Interdenominational panel to explore paths to peace

Posted on July 11, 2003

A panel of scholars and lay people from different faith groups and international communities will talk at Neville High School tonight about how to overcome obstacles to personal and world peace.

The forum, called "Overcoming Obstacles to Peace, Friendship and Joy," is sponsored by the Eagle Vision Foundation, a local organization that promotes world peace through religious understanding and shared worship of God.

Dr. Dawn Knight, a Monroe obstetrician and gynecologist, and her husband, Ram Tanguturi, a business consultant, founded the organization.

Through Eagle Vision, Knight and Tanguturi have traveled to Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Nigeria and India to host interdenominational "town hall" meetings with Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. While abroad, the pair helped impoverished communities by supporting their medical clinics and helping to improve an area's infrastructure.

"There has been more bloodshed in the world in the name of religion," Tanguturi said. "Most of humanity wants to achieve peace, friendship and joy."

As such, Tanguturi and Knight have assembled a group of panelists representing Christianity, Islam, Hinduism the Baha'i faith as well as the countries of Nigeria and China to offer solutions for achieving peace.

Featured speakers include the Rev. Larry Stafford, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Monroe; Dr. Mahmoud Khalil, a local cardiologist and the imam of the Islamic Center of Northeast Louisiana in Monroe; Jun Tan of JT and Xiaoan International LLC, a Monroe company that promotes cultural exchange between the Untied States and China; Dr. Lyn Frieden, a local chiropractor; Dr. O.C. Ifediora, a Monroe physician and native of Nigeria; Dr. Terry Tugwell, a local obstetrician and gynecologist; and Karen Tomita, a schoolteacher from Hawaii.

Chris Walters, the director of the Monroe Civic Center, will moderate the discussion.

Tanguturi said each panelist will be given equal time to respond to proposals for overcoming obstacles to peace.

Refreshments and dancing will follow the discussion.

To go

What: Overcoming Obstacles to Peace, Friendship and Understanding forum.

When: 6:30 p.m. today.

Where: Neville High School Auditorium, 600 Forsythe Ave., Monroe.

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