[Buddha-l] Re: Petition on the Inclusion of Women's Voices (Parliament of the World's Religions)

[Benito Carral]

On Monday, October 10, 2005, Joanna wrote:

> I  wonder  what  they  think  they achieve from their
> membership other than travel and a fun convention.

   I  can tell you about my experience. I must say that
I  was  generously  invited  by  the UNESCO to the last
Parliament,  otherwise  I  couldn't have attended, so I
would like to thank them here.

   It  helped  me  to  know how many different and most
interesting  people  are  working  locally and globally
from their spiritual and religious traditions.

   It  helped  me  to  know some working strategies and
provided  me  useful  links.  For example, a Cistercian
monk  involved  in  interreligious dialog and the young
coordinator of the Earth Chapter Initiative with whom I
have kept a fruitful dialog along the months.

   It  also  allowed  me to have first-hand experiences
with  Jane  Goodal,  Madu  Kishwar,  Hans  Küng,  Tariq
Ramadan, Sulak Sivaraksa...

   In  addition to that, it allowed me to discover many
spiritual   and   religious   traditions   from  people
committed  to them and I enjoyed many interesting talks
with people from different countries and cultures.

   Then  we  also  enjoyed  an  incredible sacred music
concert at the Sagrada Familia.

   One  of  the  things  most  of us agreed with is the
necessity  of  promoting  a  gobal  ethics in our local
communities  as well as religious bilingualism at least
(i.e.,   to  be  well-versed  not  just  in  one's  own
tradition).

   In  short, it helped me to discover and rethink many
things,  it provided me new views and tools, and it was
a  kind  revolution.  We  all could feel brotherhood in
every  meeting.  It  convinced  me, among other things,
that  I can't leave aside other spiritual and religious
traditions nor global issues in my Buddhist discourse.

   Best wishes,

   Beni