Parliament of the World’s Religions Opening Ceremony to take place November 1, 2018

Parliament of the World’s Religions Opening Ceremony to take place November 1, 2018

TORONTO, Ont. (October 31, 2018) – On November 1, 2018, The Parliament of the World’s Religions Opening Ceremony will kick off the week-long interfaith gathering in Toronto.

The world’s largest interfaith gathering, Parliament takes place November 1-7, 2018 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event will welcome thousands of delegates to Toronto from 80 countries, representing nearly 200 religious, spiritual and Indigenous traditions.

WHAT:
The Opening Ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. in Olympic Park at 222 Bremner Blvd., featuring an Indigenous Opening Ceremony. At 6 p.m. the gathering will move inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to welcome attendees and special guests to Parliament.

WHO:

• The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
• The Honourable Ahmed D. Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
• Chief Ava Hill, Chief of the 56^th Elected Council of the Six Nations of the Grand River
• Chief Stacey Laforme, Chief of the Mississaguas of the New Credit First Nation
• Toronto Councillor Joe Mihevc
• The Honourable Bob Rae, Former Premier of Ontario
• Zul Kassamali, Parliament 2018 Co-Chair
• Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, Parliament 2018 Co-Chair

The Opening Plenary will take place immediately after the Opening Ceremony at 7 p.m., level 300 exhibition hall ABC, where the following speakers will be available for interviews:

• Wande Abimbola, President and Founder of the Ifa Heritage Institute
• Rev. Jim Wallis, Christian best-selling author
• Parisa Khosravi, Iranian-American Zoroastrian speaker
• Swami Tyagananda, Monk of the Ramakrishna Order
• Dr. Simran Jeet Singh, Religion scholar, activist and educator
• Lobsang Nyandak, President, Tibet Fund
• Ven. Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Buddist luminary

WHEN:
Thursday, November 1, 2018,

Indigenous Opening Ceremony 3 – 5p.m.

Official Parliament of the World’s Religions Opening Ceremony 6 – 9 p.m.

WHERE:
Metro Toronto Convention Centre

North Building

Exhibit Hall ABC