Marquette to Host Conference on Peace and Justice Discussion will look at an interfaith approach to peacemaking Released: Aug. 26, 2005 Marquette University's Manresa Project will host Justice and Mercy will Kiss, a conference on the vocation of peacemaking in a world of many faiths on Thursday, Sept. 22 through Saturday, Sept. 24. Portions of the conference will be free and open to the public, in the hope of fostering greater awareness of the need for all to work more effectively for the promotion of justice and peace. Public events include: An address by James Orbinski, M.D. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium, 1506 W. Wisconsin Ave. Orbinski is the most recent past international president (1998-2000) of Doctors Without Borders' Drugs for Neglected Diseases Working Group. Doctors Without Borders is the world's largest fully independent medical humanitarian organization with more than 400 projects in more than 80 different countries. In 1999, Doctors Without Borders was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Orbinski has represented Doctors without Borders in numerous settings and emergencies, including at the U.N. Security Council, many national parliaments, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Health Care for Refugees, and has worked in the Sudan, Kosovo, Russia, Cambodia, South Africa, India, and Thailand. An address by Rev. Cedric Prakash, S.J. on Friday, Sept. 23 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. Father Prakash is a Jesuit priest who has committed himself to the service of faith and the promotion of human rights, communal harmony, justice and peace for the last 30 years . He currently serves as the Director of “Prashant,” a center for human rights, justice and peace, and as the coordinator of the Province office for Integral Social Development (POISD), an organization which coordinates development, justice and peace works of the Society of Jesus in Gujarat , India . Father Prakash is also the Director of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Baroda Diocese and the secretary for social communications for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) for 14 Dioceses of the western region of India . Father Prakash is a liaison for the Local Capacities for Peace Project based at Harvard University. An address by Nancy Martin on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. An associate professor of religious studies at Chapman University, Martin is an historian of religion with expertise in Asian religions, gender issues, and comparative ethics. Her research focuses on devotional Hinduism, women's religious lives, and the religious traditions of low-caste groups in India. "The Jesuit General Congregations recently emphasized the promotion of justice as integral to faith and essential for Jesuit sponsored institutions in our contemporary world,” Susan Mountin, director of the Manresa Project said. She noted that the Manresa Project events reflect Marquette University's yearlong emphasis on Human Dignity, Human Rights: A Call to Service. The Manresa Project is an initiative at Marquette made possible through the Lilly Endowment Inc.'s Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation. Elements of Manresa are designed to help undergraduate students, faculty, and staff at Marquette ask important questions about life, meaning, purpose, life's journey, and using one's gifts and talents to meet the needs of the world. For more information on the conference or to register, please visit the Manresa Project's Web site at: www.marquette.edu/pages/home/manresa/facstaff/conferences . Space is limited and registration is open until September 9. Interested media should contact Anne Broeker in the Office of Marketing and Communication at 414.288.6712. Office of Public Affairs Contacts Christopher Stolarski Media Relations Specialist Phone: (414) 288-1988 Send e-mail