15 Sep Peace pilgrimage The Netherlands: Virtues of the Heart
Having decided to advance our shared passion to amplify the moral compass of Loving Kindness and Compassion through pilgrimages and the Peace Pledge, our interfaith family gathered for our second pilgrimage in Holland. It was a symphony of wisdom, unity, and joy for all who attended. The tuning fork of our commitment is needed for the world and our commitment was strengthened profoundly by our time together.
Dr. Johannes Witteveen, former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and a world-renowned Sufi leader also known as Murshid Karimbakhsh, stimulated The Peace Pledge Project by his convening of the Universal Sufi Council. This past February, our first pilgrimage in India, began as the first of what will be many interfaith pilgrimages to sacred places
Along with Brigitte van Baren, director Inner Sense, Jonathan Granoff, President of Global Security Institute and Pir Shabda Kahn, Spiritual Director of the Sufi Ruhaniat international, the second pilgrimage was organized in The Netherlands. The event started in the Sufi Center and the Peace Flame Monument at the International Peace Palace in The Hague.
On September 11th morning, the initiators of the Peace Pledge Project along with many spiritual leaders met with businessmen in order to find ways to encourage businesses and corporations to include values beyond mere market success in their corporate purposes and and ways of doing business.
Especially notable was a business initiative called the “Circle Economy”, started by Robert Jan van Ogtrop, which attempts to close the loop of waste, that every waste product become useful in another process, following the wisdom that “Nature does not know waste”. The discord between the cycles of nature and an economic system based on unlimited perpetual growth through consumption was emphasized.
On September 13th, the public event took place in the International Peace Palace around the theme.
Relate your Heart to your Business
Water for Life – 70 years Diplomatic Friendship Netherlands – India
Among the honoured presenters were Ambassador Venu Rajamony, Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands, along with spiritual leaders from India, Pakistan, Greenland, Ghana, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, Germany, France, Taiwan, Netherlands and the USA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, delivered a message through the Indian Ambassador supporting this Peace initiative. (see attached document)
The main theme was spreading the message of Loving Kindness and Compassion through the whole humanity, expressed in the “PEACE PLEDGE”
In addition, water experts of the Netherlands began creative projects to support the need for water purification in India. The first projects are in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in cooperation with Global Interfaith WASH (Clean water, Sanitation, Hygiene) Alliance.
Many inspired educators from around the world shared their initiatives on Peace through Education at this event. Especially notable was Fakhira Najib’s presentation on “Broadclass” which reaches 100,000 students a day in Pakistan through placing radios in schools and providing content based on Loving kindness and compassion.
Further Samiur Rahman, Director of the Hope Project in the Hazrat Nizamuddin neighbourhood of New Delhi, shared how the project supports some 900 students, who come from the poorest of the poor and whose families at first do not support education, especially for women. This along with free medical clinics, a micro lending project that became the number one reason for reduction of violence in the poor community!
Many international spiritual luminaries and senior diplomatic and business officials took part in the Celebration.
