Pilgrims of peace in Bali

DENPASAR: Asia-Pacific pacifists from several countries will hold a conference on the tourist island of Bali from Dec. 13 to Dec. 15, the organizing committee said on Monday.

Agus Indra Udayana, the committee chairman, said that Indonesia would be represented by Muslim cleric Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and Balinese spiritualist Ms. Gedong Bagus Oka.

Udayana said that dozens of peace campaigners grouped in the United Religions Initiative (URI) would take part in the 1st Asia Pacific Assembly in Denpasar.

Abdurrahman will be the keynote speaker at the conference that will also feature well-known pacifists such as Swami Agni Vest, Nirmala Deshpande, Marites, Sulak Siwaraka and Sri Damodar Bakti Syarup.

The three-day conference will end with a parade called Pilgrim of Peace starting from Ashram Bali Gandhi Vidyapith and ending at the Bali Legislative Council building on Dec. 15 to convey their message. --Antara