IRFWP offers core session to NY area peace conference

On Friday, May 22, IRFWP and director Frank Kaufmann offered itself for the success of the NY area peace conference entitled ‘Voice of the Voiceless’

An inter-faith amity and social action workshop by Sri Ramanuja Mission Trust (SRMT),Chennai, India in association with Ethics and Spirituality Initiative (ESI) for Sustainable Development in conjunction with Forum 21/Sukyo Mahikari, New York was successfully organized  on the May 22,2015 at the Sukura Mahikari Center, NY.

The theme of the workshop was:

“The anguished appeal by the innocent victims of violence for cessation of all hostilities occurring in the name of religion across the continents and the key role of NGOs and Media can play in mitigating the agonies”

Setting the context of the meeting, the organizers namely Mr. George Houston of  Sukyo Mahikari, Mr. Rick Clugston of  Forum 21 and ESI and  Mr.Varadan Chandar of  SRMT urged urgent action plans from all concerned to correct the current situations which have been creating tensions and conflicts leading to violence and bloodshed across the continents. They also underscored the multidimensional facets of peace establishment in Society and the need for remedial proposals which could address the root causes of all the major contributing factors and surmount them on a sustainable basis.

The session representing the main conference concept of the Voices of the voiceless was convened and created by Dr. Frank Kaufmann of IRFWP

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The various voices presented were Ms. Dede Oman, Africa Connect Radio, spoke on the condition of women and girls in developing countries and domestic violence caused to women and children, Mr. Rodney Johnson, Playwrite, Surv​ivor, spoke on sufferings of the people during the Sierra Leone Diamond War and Ms. Marie Claudine Mukamabano of  Rwanda  gave a moving account of the  sufferings caused by the genocides.

On the theme of mitigating inter & intra religious violences and setting the directions for future actions, the speakers were Mr. Frank Kaufmann of  Interreligious Federation for World Peace, Guru Dileepi of International Gurukula Community, Ms. Martha Gallahue of  United Religions Initiative, Hiro Sakurai of  Soka Gakkai International and Mrs. Sharon Hamilton-Getz, Global Interreligious Ambassador.

Core Group of the workshop

They emphasized the need to have a coordinated and harmonized approach among all the spiritual and religious leaders on showing the future directions to address the dire needs of mankind in its pursuit of a remedial course correction for resolving the current complications and problems created by the materialistic as well as blinkered narrow approaches.

In the next session, sharing the experience and assessments of the United Nations related to the above topic in the last two decades, the speakers were Riccado de Sena, Secretary General, Universal Peace Federation International North America, Rev. Mac Legerton of Center for Community Action, David Wildman of General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church, Grove Harris, Temple of Understanding and Ms. Euginia Kagawa also of the Universal Peace Federation.

The broad common note of their presentations were that though the efforts of UN are continuously ongoing in these directions much more effective, result oriented and concerted planning and actions need to be carried out in a more coordinated manner by all the member countries.

A new format of value based education system for the younger generation and a unified approach for spiritualizing humanity on the basis of common acceptable core ethical and moral values were underscored as important remedial actions identified for the UN to focus in the coming period.

In the afternoon session on the role of peace related NGOs and Media in mitigating violence, the speakers were Mr. Kurt Johnson of  Inter-Spiritual Network, Swami Parameshananda of  Bharat Sevashram, Shyamsundar das Prabhu representing Sripad Bhakti Madhava Puri Maharaj (PhD.) of  Bhakti Vedanta Institute, James Paturas, WHO Collaborating Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response, Agha Saleh of Sukhi NY and Dr. Kusumita P. Pederson, Co-Chair, Interfaith Center of New York.

The common note of their address steered around the importance of unifying, strengthening, empowering and enabling all  the non-government organizations (NGO’s) working for the material and spiritual upliftment of mankind throughout the world and give them a greater say in future decision making platforms.While the various governments holding power and authority necessarily take their respective  positions on most of the vital issues in line with their narrow national self interests,  the NGOs working on peace related themes such as disarmament, human rights, economic justice, women empowerment, conservation of  environment, sustainable energy, global warming control etc.  have a much  wider, altruistic and nobler vision towards the entire mankind.

The moral strength of their position needs to be further reinforced and made more effective by stronger unification, mutual bonding and networking to create the necessary positive impact to mankind.

The media’s key role in propagating such positive actions to be emulated and adopted for the rest of the world was also highlighted in their speeches. Further, the media was urged to take up such socially relevant and humanitarian themes with greater vigor and involvement.

See more conference photos here

 

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