Congratulations to Brussels for hosting the Parliament of Worlds Religions event in 2014

Congratulations to Brussels 

PRESS RELEASE

March 21, 2011, Dallas, Texas

We congratulate the Brussels team headed by Miguel Mesquita da Cunha, Chairman of the 2014 Bid Steering Committee for the tireless work they have put in behalf of Belgians and the Europeans to secure the 2014 bid to host the Parliament of the Worlds Religions.

In behalf of the Foundation for Pluralism and the World Muslim congress, two of the many supporters of the bid for hosting the 2014 event in Dallas, Mike Ghouse, president of the organizations announced,

“We the people of Dallas gracefully acknowledge and honor the decision of the board of trustees of the Parliament of World’s religion for their choice of Brussels to host the 2014 event. Indeed, Brussels will significantly contribute towards the goals of the Parliament; to facilitate an open dialogue among religions, nurture values of co-existence, and encourage cohesion and seek pluralism for people of the world. “

Now, it is our turn to join the Brussels team in making this event successful for the people of world aspiring to create the kingdom of heaven on this beautiful planet, where we can hope and pray that the next seven generations and beyond can live without the apprehension of the other and freely practice their faith and culture.   

You can count on our support any way we can.

Mike Ghouse, President
Foundation for Pluralism
World Muslim Congress

Dallas, Texas
# # #

REFERENCES:
Articles and pictures by the Foundation for Pluralism, World Muslim Congress and Memnosyne Foundation.  I am pleased to share a few of the many references.  

1.      The Theme of Parliament 2014

http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/07/parliament-of-worlds-religions-summit.html

2.      Defending the need for Parliament in Dallas Morning News – Mike aggressively defends criticism.

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/07/texas-faith-dallas-and-the-201.html

3.      Religious Discourse and the Parliament

http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/05/religious-discourse-and-parliament-of.html

4.      2014 Dallas bid to seek the Parliament in Dallas
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/04/dallas-2014-parliament-of-worlds.html

5.      Mike Ghouse to speak at the Parliament of World’s Religions

http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2009/11/mike-ghouse-to-speak-at-parliament-of.html

6.      Angie Buchanan and Mike Ghouse on NPR

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2009/12/national-public-radio.html

7.      Dalai Lama and worlds religions 

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/dalai-lama-and-worlds-religions.html

8.      Notes about the Parliament - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2009/12/note-about-parliament-event.html

9.      Summary of the Parliament visit

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2009/12/parliament-of-world-religions-15.html

10. Pictures: Parliament’s Chicago visit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624107988176/

Slide show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624107988176/show/

11. June 5, 2010 Meeting

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624217148394/

12. Parliament event in Melbourne

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157622903144129/show/

13. Dinner event at Fun Asia – sponsored by Fun Asia

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=464318&id=851280248

14. Meeting at Madeleine Restaurant in May 2010

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=429662&id=851280248

15. Official announcement by the Parliament

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2011/03/brussels-to-host-the-parliament-of-the-worlds-religions-in-2014/

We have had a few more dinner meetings held in Dallas and few more pictures, which I may publish later on due to specific requests from our friends not to publish their pictures for the public.

# # #

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer and is committed to building a cohesive America through the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other, and World Muslim Congress committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam and building cohesive societies at your work, place of worship, school, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/
http://www.worldmuslimcongress.com/
www.AmericatogetherFoundation.com

Mike Ghouse,

2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234

Brussels: Halal hotel rooms

Products should not be looked in terms of religiosity, but from the business angle.

There are no-smoking rooms and no smoking hotels to cater to that niche, and red light districts for those who want to wander . There is a market for Halal Hotel Rooms, Vegetarian food and those businesses's that jump to cater to it will earn their market share, and perhaps attract a few more customers. China is amazing with their business attitudes - Swim Suits for Muslim women and they have garnered that market well, while others are pondering why didn't they think about it? Perhaps their arrogance that why should I "pander" to a group?

Muslims are comfortable with the Kosher meat, especially when they are traveling on the plane or in a new place. They trust the authenticity of Kosher food over the Halal due to its rigorous inspections, an example would amplify it; two years ago, Australians packed Pork and labeled it Halal Pork... that is the funniest thing about ignorance from a company that specializes in the product. A friend of mine was excited to have purchased that... then I told him that Pork itself is Haram (un-authorized) for both Jews and Muslims and it cannot be even labeled Halal.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

Brussels: Halal hotel rooms

Starting in 2011, hotels in Brussels could get a halal label. No porn channels, no pork, but with a Koran and a prayer rug, and a pointer towards Mecca.

The label will be awarded by BECI (Brussels enterprises, commerce and industry) starting in 2011. It is a European first.

"The aim at first is to award a label to rooms per floor. But we don't rule out to later have a type of 'omni-halal' label for whole hotels, which have separate pools, among other things" says Bruno Bernard, a consultant for BECI.

Bernard says attention is being paid to all the details. For example, it shouldn't be possible to deliver a ham sandwich by mistake to a halal room, and the hotel should ensure that there are no prostitution on its premises.

Asks if this concept won't encounter resistance, Bernard told La Libre Belgique: "When you go on vacation in Egypt or Turkey, you're happy that you can calmly drink a beer in the hotel bar. Halal-rooms in Brussels are simply the same."

Several hotels, including some owned by Persian Gulf citizens, showed interest. In a quick survey of six Brussels hotels, only the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel - which said they have no special rooms for Muslims, but that they always meet their customer's specific needs - showed any interest, but added that religious tourism is not their main business. Other chains preferred not to comment. Bruno Bernard prefers to speak of 'cultural tourism and business'.

This is not BECI's first step in the halal market. Bruno Bernard says it's a great market niche, but one with very few players, and a recent study showed that 17% of Brussels residents eat halal. In March BECI launched a halal certificate for industrial products, and was roundly criticized for it, with some saying that they encouraged the creeping Islamization of society.

Olivier Willocx, BECI managing director, says the project was misunderstood. He's still surprised by the 'passionate outburst' prompted by the initiative. He clarifies that the certificate is meant for non-meat products for export, and not for the local market. They wanted to ensure transparency in this field. There are some 'certificators' who charge 20,000 euros to certificates that aren't recognized by everybody, and there's also fraud. Products are presented as halal without actually being halal.

BECI, who say they want to facilitate halal and not to certify it, charge every company that wants a halal certification for its product 1500 euro. A European certificate is recognized everywhere in the Muslim world. The charge is used to pay for the imam who comes specially from Algeria (a country which recognizes the link between church and State), and inspects the production site for three days before deciding whether to issue the certificate. Spot checks are also provided, and in case of fraud, the certificate is rescinded for five years, says Bruno Bernard.
BECI now gets an application for their new label every day, and they hope to get to 500 certificates a year. Still, companies are very discreet about being certified. The only companies to advertise their labels are Colona (sauces), Charlemagne (chocolate) and Night Orient (non-alcoholic festive drinks). Bruno Bernard points out that this certificate opens many doors, including those of the lucrative Middle East market.

islam in europe