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THAILAND RISES AS A 'SPIRITUAL HUB OF ASIA'

13 June 2002

The kingdom of Thailand has gained a higher status as a 'spiritual hub of Asia' with the convening of senior leaders of global religions for an historic conference designed to address problems of conflict, poverty and the natural environment. 

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn inaugurated the first World Council of Religious Leaders meeting which is being held June 12-14 and jointly hosted by the Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University of Bangkok and The Millennium World Peace Summit. 

Close to 200 top religious leaders have congregated under the helmsmanship of the revered global Buddhist leader His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, at the hallowed grounds of Buddhamonthon. 

Phra Thepsophon, Rector of Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University, said: "Thailand is a suitable location for such an event as it is in Asia, the origin of the world's major religions. The kingdom is also the land of Buddhism and we are tolerant to all religious beliefs. Most of all, His Majesty the King supports all religions.

"The university was chosen to host the meeting because we are well-equipped to do so from our experience hosting the Buddhist Summit in late 2000," Phra Thepsophon added. 

An announcement by the Millennium World Peace Summit said the conference in Thailand would "catapult Bangkok to Asia's top spiritual hub, befitting her long and abiding history of spiritual leadership in Asia, effectively encouraged by a progressive and far-thinking monarchy."

The conference will co-establish a permanent council and an Asian base, and adopt a charter creating the organizational structures through which the council will address issues of human security, including, for example, war, poverty, crime, and drug abuse. 

The council will act as an impartial consultant to the United Nations in its efforts to address conflicts with religious and cultural dimensions and in carrying out its humanitarian programmes with cultural and religious sensitivity.

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the regional headquarters of the UN, has been based in Bangkok for about 40 years. Its Executive Secretary, Mr. Kim Hak-Su, addressed the Opening Plenary on June 13.

Most of the meetings, group dynamics sessions and discussions are being held at the UN ESCAP Conference Centre on June 13-14 to provide an amicable platform for a friendly exchange of views, setting of goals and concretely sketching out a target plan for achieving world peace. 

This meeting is a spin-off from the highly successful Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, held at the main UN headquarters in New York in August 2000. That historic event brought together over 2000 religious leaders from all corners of the earth and from every faith tradition. 

Mr. Bawa Jain, Secretary-General of the Summit said," The role of religious leaders has never been more important in helping to set a new direction for the human community." 

He said the World Council of Religious Leaders aims to serve as a model and guide for the creation of a community of world religions. It seeks to inspire women and men of all faiths in the pursuit of peace and mutual understanding. 

Mr. Jain added, "In a fragile world that grows increasingly violent, we are coming together to further dialogue and to build a foundation of trust in order for us to explore innovative ways that religious leaders can give life to such a Council, making it an effective and powerful voice for peace."

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has joined the Royal Thai Government in extending a warm welcome to the religious leaders. The event will pave the way for many more conferences on religious and spiritual topics to be organised in Thailand.

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