By IANS
New Delhi : Several religious leaders, intellectuals, academics, businessmen and activists have pledged to join a global peace initiative working for avoidance of conflicts in various parts of the world.
“Dalai Lama, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Mahmood Ali Madani (head of Deoband Islamic School) and several heads of religious institutions will join us Jan 22 to launch the new Global Initiative for Conflict Avoidance,” said Subhas Chandra, head of Zee television network here Wednesday.
Chandra, former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vijay Kapoor and former Intelligence Bureau chief Ajit Doval are participants in the Global Foundation for Civilization Harmony (GFCH), the NGO organising the program.
Explaining the idea behind the launch of GFCH, Kapoor said, “In today’s world, it is not wise to see conflicts as a clash of civilizations. These conflicts can be solved through management of pluralities. And qualitative changes will come when there is a discourse.”
GFCH is another attempt at Track-II diplomacy among nations. Its aim, according to the organisers, is to facilitate exchange of ideas and open dialogue with different social, cultural, spiritual and religious institutions in different parts of the world.
“States have their own limitations and compulsions. GFCH aims at creating a larger orbit cutting beyond the state to deal with the conflicts,” Doval said.
“In this age where terrorism is growing, the enemy is invisible. Here civil society is the biggest sufferer,” he added.