As those of you know who have followed our work with Interfaith Partners of South Carolina, we have for a number of years partnered with the governor's office in proclaiming January as South Carolina's Interfaith Harmony Month. This year due to the Covid virus we were unable to have the in person meetings and events which have grown ever more popular and diverse over the years and instead developed a number of wonderful virtual meetings and presentations which were very successful. In some ways it was a great blessing and that many events which were local for some and would require a fair amount of travel for others became equally available to all.
 
As a part of my contribution to the events I was able to conduct a couple of video interviews with real powerhouses in the interfaith movement. Dr. Barbara Fields serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Global New Thought which also engages in a lot of interfaith work. Perhaps the most famous aspect of their work is the annual Gandhi/King Season of Peace which takes place each year beginning January 30th and runs 64 days until April 4th.  She was program director for the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions. For more information please visit WWW.AGNT.ORG We had a lovely time, and to watch this nearly one hour interview click on Dr. Fields image
 
The secondary interview was with Dr. Larry Greenfield, Pres. Emeritus of the Parliament of World Religions. Dr. Greenfield has been involved in many interfaith initiatives over the years as well as an ongoing commitment to the Baptist movement with which she has been affiliated for many many years. Our interview also ran nearly to one hour in length and I believe we covered some exciting topics which I'm anxious to share with you. To watch this interview click on Dr. Greenfield's image

This book was chosen by the leader of our nascent book club in IPSC as our first selection. I was so impressed that I chose to write this little review and feature the book among Interfaith Advocate’s recommendations. Many times while reading this book I was reminded of Eboo Patel’s exceptionally useful book Interfaith Leadership: A Primer. Looking back on our blog posts and the books reviewed in the fellow travelers section I was surprised to discover that I had not reviewed that book. I’ll soon make amends for that, though for now I wanted to emphasize Patel’s argument that the bridge building takes place in interfaith work happens most effectively in our one on one interactions with other human beings who among all other factors happen to have a different faith orientation that we do.

Generally we use abstraction to move from the particular to the universal and that can be a powerful technique particularly in realms such as mathematics and science, in the case of interfaith understanding I’m a firm believer that the best way to arrive at a universal understanding is through a whole bunch of particular examples. In fact I do not believe there is such a thing as a typical Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, etc. the best thing one can do to understand the human dimension of Islam for example is to have relationships with individual Muslims. This book demonstrates time and again through wide range of stories how religious differences often become minimal factors in our relations with others and certainly the time-honored tradition of breaking bread with someone or the more practical act of working together on some project will allow us to make the human connections that both minimize the differences in our faith orientation and simultaneously may well demonstrate how we live the central tenets of our faith. The following material comes from the publisher’s website. Clicking on the image of the book cover will take you to the Amazon page where you can peruse the book and purchase if you would like.

“We live in the most religiously diverse society in the history of humankind. Every day, people of different religious beliefs and practices encounter one another in a myriad of settings. How has this new situation of religious diversity impacted the way we understand the religious "other," ourselves, and God? Can we learn to live together with mutual respect, working together for the creation of a more compassionate and just world?
My Neighbor's Faith gathers an array of inspiring and penetrating stories about the interreligious encounters of outstanding community leaders, scholars, public intellectuals, and activists. With wisdom, wit, courage, and humility, these writers--from a range of religious backgrounds--share their personal experience of "border-crossing," and the unforgettable lessons learned from their interreligious encounters.”

Contributors include: Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Phyllis Berman; Mary Boys, Rita Nakashima-Brock, Miguel De La Torre, Irving Greenberg; Ruben Habito, Paul Knitter, Bill J. Leonard, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Brian McLaren, Ji Hyang Padma, Eboo Patel, Judith Plaskow, Paul Raushenbush, Anantand Rambachan, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Jim Wallis, and many more.

Jennifer Howe Peace is assistant professor of interfaith studies at Andover Newton Theological School and co-director of CIRCLE: The Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education (a joint venture of Hebrew College and Andover Newton Theological School).

