In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Reno (Nevada) based but globally active Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will be publicly honored on September 24 for his record creating invocations delivered in 312 different legislative bodies in 44 states of USA and Canada, including United States Senate and US House of Representatives.
Various Christian (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.), Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Atheist, etc., leaders will address or be present at the Civic Reception to honor Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, at Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church in Reno.
Rajan Zed recently read invocation (opening-prayer) in the United States Senate in Washington DC for the second time, after his first on July 12, 2007.
Besides religious leaders; various civic leaders are also scheduled to speak on the occasion; including Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam, Reno Vice Mayor Naomi Duerr, Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance, Washoe County Commissioner Michael Clark, Reno-Sparks NAACP President Patricia Y. Gallimore.
Area religious bigwigs slated to address on the occasion include Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno Bishop Daniel H. Muggenborg, Episcopal Diocese of Nevada Bishop Elizabeth Bonforte Gardner, Church of God in Christ Bishop Luther James DuPree Junior, Nevada Interfaith Association President Matthew T. Fisher, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Presiding Priest Stephen R. Karcher. Various awards and testimonials will also be presented to Rajan Zed on the occasion.
Zed is a global religious statesman who has taken-up interfaith, religion, European Roma (Gypsies), and other causes all over the world. Besides US Senate and House, he has read opening-prayers in State Senates, State Houses-of-Representatives, County Commissions, City Councils all-over USA, including Legislative Assembly of The Northwest Territories in Canada. Bestowed with “World Interfaith Leader Award”, he was invited by the President of the European Parliament in Brussels (Belgium) for a one-on-one meeting to promote interfaith dialogue. He is on the Advisory Board of Interfaith Peace Project, etc. Zed has been panelist for “On Faith”, prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post; and has been producing weekly interfaith panel “Faith Forum” in Reno Gazette-Journal, which brings various religions/denominations together, since February 2011. He has been invited and participated in the World Economic Forum.