Following a tradition by UPF Austria to organize
annually (2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013) a conference in the UN in Vienna commemorating the World Interfaith
Harmony this year the only possibility was to do it virtually. The conference
with the topic “Interfaith Cooperation as a basis for Social Cohesion” on
February 5th 2021 was attended by 150 guests.
In his opening
remarks Mr. Peter Haider, president of UPF Austria, made a reference to
a proposal made in 2000 during a conference titled “Renewing the United Nations
and Building a Culture of Peace” by Dr. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the
Universal Peace Federation, to establish an Interreligious Council of spiritual
and religious representatives within the structure of the United Nations. During
the first years of the new millennium several organizations like the United
Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in 2005 and later the King Abdullah
International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID)
and the World Interfaith Harmony Week proposed at the UN General Assembly in
2010 by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan were established. This shows a global
resurge of the importance of religion for international relations.
Ms. Heather Wokusch, who served as
the moderator, introduced the topic and guaranteed a smooth flow of the contributions
by the various
speakers and during the discussion with the audience.
As a first
speaker Dr. Joshua Sinclair, a medical doctor, filmmaker and professor of
Comparative Theology spoke about the encyclical “Fratelli Tutti
– On Fraternity and Social Friendship” of pope Francis, who as Jesuit took on
the cloak of a Franciscan and how it relates to the Abu Dhabi declaration in
2019 and the meeting of St. Francis of Assisi with Malek al-Kamil, the sultan of
Egypt, in
1219. He conveyed this message:
“We should not become digital people and loose our humanity. We are forced to
be born again and find ourselves again, when we will take off our masks
post-covod-19. We have to stop blaming each other and
be as close as possible to each other. Our human rights and our human dignity
are innate to us, given by an universal power and not
by a state. St. Francis gave up everything so he could belong to everyone. Are
we willing to give up all our prejudices and bigotries in order to be embraced
by the society of all men and women”
H.E. Lourdes Gisela Antonia
Victoria-Kruse,
Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Austria and the International
Organizations in Vienna expressed her gratitude to be part of this conference
which promotes a culture of global peace and harmony of all people regardless
of their faith. She made a point that in this time of pandemic we must bring
joy to people so that they see this as an opportunity to grow and become better
human beings. The Dominican Republic is a place of many historical events,
first discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and in 1938 it was the only
country in the world to receive Jews. She finished by quoting this phrase from
the invitation letter to the conference “This age of globalization needs
enlightened people in each faith who can examine their sacred writings and
traditions and identify the aspects that can benefit all humanity as well as
those that preserve each religion's identity.”
H.E. Aftab Ahmad Khokher, Ambassador of Pakistan to Austria, Slovakia and the UN
in Vienna stated that this year’s topic of the Interfaith Harmony Week is
“Building Bridges across countries”. The ideal of interfaith harmony and
cooperation has assumed an even greater importance and urgency since it was
established over ten years ago. We live in a globalized world not just in a
physical sense but also in the realm of ideas. All nations and societies
inhabit a shared sphere of thoughts. Such a tightly integrated world calls for
a new mind, social behaviors and a renewed commitment of tolerance, respectful
dialogue and celebration of diversity. Unfortunately recent developments and
trends across the world have shown that while living in period of increasing
interdependence we also live in increasing discord. Our societies are no more
monolithic, they are multicultural, multiethnic and multifaith. Islam is a
religion that not only recognizes the essential unity of humankind but also
accepts the diversity which creates the mosaic of cultures and civilizations.
Coming to Pakistan he spoke of the rich tradition of humanism that permeates
the great Sufi saints and poets and emphasizes the shared humanity of all
people. The shrines attract devotees of all religions. During the last years
“Interfaith Harmony committees” comprising members from all religious
minorities have been established in each district. There are
reserved seats for minorities in the legislative. Recently Kishoo Bai became the first Hindu Dalit woman member of the Senate, a milestone for
women and minority rights in Pakistan. Most recently Pakistan spearheaded the
UN General assembly resolution “Promoting a Culture of Peace and Tolerance to
Safeguard Religious Sites.”
Ms. Anja Kruse, film and
television actress and author of the Book “My Way with Buddha” explained
how she found her way to manage this difficult time with a spiritual life
through prayers, meditation, chanting, right thinking and right acting. The
answers can be found in ourselves, faith is the key
word. She found her faith in the teaching of Buddha, understandable, practical
and reasonable. “It helps to overcome all obstacles in life. At this moment we
understand that the pure human life is the most precious of all treasures in
the world and we are all connected to each other, many bodies one mind. This
means that peace is our constant goal. Shutting down all kind of social,
cultural and economic life creates negativity, fear, anger, desperation,
jealously, egoism and hatred among people. This makes us blind to feeling compassion
or tolerance for other people and leads to the dangerous path of a war culture.
This is a challenge to people of all religions. It is vital to remain with a
peaceful mind otherwise we will not survive. The power of the universe exists
in our own life. Every human being has an enormous potential and the power to
change any poison into medicine.” She explained how the Buddhist practice based
on the Lotus Sutra shows the way to overcome all these obstacles and the path
to be happy. It helped her to survive in peace and harmony. She wants to become
the utmost, best version of herself and so be a bridgebuilding member of
society, in order to have all the power to change things and that every winter
turns into spring. “Hope is not the conviction that something is going to work
out well, but it is the certainty that whatever happens to you makes sense.”
After a lively discussion among the speakers answering
questions by the audience, the conference was closed with the hymn of the World
interfaith Harmony Week “Sami Yusuf – The
Gift of Love”. After a short break the conference was continued by another session organized
by the UPF chapter of Switzerland on “How can the Korean Cultural and Religious Heritage
contribute to a Rapprochement and Unification on the divided Peninsula?”
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The
World
Interfaith Harmony Week was first proposed at the UN General
Assembly on September 23, 2010 by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan. Just under a
month later, on October 20, 2010, it was unanimously adopted by the UN and
henceforth the first week of February will be observed as a World Interfaith
Harmony Week. The World Interfaith Harmony Week is based on the pioneering work of The Common Word
initiative. This initiative, which started in 2007, called for Muslim and
Christian leaders to engage in a dialogue based on two common fundamental
religious Commandments; Love of God, and Love of the Neighbor, without
nevertheless compromising any of their own religious tenets. The two
commandments are at the heart of the three Monotheistic religions and therefore
provide the most solid theological ground possible.
World Interfaith Harmony Week events were organized in the UN in
Vienna in 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.
Organized in joint
partnership with:
UPF is an NGO in General Consultative Status with the ECOSOC
of the United Nations
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