Global Prayers Gathering for overcoming Covid-19 pandemic

HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light) organised a webinar for Global Prayers Gathering in order to overcome the coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic and hope for peace in the World.

The webinar was successfully held on October 3 on request from the international religious leaders from four countries including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and South Korea.

HWPL is the international peace organisation that has been registered with the United Nations NGOs and is associated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

In the webinar, representative religious leaders from all corners of the world with the tenets of four religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam gathered to pray for harmony among religions as well as overcoming and healing the coronavirus with the 13 participants.

Manu Singh, chairman of Sarva Dharma Samvaad: Organisation for unity of various religions in India, also the MC of the prayer meeting, emphasized, “I would ask all of you that this coronavirus is not only a disease. It is much more than that. We, as human species, had actually given away our divine and our spiritual thoughts and had pushed ourselves driven by our egos on the part of greed and self-destruction. Because of our greed, we inflicted so much suffering on nature. Let us go back to the foundations of peace. Please do not confuse quietness with peace. Peace is an alignment where there is equality. Peace is an environment where there is harmony amongst all human beings and all living creatures. Let us pray for that peace between all of us.” And then, he introduced a Hindu prayer, "Shanti Mantra" which is chanted for invoking peace and is very widely used in Hinduism and religions like Buddhism and Jainism.

He was also the moderator of the 53rd Interfaith Dialogue at Western Busan, Korea branch of HWPL on July 11, and has actively participated in HWPL events every time. On that day, seven major members of South Asia gathered to have an in-depth discussion on how they view the current Covid-19 pandemic based on the scriptures of each religion. In particular, various representatives of the five groups (Bahaism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, and Hinduism) in India, where religious freedom is guaranteed, participated as a panel and drew attention.

Among them, Dr Jagdish Gandhi who is a representative attendee of Bahaism and the founder of CMS (City Montessori School) listed in the Guinness Book of Records with the largest number of students in the world, said, “I am really delighted to be at this event and present the view on the Baháʼí Faith. At the current pandemic situation, it is time now to come together and unite ourselves. It is the only solution to this crisis situation. 200 years ago, Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of Baháʼí Faith said that humanity is eventually becoming citizens who make the world a nation for global democracy and parliament. This road leads to peace and happiness. Today is the era of unity and harmony in the world. For the peace and happiness that the whole world wants, we must overcome Covid-19 with one heart. We are one!”

Meanwhile, the HWPL Interfaith Dialogue operated by the World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Office Meetings has been positively conducted in 253 offices and 129 countries. The international religious leaders from of HWPL will use this prayer meeting as an opportunity to hold a prayer time again in October.