NEWS RELEASE

Release date: 7/2/2005

For attention: news/features editor, Middle East editor, Religion editor, events listing

Spiritual Perspectives on the Headscarf Debate in a Changing Europe:

27 February

‘The Spiritual Perspectives on the Headscarf Debate in a Changing Europe event, on Sunday 27 February 2005, 6.30pm-9.30pm, at the Augustine United Church, 41-43 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, will bring together Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Christian, and scholarly perspectives, among others, to reflect upon and share experiences of a subject which has emerged as an important source of discussion in Europe today.’

From Monday 14 February – Sunday 6 March 2005 the 2nd Annual Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace will bring together artists, scholars, grassroots spiritual activists, and speakers from the Sufi, Druze, Baha’i, Ismaili, Zoroastrian and other lesser known spiritual traditions, in addition to representatives of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Festival Co-Directors said:

‘The Festival positively affirms the diversity contained within the religious and spiritual traditions of the Middle East, as well as those here in Scotland. The Festival takes no fixed position on any political, ethical or cultural question. We intend rather to create a forum in which we can listen to one another more deeply and learn with a more open mind and heart. The emphasis of the Festival is on spirituality, and on spiritual, educational, and artistic and cultural approaches to peace and understanding, and avoids any discussion of political issues associated with the Middle East.’

Contact:

Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Dr Neil Douglas-Klotz, 07005-802-580, ndk@eial.org

ENDS

Notes for Editors

News Release: this news release is available by email from Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Pictures: some pictures from the 2004 Festival and of some of the people in the 2005 Festival are available from Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Middle East Festival Brochure: a PDF of the 24-page full colour Festival Brochure for the 2005 Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace is available from Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Middle East Festival information: further information on the 2005 Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace is available from Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Middle East Festival website: further information on www.eial.org

The 2nd Edinburgh International Festival of Middle

Eastern Spirituality and Peace, Edinburgh, Scotland,

Monday 14 February – Sunday 6 March 2005.

Festival Directors and Contacts

Festival and Conference Directors:

Neill Walker and Dr Neil Douglas-Klotz.

Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities,

EICWS, Scottish Charity, SC030155,

4, William Black Place, South Queensferry, Edinburgh, EH30 9PZ.

T: 0131 331 4469, E: njwalk3001@hotmail.com

Festival Sponsorship and Support

The Festival organisers would like to acknowledge and thank those organisations and individuals who have offered financial and in-kind support to this Festival.

Financial support towards the Festival, or to specific events within the Festival, has come from the Oneness Project, the International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, the UK Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, the Shalem Institute, the Kalliopeia Foundation, One Scotland. Many Cultures, the Scottish Arts Council, the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities, EICWS, the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning, EIAL, The UNA Edinburgh, the City of Edinburgh Council Culture and Leisure Department Celebrating Communities, and Sir Tom Farmer.

Further support has come from organizations who we have worked with to organize specific Festival events. These numerous organizations are listed beside the specific events which they have been involved with. Further in-kind support has come from a wide range of hosting and supporting organizations.

The two organizations who organize this Festival, namely, the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities, EICWS, and the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning, EIAL, have contributed major in-kind support for this Festival, and without their major networking, planning, management, and coordinating role this Festival would not have been possible. The Festival is a joint initiative of these two organizations, among their projects and initiatives, and is co-directed by Neill Walker, on behalf of EICWS, and Dr Neil Douglas-Klotz, on behalf of EIAL. Victor Spence and Neill Walker jointly prepared the Festival Brochure.