The Project.

And so the countdown begins.

In 15 days, I'm boarding a plane with my best friend Margaret and we are going, just the two of us, to Australia for almost three weeks to attend the Parliament of the World's Religions.

What, you ask, is the Parliament of the World's Religions? In a nutshell.

The first Parliament was held in 1893, a gathering designed to bring together religious leaders and influential figures in "the world's largest interreligious gathering." With the goal of creating love and harmony among the many different religions of the globe, the Parliament aims to spur understanding and respect among differing beliefs.

This year's Parliament takes place in Melbourne, Australia, from December 3rd to the 9th. The theme is "Hearing Each Other, Healing the World." The theme reflects upon the prevalence of environmental activism and awareness and its growing importance in our society, promoting this movement while fostering interreligious dialogue and communication.

Attendants can choose from over 650 lectures, interactive workshops, panel discussions, and more over the course of the Parliament. There will also be plenaries, artistic and musical performances, and religious observances for attendants to watch and participate in.

Expected attendants include: the Dalai Lama, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Margot Adler, Thich Nhat Han, and other incredibly amazing people.

Want to know more? http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm

Now the next question: why am I going? Why is a 19-year-old college student with majors in English and French and a minor in Journalism running across the world with her friend to hang out with religious big shots for a week?

The Augustana College Civitas Program is a special honors program designed to broaden academic horizons and encourage students to expand their outlook as global citizens. The Civitas program is why we are going.

Civitas students are required to do a project about vocation during their time at Augustana. The program gives unique opportunities to experience students' potential future career fields in a new and exciting light. Some students have gone to conferences, done summer research, etc., and Margaret and I are going to Australia.

The details of my project are far too extensive to be listed just yet, but I'll give you a preview. With the help of several professors at Augustana, I've decided to do a project centering around the relationships between religion and society that are built and fostered by means of social media. I'll be studying through Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and more, assessing reactions and comments made by followers regarding the Parliament as well as other religious gatherings and communities.

So please: follow me. Follow my blog, my Twitter, my facebook. Leave a comment. Come back often. Leave another one. Or twelve. Tell your friends. I don't care if you're my friend, my family, my acquaintance, my nemesis, or someone I don't even know.

Be a part of this with me. I truly want to hear what you have to say.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/maggieolsonpwr

Twitter: maggieolsonpwr

Blog: maggieolsonpwr.blogspot.com

Email: maggieolsonpwr@gmail.com

15 days!