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The Parliament of World's Religions Meets Again!                     

Abraham Karickam

( Secretary General, URI Asia Region)

on I^st of November, 2018 the Parliament of World’s  Religions transpired at Toronto, Canada.  Ten thousand religious leaders from all parts of the world participated at the week long encounters. It was in 1893 that the World Parliament was organized for the first time. Swami Vivekananda was the centre of attraction there. His participation unraveled a fascinating story, which has to be dealt with separately. 

​The occasion for celebration in 1893 was the fourth centenary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the American continent. Four thousand delegates attended at that time, mostly from America. It took one hundred years again to convene a similar conference in Chicago again in 1993 and now it occurs at regular intervals. 

​The “Promise of Inclusion , the Power of Love ” was the central theme this year. My presentation was on “Equipping Teachers and Schools for Interfaith Education”. There were a series of presentations on different topics by various  leaders during the week.

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How many years we need to fully reverse our idea about God? When the Parliament of World’s Religions met at Chicago in 1893, the Canterbury Archbishop refused to attend, objecting that the very meeting of such a Parliament implied the equality of all religions. But Cardinal Gibbons, leader of the American Catholics presided over one of the sessions, which was remarkable. 

​After 125 years today, will any one decline  an opportunity to sit together and pray?' It is very interesting to study the evolution of interfaith encounters. It was the second Vatican Council (1962) that began to address the issue of “Salvation” seriously. In 1971 the World Council of Churches (WCC) founded its department for Interfaith Dialogue. Vatican and WCC organized a series of dialogue meetings around the globe and today interfaith dialogue is an integral component  in the syllabi of all Seminaries. 

           At a later stage the King of Jordan championed the cause interfaith harmony and persuaded the UN to celebrate Interfaith Harmony Week every year from 1^st to 7^th February. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia came forward to establish the King Abdullah International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue( KAICIID ) at Vienna in 2012. UAE is holding the first ever world Tolerance Summit in Dubai in November, 2018.

              In my dialogical pilgrimage I have come across  all kinds of arguments  for and against dialogue. Today I am convinced that dialogue is the only authentic ministry towards establishing the Kingdom of God.

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Since the 1893 event of the first Parliament of World’s Religions at Chicago, five more sessions were held so far (Chicago – 1993, South Africa – 1999, Barcelona – 2004, Melbourne – 2009 and Salt Lake City – 2015). It was Swami Vivekananda’s entry in 1893 at Chicago that made the Parliament glorious. He was instrumental in opening a channel between the philosophers of the East and the West. 

The whole Universe ‘conspired’ in making his journey possible. Swami was a nomadic sage in his thirties, searching for his real mission in life. Though many of his friends advised him to go to the Parliament, he was reluctant, but his deep introspection and meditation at the sea rock in Kanyakumari was a turning point. Here he accepted the divine call to embark upon a journey to the West. He and his friends begged to raise money for the tickets. Passing Colombo, Singapore, Japan and Vancouver, at last he reached Chicago in July. To his surprise he learned that the Parliament would meet only in September.

Not knowing where to go, without any money in hands, he justwandered. It was Swami himself who later said, “Your good thoughts and actions will be there to protect you with the wings of thousand angels”. This is exactly what happened in the ensuing months. That is a miraculous story. In the end, after meeting several luminaries, he made it to the Parliament and rest is history. When Swamiji said to Professor J.H.Wright of Harvard University that he did not have any credentials to attend the Parliament, Prof. Wright replied like this:

“To ask you Swamiji for credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine. “ That was Vivekananda. Today the Parliament of World  of Religions is itself a wonder; an event without any comparison.

On the first of  November, When Americans were celebrating Halloween Day, When Kerala was celebrating Kerala Day, it iwas my privilege to be in Toronto to participate in the 7th Parliament of World's Religions at the Metro Centre there. 125 years ago, Swami Vivekananda started his journey from the Southern tip of India. Me ,too, started from the Southern tip of India. He called Kerala mad, as people were fighting in the name of religions, even in those days. The same insanity was ruling Kerala when I started, as a big fight was going on in the name of religious rituals related to Sabarimala, which actually should be our pillar of unity, as the temple and Ayyappa are for all. Four thousand people attended the first Parliament in Chicago. Ten thousand people  were to converge here, in spite of climate being bit cold with nine degrees.

It was cold outside, but a special warmth filled the hearts of those ten thousand peace lovers who travelled from all directions of the globe, to proclaim the unity and integrity of creations.

