Interfaith Call for World Peace

The eighth meeting of the Interfaith Call for World Peace in the London Borough of Brent was held at the Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre (SSIBC), Kingsbury, London on Sunday, 28^th December 2003. Venerable Galayaye Piyadassi, the head of SSIBC, led members of the Sangha in the meeting. Representing other faiths were Darshan Manocha (Baha’i), Rev. Dr. Steve Nolan (Baptist), Sister Anna Jacobs (Brahma Kumaris), Sister Elizabeth O’Donohoe (Catholic), Sister Samini Pradeepa (Jain), and Mr. Jay Lakhani (Hindu). While Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle (Bath Spa University College) spoke from the Buddhist side, Members of Kenton & Harrow Interfaith and devotees of the SSIBC attended the event. The main hall was filled with a keen audience.

While Ven. Dr. Sirisumana, a resident monk of SSIBC, administered the Five Precepts, the events unfolded after lighting the traditional oil lamp by the guests. Ven. G. Piyadassi made the welcome address and stressed the importance of searching for resources for peace within the religious traditions as a solution to contemporary violent climate in the modern world. He expressed the necessity of understanding and compassion for the benefit of wider community. The venerable thanked the members of the interfaith forum and the participants for their support and wished members of different communities within the Borough a happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year. He concluded the welcome address by affirming the non-violent and compassionate attitudes cultivated by Buddhist communities over the centuries.

Ven. Dr. Mahinda Deegalle began the speech by mentioning that Ven. Piyadassi has received the MBE title for his committed work in the interfaith and social welfare activities. Ven. Mahinda’s speech was on the importance of peace for co-existence. He raised the issues surrounding the interfaith dialogue and demonstrated by quoting two recent events that people are deeply religious but those religious people are not aware that they are harming others while practicing their own beliefs very narrow-mindedly. Their disregard for democratic values in public realm was questioned and pointed out that as religious communities we have to bring our interfaith understanding to grass-root level in order to make interfaith dialogue a meaningful exercise. For Buddhists the seeds of peace and self-transformation begin with individual self and the compassion cultivated towards oneself should be extended towards all sentient beings going beyond petty religious labels such as Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, etc. By quoting the teachings of loving kindness in the Metta Sutta, he encouraged Buddhist community to be active in self-transformation and social transformation for peaceful co-existence.

Mr. Sisira Gunawardena conducted the meeting and gave vote of thanks and all the participants were entertained with tea and other delicacies.