Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Dultz, founder and president of URI Germany (pictured above), and URI Europe Coordinator Karimah Stauch hosted the June 16-17 event at the Center for Holistic Seminars and Training and Center of Holistic Health, also known as the “Haus Phoenix.”
About 40 members of Haus Phoenix – a training center, retreat house and healing space that describes its mission as “doing educational work in an unstable world” -- and other participants took part in the conference, which included a film presentation about URI Europe’s 2007 Interfaith Symphony in Antwerp.
In addition, at the request of Haus Phoenix Director Rita-Maria Brill, Sheikh Bashir provided an introduction to URI, as well as a discussion of its Charter and the concept of the Golden Rule. Karimah, in turn, discussed her work assisting the formation of new Cooperation Circles, while Peter Amsler of URI Berlin described the foundation, work and expansion of his Cooperation Circle.
“People read together and discussed the Charter,” Karimah said. “They admired the tolerance, the plurality and the friendship with all religions, like a bouquet of flowers: a symphony of all colors and forms. And the religious background of the five (URI representatives) – three Muslims, one Baha’i and one Humanist – gave them an example of what URI stands for.”
The event included newly-elected Global Council Trustee Marianne Horling and Chadigah Kissel of URI Germany. Chadigah, the wife of Sheikh Bashir, brought the conference to a close with a farewell ceremony that included the song “Thy light is in all forms; Thy love is in all beings.”
