21st Human Unity Conference in Delhi, India

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj From September 12th through 20th, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj presided over the 21st International Human Unity Conference (IHUC) in Delhi, India, a conference dedicated to the noble goal of promoting peace and unity throughout the world. Over 600 delegates from abroad joined 120,000 people in India to pursue this common goal. Spiritual, religious, and civic were invited to speak on the necessity for non-violent collaboration at this crucial time in history.

This conference was an opportunity to collectively use prayer and meditation for the goal of world peace. During the ten day span, delegates and presenters explored various paths to unity, including spirituality, interfaith understanding, communication, love and compassion.

The first of these conferences (then called the Unity of Man Conference), had been convened by the great spiritual Master, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj, in February 1974 in Delhi. Since then, Human Unity Conferences have been held throughout the world, under different leadership. The fifteenth IHUC returned to India in November, 1988 with Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj presiding over the Inaugural Session. In 1990, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj assumed responsibility for the conference, organizing six in different parts of the world:

  • 16th Conference - September 1996 in Delhi, culminating in an International Peace March
  • 17th IHUC - November 1998 in Bogota, Colombia
  • 18th IHUC - October 1999 in Munich, Germany
  • 19th IHUC - December 1999-January 2000 in Delhi, India
  • 20th IHUC - January, 2004 in Lima, Peru, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj received two honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of his work introducing spirituality into science and education

Inaugural Session

On September 12th, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj opened the program by stating the purpose of the conference was to realize our oneness. Although we may have different religions, occupations and cultures, there is only one true reality within all of us. Genetic research has shown that over 99% of our genes are exactly the same, and it is less than 1% difference that accounts for the diversity in the human race. We are all born from one source that enlivens our mind and body. When we experience our soul, we realize our unity in spite of our exterior differences.

Dr. Margarete Czerny from Austria gave an overview of the history of the IHUC and spoke about meditation as a tool for non-violent conflict resolution. Reverend Patrick Motilal of the Free Church, New Delhi, said that God made us alike but we have separated from one another. He also paid tribute to Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj, whose printed messages he said he carries in his Bible for inspiration. Swami Sudhamanand Ji Maharaj from Geeta Bhawan, Rishikesh, said that the saints come to unite people with right understanding.

Seminar: "Darshan-the Mystic Poet-Saint of the Last Century"

The conference continued on September 14, on the birthday of the poet-saint of India, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj. Professor Satnaam Singh Raagi, a highly regarded singer of Shabad Kirtan, began the recitation of verses from the Guru Granth Sahib.

Addressing the audience on this occasion, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj said that being a saint is very rare, and being a poet is also uncommon, but being a mystic-poet-saint is unique. Just as water flowing down from a mountainside brings benefits to all, such was the life of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, who came to help all creation. When celebrating his birthday, we should all try to inculcate his virtues into our lives, radiating the sweet fragrance of God's love like a rose, which shares its fragrance with all. Many other presenters spoke on the life of this great saint including:

  • Jain Sadhvi Sadhna Ji who reminded people of the love and compassion that Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj showered on others that transformed the minds of people to non-violence and love.
  • Bishop Karam Masih, Church of Redemption, said that people on earth make differences among one another, but no differences exist in the kingdom of God. God knows our heart, and asks for our heart; all we need to do is to give it to Him.
  • Swami Gopalacharya spoke of the poet/saint as immortal. All saints come to help others make the best use of their lives. By keeping the company of these saints, the body, mind and soul get purified, leading to unity and peace.
  • Mr. Isaac Malekar paid tribute to Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj for bringing about inter-religious understanding in the world. Religion is not blind faith but enlightened knowledge and God finds prayer acceptable which comes from the core of one's heart, no matter to which religious tradition one belongs.

September 18 Seminar

One of the highlights of the 21st IHUC was the seminar on "The Role of Prayer and Meditation for a Peaceful World," held at the Siri Fort Auditorium in the evening of September 18.

21st IHUC All the presenters were welcomed with a bouquet of flowers. His Holiness. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj presided. Guest speakers included Archbishop John Baptist Odama from Uganda, Swami Asanganand Saraswati Ji Maharaj from Rishikesh, Dr. Maulvi Mufti Mohammed Mukaram Ahmed, the Imam of Fatepuri Masjid, Venerable Lama Lobzang, and Dr. A.K. Merchant of the Bahai Community of India.