Rabbi Or Rose is Associate Dean at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College and co-director of CIRCLE.
Gregory Mobley is professor of Christian Bible at Andover Newton Theological School and co-founder of CIRCLE. He is an ordained American Baptist minister.

The UICC (Unified Interfaith Community Coalition of Beaufort) was formed in response to the 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston. A concerned group of Beaufort clergy began gathering to reflect on how faith communities in Beaufort might come together in such a way as to build relationships across historic divisions, in hopes that this might reduce the chance of such violent and hateful acts occurring in our community. This gathering evolved into the Unified Interfaith Community Coalition (UICC), a group of faith community leaders of different races and religions whose purpose is to foster interracial and interreligious harmony in our community.

Since that time the UICC has evolved and has developed a number of events and programs for the interfaith community of Beaufort County, South Carolina. A number of those events have been highlighted in these pages. Today I’d like to report on our 2019 remembrance of the mother Emanuel nine, which was held June 17, as it was on its second occasion, held at the historic Grace Chapel AME on Charles Street in Beaufort. As has been the case throughout these years the Rev. Jeannine R. Smalls, who is pastor at Grace AME Church on Lady’s Island and who is the founder of UICC, offered the welcome and introduced the various guests as the evening progressed. To view the video of this event visit here: vimeo.com/348051013

This year the Rev. Kenneth F Hodges, pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church offered the opening prayer. Tabernacle Baptist is just across the street and a reception was held there following the service. On the grounds of Tabernacle Baptist is a very fine sculpture of Robert Smalls, who made a daring sea escape during the Civil War as a slave (bringing a number of others as well) and went on to serve five terms in Congress as a Representative from South Carolina. Since 2016 Rev. Hodges has been working toward building a monument for Harriet Tubman which will be installed on those same grounds. To learn more about this project and how you can contribute visit https://www.harriettubmanmonument.com/the-tabernacle-baptist-church.

Our keynote speaker was the Rev. Joseph A. Darby Sr., Pastor at Nichols Chapel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Rev. Darby also serves as vice president of the Charleston NAACP. In introducing him Rev. Jeannine also shared that he has been a mentor to her over the years. Rev. Darby’s talk was succinct and to the point, emphasizing the need to continue our reaching across all the lines of division and promoting harmony. The grace and quiet authority of this minister’s voice moved all who were present.

There was a candle lighting service conducted by Liz Santagati and Westley Byrne, and a Sharing of Intentions activity conducted by Rabbi TZiPi, all knit together with music flowing from the keyboard of Bishop Jack L. Bomar, presiding prelate, United Church as well as mother Cleo and Dawn Peebles of United Church.

The solid presence of very Jewish brothers and sisters was evidenced by Rabbi TZiPi Radonsky opening the evening with the blowing of the shofar and the beautiful singing by Gail Touger of Lo Yisa Goy in a duet with Bishop Jack. And also by the short address of the Hon. Billy Keyserling, Mayor of the city of Beaufort, who is Jewish. The Muslim community was represented and I’m sad to say that I do not have the names of those who attended to share with you. A roll call of the various churches that were represented revealed a number of Christian churches, as well as Unitarian Universalists and members of the Baha’i faith.

Since this beautiful event we’ve had a UICC board meeting and I can assure you that there are plans in the works for a number of events and we’ll keep you posted as they evolve.

On the evening of June 17, 2015 Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist, assassinated nine African Americans, including the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney, during a prayer service at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. I use the word "assassinated" as opposed to the more common term "murdered" because Roof confessed to committing the shooting in the hope of igniting a race war. The shooting targeted one of the United States' oldest black churches, which has long been a site for community organization around civil rights.

In June of 2016 I attended the first annual memorial service held at Grace Chapel A. M. E. in Beaufort, SC. with my friend Rev. Nat Carter and was so moved that I immediately became involved with the organization now known as UICC, Unified Interfaith Community Coalition of Beaufort. Founded by Rev. Jeannine Smalls, this is our fourth year producing the event, this year returning to the Historic Grace Chapel, sister church to Mother Imanuel.

