Promoting Interreligious Wisdom in the British House of Lords

UPF-International, London, United Kingdom, May 21, 2007

"Collective problems need collective Solutions," said H.E. Kamalesh Sharma, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, in addressing an International Leadership Conference on May 21, 2007, sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation in the House of Lords in London. He referred to the globalization of technology, economy and trade, along with the globalization of disease, crime and narcotics. He lamented that "only wisdom is not globalized!"

At the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, people from the world's largest democracy challenged the United Kingdom to consider ways in which religion can join with civil society in partnership with governments and the UN for the sake of peace. "Religion is kept at arm's length by the UN and national governments," India's former ambassador to Nepal, K.V. Rajan, stated. "Isn't this good for our world when we consider the contribution religion can make to resolving, or at least diminishing conflict, through applying universally recognized values such as sacrifice and service to others?"

Concerns were raised about religion as an aggressive force. "Why has religion become militant?" asked Lord Bhikku Parekh Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics. Observing that religious people feel mocked and rejected, he said, "We must find a proper and respectable place for religion in public life. Once religion enters the public space to speak, it also has to accept certain norms around respect for others and working together. The religious voice should not be monopolized by the militants or the conservatives; we should restore the voice of religion to its original values."

"The Universal Peace Federation is the forum to address these issues" said Dr. L.M. Singhvi, former High Commissioner of India to the UK. He echoed Lord Parekh's concern about finding ways in which religion can promote coexistence: "Peace is too important to be left to diplomats and soldiers alone. Peace will not come unless civil society is at the forefront and pushing interfaith dialogue."

Presenters expressed confidence that religion can make an essential contribution to the world by calling people to higher common values. Ambassador Sharma compared humanity to a person dying of thirst and arriving at an oasis offering bottled drinks of different flavors. "Would they argue over who has which flavor?" he asked. "Religion is the water, and it has many flavors.'

Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, secretary general of UPF, stated that "religion needs to mature and grow beyond attitudes of Separation and hostility. Secularization is not the final outcome of human development but rather the integration or religious sensibility with the intellectual and the technical." He mentioned that each person arrives in the world not as individuals out in the context of the family and a harmonious family provides the template for a harmonious society. Other commented about the need for self-reflection and internal dialogue in order to enter into constructive dialogue with others.

The potential of religious people to speak with a unified voice about common values encouraged the British audience. Rob Morris, a member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South-west said, "I learned from today's dialogue that as a politician I need to be more relaxed about religion. Religion is precious to me and many of my constituents."

At the conclusion of the Session, Lord Khaled Hameed was awarded a certificate as Ambassador for Peace. He is Executive Director of the Cromwell Hospital, Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council, and of the Asian Policy Group, which advises ethnic minorities.

Voices from participants:

Hon. Dr. L. M. Singhvi, former Indian High Commissioner to the UK and President of UPF India and member of the UPF Global Presiding Council)

“I ask myself in this Moses Room, 'What would Moses have to say to us?' Maybe he would add one commandment: 'Thou shalt endeavour and strive for peace ceaselessly'. Today religion is often seen as a potent but negative force. As Lord Parekh said, we must not just look for commonalities between religions but for ways in which we can aid the process of co-existing well. In the declaration of UNESCO it states that 'War begins in the minds of men' - I say that peace begins in the minds of men, women and children. The Universal Peace Federation's work is all about this peace and it is my privilege to introduce this work to you.

UPF is emphasizing that peace is too important to be left to diplomats and soldiers alone. There are other constituencies of peace which deal with our common future and human equality. UPF is the forum to address these issues - we are many people, but one world, one cosmos.

If we do not hang together, as religions, we will hang separately! The mission of religion is to reach the soul and heart of humanity. UPF promotes the culture of heart in the garden of diversity and is for Intervention on a hundred fronts where humanity needs help and succour. Peace will not come unless civil society is at the forefront and pushing interfaith dialogue. It will not come through the establishment. Inter-religious work speaks of love of peace and the peace of shared love. There is so much we can do together and that we destroy in our separateness.”

Ambassador K. V. Rajan, the Indian Deputy High Cimmissioner in the UK and former Indian Ambassador to Nepal

“It's not good for religion to be kept at arms length by the United Nations and national governments when religion can contribute universally recognized values such as self-sacrifice and Service to others to the resolution of conflicts.”

Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Centennial Professor for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics

“What can we do about the rise of aggressive, militant religion and why is it happening? We cannot ignore it or it will continue unabated. Do we declare a 'war on terrorism'? No, this is misguided - the more you oppress the more energy you give. Every act of injustice intensifies the sense of identity among the oppressed. (Religion) sensitizes us to our responsibilities and can reach to areas that bureaucratic governments cannot reach. We should develop institutional forms of collaboration between the State and religion toward making a good society.”