CHICAGO: If all goes well one of the most followed world religious leaders, Pope Francis, is likely visiting India in the near future to attend an interfaith conference being planned by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti in New Delhi.
A high powered delegation headed by Acharya Dr Lokesh Muni and comprising prominent members of Jain community from USA and India had a meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican last week to invite him for the International Interfaith meeting in India. The conference will be taking up issues like World Peace, Religious Harmony, Environment Protection and Human welfare.
Pope Francis was delighted receiving the invitation from Acharya Lokesh and observed that this International Interfaith Conference would be a step towards World Peace. He also said that, “inter-religious dialogue is necessary for protection of humanity, World peace and harmony and I hope and wish to come to India.”
Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni was accompanied by senior vice president of JAINA Mahesh Wadher from California, Anil Monga from New Jersey, Karamjeet Singh Dhaliwal, Dr. Raj Bhayani and Kamlesh Mehta from New York, Subrata Ganguly from Kolkata and Bhavya Shrivastava from New Delhi.
Jain Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni said that violence and terrorism could not solve any problem. All conflicts need to be resolved through dialogue. Also, environmental pollution and conceptual pollution both are harmful. He said that Indian culture is based on unity in diversity and European culture emphasizes interreligious harmony. Both India and Europe together can make an effective contribution for the world peace and religious harmony.
Acharya Lokesh said that India is a multicultural country where people of different communities, religions, faiths and cultures live together with love and harmony. He said that Jain philosophy based on unity in diversity, non-violence and non possessiveness can solve many global problems like violence, terrorism, environmental pollution, inequality.
Jain Acharya Lokesh expressed the hope that the participation of Pope at the Conference would give a boost to the message of World peace and harmony. He informed Pope that Indian President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top leaders of major world religions are invited and likely to come to the conference.
Suresh Shah
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