Looking back over the first four days of the high-level week, the Ireland’s Prime Minister said a series of alarms have sounded in the Hall of the General Assembly: for conflict, for COVID, for climate.
“We have heard the alarms. Now we must respond,” said Micheál Martin. “I believe that this is what the General Assembly, our Assembly of Nations, was created to do. Our purpose, our obligation.”
For the Irish leader, “the simple fact” is that the world “cannot succeed in addressing these global challenges without a strong, effective and fair multilateral system.”
COVID-19 response
The Prime Minister also said that “vaccine inequity is a moral test” for the global community.
He pointed to the rapid establishment of COVAX and the ACT Accelerator, saying this represents multilateralism at its best, and the only way to meet the target of a fully vaccinated world by mid-2022.
According to Mr. Martin, Ireland is in the process of donating 1.3 million vaccine doses to low income countries, mainly through COVAX. It is also preparing a “significant donation” for 2022. The country support to global health since the outbreak of the pandemic has reached over €200 million.
He highlighted the role of the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), saying it should remain at the heart of the global response, and informed that Ireland has quadrupled the funding to the agency in response to the pandemic.
Lessons from the pandemic
Reflecting on the past 18 months, the Prime Minster said one thing is clear: “The pandemic caught the world off-guard”
“It has put into stark relief the simple, and regrettable, fact that we have not made sufficient progress in reducing poverty, in increasing access to quality health care and education, nor, in combatting the climate crisis,” he said.
He argued that, had the world made more progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), societies “would have been more resilient, better prepared to weather the storm, and lives would have been spared.”
Security Council membership
Since the beginning of the year, Ireland has occupied one of the non-permanent seats in the UN Security Council.
“Every day for the last nine months, we have sought to use our voice, to defend our principles, and to make progress towards the peaceful resolution of some of the world’s most pressing conflicts,” the Irish leader said.
He recalled his own country’s history with conflict, saying it thought Irish people that “building peace is painstaking, long and often frustrating.”
He said that progress has not always been possible and that, too often, the Council has been divided.
“It is a lesson hard learned that when we, in this building, are divided, it is the most vulnerable who suffer the consequences,” he said, pointing to the cases of Syria and Tigray.
Ireland’s contribution
On Thursday, Mr. Martin chaired a Security Councildebate on climate and security. For him, “there is no time to waste” and that is why, in the coming days, Ireland will convene a discussion on a thematic resolution on climate and security.
Looking ahead to COP26, the UN Climate Conference taking place in early November, he said that all Member States should “muster the courage to take bold and ambitious action.”
For its part, Ireland will reduce emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. Along with its partners in the European Union, the country will achieve net neutrality by 2050.
“Ireland will continue to play our part, to build consensus and to advocate fiercely for the multilateral system and the people we have pledged to serve,” Mr. Martin concluded.
The famend religious chief and socially engaged Buddhist monk Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has acquired the Seventh Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2021 in recognition of his lifelong efforts to advertise peace and to foster the values of integrity, compassionate care, and social duty. The honour was conferred throughout the eleventh Worldwide Peace Convention in Ladakh on Tuesday, held in observance of the United Nations Worldwide Day of Peace.
Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena is the spiritual director of the non-profit Mahabodhi International Meditation Center (MIMC) in Ladakh, northern India, the founder of the Mahakaruna Foundation, the Save the Himalayas Foundation, and spiritual advisor to the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).*
In a statement for the occasion shared with Buddhistdoor Global, Dr. Anthony Raju, chairman of the awarding organization, noted: “After perusing your credentials, most objectively and impartially, it remains our considered opinion that you have worked tirelessly and selflessly to put the Buddha’s teachings on loving-kindness and compassion into action through multifarious charitable humanitarian services and ancient Buddhist traditions. You have believed in peacefulness, humility, and innocence as the natural way of life, and your worthy example does inspire others especially the young generation toward certain remarkable achievements.
“Therefore, the National Governing Council, Board of Patrons & Board of Ambassadors has decided to honor you with our most coveted institutional and prestigious ‘Seventh Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2021’ for your outstanding contributions to peace, harmony, protecting and promoting human rights, and services to humanity.”
Dr. Anthony Raju, advocate for the Supreme Court of Indi, chairman of the All-Indian Council of Human Rights, liberties and Social Justice, and member of the International Human Rights Advisory Council, with Dr. June Ann-Passanah, human rights and peace activist and social worker, visit the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre to discuss the 11th International Peace Conference and conferring the 7th Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2021. Image courtesy of MIMC
Named after Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (1931–2015), an aerospace scientist and 11th president of India from 2002–07, the award is presented by the All-India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice (AICHLS).
Previous recipients of the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award are: His Holiness Acharya Dr. Shiv Muni Ji Maharaj (2020); Dr. Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2019); Most Rev. Dadi JankiJi, Chief of Brahmakumaris (2018); His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias (2017); His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj (2016, posthumous); and His Holiness the Dalai Lama (2015).
The 11th International Peace Conference was held at Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh, the joint capital and largest city of the union territory of Ladakh, on 21 September. The conference was jointly organized by the AICHLS and the MIMC, in collaboration with the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the All Ladakh Gompa Association, Anjuman Imamia, Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam, Christian Community, Hindu Mahasabha and Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.
Dignitaries and guest speakers at the conference expressed agreement with the urgent need to work toward peace and harmony at the global level, and stressed the importance of overcoming narrow and rigid ideologies that lead to communal discord. They urged the development of a new vision for the world as a single interconnected family in which all religions and communities are respected equally.
Perched high on the Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh, which translates as the Land of High Passes, became the largest union territory in India in 2019 after the government reconstituted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. Spread across some 59,146 mountainous square kilometers, much of which is desiccated and inhospitable, the culture and history of Ladakh is closely interwoven with that of Tibet—so much so that Ladakh is sometimes known as “Little Tibet.”
Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena founded the Mahabodhi International Meditation Center (MIMC) in Leh in 1986. He has since become an exemplar of socially engaged Buddhism, launching numerous projects, events, and initiatives, among them providing educational opportunities and refuge for underprivileged children, empowerment and literacy programs for women and other socially disadvantaged groups, healthcare for the sick and needy, and a care home for the aged and destitute. The MIMC has evolved into an expanding campus that has become a hub for a multitude of socio-cultural and community programs.
In the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP Group) Conference in Rome, in collaboration with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), CEC President Rev. Christian Krieger contributed to the dialogue on “Christian values and the Future of Europe”.
The conference from 20 to 22 September, brought in focus agriculture, migration, jobs and the future of Europe.
“Together with COMECE, we are convinced that our advocacy for a united, democratic, and hospitable Europe is all the more stronger when it has a common Christian voice speaking in a spirit of unity,” said Rev. Krieger.
“We all here share the same goal – shaping a better future for Europe and promoting our core European and Christian-Jewish values. Therefore, we are all excited about the ongoing Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) – which at its best could be the first step to truly boosting European democracy, fostering the participation of citizens and shaping the future of Europe and the EU in accordance with our common core values. It should be a place where the hopes and dreams, visions and concerns of all Europeans are heard,” he added.
“At CEC, we look forward to continuing to work together with COMECE to contribute to the CoFoE. The voice of the churches and other religious communities needs to be heard in this process together with European citizens and other partners representing civil society in the region.”
INDORE, India — A new research paper jointly released by the Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya University in Indore, India, and the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP) explores how communities draw on principles, such as the oneness of humankind and humanity’s interconnectedness with nature, in their efforts to contribute toward the common good.
The paper, titled Hope and Resilience: The Application of Spiritual Principles to Community Life, focuses on the creation of strong networks of social support in the management of water-related challenges within the context of urban informal settlements and is part of a series of research publications by ISGP called Occasional Papers on Insights from Practice.
This series of publications examines patterns that emerge as groups, communities, and organizations strive to apply unifying and constructive principles to their everyday lives and activities in their efforts to address the challenges they face and contribute to social progress.
“One of the things that we see today is that many people are deeply committed to spiritual convictions, and that their convictions are a powerful source of motivation for them to lead virtuous lives and to contribute to the betterment of their communities,” says Arash Fazli, Assistant Professor and Head of the Baha’i Chair.
He adds: “This idea is not sufficiently acknowledged in academic literature on development, and, therefore, many social and economic development efforts are not able to draw on these sources of motivation.”
The paper elaborates further, reading in part: “There is growing recognition among many researchers and planners that failure to account for the spiritual, cultural, and religious aspects of human life and society will impede the realization of collective wellbeing and the prosperity of humankind.”
The collaboration between the Chair and ISGP is part of each of their efforts to contribute to the discourse on development.
The Baha’i Chair was established nearly 30 years ago to promote interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the field of development from a perspective that regards human prosperity as an outcome of both material and spiritual progress.
Founded in 1999, ISGP is a non-profit research and educational organization inspired by the Baha’i teachings. One of the purposes of ISGP is to explore, with others, the complementary roles that science and religion—as evolving systems of knowledge and practice—can play in the advancement of civilization, engaging in research on issues relevant to the life of humanity.
Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
22 September 2021
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the Director-General of WHO just mentioned, every single year, exposure to both ambient and indoor air pollution is estimated to cause more than 7 million deaths globally and millions more of healthy years of life lost. This burden of disease is large, it is growing, and makes air pollution the single most important environmental risk factor for our health. It is one of the leading risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, which continue to increase worldwide as a result of ageing populations and changes in lifestyle.
Everybody on the planet has the fundamental right to breathe clean air. Like most environmental factors, air pollution does not respect national boundaries. The nature of this challenge calls for an enhanced and immediate action, because clean air is a political choice and a societal responsibility.
Today, we launch the new WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines; a key step in that global response. Based on the systematic review of accumulated evidence, they provide recommendations on air quality guideline levels to protect public health for six key air pollutants.
These guidelines serve as an up-to-date reference for policies and actions to assess the health impact of air pollution on populations, for the benefit of better health across the world, especially for vulnerable populations.
The last time WHO published air quality guidelines was in 2006. In the 15 years since, there has been a substantial increase in evidence of how and to what degree air pollution affects different aspects of human health. For that reason, and after a thorough systematic review of this accumulated evidence, almost all the updated guidelines levels are now lower than they were 15 years ago.
We know that for many countries this places the bar even higher than before. However, these guidelines also provide interim targets to support a stepwise progress towards their achievement, and thus a gradual yet measurable public health benefits.
The next step is now for policymakers around the world to use these guidelines to develop evidence-informed policies to decrease the unacceptable health burden that results from air pollution exposure. The urgent actions that are needed require sustained political commitment and cooperation of various sectors and stakeholders.
The first is that almost all efforts to improve air quality can enhance climate action, and almost all climate change mitigation efforts can in turn improve air quality, with immediate health benefits. This multiplies the return of investments into measures that simultaneously address both challenges while improving health.
The second is that with the important resources being mobilized around the world to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, we have a unique window of opportunity to “build forward better” towards a healthy and green recovery.
In this context, the guidelines provide a robust health argument that goes hand-in-hand with the global fight against climate change and environmental pollution.
We are extremely grateful to all the scientists, colleagues and partners around the world who have contributed time and resources to produce these guidelines.
