INTERFAITH DIALOGUE - SAMVAD II FOR PEACE, HARMONY AND SECURITY OF THE WORLD

 August 6, 2017

INTERFAITH DIALOGUE - SAMVAD II FOR PEACE, HARMONY AND SECURITY OF THE WORLD

Sitagu International Buddhist Academy-SIBA (Yangon, Myanmar) 5 - 6 August 2017 (14th Waxing Day of Wagaung 1379 ME)

DECLARATION

The Interfaith Dialogue for Peace, Harmony and Security of the World, jointly organized by the Sitagu International Buddhist Missionary Association (SIBMA), Myanmar; the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), India; and the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Myanmar ISIS) in association with The Japan Foundation, Japan, was held at the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy (SIBA) on 5 and 6 August 2017 in Yangon.

The Spiritual Masters of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikh and more than 100 delegates from 30 countries participated in the Dialogue Prime Minister H.E. Shri Narendra Modi of the Republic of India and Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe of Japan sent their video messages to the inaugural session of the Dialogue. H.E Thura U Aung Ko, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture of the Government of Republic of the Union of Myanmar, H.E. U Thaung Tun, National Security Advisor of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, H.E Shri Ram Naik, Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, India and H.E Mr Nobuo Kishi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan delivered special addresses at the inaugural session. Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India Mahant Yogi Adityanath delivered a valedictory address.

Spiritual / religious leaders of all religions, and scholars of all the religions actively participated in the discussion. We unanimously agree and declare on this Sixth of the Month of August, Two Thousand and Seventeenth that:

1. All the people of the world have to cooperate and endeavour together, without any fear, in order to obtain harmonious social life with full security assurances.

2. We denounce all kinds of hate speech, false propaganda, conflict and war under the pretext of religion and strongly condemn those who provide support any such activities.

3. We, leaders of all religions of the world, resolve to be builders of the harmonious human society by religious teachings and involve ourselves in consolidating peace and security of the world.

4. We, members of different faiths, need to build mutual understanding, respect and trust among ourselves in order to obtain a peaceful, secure and prosperous human society.

5. We resolve to exercise restraint and refrain from interfering in matters of other religions and to cooperate in building bridges for world peace.

6. It is our inherent duty to conserve the environment before it is too late for the survival of humankind.

7. All religious leaders from India present at this Samvad II have unanimously decided to meet once in every four months (and as and when it is required), starting from 4 December 2017 to build bridges and harmony.

8. We shall collectively initiate programmes to enhance environmental consciousness and undertake awareness/ protection projects.

9. To strengthen understanding and trust, we shall organize an interfaith camp for meditation.

10.All the spiritual paths and religious traditions are equally valid.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar