There is not peace in the world today. One cannot go a single day without hearing of a new tragedy, a new senseless act of violence occurring somewhere in the world. There is the common misconception that religious institutions are outdated, unwilling to come together in search for a solution. The 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was on December 10, 2008, and this became an excellent opportunity to show differently.

UPF organized several forums of young leaders of various faiths on the theme of interfaith cooperation and the protection of human rights in the fall of 2008. They researched and presented insights from their faith and tradition that they believe support the human rights and dignity of all people. These forums demonstrate the potential insights that an interreligious council can offer to pressing issues before international organizations such as the United Nations.

Through examining various speeches given by people of diverse faiths, it can be seen that there are several ideals held in common. The following excerpts point towards similar ideals:

• Buddhism: “Buddhism holds at its heart the acceptance of a diversity of beliefs and welcomes this diversity as something that enriches humanity … we believe that all religions that have peace as their central value seek to improve humanity by teaching people ways to behave more humanely and balance material and spiritual progress.”
• Christianity: “We are convinced that religion, which is an expression of the relationship between God and human beings, cannot and must not ever fuel conflicts among people. On the contrary, it should be a source of respect and openness to welcome the other person in his or her deepest identity, which is as a worthy, free, and responsible human being.”
• Hinduism: “I am sure that if I asked any of the religious leaders what the basis of their respected religions is, they will all say truth, duty, peace, love, and nonviolence.”
• Jainism: “By understanding the divinity that lies within each soul, the only way for a Jain to live is by respecting each and every human.”
• Judaism: “Jewish tradition teaches us that all humanity is created in the same image and that to destroy a human life is a desecration of all that we hold to be sacrosanct. Through these values we come to appreciate human dignity and the duties and responsibilities that one human being has for another.”
• Islam: An Islamic poet, Rumi, said:

I was looking for God. I went to synagogues and I couldn’t find God.
I went to churches, and I couldn’t find God.
I went to mosques, and I couldn’t find God.
I went to temples, and I couldn’t find God.
Then I went home, I found out that God is in my heart!

It seems that people of faith profess that their religion holds the tenets of unity, respect for one another, and living for the sake of others as core to their faith. However, with over five billion people claiming to have some sort of faith or belief, there seems to be a great disparity between the professed words of religions and the actions of people every day. This seeming hypocrisy perplexes people of diverse faiths and societies alike, as illustrated in the following observations:

• Buddhism: “The Buddhist delegation is aware that, as with any other institutionalized religion, so-called Buddhists do not always, in their actions, follow the Buddha’s teachings of peace. The bitter ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and the experience of the military dictatorship in Burma provide a contemporary experience of recurrent violation of human rights by self-titled Buddhists.”
• Christianity: “Our world is currently shaken by scores of tragedies. Even if they take the title of 'religious wars,' the conflicts today are not merely religious wars but also social, economic, and political conflicts. In saying this, we do not ignore that the religious dimension is often an aggravating factor in conflicts.”
• Islam: “Also, when we examine the Lebanon war which took place in 2006, we see that the Jewish and Muslim adherents were fighting because of belief in their religions and meanwhile violating the rights of individuals to live peaceful lives. How can people who believe in one God, but have different means of expressing their beliefs, do this?”

There are both current and historical examples of religious belief becoming the banner under which wars are fought and violence is justified. This has become a dilemma with consequences that are felt vividly in suicide bombings and terrorist attacks that headline the news every day. What, then, is the solution?

It has been argued that the problems lie within generational conflicts, and that the older generation has been unable to overlook religious and cultural differences:

• Islam: “So, it is our responsibility, especially the young people of today, to be making this change. The longer we fool ourselves into believing that someone else will tackle this problem, the worse the situation will get.”
• Hinduism: “I ask you, representatives and delegates, why is it that youths from different faiths, cultures, and religions can sit down together and look for solutions for peace, while many of our elders cannot sit down and find peace?”

There is the idea that young people will be the catalyst for change and bring about peace in a way that older people cannot. The younger generation has had the benefits of living in an increasingly global world, with the Internet connecting people across borders and cultures in a way that their parents could not even dream of, but this is not enough. It is easy to say that it is the responsibility of young people to inherit the problems of their parents and make changes. However, for any kind of change to be lasting and significant, it needs to be based upon more than just perceived commonalities and an ability to communicate across religious and cultural barriers through technological advances.

It is true that much of the interfaith dialogue and volunteer work is done by young people, but it is also true that a majority of the suicide bombings and terrorist attacks are also perpetrated by young people. Youth in and of itself is not a solution. Often it is easier for young people to connect with each other because they do not feel as strongly about faith and culture as their parents. While this makes communication and understanding easier, it may mean a loss of the conviction so fervently felt in the older generation.

What then, is a solution? When people from many different religions came together to speak on inter-faith dialogue, several recommendations were made, including:

• Buddhism: “We recommend that any interfaith dialogue concerning human rights involve, as much as possible, not just religious leaders but democratically elected representatives of each faith. This allows for religious values to happily coincide with democracy.”
• Sikhism: “The biggest barrier to achieving an international multi-faith body in the UN is not UN policy, but rather our faith communities themselves. Members of our communities must have mutual respect based on this new-found planetary consciousness. Once this is achieved, the establishment of a cohesive UN multi-faith organization will not be an arduous process, but rather a natural progression.”

However, it is easy to speak and pinpoint what needs to change, especially when looking at the mistakes of the past.  It is much harder to come together and make tangible change when faced with current issues. This truth can be extended to the actions of states. Every state advocates peace until it is attacked, or until the interests of the state are threatened. Every state, and by extension, every person can easily advocate peace when nothing is at stake.  It is much harder and much rarer to advocate peace when threatened with violence.  Even Nelson Mandela was unable to do it.

These solutions can only gain credibility when acted upon. An interfaith student at The New Seminary in New York said: “There once was a time on this planet when the 'Word' had tremendous meaning; you only had to speak a word and it would become manifest. But now we have talked too much and our words lack intent. Now is the time when action has more power than the word. It is time to act.”

However, although the task seems daunting,

• Christianity: “The road is long, but every road begins with one first step. This is our desire: a better and more just world.”

Read texts of selected presentations:

Buddhism: Esther Garibay
Christianity: Emmanuel Nachef, Dorcas Pimzi
Hinduism: Niraj Pabari
Islam: Oznur Aycil, Sepideh Dundonon
Jainism: Krupa Shah
Sikhism: Turren Tarun Singh Chaggar
Unificationism: Justin J. Fong