I am immensely proud that their development has been overseen by a steering group hosted by our WHO European Centre for Environment and Health in Germany, continuing the long tradition that the Centre has provided to coordinating this important normative work of the WHO since the mid-1980s.
Dr Dorota Jarosińska, who coordinated this work/efforts joins us today from our office in Bonn to answer your questions. A big thank you to you and your team, Dorota!
Together, we can improve air quality while protecting and improving our health, and the health of the generations to come.
I now leave you in the very capable hands of the experts behind this landmark document to answer your questions.
NEW YORK, NY, USA, September 20, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Speaking ahead of the Dialogue, Hon Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, a member of Parliament in South Africa and Chair of AfriPAHR and FoRBLN Board Member said: ‘’Parliamentarians and faith leaders are in unique positions to promote fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion or belief. They hold powerful positions in society and have social influence that can bring about not only policy, legal and institutional change but also attitudinal change in society.’’“Over 50 years of Religions for Peace’s unique capacitation of multi-religious collaboration in over 100 countries, proves that freedom of thought, conscience and belief underlines any and all human freedoms and rights. Faith actors remain critical agents of change or the lack thereof.”, said Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, Secretary General, Religions for Peace.
The High-Level Dialogue is part of a series of consultations taking place this Autumn which will coincide with other briefing papers on FoRB and health (SDG 3), inclusive and equitable education (SDG 4), gender equality and empowerment (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), combatting climate change (SDG 13) and access to justice for all. More information can be found here.
The Leaving No One Behind series of publications and consultation has been commissioned by FoRBLN, an international consortium funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
‘’This and subsequent briefing papers will provide concrete suggestions for parliamentarians and faith leaders to address inequalities in relation to religion or belief using the SDGs framework. The aim is to bring larger, more international concepts closer to the ground, so that policies and laws are informed by context-based discussions and lived experiences’’, said Dr Charles Reed, Director of Operations FoRBLN
‘’Such publications and consultations stir an important debate that should be part of our global discourse. In exploring ways FoRB might contribute to sustainable, inclusive, and equitable social and economic development for all, we find that cross-network sharing, and peer-to-peer learning is vital for parliamentarians’’, adds Liv Kvanvig, Director, IPPFoRB (a consortium member of the FoRBLN) and Head of the Freedom of Religion or Belief Centre, Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC)
Suzanne Toma Religions for Peace International +1 917-603-8743 email us here
Religious Artisans Find Inspiration in Faith From stained-glass to calligraphy, art has always contributed to religious traditions. Forbidden images, illuminated manuscripts and even maps testify to the creativity humans bring to the project of making the transcendent tangible. Artists make meaning manifest visually, tactically and aurally. These five artisans leave the world more beautiful than they found it.
The Religious Freedom Impacts of Texas’ Abortion Law
How 911 Changed Religion and Faith The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 20 years ago, changed many Americans’ faith communities and spiritual lives as well as how we see our world and one another. Muslims particularly stood out against the religious landscape as they hadn’t before, as did Sikhs and others whose appearance marks their religious observances. Christians, Jews and people of no faith demanded deeper answers and examined their own and others’ beliefs more deeply.
As part of CEC’s online series of Theological Reflections titled “Communion in Crisis: The Church during the COVID-19 Pandemic,”this month’s reflections on “Holy Communion as a Communal Feast amid COVID-19” are penned by Bishop Dr Jari Jolkkonen from the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland.
Throughout the history of the Church, those who have closed cathedrals and forbidden Christians to celebrate the Eucharist have been cruel tyrants and godless dictators. The global COVID-19 pandemic changed this. Bishops, pastors and church leaders have had to announce to their congregations: You are not welcome at church, you may not gather to praise God and celebrate the Holy Communion together.
Although we know all the good reasons behind these restrictions, the moratorium on celebrating the Eucharist together has caused spiritual pain for Church members and leaders. How can Christians worship God when churches are closed? How can pastors serve and heal the people of God with the Word and Sacraments when gathering together is not possible? How can ministers carry out their pastoral duties, strengthen people and proclaim hope to the general public when the normal instruments of grace cannot be used normally?
One old method is still strong – although perhaps sometimes forgotten, especially in the secular West. That method is: private prayer life. Persistent prayer in private or with family strengthen human beings to endure prolonged stress. We know this not only by our own experience but also from anthropological studies. For example, Richard Sosis, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Connecticut and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, examined the extent to which women in the northern Israeli town of Tzfat recited psalms to cope with the stress of the Second Palestinian Intifada. His findings underscore the importance of religious practices like praying and reading the Bible as coping mechanisms that can reduce anxiety and provide a sense of control under conditions of high stress and uncertainty (Richard Socis: “Psalms for Safety,” in: Current Anthropology, Vol. 48, No. 6 (December 2007), pp. 903-911). A corresponding study with similar results has also been made among Palestinian women during the time of the Israeli Occupation. In a situation of prolonged stress, persistent praying heals, helps and strengthens.
The other method, of course, is public prayer. Today, technology offers us new tools for praying, proclaiming and worshipping together. Online liturgies in particular have been a great success in allowing people to gather together virtually, to hear the Word of God and to take part in the liturgy spiritualiter, even as perhaps only ten people are allowed to be present in the church corporaliter.
Church response to COVID-19challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a pastoral and theological challenge to every church and to our Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) as well. Here I would like to briefly reflect on our findings.
In the first place, it should be the duty of church authorities and not state officials to establish restrictions regarding religious freedom. Of course, churches must exercise this freedom in a responsible way. Church leaders must listen to specialists, communicate with the authorities and have the courage to make all necessary efforts to combine our right to worship in freedom with our duty to protect people, both of which are anchored in the Ten Commandments.
