In a recent international level meeting held at the United Nations office in Vienna, Austria, on the implementation of the plan of action for religious leaders and actors to prevent incitement to violence that could lead to atrocity crimes, two members of the religious fraternity from Haridwar and Rishikesh were among those who participated. Concrete measures at the international, national, and local levels were the focus of the discussions. The United Nations is taking global peace initiatives based on the spiritual and humanitarian values of various cultures for controlling crimes and prevention of violence.
More than 100 religious leaders, actors, UN officials and representatives from different countries were present in this high level conference to discuss ways to enable the prevention of incitement to violence that could lead to atrocity crime. It was organised by the Office of Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect at the United Nations. It must be written here many crimes are directly related to hate and religion. And it must stop at any cost.
Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, the president of Divine Shakti Foundation of Rishikesh represented India and Hinduism, at the three-day conference.
The plan of action was officially launched at the United Nations in New York in July 2017 by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Sadhvi Bhagawati was also a distinguished speaker at that event. A draft plan based on the teachings of Shriram Sharma Acharya, a renowned preacher, scholar, freedom fighter the founder of global Gayatri
Pariwar was presented to the UN special advisory group of the global peacekeepers by Chinmay Pandya, the pro vice chancellor of Devsanskriti University.
Sadhvi Bhagwati emphasised that the need was to focus on effectively fireproofing our communities so that these crimes do not arise.
Deliberating about her talk, Bhawati said, “Atrocity crimes are rooted in separation, ‘us versus them’, which is why it is so important to emphasise oneness. We have found also, with our Global Interfaith
WASH Alliance that bringing together leaders of different religions for a common cause is a very powerful tool. Having communities serve together against a common enemy like poverty or polluted water or diarrohea is sometimes more powerful than the teaching and preaching."
She led everyone gathered to stand, hold hands with each other and pledge and commit that they would work together, in their own areas of influence and impact, to prevent atrocity crimes. Chinmay Pandya also met the group from Pakistan headed by their ministers who invited him to visit Islamabad and visit the temple of Surya there. The minister reportedly assured that he will arrange for Pakistani youth to come forward and protect the temple.
Important and effective steps were taken in this conference to prevent the promotion and spread of violence. Amongst the major points agreed on during the meeting, were the need to map existing initiatives that can contribute to implementing the plan of action, develop capacity-building activities for religious leaders and actors; disseminate and share curricula for interreligious coexistence; and include youth and women in all activities.
A proposal was unanimously accepted that to establish lasting peace, justice and an inclusive society, men and women working for this purpose should be honoured by being brought to the global stage as Peace Ambassadors,which would send a message of peace to the whole world.