Delegates from 220 Faith Traditions attended  from all corners of the world. The Parliament of the World's Religions was created "to cultivate harmony among the world's religions and spiritual communities and foster their engagement in the world and its guiding institutions, in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world." 

The week long program began with spiritual opening ceremonies by the host First Nations at the Olympic Park. A water ceremony by women walkers and sacred fire by the indigenous communities attracted all. It culminated in the gorgeous opening in the main hall, where the First Nation brothers and sisters greeted all with amazing traditional drumming, songs and dances. 

Leaders from all spiritual traditions  addressed  the assembly. Numerous parallel sessions and plenaries were held in different stages. More interactions took place outside the meeting spaces, where Faith Communities encountered their fellow pilgrims from everywhere. 
 

The global Interfaith community was born in Chicago 125 years ago with the first Parliament held alongside the World's Columbian Exhibition. It is here that the beauty of other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Baha'i became visible to the West. 

It took another 100 years for the religions to meet again in the same Chicago. The contribution of this city to world peace is to be declared from mountain tops. If it were 4000 people who gathered in 1893, in 1993 it became 8000. His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the chief guest there and the Assembly deliberated on global ethic.

Six years later in 1999, it was Nelson Mandela's South Africa that greeted the World's Religions, but participants were only 7000. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Mandela proclaimed about the transformative role of religion and spirituality. It was in collaboration with UNESCO that the next Parliament was convened in the city of Barcelona in Spain, which discussed " Pathways to Peace". Iranian Nobel Laureate  Dr. Shirin Ebadi and Dr. Jane Goodall, author of " Harvest for Hope",  were at the centre. 

9000 peace lovers flocked here. 

Environmental issues were addressed by the Melbourne Parliament in 2009 and President Jimmy Carter and Sri Sri Ravi Sankar were the leaders. It was here that the Australian Government came forward with a national apology to the aboriginal groups. 7000 was the attendance. War and Violence, Climate Change, Women Issues and Income inequality were discussed at length in Salt Lake City in the United States in 2018 when the Parliament met for the 6th time. Attendance was over ten thousand. 

When a few of the fanatics are generating  a lot of terror and fear around the world, peace lovers are hopeful that the day is not far when the world admits that peace cannot be compromised for any other entity.