At the very beginning of the pandemic (16 March 2020), we bishops of the ELCF concluded that, although church members could not physically take part in the liturgy, divine services must be held in every local parish every Sunday by an ordained minister, a cantor and other necessary staff. This continuity of common worship is based on theological, canonical, symbolic and pastoral reasons. Worship is not a hobby, but God’s command. Public prayer belongs to the necessary signs of the Church Catholic, as Luther writes in his 1539 treatise On the Councils and the Church. The canonical principle of Church Order of the ELCF (CO 2:2 §), according to which divine service must held in every local parish every Sunday, is in force even during a time of pandemic or other tribulation. A Church building with ringing bells and shining lights in its windows on Sunday is a symbol of living hope and resilience: within the church building the assembly, although with only a pastor and few chosen representatives, still prays for the sick, for their caregivers and for the whole world.
Thanks to technology, local parishes are able to broadcast online liturgies so that church members can participate in them via remote access systems. At first, only the Liturgy of the Word (without the Liturgy of the Eucharist) was broadcasted and not without good theological and medical basis. The prayers are our sacrifice to God, but the sacrament is God’s gift to us, and because the sacrament could not be distributed to the people, something seemed to be missing. Still, the Christian liturgy is based on patterns of Jewish prayer and reading of scripture which included prayer, recitation of psalms, reading of the Scriptures and interpretating them in preaching. Celebration of the Liturgy of Word is better than no liturgy at all.
Later, we also began to broadcast celebrations of the Holy Mass with both the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. According to Lutheran understanding, both a pastor representing divinely ordinated ministry and the assembly representing the common priesthood are necessary and must be physically present to legally celebrate the Eucharist. The Sacrament of the Altar was not instituted only for the private devotion of the minister, nor for the special interests of small clubs of like-minded people. It was instituted for the public remembrance of the death and resurrection of Christ, who serves the congregation with the Word and Sacrament.
The body and blood of Christ
The proper way to take part in that Communion is to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharistic Bread and Wine both spiritually (in faith) and physically (with the body), oraliter (with one’s mouth), as some reformers put it the latter dimension. But if pandemic, our illness, a long distance to the altar, or some other physical restriction, should hinder our taking part in the Communion Table physically, we are never excluded from the mercy of God nor from the Church of Christ. In those cases it is always possible for us to receive the Lord Jesus with our heart: that is, spiritually. This happens when we take part in the online liturgy, hear the Gospel, confess his presence in the Eucharist and receive his grace by putting all our trust in Christ. According to Martin Luther, this is spiritualiter manducare et bibere, “eating and drinking the sacrament in spiritual way” (De captivitate, StA II, 199, 11).
According to our understanding, Christianity is based on the faith that “the Word became flesh”, therefore not all worship can be performed virtually or online. Baptism, confirmation, ordination, anointing, weddings and funerals are always corporeal actions with audible songs and visible elements. You can follow these actions online, but this is possible only as they are physically celebrated in a certain place with a specific minister and a communicant whose real body is touched by the sacramental sign. Therefore, our bishops have said non possumus to the idea of an online Eucharist in which a person eats bread and drinks wine on his or her sofa at home, while watching the eucharistic celebration on the screen.
Here, it may be good to follow the old distinction between proclaimed Word and celebrated Sacrament. When the Word of God is proclaimed, it communicates the grace of God to a mind by touching a heart. When Baptism or Eucharist, sacraments instituted by Christ, are celebrated, they communicate the very same grace of God to a body by touching a body with the physical elements of the sacraments. Christ is both loving and creative: he always finds the way to us, even during a time of pandemic.
Suggestions for further reading:
Martin Luther, Ob man vor dem Sterben fliehen möge. WA 23:338–379 (1527).
John Lennox, Where is God in a Coronavirus world, The Good Book Company. England 2020.
Rodney Stark: The Rise of Christianity. How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries. Harper & Collins: San Francisco 1997.
About the author:
Dr Jari Jolkkonen is bishop of the Diocese of Kuopio of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland since 2012. He taught systematic theology and ecumenism at the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Helsinki and has written extensively on a variety of theological topics including Luther’s theology of communion, the doctrine and practice of the eucharist, worship and prayer, and the Lutheran Reformation.
Disclaimer: The impressions expressed above are the contributions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policies of the Conference of European Churches.
COMECE Catholic Youth Convention gathers young people to exchange on the Future of Europe
The Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the European Union (COMECE) releases on Thursday 9 September the final report of its Catholic Youth Convention on the Future of Europe, held online last June with the participation of over 100 young Catholics from all EU Member States. The report contains concrete policy proposals and suggestions to address today’s most urgent issues in Europe. Cardinal Hollerich: “Full trust in young people”.
Young people from all over Europe came together online on 3, 10 and 17 June 2021 to join the Catholic Youth Convention on the Future of Europe organised by COMECE. On the path drawn by Pope Francis’ message on Europe, they reflected and formulated concrete proposals to shape their ‘dream of Europe’.
In particular, they focused on three thematic areas: the Just social recovery, the Ecological and Digital transitions, and Democracy & European values. Several inputs from guest speakers and experts in the fields of ecology, digitalisation and youth participation motivated and supported the participants to address the most urgent issues in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
They proposed to better support young people from disadvantaged groups to participate in exchange programmes and upskilling courses and contribute to the development of inclusive and sustainable digital technologies and infrastructures.
Young people also called on the EU to support cooperation and dialogue between institutions, non-governmental and faith-based organisations for the promotion of positive values such as solidarity, fraternity and respect. Further suggestions can be consulted in the Convention report, which has been submitted to the proceedings of the Conference on the Future of Europe through the dedicated digital platform.
