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THE 2ND IRUHA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “INTER-RELIGIOUS RELATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WORLD PEACE”

THE 2ND IRUHA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “INTER-RELIGIOUS RELATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WORLD PEACE”

Updated 2018-04-04 21:49:03

(Reported from Bangkok, 10-13 March, 2018 by Caodai TV – Photography by Tuan Em and Huu Loi)

The two-day 2^nd International Conference on “Inter-religious Relations for Sustainable World Peace” was jointly held at the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand by Universal Love and Brotherhood Association Thailand (ULBA Thailand) and Japanese Oomoto’s Universal Love and Botherhood Association from 10 March 2018 to 13 March 2018.

This conference is the consequence of the 1^st IRUHA International Conference on the similar topic, which was held at the Chulalongkorn University Alumni Association in Bangkok, Thailand on the 19^th of May, 2016.

This second IRUHA was designed to gather ‘peacemaker’ peoples from all nations, religions and faiths at the meeting venue for fellowship and friendship, so that our renewed minds and fervent hearts will strengthen our existing associations around the globe, in order to establish faith, hope and mission towards our goal for a more peaceful world.

Several representatives of different governmental and religious organizations in Thailand such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism joined the conference. Also, representatives from Oomoto in Japan, Weixin Shengjiao and Tao Yuan in Taiwan, Daesoon Jinrihoe in South Korea and Cao Dai in Vietnam were invited to participate in this event. Besides, distinguished scholars and speakers from Hongkong and Nepal took part in the discussion panel.

It was emphasized in a Greeting address by Her Holiness Spiritual Leader of Oomoto and ULBA Japan Madam Kurenai Deguchi that “we are now threatened by a big increase in the starving population; the expanding gap between rich and poor; ethnic and other conflicts in many parts of the world….these are world problems that need cooperative efforts to solve”. And the keys suggested to closing the gap are based on the idea that the entire world is like a family, which is the basic principle of “Internacia Reto de Universala Homama Asocio” (IRUHA).

The first day of the conference saw religious ceremonies (Chanting and Praying Performance for World Peace) by Oomoto and Religious Representatives. During the panel discussion, distinguished scholars and speakers suggested different approaches to World Peace based on the ideas of Universal Love and Brotherhood because it was widely agreed that human beings are all children of the same God.

Apart from religious activities, panel discussions and religious field trips, there were practical activities for youth representatives from Oomoto in Japan, students in Thailand and Nepal at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University. It is believed that youth is the future of the World, in order to have sustainable world peace; it is unavoidable to put the concept of Universal Love and Brotherhood Association (ULBA) or Jinrui Aizenkai in Japan into the behavior of youth internationally.

Addressing at this 2^nd IRUHA conference, Reverend Thuong Canh Thanh, President of Cao Dai Overseas Missionary emphasized that “The Cao Dai Doctrine advocates a Universal World in which there is no discrimination on the ground of race, complexion, language, wealth or gender. All races on Earth should be treated equally. All religions, despite their different names, in this world come from the same origin which is God the Father”. He also called for a better and tighter relationship and solidarity amongst respectful religions and faiths by having more friendly reciprocal visits, by carrying out more cultural, educational exchanges in order to support one another in their social and charitable activities.”

This 2^nd IRUHA conference also released a joint declaration committing to the three spiritual and practical solutions:

- Improve communication and collaboration between younger and older generations by encouraging younger members of various organizations to participate in future gatherings such as this one.
- Continue and expand the effort we made at this Second International Conference to bring together the youth of different cultures for active engagement with each other. We believe we created a successful model for the future at this conference, where Thai, Japanese and Nepalese young people spent a day in a structured activity to learn about each other.
- Recognizing that spiritual expression takes many different forms in the 21^st Century, encourage new religious and other spiritual-based movements to join us in our effort on the basis of Bankyo Dokon – all religions and spiritual expressions spring from the same root.

For pictures of the event, please scroll down: