Tuesday, November 6, 2007 No comment

  From October 26-29th Dena Merriam joined prominent faith leaders from Asia and Africa at the Dharma Drum Mountain retreat center and monastery in Taiwan for a reflection on the Awakening of Global Compassionate Leadership.  The Africa-Asia Summit brought together religious leaders and experts from various fields to explore ways to generate greater global compassion, and the role of compassion in transforming suffering and establishing human dignity.  In light of the political and economic ties growing between Africa and Asia, the leaders from these two regions were called together.  They agreed that the spiritual and religious communities should come to know each other and address the important development issues that will help shape the future of their communities.   Below is a statement from the gathering, which was attended by Sheikh Bentounes from Algeria, Sheikh Saliou Mbacke from Senegal, and Bishop Ochola from Uganda led the African delegation, which also included participants from Kenya, South Africa and Sudan. Venerable Guo Dong, Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan, H. H. Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati from India, and Venerable Hiek Sopheap from Cambodia lead the religious delegation from Asia, which included participation from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Lebanon.  The Most Venerable Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain and a key advocate for global inter-religious exchange, provided the guiding vision of the summit and addressed the group at the opening. 

Asian and African Religious Leaders Meet to Deepen Ties

 Asia-Africa Spiritual Summit Launches Forum to SeekNew Approaches to Address Conflict, Poverty and Climate ChangeThrough Compassion  

– October 29, 2007, Dharma Drum Mountain, Taiwan. Religious leaders from throughout Asia and Africa, representatives from their spiritual and cultural traditions, and youth delegates gathered at the headquarters of the Buddhist organization Dharma Drum Mountain outside of Taipei, Taiwan, to explore how their spiritual traditions can bring new understanding and insight into the challenges facing their regions, and how they can build a framework for cooperation based on shared spiritual values.   From the African continent, religious and spiritual leaders came from Algeria, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal South Africa and Sudan. From Asia, delegations were present from Taiwan, India, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Lebanon.

 

      There were in-depth presentations and discussions to deepen understanding of the conflicts and the impoverishment that arose during the recent history of the two regions and that continues today, and how current approaches to dealing with the violence and poverty are bringing only limited success. Much cultural traditional and spiritual knowledge was lost during the colonial period at great detriment to the people.  New method based on the essential wisdom of the traditions are needed – ways to cultivate compassionate leadership at all levels of society.  Conflict, poverty, environmental degradation and gender inequity were all cited as manifestations of  violence that must be addressed by promoting non-violent education and nonviolence way of life – which has been a central component of their traditional wisdom.

 

       It was clear from the discussions that Africa’s Christian, Muslim and traditional faith leaders and the Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders from Asia share an essential vision of human unity.  They found that their shared many common spiritual beliefs and practices  – including a deep regard for the natural environment, an understanding of the interconnection between humans and the natural world, and a community structures that in the past took care of the needs of all its members. Traditional methods of addressing conflict incorporated mechanisms for reconciliation and healing that have been lost in modern conflict and struggles.  These in built mechanisms prevented the escalation of conflict to the levels we see today and also prevented the wide division between the have and have-nots that fuels much of the violence today.  By tapping their traditional knowledge and working in greater unity across religions, and by assuming more responsibility for the challenges at hand, religious leaders expressed their readiness for a new leadership role.  They understood the keys to be the active expression of unity across faiths and an effort to strengthen compassion as the guiding force in society.   

 

      During discussions with youth participants from Africa and Asia, religious leaders acknowledged that the religious institutions have often failed the young people by not addressing their needs or transmitted in modern terms the guiding spiritual values. 

 

Religions needs to maintain essential spiritual values and respond to contemporary issues which had been developed in response to issues of earlier times and is of little relevance today.

 

      Poverty, conflict, environmental degradation and discrimination were ills that must be countered through spiritual efforts. Long-term problem that can only be addressed through education, the empowerment of local communities and the system work to transform thinking and behavior at the local, national and global levels.  

 

There was an outpouring of support for people from Darfur, Sudan and Northern Uganda. A similar call was directed at leaders of Myanmar where Buddhist monks have been killed and imprisoned for their non-violent protests. Because of the extent of human suffering, the participants launched a global appeal to the international community, governments and parties in conflict, a call for peaceful dialogue and compassionate leadership to resolve tragedies around the world. We as religious and spiritual leaders we condemn and reject the manipulation of religion for political ends.

 

The participants agreed to continue their engagement through an ongoing Asia-Africa Spiritual Forum, which would focus on building unity across faiths and developing new strategies for building compassionate leadership. The participants formed a working group, drown from partner organizations, to develop an action plan would be shared with all for approval.

 

The gathering was hosted by Dharma Drum Mountain of Taiwan and was organized in partnership with the Interfaith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA), the All India Movement for Seva, the Global Development for Peace and Leadership in South Africa, and the Global Peace Initiative of Women. All the participants express gratitude and deep appreciation to Venerable Master Sheng Yen and Dharma Drum Mountain, and conducted the prayers for on going work for the Dharma Drum Mountain.

 

africa, asia

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