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Religious groups must tackle global challenges: Jain Muni

Religious leaders and social organizations need to address global challenges and have budgets for peace initiatives, a Jain religious leader told Kathmandu's Asia-Pacific Leadership Summit.

Religious groups must tackle global challenges: Jain MuniK

athmandu, Dec. 2, 2018: Kathmandu — Religious leaders and social organizations need to address global challenges and have budgets for peace initiatives, a Jain religious leader told Kathmandu’s Asia-Pacific Leadership Summit.

Also on November 30 New Delhi Ambassador of Peace Acharya Lokesh Muni said that “political and social organizations have a huge contribution to resolving the current global challenges.”

At the November 30-December 3 summit about 1,500 participants from 45 countries attend. Peace, development, good governance and parliamentary role, climate change and the role of the media are among the various global challenges discussed.

Lokesh Muni says in the Indian context, “I would like to mention that 80 percent of the population believe in some faith or the other.”

The Jain leader further explained, “When understood in its true sense, every faith presents many solutions to human problems. Religion has always set civilizations in motion.

“Religious organizations are teaching people how to live a balanced life,” he added, “they are also open to hearing the problems of people working for individuals, families, communities, national and international.”

He strongly believes, “Religious leaders and organization, by spending millions of dollars, can do what government might not be able to do.”

Affirming that, “All religions preach unity in society, [they] come together and work for development,” Lokesh Muni clarified, “There is no place on the path of religion for violence, hate and difference. Inter-religious dialog can bring about peace, and religious unity leads to peace in society.

Peace Education Founder Lokesh Muni insists that “Value-based education should be a part of our peaceful society education system.”

“It’s an irony we want peace but no country has a separate budget for peace initiatives,” he lamented.

Through the summit, Lokesh Muni appealed to world leaders saying, “I would like to suggest that every country’s government, social and religious organizations and educational system should have an action plan for peace efforts and should make efforts to implement that plan.”

The 2018 Asia-Pacific Leadership Summit is organized by the Universal Peace Federation based in South Korea, and sponsored by the Government of Nepal. It is attended by numerous heads of state, ministers, parliament members, religious leaders, social workers including regional leaders including India, Cambodia , Myanmar, Malaysia , Pakistan and Philippines.

Some of the notable attendees include former Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Myanmar Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, former Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Nauru President Baron Waqa, Philippines Vice-president Maria Leonor G Robredo, Samoa Head of State Vaaleto’a Sualauvi II Tuimalealiifano and Tuvalu Governor General Iakoba TaeiaItaleli.

Senior leader of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Vijay Jolly, and Don Bosco Liluah alumnus from Belur, cradle of Ramkrishna Mission Subrata Ganguly were also part of the Indian delegation at the summit.

By Matters India reporter

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