Exclusive interviews with the Parliament of the World’s Religions Chairman and the Executive Director as well as a faith leader at the Chicago convening in mid-August.
Electric was the subjective feel of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago held August 14-18. There was visible bonhomie between people, many wearing colorful clothes or ethnic attire. Amity and understanding marked the programs and panels. Differences on some issues were discussed but in a civil way.
So, what was achieved by the mega event of the biggest interfaith movement of our times? Is there a shift from fostering inter-religious understanding to addressing pressing issues of our times, such as climate change and social justice? Lotus conducted these exclusive interviews amid fervent activities at the McCormick Place venue.
Nudging faith communities to support solutions to world problems
Nitin Ajmera
Chairman, Parliament of the World’s Religions
I have received a lot of positive comments; people have been excited and happy attending this Parliament. They come here from a sense of human fraternity. Obviously, there is always scope for improvement in organizing such an event. Not only the attendees, I am receiving gratitude and appreciation from partners and sponsors alike. I am happy and looking forward to what the future holds for Parliament.
Is there a change of direction in making PoWR more activist? I don’t think so. As a society we have gone way past seeking harmony between religions. All realize that there are different paths to the same goal, which is happiness, love, brotherhood, sisterhood, and sustainability. What we are now striving for is getting our faith and religious groups to support solutions to pressing problems of the day. What are we doing about climate change that is going to make our lives difficult in 30 to 50 years? What are we doing about issues like inequality? How are we going to engage our younger generations to concentrate on faith-based solutions and bring them to forums such as PoWR and have them take part in the development of our future because they are sitting out as bystanders, thinking “it will resolve itself.” No, it will not resolve itself, it will need our help. How do our faiths support peace and justice? How do our faiths support the long-term sustainability of our happiness?
These are the tracks we are trying to work on to carry forward the mission of the Parliament to find solutions for mankind. There may be a diversion from the religious aspect of the Parliament because we believe we are good there, our religious leaders are supporting each other and not their faith alone.
And no, the amity and bonhomie witnessed at the 2023 Parliament in Chicago is not a bubble. The people who came here are trying to find an anchor from which they can operate. They will go back to their communities and are going to talk about this. In that way, they are taking the message back. America is divided between Republicans and Democrats only from a political aspiration perspective. But we the people love and respect each other and do not see each other as Republicans and Democrats. Somehow amid the political drama around the world, the governments have taken ownership of how we should behave as humans. That is something that needs to be worked on now. They were supposed to manage us, but now they have taken over the authority to dictate how we should live. Yes, we choose those governments, but a 50.1% majority should not be a criterion for democracy anymore.
At PoWR, we have always entertained opposing views. We want people of different views to come so that we can have a dialogue, which has to be done in the spirit of resolving our differences, not accusing each other.
As for my religion, I have seen a strong presence of Jainism, starting with the Melbourne Parliament in 2009, the first I attended. At the Salt Lake City Parliament, we started the Ahimsa Award, given to a person who follows the principles of Lord Mahavir. I also went to Toronto PoWR in 2018. Of course, Jainism was represented by Virchand Gandhi in the very first PoWR in Chicago in 1893, as Swami Vivekananda represented Hinduism.
The Jain community is progressively getting more organized and involved. The Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago became a strong supporter of the Parliament and came forward with a lot of programs, even creating a Jain shrine to showcase the teachings of Lord Mahavir for everybody.
The Parade of the Faiths was held for the first time here. We would love to hold it every year going forward. Chicago is PoWR’s hometown. With the Parade, we can reinforce our message to the local communities and get their support as we are a local organization.
Interfaith people need to become a much larger presence in society
Rev. Stephen Avino
Executive Director, Parliament of the World’s Religions
I have been the Executive Director for two years, and with Parliament for 11 years. I am a priest, and the Parliament is my ministry currently.
At the Chicago convening, we had 850 different programs, five plenaries, 4 assemblies, as well as 200 booths in the exhibition hall. Around 6,500 people attended. Luminaries who sent messages included UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Rashad Hussain, US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, addressed the opening session. Religious leaders at the Parliament included Cardinal Blasé J. Cupich from Chicago, Swami Ishatmananda of Vedanta Society – Chicago, Amma Karunamayi, and Bhai Mohinder Singh, Chairman of Nishkam Sewak Jatha, UK.
The Parliament went very well even though this being the first convening after Covid, we did not know what to expect. We wanted to focus on critical issues, which we definitely did. The theme of this Parliament was ‘A Call to Conscience – Defending Freedom and Human Rights’ and we tried to address that as much as possible.
For PoWR it is both a conscious shift to address pressing issues of our time and something that has been happening naturally. The interfaith movement began by learning about each other and having a dialogue, which is still very important. But once people of different faiths and religions get together and work together on something, it is more powerful in relationship building. There are many things to fix in this world and it is easier to get that done when we work together.
Interfaith people need to get outside the walls of Parliament and go on to the streets and become a much larger presence in society. With the topsy-turvy politics in America and this critical moment in our history, it is more important for us to work together to defend freedom and human rights.
I am hopeful of a better world to come, and am encouraged by PoWR. There are thousands of people who are also working toward it. Coming to Parliament you can learn what is working and what is not.
Need more reflection, introversion and qualities of meditation
Erik Lawson
Director, Brahma Kumaris WSO (USA), Additional Representative of BKWSU to the UN
I have attended 7 Parliaments by now. I lived in Chicago in the 1990s and got involved on behalf of Brahma Kumaris in the 1993 convening. It was a wonderful event as it was the 100th anniversary of the first Parliament when Swami Vivekananda historically spoke there. I missed the one in South Africa, but have attended other PoWRs since then as a representative of the Brahma Kumaris to share and support the coming together of religions under one God and creating a sense of community.
The initiative to revive PoWR in 1993, as I recall, was taken by the Vedanta Society of Chicago, as they wanted to honor Swami Vivekananda’s’ arrival in America in 1893 (and bringing East and West closer). Other faith communities joined in; the Archdiocese of Chicago was one of the backers. The Parliament held at Palmer House hotel attracted 8,000 people from all over the world. I was part of the small organizing committees. There was an interfaith meditation. We started coming together once a month at each other’s place of worship for classes and activities. We developed a strong bond as we shared in creating the same experience for each other, not necessarily the same beliefs. We were not there to convince anybody that ‘this is right and this is wrong’, but this is what we do and this is what we achieve. For me, there was a great understanding because of interfaith meditation activities.
I overheard someone saying here, and I will not disagree, that the Parliament has become more action/activism-oriented. There should be activity but the reflection, introversion, and qualities of meditation, and to create that kind of atmosphere seem to be transitioning. Surely, issues like climate change and social justice are very pressing and important. But there was way too much to process with so many panels and workshops going on.
Photos by Parveen Chopra
