100 Day Countdown
The UN has dedicated the 2016 International Day of Peace to “The Sustainable Development Goals–Building Blocks for Peace.” The Summer of Peace leading up to September 21 gives us the opportunity to shift from concern about the great challenges facing our nation and our world to taking a stand on Peace Day as one human community united in hope. We will discuss plans at the United Nations and hear guests around the world highlighting the actions of people serving a wide range of causes yet building together a new culture of peace. Each international guest will partner with a young person from their region, some of whom will recite a poem or play music.
Fr. James Channan
Fr. James Channan OP is a Pakistani Christian and a Catholic priest. He is the URI Regional Coordinator for Pakistan and Executive Director of Peace Center, Lahore. He served as Globe Trustee of URI. He worked with the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims for 5 years and as Consultant to the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue for 10 years. Pope John Paul II appointed him as Consultant for both of these responsibilities. Fr. Channan attended the Pontifical Institute for Islamic Studies and Arabic language in Rome from 1982-85 and obtained a Licentiate Degree. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Emmanuel College, Boston, USA, and received graduate credits from Harvard University, USA, and a course on Peace Building from American University, Washington, DC, USA. He earned an Honorary “Doctor of Divinity” Degree from Norway. He served as Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Christian Muslim Relations for 17 years. He was the primary organizer of URI's 1,500-mile Journey for Peace from Karachi to Khyber. He keeps on travelling around the globe to participate in and give presentations in international conferences on interreligious dialogue. He is the author of 4 books, 2 in English and 2 in Urdu. He has devoted his life to promoting dialogue among religions.