Expressing deep trust in the participants, confident that young people will be able to tackle and solve the most pressing issues we are facing today, H. Em. Card. Jean Claude Hollerich SJ, President of COMECE, stated: “You are not only the future of Europe, but you are Europe now. From your experiences, knowledge and hopes, you can build a better future, not only for Europe and Europeans, but for all brothers and sisters in this world.”
The Convention brought together over 100 young Catholics delegated mostly from the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union and from the members of the COMECE Youth Platform, a network of over 10 European Catholic Youth organisations.
Texas Churches Can’t be Forced to Close Under New Law; Catholics, Other Religious Groups Help Refugees; Nearly 60 Percent of White Evangelicals are Vaccinated; Coalition Defends Religious Nonprofit’s Right to Hire People of Shared Faith; Calif. Gov’s Attacks on Religious Liberty Lead to Five Court Losses
Texas Churches Can’t be Forced to Close Under New Law Texas House Bill 1239 states that the government can’t tell religious outlets to close for any reason, even during a pandemic. Gov. Abbott closed gyms and schools statewide with tan executive order. While churches weren’t explicitly singled out, most fell under that “more than groups of 10” umbrella.
Catholics, Other Religious Groups Help Refugees
The Catholic Church, particularly in the U.S., has been “involved in the reception and establishment” of those seeking safe haven, participating in the effort with other faith-based aid groups and organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, said Bill Canny, executive director of Migration and Refugee Services for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “These are people who have been persecuted in their countries and they need new homes, their kids need to get into schools, they need to find work,” said Canny in a Aug. 25 telephone interview with Catholic News Service, speaking about the dire situation unfolding in Afghanistan. Nearly 60 Percent of White Evangelicals are Vaccinated An NBC News poll asking Americans about their vaccination status found that 59 percent of white evangelicals, a group long portrayed as hesitant to take the vaccine, were fully vaccinated. Just 13 percent of respondents told the news outlet that they had no plans to get the vaccine at any time.
Coalition Defends Religious Nonprofit’s Right to Hire People of Shared Faith South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a coalition of 17 states in filing a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the religious liberty of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The religious charity is seeking review of a recent ruling by the Washington State Supreme Court denying the faith-based charity’s right to hire employees who share its faith. “The right to the free exercise of religion clearly protects a religious nonprofit’s right to hire people who share the group’s religious faith,” Wilson said.
Calif. Gov’s Attacks on Religious Liberty Lead to Five Court Losses
California Gov. Gavin Newsom
“Although Plaintiffs appreciate the government’s significant interest in and efforts to protect the health and safety of its citizens, a pandemic does not delegate to the Defendants unlimited power to indefinitely restrict and suppress fundamental and inalienable constitutional rights and civil liberties, including the free exercise of religion, peaceable assembly, freedom of speech and the protections afforded by the Establishment Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
European Churches urge EU to protect the vulnerable in Afghanistan
Conveying solidarity with people in Afghanistan, Rev. Christian Krieger, president of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), and H. Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), issued a joint statement on Thursday, 2 September, urging the European decision makers to show humanity and act with determination in addressing the human tragedy currently unfolding in the country.
As EU institutions are holding meetings on Afghanistan this week, European Churches turn to all political leaders, offering reflections and policy recommendations, urging them to prove that “EU values are not an empty rhetoric but are practical guiding principles that lead to actions based on ethical standards, beyond mere political or economic considerations.”
In their joint statement, Churches appeal to the international community to protect persons who are targets of oppression and whose lives are at risk, such as women, children, civil society actors, human rights defenders, journalists, artists and members of ethnic and sexual minorities, as well as Christians and other religious communities.
Churches encourage the European Union and its Members States to lead common and coordinated solidarity efforts carried out by the international community to assist Afghans escaping violence and terror.
“We urge the EU to be instrumental in creating humanitarian corridors, resettlement and other secure passages, to bring refugees to safe places outside Afghanistan. We also encourage the EU Member States to give security of residence to Afghans already in the EU and stop deportation efforts to Afghanistan” – reads the statement.
“Condemning terrorism in all its forms and expressions”, CEC and COMECE also call on the faithful to remember the victims of recent terror attacks and their families in prayers.
Surat: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or at 80,” said American industrialist and business magnate Henry Ford who founded the Ford Motor Company. This was a life lesson that many Surti entrepreneurs adapted to after the pandemic applied breaks on their routine work — these workaholics put their minds to test. So, be it the septuagenarian realtor or the businessman, or a 52-year-old co-operative bank director and a 40-year-old production engineer — all took an educational sabbatical — a pause to rest, reflect, and upgrade skills and interests in diverse fields. Velji Sheta, 62, a civil engineer and a successful realtor in diamond city recently appeared for first year exam in MA political science. “I hope to get good marks. I like studying political trends and I have also developed interest in political science which is largely focused on history,” Sheta, former Gujarat president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI) told TOI. Sixty-year-old businessman Kanji Bhalala, president of Saurashtra Patel Samaj has completed first year studies in MA economics, a second post-graduation (PG) which is he pursuing 40 years after he finished his first PG. “I like gathering knowledge. It helps to understand the changing world. I study to improve my understanding and knowledge,” Bhalala, a law graduate, who had also studied journalism when he was young, said. Dipak Lukhi, 40, a real-estate developer, picked up books 16 years after completing production engineering. “I was interested in studying political science. There will not be any better time than the current one when I can focus on studies,” said Lukhi, who recently completed first year in MA political science. Kanti Marakana, a 52-year-old tax consultant appeared in LLM final year exam as well as first year exam of MA economics on the same day. “I did LLM from Sardar Patel University and MA from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU). I am now planning to do a PhD in banking,” said Marakana, director of Varachha Cooperative Bank. Intellectual property rights consultant Paresh Lathiya completed first year of MA political science at the age of 45. A science graduate, Lathiya plans to even pursue a PhD over two decades after he discontinued his studies in 1999. “Earlier, there were limited resources for people who wanted to pursue their higher studies. But now there are many opportunities for those who want to upgrade themselves. People should try to follow these individuals and we are ready to support such students,” VNSGU vice-chancellor K N Chavda said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting Guinea following a confirmed death from Marburg virus disease, the first known case in the country and West Africa, the UN agency reported on Wednesday.