Out of that response to the 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, a concerned group of Beaufort clergy and community leaders began gathering to reflect on how faith communities in Beaufort might come together in such a way as to build relationships across historic divisions, in hopes that this might reduce the chance of such violent and hateful acts occurring in our community. Although this annual memorial is our best known event we also have an annual New Years Interfaith gathering in alignment with the annual Governor's proclamation of January as South Carolina's Interfaith Harmony Month, and a number of other activities throughout the year.

This festival which took place Sunday, April 28 at the Irmo community Park 1 to 4 PM,  was a splendid success. A beautiful warm day with hundreds of people in attendance, dozens of vendors, a continual presentation of performances on stage, and an astounding display of artwork were the essential ingredients making it such a satisfying event. Cosponsored by IPSC (Interfaith Partners of South Carolina) and the town of Irmo, it was the result of a rather remarkable story of interfaith tensions, resolutions, and the eventual formation of critical new alliances. More about that history a little later.

A key factor in the success of this festival was the deep involvement IPSC’s Mary Kennerly. Mary has deep ties throughout the community and served for many years as a principal in the local high school. For me the most outstanding element was the art contest for the youth. IPSC produces a calendar each year which features the artwork of our youth on the theme of peace and harmony in our community. Over 130 entries were received and displayed all around the outside and in several rows through the center of a pavilion which allowed all to view this work in the shade. Those who entered were given the option of also having their work entered into IPSC’s Peace in the Park competition and virtually everyone did. This year’s calendar promises to be stellar in the range and quality of art work that will be able to present there.

On the stage a number of performances were given over the afternoon including dance exhibitions from our Hindu and Sikh communities, musical performances from various cultures in a poetry reading by young people who were selected as the winners of a separate poetry contest addressing the themes of peace, harmony and inclusivity.

A local art teacher organized the presentation of a Rangoli, a giant one dollar like installation on one of the lawns consisting of flower petals, macaroni, various colors of soils all combined into various patterns and pictorial themes. Students, parents and others participated in making it before and during the festival.

And no such festival would be complete without food in this festival delivered in grand fashion. It was food from a number of different cultures and plenty to drink including the very best lemonade I’ve ever been served, made from fresh lemons as you stood in line to receive it. It is very clear from the success of this initial festival that we can expect this to be an annual event drawing people from an ever wider circle in the Midlands of South Carolina.

Now a bit about the remarkable history which led to this festival. In June this year, an opportunity presented itself for IPSC to mobilize in the midst of a local controversy. The Mayor of Irmo, Hardy King, had posted controversial comments about Islam on his Facebook page, prompting calls of both support and protest within the local community. IPSC wrote to the Mayor, offering to facilitate a meeting with local Muslims in Columbia. Mayor King informed us that he had already been approached by Chaudhry Sadiq, friend of IPSC and president of the ‘Peace and Integration Council of North America’ (PICNA) to visit the Masjid Noor Ul Huda. Members of IPSC joined the Mayor at the Masjid, and through those all-important encounters, we witnessed a remarkable transformation.

Following the visit, the Mayor apologized for his original postings, acknowledging he had been received at the Mosque better than his own family reunion! Wanting to build on this initial step, IPSC worked in partnership with the Mayor and PICNA, to host a public forum entitled ‘Demystifying Islam’ in the heart of Irmo, took place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 30 at the Irmo municipal building.  This was a valuable opportunity for people to come and learn about Islam, and to engage with panelists from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian community. This was an opportunity to ask questions and work together towards deconstructing harmful stereotypes, building in their place something far more enduring for strong and peaceable community. King said he was unaware of the ways in which Muslim leaders were distancing the faith from acts of terror until Sadiq spoke to him about it directly. Because of what is portrayed in the news media and on social media, King said, many people may believe Islam is a religion of terror and death. So he believed that this information session was very helpful to combat that perception. He said what started as a sour situation that drew much attention and backlash was, in his eyes, a great opportunity. “God has mysterious ways of bringing people together,” Sadiq said.

