By Acharya Dwivedi
Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR) is the oldest and largest interfaith organization in the world which has been fostering Justice, Peace, and Sustainability since 1893 around the world. For the first time, the eighth convening of the Parliament of the World’s Religions was carried out from October 16 to 18,2021 in Chicago virtually. The theme of the conference this year was: Opening our Hearts to the World: Compassion in Action. However, broad critical issues such as Indigenous peoples, Next Generation, LGBTQ, Poverty, Violence, Race, Discrimination, Climate Change, and Women and Girls etcetera were discussed.
It was my fifth participation in the conference of Parliament of the World’s Religions which Ienjoyed thoroughly.My three colleagues of Multifaith Action Society: Susan Kerr, Connie Waterman and Cathy Merchant attended the conference also. There were thousands of participants from various backgrounds of religions, faith organizations, interfaith activists, and spiritual leaders who are working together to cultivate peace, justice, and harmony in the world.
The opening and closing ceremony were enlightening, energetic and exciting. Speeches in the plenary sessions by well -known luminaries were stimulating and impressive. Prayers were recited, on many occasions, by the leaders of different faiths that created an unimaginable spiritual-vibrations.
There were more than 500 sessions in the conference and more than 70 sessions simultaneously were arranged. I attended the opening and closing ceremonies, nine panel discussions, and twelve breakout sessions of my choice. I liked and appreciated the Chat, Lounge and Video facilities. No doubt, it was a wonderful opportunity for networking. Next convening of the PWR will be held in 2023, Chicago.
