Hindu religious leader to address EU Parliament

11/22/2008, Times of India.Prominent Hindu religious leader Rajan Zed has been invited by President of European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering for a meeting to discuss issues concerning Hindus and promote interfaith dialogue. Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, will meet President Pottering in his Brussels office on December 10.

This will be the first formal visit of a Hindu religious leader to EP during the current European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID). Other world religious leaders who visited EP as part of EYID include Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, Grand Mufti of Syria and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

After exchanging views with the President, Zed will meet Deputy Head of President's Cabinet Ciril Stokelj for detailed discussion on various issues.

Zed, who became the first person to recite Hindu opening prayer in the United States' Senate in its 218-year history, is one of the panelists for 'On Faith', a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced jointly by Newsweek and washingtonpost.com.

He has also set the record by reciting prayers in California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada Senates, Arizona House of Representatives and Nevada Assembly.

Zed, Spiritual Advisor to the National Association of Interchurch and Interfaith Families, Director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association, is famous for his efforts in promoting interfaith talks.