It was on the basis of the strong relationship that Mayor King had formed with IPSC that he reached out to us to cosponsor this first annual Irmo international Festival.

Since 1990, each of the FBI’s 56 field offices nominates one person or group to receive the “Director’s Award for Community Leadership”. The award, given on behalf of Director Christopher A. Wray, is in recognition of outstanding service to the local community and the enduring contributions to the advancement of justice. IPSC was nominated for this award by Denise Taiste, FBI Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator with the Columbia branch, in recognition of the excellent work of IPSC within South Carolina. Special Agent in Charge, Alphonso “Jody” Norris, presented the 2018 Director’s Community Leadership Award to Interfaith Partners of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, for impacting thousands from communities representing all cultures, religions and backgrounds through their efforts; building relationships of trust; prevention of terrorism; understanding of racial and religious bias, and establishing interfaith groups in various communities across South Carolina.

That presentation convened at the FBI office on Thursday, January 10, 2019. All recipients were invited to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on May 3, 2019 to receive the award from FBI Director Christopher Wray. Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America. Pictured receiving the award from Director Wray is IPSC’s President and Chair Dr. Adrian Bird. Those members of IPSC that were able to attend the ceremony were:  Amarjit & Amita Singh, Cheryl Glantz Nail, Sarah Kurlowich, Jon Leader, Zulfikar Berk, Holli Emore, and Ethel Crawford.  Adrian said “This award inspires us to keep up the essential work of building relationships of dignity and respect in SC.”

In the ceremony at FBI Headquarters on May 3, 2019, Director Christopher Wray recognized the most recent DCLA recipients. “These leaders, selected by their area FBI field office for their efforts in 2018, have demonstrated outstanding contributions to their local communities through service. The FBI is grateful for the work of each of these individuals and organizations on behalf of their communities.”

This is what the FBI has to say about the DCLA: “It’s a fact: The FBI can only conduct investigations and protect the American people from crime and acts of extremism if it has the support and understanding of the American people. That’s why the special agents in charge of each of our 56 field offices work so closely with their communities and community organizations. What happens when these special agents in charge get such tremendous support from people in their communities that they want to specially recognize them? They nominate them for a They nominate them for a Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA). This special award, presented on behalf of the Director of the FBI, was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America.”

IPSC was among great company, here is a sampling of the 55 other recipients: Albuquerque - Mescalero Apache Tribe Violence Against Women Program, The Jacksonville Division honored the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida (ICNEF). The Albany Division honored Susan Case DeMari. Through her work with the Jewish Federation Society of Central New York, DeMari has helped prevent and respond to threats targeting the Jewish community. The Buffalo Division honored Emma Buckthal, a passionate advocate for victims of trafficking. The Chicago Division honored Concepcion Rodriguez. For more than a decade, the funeral director, community activist, and gang intervention specialist was in a gang as a teen. Her presentation to teens is based on her firsthand experience of burying more than 200 youths involved in gangs. The Los Angeles Division honored Jodi Wing  an advocate for advancing social change through educational equity. Her Art of Peace Club program teaches children and families critical thinking skills and how to manage emotions and expectations through ethical, interpersonal, and civic engagement. The Louisville Division honored Soha Saiyed, who uses innovative events to raise funds for victims of human trafficking and to shed light on the problem. The Milwaukee Division honors Masood Akhtar. Akhtar is an Indian-born American Muslim activist and wanted to address the current environment of hate, bigotry, and racism. His movement, “We Are Many: United Against Hate,” is dedicated to building an all-inclusive community of people. The Minneapolis Division honors Judith Meisel. A Holocaust survivor, educator, and civil rights activist, Meisel shares her story, strength, and inspiration at high schools, universities, and other community events. “We cannot afford to say, ‘What can I do, I’m only one person?’ One person can do a lot,” Meisel says.”

IPSC was certainly honored to be selected from among many worthy individuals and organizations in South Carolina to receive the Director’s Award for Community Leadership. I personally am proud to work with the many good folks who work in our organization and to serve on IPSC’s Board.