on 6th November,  the world  celebrated Diwali, the Festival of Lights. In Toronto, Canada, we were celebrating the festival of religions at that time. Is there a greater joy than seeing 220 Faith Communities coming together to proclaim to the world that we are one? We have to clearly understand that there are not many Today, anywhere in the world, fighting in the name of religions and Faiths. That time is gone with the chilly winds of old. And, if there are still a few handful of our brothers and sisters creating troubles anywhere in the name of Religions, they must know that they are only very few, and will realise enmity will be wiped out from the earth very soon, and that too, is the benevolent wish of the Mother Earth. She cannot bear destruction too long. Diwali reminds us of the home coming of Sri Rama, after fourteen years of exile in the forest, when people greeted him and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana and all others, with lights all over the streets in the country. People were celebrating victory of the good over evil. When a mother became hungry of power, she wanted her son to be on the throne and the real heir to the throne had to be sent far away into the deep forest. This is exactly what happens every where. When some one wants to usurp the throne, poor and innocent lot will have to vanish into oblivion. This is also what happened to the First Nation peoples all over the world, in the past. We owe an apology.  Here in Toronto, the people of all nations and all religions declare that we have to be one in creating a just world, a peaceful world. All the guns have to be silenced. All the nuclear weapons have to be eliminated. Children of the globe are unhappy sleeping with 14,995 nuclear weapons by their sides, not knowing when these would fly. Here we have learned to listen to the cry of children, and let not that be a cry in the wilderness.  So let us celebrate many more Diwalis with all its warmth and colours. It reminds us of the beginning of a new era, when mistakes are corrected and the real right is established. May the religions of the world live in peace. May the nations of the globe rejoice. There is a saying: As long as there is the Sikh Community, no one will starve. LANGAR is the common word, which means community kitchen. Wherever there is a  Gurudwara, they will be serving food always to people irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion. Everyone has to cover the head and sit on the floor. No discrimination at all. Here at Toronto, the Sikh Community was serving food to all participants of the Parliament of World’s Religions.  There were ten thousand delegates this year and food was no problem, as there was langar. Every inch of the work is done by volunteers, both men and women. Service is their mission.  In URI we have a Multi Region cooperation Circle named " Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons". Chairman is none other than our founder. Bishop Bill Swing. This is the only multi region CC in which I am a member. There was a session at the Parliament , where the Bishop invited like minded people to join the net work to strive for the total eradication of all nuclear weapons. The session started with the very attractive and meaningful nuclear prayer. The prominent figures featured in the video are: • The Honorable William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense under President Clinton • The Honorable George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State under President Reagan • Dr. Sidney Drell, Professor Emeritus at the Stanford Linear Accelerator • Ambassador James E. Goodby, former Strategic Nuclear Arms Negotiator with the U.S.S.R. • Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr., former Senior U.S. Diplomat • Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute • Monica Willard, United Religions Initiative Representative to the United Nations • The Right Rev. William E. Swing, former Episcopal Bishop of California, and President and Founder of the United Religions Initiative. I would invite all of you to see this video which is available in the URI website ( www. uri.org ) . Search for the ' Nuclear Prayer' and the full version is only eight minutes. This prayer calls for action. Today we have a stock pile of around 15,000 nuclear warheads. An approximate number will be the following: Russia- 6850 United States of America- 6550 France - 300 China- 280 UK - 215 Pakistan- 150 India-130 Israel- 80 North Korea -20. Our prayer is for the total elimination and deactivation of these weapons and it is possible. If our younger generation can feel the passion of these elderly people, it will be possible. Please understand that we had a stockpile of around 68,000 active weapons in 1985 and we have come up to this level. If so, that time is not far when our children learn only from history books and war museums, about the good old nuclear weapons. Our thanks to all these great luminaries who are leading the way.  The biggest Festival  of Religions has come to a close at Toronto. It will definitely have a positive influence in shaping the future of humanity. The highlights can be summarised  as the following: 1. Bringing together 10,000 people from all parts of the world, who belong to 220 Faith communities is in itself a miracle. Seventh Assembly made it possible. Such a Herculean task was made very simple, which shows the organisational skill of the officers and every volunteer who strived for it. 3. Celebrating diversity and pluralism in all its authenticity is the primary objective of all such events and it was at its supreme best here. Hundreds of varieties of flowers make a beautiful garden. Here was God's plenty. 3. Hundreds of sessions went on without any confusion. The planning and home work were  meticulous and the superb facilities of the Metro Convention Centre made a big difference in itself. 4. Suppose twenty five students are in one class. Same teacher, same lesson, but when the students write answers for the same question, we get twenty five different answers. When 220 communities of Faith come together, we get 220 versions of God, even if it is a negation of God. Every student can claim his/ her answer as the best, no problem, but the reality will be different. Here no one claimed any superiority. Every one rejoiced in differences. If the world understands this truth, it will go a long way in establishing the Kingdom of God upon this planet. 5. All sessions and plenaries were unique in their respective locale. The passion with which people attend every event is something to be admired.  6. Youth, women, indigenous communities and differently abledpeople were all given opportunities at various levels, which is admirable. 7. Attitude to Mother Earth was at the centre of all discussions in different plenaries. If the world doesn't take a u- turn in its attitude, it will be too late to learn when nature revolts. 8. It is here that like minded people learn that they are not alone in their passionate pursuits. It is a matter of great consolation for all those who sacrifice their lives for greater callings. 9. As I have written earlier, the Sikh Community displays their marvellous hospitality in feeding thousands free. Their discipline and sacrificial attitude is without comparison anywhere else. Scripture is not something to be recited in the comfort zone of solitude. When the Book compels us to action, then it becomes meaningful.  10. The danger of nuclear weapons was another topic that caught the attention of all. It is mere madness to simply sleep with 15,000 war heads, that threaten the very existence of creation. Man/ Woman has no right to re-draft the cosmic design. Wiping out humanity can never be a sane intervention. If we don't discern the right direction, we don't know how the creator will intervene.  Infallibility is not human nature. There may be flaws, but why should we worry about  flimsy matters, when we have so much to rejoice. So all went  home with hope, to be as active as ever, may be more active, with renewed energy.  Let me conclude with a few lines from Tagore's Gitanjali, which I had been teaching my M.A students for many years, which still reverberates in my soul: " The song that I came to sing remains unsung to this day. I have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing my instrument. The time has not come true, the words have not been rightly set; only there is the agony of wishing in my heart.  The blossom has not opened; only the wind is sighing by..." Let their be strong winds. Let their be no delay in the blossoming of a new spring, a spring that transforms all hearts and minds.