Marburg, a highly infectious disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, is transmitted to humans by fruit bats. The virus is in the same family as Ebola.
.@WHO & partners are supporting #Guinea’s Ministry of Health to investigate the source of the #Marburg outbreak, trace contacts, & inform the local community about how to protect themselves. About 150 contacts have been identified and are being followed up so far.
It was detected in Gueckedou prefecture in southwestern Guinea, and less than two months after the country declared an end to an Ebola outbreak this year which killed 12 people.
The patient was a man who died on 2 August, eight days after the onset of symptoms. The village where he lived is near the borders with both Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, said Guinea’s Ministry of Health reported the case to the UN agency on Friday.
150 contacts identified
WHO is supporting the authorities in investigating the source of the outbreak, tracing contacts and in forming the local community about protection measures.
“About 150 contacts have been identified and are being followed up, including three family members and a health worker, who have been identified as high-risk close contacts,” Tedros told journalists in Geneva.
Gueckedou prefecture is the same region where cases of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea this year, as well as the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak, were initially detected.
Marburg disease has a nearly 90 cent fatality rate, according to WHO. Currently there is no treatment against it, although vaccines are under development, but rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival.
Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases on the African continent have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.
The disease was first recognized in 1967, following two large simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories in the German cities of Marburg, and in Belgrade, capital of the then Yugoslavia.
Unilateral coercive measures by some governments are denying many people around the world the right to personal development, as well as holding back sustainable national development, four independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday.
The Human Rights Council-appointed experts called on all nations imposing punitive unilateral sanctions on other countries, to withdraw or at least minimize them, to guarantee that the rule of law and human rights are not affected, including the right to development.
Sanctions are holding countries back from economic improvement and individuals from their own personal development ⏩ UN experts call on countries that impose unilateral sanctions to guarantee that the rule of law & human rights are not affected.
“The precautionary principle should be applied by States when unilateral sanctions are taken to avoid any negative humanitarian impact on the whole scope of human rights, including the right to development”, the experts said in a statement.
“The punishment of innocent civilians must end”.
Respect inalienable rights
The independent experts reminded that the General Assembly declared the right to development “an inalienable human right”, which is recognized by “a range of multilateral human rights declarations”, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
Implementing unilateral sanctions – such as secondary sanctions against people who allegedly interact with sanctioned people and Governments, and national civil and criminal penalties – result in over-compliance, according to the UN experts.
And these measures exacerbate and expand their impact, not just to every individual or company where they are in force, but also to third country nationals and companies, humanitarian organizations, donors and beneficiaries of humanitarian aid.
“Sanctions hold countries back from development, they hold back people as well, and in a globalizing world, that hurts everyone”, the independent experts stated.
Impeding development
The experts underscored that people in targeted countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Syria and Iran, sink into poverty because they cannot get essential services like electricity, housing, water, gas and fuel, let alone medicine and food.
“Sanctions make it harder for entire populations to stay healthy and hamper the transportation of goods needed for economic development, result in the waste of natural resources, undermine environmental sustainability and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, they explained.
For example, when sanctions imposed by the United States block teleconferencing and data services in countries, people are cut off from webinars and online meetings for information, exchanges, education and training, and doctors cannot consult medical data bases, the experts continued.
“Activities essential to every country’s development suffer when unilateral sanctions are imposed”, they spelled out.
09 August 2021 – To mark World Day against Trafficking in persons on 30 July, Armenia has joined the Blue Heart Campaign. With this, the country has become the newest member of the community of now 35 states in supporting the global campaign against human trafficking.
On this occasion, and as part of its ongoing anti-trafficking efforts, the Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs launched a dedicated campaign on human trafficking and exploitation awareness and prevention. “We will launch a series of very important actions to promote awareness,” said Ms. Tatevik Stepanyan, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
Armenia is both a country of origin and destination for victims of human trafficking. In the past years, the country has increased the number of human trafficking-related investigations, convictions of traffickers, and has also achieved to increase the number of identified victims.
***
As a global awareness raising initiative to fight human trafficking and its impact on society, the Blue Heart Campaign seeks to encourage Governments, civil society, the private sector and individuals alike to act and help prevent this heinous crime.
In its mission to end human trafficking, the Campaign also supports the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons which raises and disburses funds to strengthen civil society organizations dedicated to human trafficking victims suffering from a variety of forms of exploitation, especially women and girls exploited by sex-related crime. Over the past decade, the Trust Fund has supported more than 100 grassroot NGOs in over 50 countries by providing tangible assistance to more than 5,000 victims of human trafficking every year.
ISTANBUL, Turkey — How does culture shape perceptions of women? Which elements of culture contribute to achieving gender equality and which ones act as obstacles?
“We have been getting together to look at these questions for the last several months with many different people—officials, academics, organizations of civil society, artists, writers, young people, women and men,” says a novelist from Istanbul and one of the participants of a series of roundtable discussions organized by Turkey’s Bahá’í Office of External Affairs.
In the discourse on gender equality in Turkey, there are few discussion spaces offering an opportunity to explore the question of culture. On the basis of this observation, the Office initiated this series of roundtables that touch on relevant themes, including education, the arts, and family life.