    This Program was offered by the Parliament’s Indigenous Working Group and First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) and was designed so that it could be completed in one day. It was the one thing I wanted to do for myself at the 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions in Toronto which took place November 2 - 6, 2018. I was attending  as an ambassador for the Parliament and as a  journalist, and thus had responsibilities which limited the time available to me personally.  It took a number of days to fit enough of these presentations and activities into my schedule to complete the requirements. All in all I attended eleven workshops and film presentations as well as a number of ceremonies both inside and outside at the the sacred fire.

    I am  grateful to our hosts the Anishinaabe and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations. Deep gratitude to the firekeepers who tended the sacred fire 24 hours a day even though it was often bitterly cold  and made it possibly for me and many others to offer tobacco and pray at any hour.  I was excited by and very much enjoyed the presence of indigenous elders from the United States as well, including Hopi, Dinè (often called Navajo), Paiute, Zuni, Havasupai, Tongva and Lakota/Dakota, especially Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Nations, and keeper the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle and its teachings. I had heard him address the Spotlight on Indigenous Peoples plenary at the 2015 Parliament in Salt Lake City, Utah. My 40 years of interfaith work has been inspired by intertwined with Native American spirituality and culture, both in Utah (particularly among the nations of our hosts at the 2015 Parliament, the Ute, Paiute, and Shoshone) and for the last few years in South Carolina among the Edisto, Catawba and Cherokee peoples. Although I was blessed with bits and pieces of a number of events and interactions I attended the following sessions in their entirety:

    The Opening Ceremony at the sacred fire, the Native American Church, Tradition bearers for Bio-cultural diversity, Sacred Water, Earth changes & Prophecy, Original Instruction  (I just loved Elder Tom Porter or Sakokwenionkwas “The One Who Wins”, of the Mohawk’s (Kanien'kehá:ka.) birthing prayer! Everyone should start their lives this way. In this prayer the newborn is told who they are, where they are, in whose hands they have been entrusted, the sacred vow of the parents to protect, guide and nurture them and all else that comes into the heart of the father. This prayer can often last forty-five minutes to an hour. Porter was a co-founder the ‘White Roots of Peace’, a group of Iroquois Elders who tour the country sharing traditional teachings and encouraging Indians to embrace their respective Native traditions.), Sacred Pipe Ceremony, Climate Crisis, Evolving Spirituality, Declaration of a new Initiative to Protect Sacred Lands (I was graced to listen to Elder Besha Blondin of the Dené first nation of the Northern Athabaskan peoples in Canada again whom I had met in 2015), Four Directions Ceremony, National Monument, "Indians" of Old Europe (I was grateful for this Pagan perspective given by Andras Corban Arthen, a POWR Trustee and President of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions), and Indigenous Eden.

    I bathed in the loving humility of Manulani Aluli Meyer who spoke from the perspective of the indigenous people of Hawai’I and shared Ulu a'e ke welina a ke aloha (Loving is the practice of an awake mind) and gifted me with a bag of sea salt that she had gathered.  Also very inspired to hear L. Frank Manriquez, a Tongva culture bearer whose passion is to reclaim and revitalize traditional knowledge for not only her people, but for the vast network of California tribal peoples. The story of the decimation of the indigenous peoples of California is as heart breaking as any I know. I would also like to mention Lyla June Johnston a descendent of Diné (Navajo) and Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) lineages. I first meant this powerful young activist/poet at a presentation she gave at the Parliament in 2015 in Salt Lake City. I spent some time in her presence at the 2018 Parliament in Toronto as I videoed Trebbe Johnson's Panel discussion 'The Sacred Arts: Creative Expressions of Faith to Heal a Troubled Earth' to which Lyla June eloquently contributed. We'll hear much more from this wise woman as time unfolds. You can find a number of presentations by her on YouTube.

