Global
PeaceWorks India 2003
---PRESS RELEASE---
 Subject: International volunteers come to Delhi to create model
of peace.
When: December 5-14th, 2003
Contact: Mr. Khorrum Omer, +91-98102-09739
A group of volunteers representing different faiths are meeting
in Delhi this week to create an example of people working
in harmony toward a positive, peaceful goal. While we have
seen internationals come to Delhi for business purposes and
others for pure tourism, this group is different – each
visitor has come to volunteer his or her time in demonstrating
that people from different cultures and religions are willing
to cooperate toward a meaningful, peaceful future. The group
of 30 volunteers is comprised of Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist,
Baha'i and Christian volunteers from as far as Australia
and the
United States.
International program director Eric Wenzel says India was
chosen for this first Global PeaceWorks project because India
is what he calls a ‘spiritual-cultural’ center
for the world. It is the cradle for many religions and stands
at the nexus of east and west. Furthermore, says Wenzel, India
is well positioned to show South Asians the way to peaceful
cooperation among the many religious cultures in the region.
The group is hosted by the India’s Tribal Welfare Society
and Chetanalya, an NGO working in community development in
East Delhi.
Interfaith meetings are not new in Delhi. In fact the Global
PeaceWorks project coincides with the Delhi Peace Summit, a
pre-meeting of the Parliament of World Religions, taking place
December 7-10 at the India International Center. While numerous
dignitaries, including the honorable president of India A.
P. J. Abdul Kalam and His Holiness the Dalai Lama will speak
at the Peace Summit, Wenzel says that the work of Global PeaceWorks
is to go beyond dialogue and conferences to concrete, cooperative
action. The group will leave the conference center to volunteer
their time in Janta Colony, which has a history of communal
tensions.
Global PeaceWorks promotes the concept of one human family
and that it is our duty to love each other. “We must
act constructively in service, providing an example of virtue.
This is the way to peace that great teachers have taught.” says
Wenzel. In fact, Global PeaceWorks entire philosophy is based
on supporting the goodness of religion. “There are some
who try to discredit religion, incorrectly calling it the cause
of violence.” Continues Wenzel,”The reality is
that our deepest problems can only be solved with an integrated
approach that has spirituality at its core. The culture of
peace needs devout Hindus, Muslims and Christians who respect
the divine in each other. “
“We don’t advocate any one religion” says
India program coordinator Khorrum Omer “Our approach
is that if you are Hindu, be the best Hindu you can be, if
you are Sikh, try to be like Guru Nanak and Guru Teg Bahadur
defending others path of faith.”
Most volunteers of Global PeaceWorks work with non-governmental
organizations and see Global PeaceWorks as an opportunity for
an international training experience. Piyaratna Maharjan came
with a small group from Kathmandu where he runs an orphanage.
Sadeque Hussain and Gayatri Jat came from Gujarat where they
are supporting peace efforts between Muslims and Hindus.
Fazida Razak, who came to Delhi from Australia, has been active
leading similar programs in South East Asia. In fact Razak,
Wenzel, and Omer first met at an interfaith service project
in Poland in 1990, where they joined 100 volunteers for a summer-long
program called Religious Youth Service. That experience, says
Omer, inspired us and gave us an example of what we can do
to contribute to world peace.
For more information see www.globalpeaceworks.org
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