30 Jan PEACE PILGRIMAGE INDIA, FEBRUARY 2017

To advance the supreme value of loving-kindness and compassion Spiritual and religious leaders from around the world are coming to Delhi.

With the support of many like minded people, Leaders from around the world are joining Indian leaders in New Delhi, from Feb 14-Feb 16 at the Dargah of Hazrat Inayat Khan, near the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Feb 17-18 at Ajmer Sharif, as part of “Pilgrimages for Loving Kindness and Compassion”.

These pilgrimages have been initiated by 95 year old Sufi Master Johannes Witteveen – former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Minister of Treasury of the Netherlands, as part of the Universal Sufi Counsel’s efforts to promote human unity, harmony and peace amongst religions, nations, and peoples. Other guiding pilgrims are Zen Teacher, Brigitte van Baren, Director of Inner Sense, Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute and Sufi Pir Shabda Kahn, Pir of the Sufi Ruhaniat International. Joining them in Delhi will be Dr. Karan Singh eminent Spiritualist & Statesman, Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam, All India Imam Organization ,Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati from the Parmarth Ashram, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, Gaddi Nashin – Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Angaangaq – Shaman Elder from Greenland, Dr. A. K. Merchant – General Secretary, Temple of Understanding, Sheikh Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar from Ghana, Sheikha Nur from  Turkey Prajanananda Parhamahansa, Kriya Yoga Master, India, Lungewa Magkoba, repr.Anglican Archbishop South Africa  Rabbi Gabriel Hagai from FranceMexican Bishop Ruben Tierrablanca from Turkey _______ Audrey Kitagawa from Hawaii Sheikh Syed Saifuddin Ahmed, from Bangladesh,  and many other distinguished luminaries.

The Pilgrimages seek to highlight the supreme importance of the pursuit and achievement of loving-kindness and compassion as the central value of all religions. As today’s world is challenged by distortions and prejudices in the name of religion that lead to violence, the Counsel believes that the explicit commitment to the compass of loving-kindness and compassion must be front and center for all religions to achieve the imperative of peace, harmony and human unity.

This is the first of a series of Pilgrimages appropriately commencing in India because of its unique position as a spiritually founded nation.

Participants are coming from nearly every religious tradition to support several specific efforts that address poverty, violence and human suffering combining it with sustainable development goals. They will also be presenting an “Affirmation of Values” for endorsement by millions of people across the world.