“The vital principle of equality between women and men as the basis for social transformation is at the heart of these conversations,” says Suzan Karaman of the Office of External Affairs.
Ms. Karaman explains that the roundtables have offered a rare opportunity for a cross-section of people concerned with the issue to come together to examine the reality of their society and analyze the operation of social forces.
At a recent gathering on the theme of education, a representative of an organization focused on the empowerment of women commented on the need to examine every aspect of education. Citing textbooks as an example of how people’s views on gender roles can be formed, she stated: “Even illustrations in a math textbook can influence patterns of thought when they reinforce stereotypes, depicting women only in certain roles.”
Another attendee, the head of the Sociology of Religion Department at a major university in the country, expanded further stating: “Transformation in culture does not mean disrupting cultural diversity or the positive aspects of culture, but rather changing the patriarchal traditions, stereotypes and gender roles that have been passed down through generations that can be obstacles to achieving equality.”
Participants observed that although education is often seen as means for economic mobility and greater job opportunities, there is a need for a kind of education that spiritually and morally empowers people to seek greater degrees of unity and to work toward social change.
“Equality is one of the most important issues of our society,” said a local official and participant of the roundtables.
She continues: “It is also one of the most neglected and violated values of the human family throughout history. Although there is a long way to go, every effort which contributes on the journey towards equality is like an act of worship and therefore praiseworthy. The key is promoting a deeper understanding of this value in society and to reaching people from all walks of life by working together.”
In comments shared with the News Service, an author describes the unifying atmosphere of the gatherings: “We rush to our to computers from different parts of Turkey to learn from each other—we talk, we listen, we ask, and we understand. Though we are all different in some ways, we have come to love and trust one another. This opportunity has created greater understanding and unity. It has brought joy to our souls and hearts in this difficult world.”
(Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC)In November 2020, hurricanes Eta and Iota hit hard on the north coast of Honduras.
As people in many global regions suffer from record-breaking heat, devastating wildfires and extreme flooding, the World Council of Churches has called for prayers and urgently reacting to the latest scientific evidence that the global temperature is rising.
The call was made by the WCC deputy general secretary Rev. Odair Pedroso Mateus who spoke for the churches body after the Aug. 9 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“The scale of recent changes is unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years,” said the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), releasing the report.
“Many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries to millennia especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets, and global sea level, says the report,” the WMO said.
The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international body of scientists set up by the United Nations, confirms that human-induced climate change is accelerating and is fundamentally changing our only planetary home.
The report finds that humanity is precariously close to surpassing the relatively safe limit of 1.5° degrees Celsius (34.7 Fahrenheit) global temperature rise – in less than two decades — with increasingly disastrous consequences.
“The signs of the times have never been clearer,” said Mateus. “The report is a major alarm bell.”
“Its concern is high on the agenda of the next assembly of the WCC,” the highest governing body of the grouping of more than half a billion Christians next year in Germany.
He referred to a recently published text on the assembly theme – “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”
In those words, an international group of theologians wrote that “for many scientists, the earth is today in a new period of its history, called the Anthropocene, in which the impact of human domination, especially during the past 200 years of industrialization, can no longer be reversed.”
‘CODE RED FOR HUMANITY’
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “Today’s IPCC Working Group 1 Report is a code red for humanity,” as he called for “stepped up efforts” to stem the effects of weather changes that have wreaked havoc on the world recently.
“The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.”
“Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible.”
The report noted that human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe.
The UN report emphasizes that the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement — among them keeping global temperature increase this century to not more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and striving for 1.5° — can still be reached with immediate, bold, and sustained cuts in carbon emissions.
Pope Francis’s encyclical on ecology, Laudato Si published in June 2015, says that climate change is real and mainly “a result of human activity.”
The problem is urgent noted the Catholic Climate Covenant.
“Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years.”
We must all change our day-to-day actions to live more sustainably. “Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility.” On a larger scale, our leaders must be held to account says the document.
“Those who will have to suffer the consequences . . . will not forget this failure of conscience and responsibility.”
Trekking at a monastery can be real fun. Phuktal Monastery, located at the mouth of a grand cave, has its origin dating back to the 16th The Monastery hosts several prayer rooms alongside a main temple, teaching facilities, a library, apartments and kitchen room. Sacred spring and the cave is the most prominent feature of this place.
The Ladakh administration has scrapped the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in another move to underline India’s sovereignty over the territory. The move will benefit Indian tourists visiting the ‘protected’ areas in the region as there will be less paperwork required to deal with.
However, tourists visiting these areas will still have to pay the environmental fee of Rs 300 and Red Cross Fund fee of Rs 100. The payment can be easily made using the online portal, officials said, according to a Times of India report.
The report added that all visitors are required to carry identity proof during travel and foreigners are still required the Protected Area Permit.
Earlier, Indian tourists were only allowed to visit areas beyond Panamik till Warshi including Yarma Gompa/Yarma Gonbo Monastery in Leh’s Nubra Valley.
The scrapping of Inner Line Permit will not result in unfettered access. The Ladakh administration will notify areas, mostly villages near the border, where tourists will not be allowed. The Union Home Ministry has asked for the list, which will be prepared after the consultation with the Police and the Army.
Some villages near the Pakistani border, including Dungti, Koyul, Demchok and Chumar in the Nyoma subdivision in eastern Ladakh will remain out of bounds. In Kargil, tourists can visit places including Batalik easily.
The report added that Ladakh was opened up for tourists in October 1974. Although tourists were allowed to travel to a limited number of places. Access to tourist spots like Pangong Tso was restricted as it was accessible only between 6am and 5 pm. Turtuk in Ladakh was opened up in 2010.
