2014 Site Selection Process

The diversity of the whole world is increasingly reflected in metropolitan centers, with a myriad of religious and spiritual communities residing in major cities across the globe. Vast differences of religious and spiritual identity, language, ethnicity, class and culture are a fact of life in most urban areas.

The Council works in partnership with a diverse group of individuals, communities and institutions, so that they can embody the religious and spiritual aspirations that inspire them, and manifest the ethical values that guide them. One of our most highly visible partnerships between the Council and a city is hosting a Parliament event. The partnership begins with a city’s decision that it wishes to develop a proposal and participate in the Site Selection process established by the Council to support each city in preparing their best proposal.

At the 2009 Parliament in Melbourne, the Council offered a 2014 Site Selection Orientation consisting of 3 programs and individual consultations to help teams considering hosting the 2014 Parliament event:

• Experience deeply the character of a Parliament event;
• Understand the Site Selection process in order to decide whether they should engage in the proposal process; and
• Share with teams from other cities the successes and on-going challenges in their local interreligious movements.
• Understand the relationship between the Site Selection process and membership in the Council’s Partner Cities Network and working to become a City of Harmony.

Teams and individuals from more than 10 cities in 9 countries participated in some or all of these programs, gaining a clearer understanding of CPWR’s goals for partnership and for strengthening the interreligious movement in each city participating in the site selection process, and hearing in more detail about the requirements for hosting a Parliament event.

If your city is considering participating in the 2014 Site Selection Process your next steps include:

• Reviewing the draft Request for Proposal (RFP) document, and
• Forming a diverse Bid Team to determine the kind of partnership with the Council that would best serve your local interreligious movement at this time, including both the Partner Cities application process and the 2014 Site Selection process.

If you decide to proceed with the Site Selection process,

• Begin preparing your submission for Sections 1 and 2 described in the RFP, and
• Register your intention to attend the May 16-20, 2010 Partnership Conference in Chicago.

 
The time line for the 2014 Parliament Site Selection Process:

For more information about the 2014 Site Selection process, please contact Zabrina Santiago, Partner Cities Director, at zabrina@parliamentofreligions.org