    Much of the offerings took place in the Lodge of Nations which was a re-creation of a traditional long house,  which sheltered the spiritual dimension of those things that were shared in such a sacred manner.  Deep bows of gratitude to Anishinaabe leader Bob Goulais of the Nipissing First Nation and Diane Longboat of the Kanien'kehá:ka. (Mohawk) Nation at Six Nations Grand River Territory, who organized and facilitated the events held in the Lodge of Nations and at the Sacred Fire. To them I say ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᒧᐎᓐ Miigwech, and Nia:wen!

    Behind and thoroughly mixed in with all of this was the Truth and Reconciliation process underway in Canada. I met many folks whose lives were personally touched by the cultural genocide of the 'Residential Schools'. There is a video on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada website, of Commissioner Justice Murray Sinclair, an Ojibwa judge from the court of the Queen’s Bench, Manitoba, which clearly tells the back story, the purpose, and processes of the commission. I heard him address a plenary at the Parliament and was very moved by his eloquence. I’ve taken the following from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada webpage:

“For over 100 years, Aboriginal children were removed from their families and sent to institutions called residential schools. The government-funded, church-run schools were located across Canada and established with the purpose to eliminate parental involvement in the spiritual, cultural and intellectual development of Aboriginal children. The last residential schools closed in the mid-1990s. During this chapter in Canadian history, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were forced to attend these schools some of which were hundreds of miles from their home. The cumulative impact of residential schools is a legacy of unresolved trauma passed from generation to generation and has had a profound effect on the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians. Collective efforts from all peoples are necessary to revitalize the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and Canadian society – reconciliation is the goal. It is a goal that will take the commitment of multiple generations but when it is achieved, when we have reconciliation - it will make for a better, stronger Canada.”

    I am hoping that this Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada will someday become a model for a similar and much needed process here in the United States. In Utah, where I grew up, there was the infamous Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City which ultimately had students from nearly 100 tribes by the time that it was closed in 1984. And then there was The Indian Placement Program, or Indian Student Placement Program (ISPP), also called the Lamanite Placement Program, which was operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) officially operating from 1954 and virtually closed by 1996. Native American students who were baptized members of the LDS Church were placed in foster homes of LDS members during the school year. They attended majority-white public schools, rather than the Indian boarding schools or local schools on the reservations. The program was developed according to LDS theology, whereby conversion and assimilation to Mormonism could help Native Americans, who had been classified as Lamanites in terms of theology in the Book of Mormon. An estimated 50,000 Native American children went through this program. These were just local to me in a small part of the west, hundreds of thousands of native folk throughout the country suffered similar fates.

    That was what I wanted to share about my personal experience in pursuing the Certificate in Indigenous Cultural Awareness, I welcome comments from others who enrolled or have something to add, you'll find a button down below.

Although this material is still available elsewhere I’d like to share some more details, mostly taken from the ICA page on the Parliament’s website:

The 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto may be your starting point to discovering a renewed appreciation of Indigenous worldview and taking an important step to Reconciliation action.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Program of the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions is offering a Certificate in Indigenous Cultural Awareness. This full-day offering (minimum 8 hours) will provide a wide-ranging and informative primer into Indigenous peoples of the world, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in Canada.

Developed by the Toronto-based Indigenous Steering Committee, their mission is to develop an inclusive and diverse program that creates awareness of Indigenous spiritual and faith traditions to all those attending the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Steering Committee consists of knowledgeable Indigenous people and cultural-practitioners from nations across Turtle Island, and led by representatives of Indigenous traditional societies.

About FNTI
The Certificate in Indigenous Cultural Awareness is issued by First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) one of the foremost Indigenous post-secondary institutes in Ontario. First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) is a First Nation owned and governed educational institute specializing in applying Indigenous knowledge to both formal and informal learning experiences. Many of our programs and services are delivered at locations across Ontario.

FNTI is accredited by the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC), and is a member of the Ontario Aboriginal Institutes Consortium and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).

