On August 21, 2021, an international peace organization Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) held HWPL Religious Peace Camp with 44 religious leaders and youths from 9 countries.
The event was aimed at promoting dialogue and cultural exchanges among religions, ethnics and ideologies as well as improving awareness of minority religious discrimination and peaceful coexistence.
According to the Pew Research Center’s 2020 report, persecution against minority religions happened in more than 90 percent of countries. Leading media outlets including the New York Times reported related cases like India’s Hindu nationalist ruling party abused voters’ faith to instigate confrontation among religious groups, China’s Tibetan genocide, and Sri Lankan religious conflict.
Mr. Sathit Kumarn, the president of Ramakrishna Vedanta Association presented his opinion for peaceful coexistence with minority religion, “The one thing which is really important is treatment. We must treat equally neither who are in belief of major or minor religion.”
After opening presentations by religious leaders from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam about the introduction of each religion, HWPL presented the definition of minority religions, cases of minority religious persecution around the world, and national and private cases of action for interreligious coexistence.
Participants then shared in groups perceptions of religion in each country and discussed roles and ways to improve awareness of minority religions and achieve coexistence.
Prof. Tarig Mohamed Nour Ali, the associate professor of the University of Khartoum proposed the reason for the conflicts with minority religions and solutions by saying, “The important thing is to respect their religion. We should be careful that your belief is not the only one truth.”
Mr. Mambo Leonard Andruga, the advisor for program and administration to the secretary-general of South Sudan Council of Churches said, “We must recognize that we are all equal. We are all a part of the world. So we have to hear each voice by having inter-religious dialogues and understand each other.”
HWPL was established in 2013 to achieve world peace with the cessation of war and has been working with more than 100 international organizations, civil society, and governments to promote peace. HWPL Religious Peace Camp has been held in India, America, Myanmar, Burundi, and other countries every year to overcome religious differences amid the growing issue of religious conflicts around the world.
In September, HWPL will hold the HWPL World Peace Summit with politicians, legal professions, religious leaders, educators, youth, women and journalists to present concerted action for sustainable peace amid the current global crisis.