Local representatives from the World March for Peace and Nonviolence attended the Pre-parliament of the World’s Religions held on October 22nd and 23rd in Guadalajara, Mexico with the theme “Hope: Opportunities for Religious and Spiritual Pluralism.” This preliminary meeting anticipated the Parliament of the World’s Religions, which will convene in Melbourne, Australia on December 3rd and 4th of 2009.
Organized by the Chicago-based Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the event brought together representatives from all walks of religious life: for the Torah, Rabbi Joshua Kullock, for the Holy Qur’an, Dr. Brahiman Saganogo, for the Vedas, Maximiliano Abbendgott, and for the Dhammapada, Rafael Flores De La Longa.
Other guests included members of the Local Assembly of the Bahai Faith, representatives from Roman Catholicism (P. Jorge Manzano), the Baghavad Gita (Jaganattha Vallabha), and the Yoruba faith (Babalawo Lic. Roberto de la Peña).
The World without Wars and without Violence foundation and the World March in Guadalajara took part in an information table attended by participants and representatives from this area of interreligious dialog. These individuals in turn participated in working tables made up of men and women of diverse spiritual and religious backgrounds.
The team’s objective was to “contribute, according to our possibilities, to efforts to promote Dialog under the theme “Everyone under the Same Heaven” in this conference which brought together approximately one thousand people, culminating in the drafting of “The Hope Manifesto.” This document proclaims hope to be “the flower that the waking man dreams of” and the “impetus for just and truthful actions”.
The event concluded with a blessing ceremony performed by the various religious representatives. Afterwards, an announcement was made to a packed auditorium that the World March would be coming to Mexico and all those present were invited to attend the events.
*(Translation provided by Patrick C. Yancey)*