About ICA Certificate Program
The Certificate in Indigenous Cultural Awareness (ICA) is issued by the Indigenous Working Group and FNTI. It will require registered ICA participants to attend and complete a minimum of eight (8) hours in the Indigenous Peoples’ Program of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. The ICA participant will register for a full-day of programming that could include elements of the following:
 
   Daybreak Ceremony
   Over 60 Indigenous developed, led and delivered workshops, panels, film screenings and other content-specific sessions to choose from
    Blanket Exercise
    Water Walk and Water Ceremonies
    The Lodge of Nations: A beautiful and important Indigenous sacred space that will be the centerpiece to the Indigenous Peoples’ program.
     Ceremonies, teachings, prophecies, story-telling and sharing of Indigenous traditional knowledge

What is Indigenous Cultural Awareness?
Indigenous Cultural Awareness (ICA) refers to the development of knowledge, skills and improving the understanding of Indigenous people, culture, history and worldview. It goes beyond a typical academic approach to Indigenous awareness. It implies knowledge transfer from Indigenous peoples themselves through a cultural experience, Indigenous traditional knowledge learning within accepted contexts and protocols, including participation in knowledge sharing, teachings and in ceremony. In most cases, building Indigenous Cultural Awareness involves reaching the participant holistically, through immersion of the body, through the senses, the mind as well as reaching the spirit. It is a step towards Cultural Competency.

Cultural Wisdom from many Nations:
The program featured teachers, traditional Indigenous knowledge holders and Faith Keepers from many nations, including:
Anishinaabe (Mississauga, Ojibway, Chippewa, Odawa, Pottawatomi, Algonquin), Haudenosaunee (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Caguga, Tuscarora), Métis, Cree (Mushkegowuk and Plains Cree), Hawaiian, Maori, European Indigenous traditions, Hopi, Lena Lenape (Delaware), Dene (Blackfoot), Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Apache, Choctaw, African Indigenous traditions, Karamojong (Uganda), Cheyenne,     Aleut, Maya …and many more.

Workshop Topics and Titles
ICA participants were able to choose from over 60 workshops, feature panels, presentations, film screenings and other content-specific sessions, including:
    Impact of Colonization on the Health of Indigenous People in Canada
    Lana Gets Her Talk: Documentary Film Presentation & Conversation
    Ininew Pamatisiwin (Cree World View)
    Indigenous Eden: New Perspectives on an Ancient Foundational Beliefs
    The Twisted Roots of the Doctrines of Discovery
    Sacred Fire Ceremony of the Tzs'utujil Maya
    Iwi Kupuna: Caring for Our Ancestors
    Your Place is an Indigenous Place: Using Digital Humanities to Illuminate and Assert
    Spirit Game: Pride of a Nation
    Anishinabe 101
    Reclaiming the Indigenous Ethnic Religions of Europe
    Why Spirit Matters: Expanding Our Sense of the Sacred
    Reconciliation, Dialogue & Hope - An ongoing relationship with Canada's Indigenous Peoples
    Reclaiming Our Indigenous Spirituality and Sacred Sites
    Envisioning the Future through Indigenous Ceremony and Wisdom
    Lifting the Spirit: Healing through our Connection to Sound Vibrations of the Human Voice
    Sweat Lodge Teachings
    Creation of Love
    Tradition Bearers for Bio-cultural Diversity
    Colorado Plateau: Sanctuary - A Message of Hope
    Protection of Land and Sacred Sites
    Climate Change
    Traditional Medicine & Gardening
    Spirit of the Environment and Stewardship of Mother Earth
    Emerging Spirit: Transcending Colonization
    Indigenous Eden: New Perspectives on an Ancient Foundational Beliefs
    Reconciliation
    Indigenous Women Leading Change Panel of Prominent Women
    Water Rights for Indigenous Peoples
    Native American Grave Protection
    Sacred Feminine
    Ancient Skills Workshop
    Learning together through the Blanket Ceremony
    Doctorate of Cultural Genocide, Intergenerational Trauma: The Way Forward
    Intercultural Understanding & Awareness
    Prophecies: Global Change & Emerging Civilizations
    African Spirituality

In closing I have to say that in pursuing this certificate my experience at the Parliament was much enriched. I hope that a similar program will be part of the next Parliament of the World’s Religions!