to establish the statewide interfaith steering committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the statewide interfaith steering committee be made up of representatives of the various religious and interfaith organizations and groups existing in Hawaii, including but not limited to:  Baha‘i, Buddhism, Christianity, Church Women United, Confucianism, Daoism, Hawaiian Spirituality, Hinduism, Islam, Knights of Columbus, Jainism, Judaism, Mokichi Okada Association, Native Americans, Church of Perfect Liberty, Quakers, Risshio Kosei Kai, the Salvation Army, Seichi-No Ie, Shinnyo-En, Shinto, Sikhism, Sufism, Unitarian Universalism, Unity, Zoroastrianism, All Believers Network, the Interfaith Alliance, and the Open Table; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the statewide interfaith steering committee are requested to select a chairperson from amongst its members; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the purpose of the statewide interfaith steering committee be to develop and promote interfaith activities to further relations between various religious faiths; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the statewide interfaith steering committee is requested to explore the possibility of organizing a major international interfaith conference in Hawaii to take place by 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the statewide interfaith steering committee be terminated on June 30, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, who in turn is requested to transmit copies to representatives of each of the faiths and organizations to be invited to serve on the steering committee.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Statewide Interfaith Steering Committee; DBEDT