GIWA Sankalp, WASH in Buddhism Preview with HH the Dalai Lama
A wonderful coming together of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance’s interfaith leaders, led by Pujya Swamiji and HH the Dalai Lama took place at Bodh Gaya yesterday during the ongoing Kalachakra Initiation and Puja. Over 100,000 people were in attendance.
The respected interfaith leaders spoke on the occasion about the importance of faith and the power it has towards catalyzing sustainable behaviour change. They emphasised the crucial need for cleanliness both within our hearts and minds as well as externally in our communities and villages. They also spoke about the great need to work together to ensure all people have access to healthy clean, sanitation, and to protect and preserve our environment.
Sadhvi Bhagawatiji Sadhviji spoke on the importance of protecting and preserving the planet’s water, noting how it is predicted that by the year 2030 India will only have half the water it needs, and by the 2040 the world will only have its water needs, leading to heightened threats of famine, food shortages, mass migration and violence as temperatures and populations escalate.
During the event, a copy of GIWA’s WASH in Buddhism book was presented to the HH the Dalai Lamaji, which he proudly displayed to the crowd of over 100,000 people. Plans for the launch of GIWA’s upcoming WASH in Faith series of books were discussed.
Afterwards, all the leaders took part with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a beautiful interfaith pledge for WASH for all and performed the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance’s water blessing ceremony. Sadhviji explained that the water blessing ceremony is a prayer to give thanks for the ancient, life-giving rivers and water bodies around the world, and a prayer that all people of all religions and all cultures should have access to safe, sufficient, life-sustaining water.
The occasion was also blessed by Pujya Giani Gurbachan Singhji, Chief Jathedar Akal Takht, Golden Temple, Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muniji, Sardar Parmajit Chandhokji, Sardar Kuldeep Bhogalji, Swamini Adityananda Saraswatiji, and members of UNICEF India and UNICEF Bihar, including Asadur Rahmanji, Stephanie Raison, Danish Aziz, Pravin More, and others joined the auspicious occasion.
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