Harmonize religions to up society's moral values
--- Mayor Hamilton Green
by Chamanlall Naipaul
Guyana Chronicle
October 16, 2003
Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, says the teachings of the different religions are not in conflict with each other, while some may be myopic. As such every effort should be made to harmonize them in an effort to bring a moral perspective in society without which generations to come will "inherit a world not liveable."
The Mayor made this appeal at a news conference yesterday on his return from attending meetings of the Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) in the United States.
Alluding to the violent conflicts throughout the world which, according to him, the United Nations (UN) and the present governance systems have failed to prevent, the Mayor declared: " At this time in history, there is need for serious examination of existing institutions and practices of global governance. In particular, there is an urgent need for innovative models of good governance that illustrate the real potential and effectiveness of inter-religious and international cooperation in addressing the problems that face every society and nation in the world. With this spirit, the IIFWP is participating that are running parallel to each other, but on separate tracks."
One of the initiatives Mr. Green disclosed was a resolution prepared by the Philippines and other co-sponsoring nations with full support from the IIFW and sent to the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly. The resolution proposes the establishment of a Special Committee of the General Assembly to develop a plan for the creation of an Inter-Religious Council as an organ of the UN.
Parallel to this initiative, he said, the IIFWP is moving forward with its plan, developed at its September Convocation in New York last year, to establish an Inter-Religious Peace Council (IIPC) to demonstrate that people of diverse racial, religious and cultural backgrounds can work together and contribute in significant ways to the solution of some of the world's most serious problems.
While in the US the Mayor also visited the Way to Happiness Institute Foundation where he was exposed to a different approach to reforming prisoners that Foundation officials say is being successfully applied.
According to Mr. Green the approach there is replacing hate with love and intolerance with tolerance, further disclosing that this approach earned a 100% success in South Africa whereby none of the former prisoners returned to prison following the application of this method of reformation.
He stressed the importance of a strong family unit and family values in upholding a peaceful and morally upright society. "Good families lead to good societies and eventually to good nations," he exhorted.
Mr. Green also underscored the role of the mass media in helping to create a peaceful and stable society, appealing to the media to make a meaningful contribution in ensuring there is peace in the society. He observed that in many instances the media knowingly or unknowingly have contributed to the fomenting of conflict and violence.
From its inception in 1999, the IIFWP has been advocating the establishment of an Inter-Religious Council as an organ of the UN. In this way the IIFWP has worked to support the UN, further strengthening it in its effort to solve critical problems, as the UN Charter declares, to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war," Mr. Green offered