In his opening address, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj explained that to experience human unity we must to be peaceful. Unfortunately, many believe that peace means fulfilling our desires for wealth and fame. In order to be truly peaceful, he stated, we should have only one desire, and that is to commune with the Lord. As the mind gets stilled, divine revelations await each and everyone. This experience transforms us and fills us with peace and happiness, and we realize that God is also in others as He is in us.

Archbishop John Baptist Odama, in a spirited and moving talk, expressed his joy at encountering the deeply spiritual people of India. Human life is sacred, he said, and prayer from the core of the heart in silence to the Lord is one of the greatest personal experiences one can have.

Swami Asanganand Saraswati Ji said that we usually identify ourselves with the body and mind, but according to Vedanta we are all the family of an undifferentiated God. Our soul is a part of God, and we must recognize ourselves as soul, not body. Only then we can have true peace.

Dr. Maulvi Mufti Mohammed Mukaram Ahmed expressed his happiness to join the good cause undertaken by the conference. In his talk he commented that unless we love one another, we cannot get the grace of God, and he prayed that we would weave the spiritual message of human unity into each of our lives.

Venerable Lama Lobzang stated that although ours is an era of science and technology, we often use this knowledge for destruction, even in the name of religion. Instead, we need to focus on our spiritual side through meditation. A controlled mind can lead us to right action, which in turn will lead us to lasting peace.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Dr. A.K. Merchant spoke on the power and potential of each human being to contribute to a peaceful world. God has the power to bring us together as one family, but He has given humans free will and personal responsibility to do so. World peace is not only possible, he said, but inevitable.

Following this powerful seminar, the satellite T.V. channel ‘Jagran’ interviewed Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. He emphasized that it is only prayer and meditation that brings us closer to God and helps us achieve our long-cherished goal of being one with God.

Concluding Session

On September 20, the concluding session of the 21st IHUC also held at Darshan Dham, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj summarized the experience of the last ten days in a verse by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, "No one can describe the countless blessings one receives; our cup overflows as the divine Cupbearer pours out his multi-colored wine."

He spoke about two cities: the city of intellect, where most people are caught up through the activities of this world; and the city of love, which exists within each one of us. In the city of love everything attracts us to God, everything is beautiful, there is no duality or boundaries, and truthfulness, non-violence, purity and selflessness overflow. By inverting through the process of meditation, we can truly reach the city of love, achieve unity and peace and spread the same to our families, societies, countries and the world. He wished everyone present to be able to experience that unity so that we begin to see God in every human being.

Following this discourse, the charter of the 21st IHUC was read out and unanimously adopted by the delegates. It stated that:

  • Worldwide strife requires us to sit together in harmony under the fatherhood of God, so that we may solve our differences and achieve lasting peace in the world.
  • Silent prayer and meditation provide tools for being able to experience the unity of humankind and all creation.
  • Inner contemplation heals the wounds of war, intolerance and hatred.
  • Thus, silent prayer and meditation need to be introduced into the educational curriculums of the world.

Conference presenters then spoke to the audience. Shri Yoganand Shastri, Minister of Health, Government of Delhi, said that Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj does not give lip service to the cause of world peace. Through his labor and love he works hard to see its fulfillment.

Pir Khwaja Ahmed Nizami of the Nizzamudin Aulia Dargah also had words of praise for Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj and spoke of the necessity of conferences like this to raise one's moral and spiritual stature to become a good human being. He, too, prayed for peace for the whole world.

21st IHUC Quoting Rabindranath Tagore from his "Gitanjali," Jain Muni Roopchandra Ji said that Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj was the sun of spirituality and that we should all serve like millions of wicker lamps that carry forth its light at dusk.

A group of the Namdhari Mission from Bhaini Sahib attended the conference on behalf of Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj.

Victor Dalekinge from Cameroon brought greetings from Africa, and said that saints like Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj are the true benefactors of all humanity.

"Every visit is a beautiful learning experience," said Ms. Susan Yeoh Siew Peng from Malaysia when describing her impressions of the 21st IHUC. "The conference was like a sea vibrating with joy, peace and harmony. It was good to see leaders of different faiths sharing the common platform that peace begins with each individual.”

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