Though a lot of areas in the region have opened up since then, a lot of areas remain out of bounds, mostly on Army’s insistence. But progressively more areas are brought in to reap the economic benefits of tourism like Leh and Nubra valley.
In a separate development, “residents of the protected area” of Ladakh can visit other protected areas “without any permit”.
“In the aforesaid identification documents to be issued to the residents of the Protected Areas, the concerned Superintendents/ Deputy Superintendents shall also specify the Protected areas lying in other Tehsils/ Districts which the holders of the said documents may visit for bona fide purpose without any permit,” an order by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh states, according to Times Now.
#HealthBytes: Have these foods to naturally increase your stamina
Are you eating and exercising well yet feeling drained out and low on energy? While almost every food that we eat will give us an energy boost, certain nutrients will help build our stamina, help us stay alert, and increase our productivity. Here are a few foods to consume regularly if you’re looking for foods that can naturally improve your stamina.
Nuts: A fistful of nuts is an instant power booster
Nuts are capable of immediately boosting our stamina and making us alert. For getting results, you need to have just a fistful of nuts on a regular basis. This is because nuts contain proteins, bioactive compounds, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that improve the health and energy of muscles. Have almonds, cashews, and raisins every day for improved stamina.
Fatty fish: Fatty fish is nutritious and prevents chronic fatigue
Fish is a natural source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids: all of which helps in improving energy and stamina. Studies suggest that decreased levels of omega-3 fatty acids can give way to chronic fatigue and reduce immunity as well. Including salmon, tuna, and mackerel in your diet is an ideal way to reduce fatigue and build stamina in the long run.
Coffee: Your daily dose of coffee is good for you
Do you reach out for a strong cup of coffee when you feel tired and low? It has its reasons. Coffee not only is an instant energy booster but also contains alkaloid caffeine that helps in improving your stamina. While excess coffee isn’t good for health owing to its caffeine content, consuming it in limited quantities daily is a great way to build stamina.
Beetroot: Beetroot is a low-calorie vegetable that also increases stamina
Beetroot is a low-calorie vegetable that is also an energy-booster. This is because the vegetable contains high levels of inorganic nitrate that provides energy and helps in building endurance as well. Beetroots are also rich in natural sugars that provide you with ample energy and hence starting your day with a glass of beetroot juice is the perfect kickstart to a long day!
Religious Restrictions Return with Rise of Delta Variant; Vatican Launches Global Compact on the Family; Problems With Biden’s Religious Freedom Picks? University that Requires Religious to Perform Abortions; Minnesota Teen Prepares for Life as Reincarnated Lama
They’re Back! Religious Restrictions Return with Rise of Delta Variant The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request from a church in Maine to prevent the state’s reimposing Covid-related restrictions. Calvary Chapel of Bangor said the rules were the “most severe restrictions in the nation on places of worship,” beginning with a ban on gatherings for religious worship, which was modified later to allow 50 worshippers in the church. The church said the limits violated its religious freedom while making exceptions for other gatherings.
Vatican Launches “Global Compact on the Family” The Vatican is launching a research project on the family to be carried out by Catholic universities around the world. The results of the project, called the Catholic Global Compact on the Family, will be presented at an event held before the World Meeting of Families in Rome in June 2022. According to organizers, “the compact will collect information and research on the cultural and anthropological importance of the family, focusing particularly on family relationships, the social value of the family and good practices of family policies at the international level.
Requiring Religious to Perform Abortions The Biden administration has dropped a Trump-era lawsuit against the University of Vermont Medical Center for requiring health care workers to assist in abortions despite their religious or moral objections. The HHS Office of Civil Rights reported the medical center in Burlington forced a nurse to participate in an abortion and had scheduled other workers to help with the procedures though they had religious or moral objections.
Biden’s nominees for international religious freedom positions at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom include Rashad Hussain as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, Deborah Lipstadt as special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism, and Khizr Khan to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, — nominated to the International Coalition on Religious Freedom is a campaigner for LGBTQ rights who is married to Randi Weingarten, current president of the American Federation of Teachers. The nominations have raised questions, such as a coalition of some 1,500 orthodox rabbis which condemned the nomination of Kleinbaum, saying it sends a counter-productive message amid threats to religious liberty.” Minnesota Teen Prepares for Life as Reincarnated Lama Jalue Dorje, an American teenager who grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and who at the age of two was recognized by the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist leaders as a tulku or reincarnated lama, plans to relocate to Mindrolling Monastery in India in four years. Although the Dalai Lama urged that Dorje take up residency in India from the age of 10, his family decided that their son, now 14 years old, should live a more ordinary American life until he completes high school at the age of 18.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
The famend religious chief and socially engaged Buddhist monk Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has acquired the Seventh Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2021 in recognition of his lifelong efforts to advertise peace and to foster the values of integrity, compassionate care, and social duty. The honour was conferred throughout the eleventh Worldwide Peace Convention in Ladakh on Tuesday, held in observance of the United Nations Worldwide Day of Peace.
Dr. Anthony Raju, advocate for the Supreme Court of Indi, chairman of the All-Indian Council of Human Rights, liberties and Social Justice, and member of the International Human Rights Advisory Council, with Dr. June Ann-Passanah, human rights and peace activist and social worker, visit the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre to discuss the 11th International Peace Conference and conferring the 7th Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2021. Image courtesy of MIMC
![By LoneStarMike (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_lossy,ret_img,w_300,h_200/https://europeantimes.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/teaxadoption-5-11-2017-300x200-jpg.jpg "Religious News From Around the Web September 13, 2021 4")
An 
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a coalition of 17 states in filing a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court 
The Vatican is launching a research project on the family to be carried out by Catholic universities around the world. The results of the project, called the 
The Biden administration has dropped a Trump-era lawsuit against the 
