Brahma Kumaris at United Nations

A special conference was hosted by the Religions for Peace International, the Religions for Peace Korea and its International Peace Corps of religions program the the UNICEF headquarters in New York, December 16, 2009. The day features a variety of speakers and participants from the worlds of NGO’s, religious leaders, and member state ambassadors.

Hosting the morning session was Dr Sunggon Kim, a former member of the Korean Parliament who indicated that both Religion and Politics are needed. The religions find peace within and the Political actors look for peace outside. They are also like the mother and father in our life. We need both compassion and justice. These values are not exclusive but complimentary.

A keynote speaker, Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace indicated that Religions bring 3 special qualities or assets. The Religions are self organized, self -led and also are much more prevalent in society than government services. These are assets which can and should be used for assisting the communities, because religious people include those “who are willing to carry the buckets to the fire.”

The Venerable Hyun-Jong, Director of Research Institute for Buddhist Studies, indicated that meditation and turning inside is the greatest legacy of humankind. Our eternal hope and the key to all man-made problems, will defeat prejudice. He proposed a, one day a month, day of meditation sponsored by the United Nations. [The Brahma Kumaris offer a monthly World Peace Meditation hour every third Sunday at all our centers.]

Mrs. Helen Grace Wangusa, the Anglican Observer at the United Nations, stated that the main issue to address is poverty. With poverty there are fewer choices and with fewer choices there are fewer rights. She stated, “There is no conflict that dialogue cannot bring to an end.

Dr Sayyid Syeed, mentioned a notable story about the Muslim beginnings here in the USA. When the groups wanted a place to meet the Christian churches opened their doors to them and allowed the Muslims to hold their services in the churches.

The United Nations is not in the business of advancing religious goals but the United Nations needs and can use religious qualities and assistance for the better governance of the world. However, the United Nations must work with religions to effect the attitudes and behavior of religious people because it is necessary to know and understand where these attitudes and behaviors come from.

It is anticipated that the United Nations and it’s instruments will continue to explore and expand the many ways the world can benefit from this cooperation and partnership.

Erik

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human rights and the 27th anniversary of the Declaration on the Elimination of all forms of Intolerance based on religion or belief, the NGO committee on Freedom of Religion or belief hosted a program at the Baha’i International Community’s UN office, December 8, 2008.

Ms. Felice Gaer, US Commission on International Religious Freedom at the Jacob Blaustein Institute commented that “My rights stop where your begin.” And this will always lead to negotiations and can be contentious. To have a dialogue means there must be a ‘floor’ to begin. Other wise if there is no basis of agreement it is just conflict resolution.

It was also mentioned that there are now new codewords including “complimentary standards” which is used to give the rights to states and not to the people in the states. It is not the intent to give governments or religions rights but to the people who are in the country or have a belief those rights.

The role of government, according to Mr. Malcolm Evans of the University of Bristol School of Law, is to foster neutrality and foster pluralism. Governments should be able to have preventative intervention but not prohibitions towards religions.

Mr. Tom Farr, of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service spoke the the foreign policy of the United States and religion. The USA is a religious country with religious politics but religions are avoided in International policy because religion is inherently “irrational”. Mr. Farr indicated that by not accounting for the religions in the world and the behaviors they inspire, it is a mistake in dealing with other countries .

It seems very difficult to function in the world without taking into account the beliefs and motivations of the people, whether they are religious or not.

Erik