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Millennium Celebration of Peace & Unity
MILLENIUM CELEBRATION OF PEACE & UNITY FESTIVAL-JUNE 2000 The Millennium Celebration of Peace & Unity Festival, as mentioned in the 'Letter from the Editor' was a great success. The Multi-faith committee and myself had been planning the event for a couple of years. It was the Fifth Celebration of Peace & Unity Festival that took place since the Inaugural Ceremony, when the Temple of All Faiths was first built five years ago.Much has happened since then and the format of the festival has evolved over the years. Initially we had the service in the morning and discourses on each tradition in the afternoon. Whilst the information about the different traditions was interesting, many felt that it was difficult to stay awake after lunch and listen to heavy discourses. So we decided to have the service in the morning as usual, and multicultural entertainment in the afternoon, a day of prayer and joy.
This year for the first time we had the festival in a public venue - The Quaker Hall at Leighton Park School. It was a fitting location with a wonderful ambience, although many commented how special it used to be in the garden venue at the Oasis Centre with its little Temple of All Faiths. The reason for this change of venue was to allow many more people to attend as the numbers in the Temple were limited because of its size. Although the Millennium Celebration of Peace & Unity festival held at Leighton Park School could have done with more numbers to fill the 350 people capacity the Temple of all Faiths could never have accommodated the numbers that did attend.
Oasis had a write up in the Reading Chronicle together with a coloured photograph, which gave my telephone number as a contact point, however, as mentioned previously, no one was able to get in touch with me for information, tickets, directions etc. because my telephone was out of order at a most crucial time, seven days just before the festival. We had also sent press releases to the Radio and Television, but they were also unable to make contact. I have always said the 'divine plan is perfect in every detail' and what happened was the plan. Despite the ' challenges' that were presented with other little hiccoughs, as mentioned in the 'Letter from the Editor', the event was a very rewarding and worthwhile experience for all of us who planned and took part in it.
The Celebration of Peace & Unity festival began with Renu Gidoomal setting the scene as it were, with some spiritual songs. A table with flowers and a tray with votive candles was placed on the rostrum and each minister or representative lit a candle before saying their individual prayers for peace as a symbolism of their unity.
After my 'Welcome' I read a quote of the great peacemaker Mahatma Gandhi. " I believe in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world. I believe that they are all God-given and I believe that they were necessary for the people to whom these religions were revealed. And I believe that if only we could all of us read the scriptures of the different faiths from the standpoint of the followers of these faiths, we should find that they were at bottom all one and were all helpful to one another."
The programme began with me reading the Multi-faith Millennium Prayer:
Divine Father/Mother of all creation. We stand before You Impelled by visions of the harmony of humankind. We are children of many traditions Inheritors of shared wisdom and tragic misunderstandings Of proud hopes and humble successes Now in this new millennium It is time for us to meet - in memory and truth In courage and trust - in love and promise In that which we share, let us see the common prayer of humanity; In that which we differ, let us wonder at the freedom of humankind; In our unity and our differences, let us know the uniqueness that is God. May our courage match our convictions, and our integrity match our hope May our faith in You bring us closer to each other May our meeting with past and present bring blessing for the future SO BE IT!
Swami Dayatmananda, the head abbot of the Vedanta Centre in Bourne End, led the ministers/representatives of the different traditions with the prayers for peace and represented the Hindu Tradition. He spoke in Sanskrit and then gave the English translations of the spiritual prayers that had been written:
"Om. May we hear with our ears what is auspicious, O ye adorable ones, may we see with our eyes what is auspicious. May we sing praises to ye and enjoy, with strong limbs and body the life allotted to us by the gods. Om Peace, Peace, Peace. Om May there be peace in heaven. May there be peace on earth. May there be peace in the water. May there be peace in the plants. May there be peace in the trees. May there be peace. May there be peace in the gods. May there be peace in Brahman. May there be peace in all. May real peace be mine. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
May all be freed from dangers, May all realise what is good. May all be endowed by noble thoughts, May all rejoice everywhere. Om Peace, Peace, Peace. May the clouds pour rain in time, May the earth be blessed with crops, May our country be free from calamity. May holy ones live without fear. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
The Zorastrian representative was Shahin Bekh Radnia who said some Zorastrian prayers for peace.
YASNA 29 Verse 1:
Unto you, O Creator, the Soul of Mother Earth complained thus: Wherefore did you create me? Who gave life to me? Anger, rapine, outrage, plunder, aggression and violence are everywhere. There is no protector for me, except Thee. Therefore, reveal to me a saviour who could show me a way out of this difficulty.
VERSE 3: Thus made Asha reply to Ahura Mazda! The leader to be selected for people of the world should be neither unjust nor cruel, but a very kind non-inimical person. It is true that I do not recognise such a person amongst people of the world who could protect the righteous against the wicked ones. Nevertheless, I am certain that he should be the strongest of mortals unto whose call we may respond to him.
VERSE 5: The Soul of Creation and I, both with uplifted hands and full respect praise Ahura Mazda and appeal to Him to prevent harm to righteous and good people and their leader and to safeguard them from the attack of wicked persons and enemies.
VERSE 7: Keep hatred and anger far away from yourselves. Let nothing tempt you to violence. Hold on to love and good mind. Brilliant teachers, who wish to hold fast on to Truth, shall lead the followers of truth to paradise, Thy abode, O Ahura, where the righteous people dwell.
VERSE 8: One who thinks of injuring Life, his wicked deeds shall not injure me but the result of this hatred shall recoil to himself. His deeds of hatred and wickedness shall prevent his self from knowing Perfect Life and performing good works. Anger and hatred shall nowise guard him, O Mazda, from an Evil Life, which shall be his lot.
VERSE 10: O. Ahura Mazda and Asha, bestow upon them (Zarathustra and his followers) spiritual strength and power. O, Vohuman grant mental power, cleverness and full wisdom to Zarathustra, so that he may lead the world to peace and rest. O Mazda, we all recognise him as Thy noblest son and best of creation, and accept him as our best leader.
Billie Meyer, the Chairperson of the Progressive jewish Community in reading, represented the Jewish tradition and did some readings from Siddur Lev Chadash and got us all to join her in the Jewish chant 'Hevenu Shalom Alechem'
PEACE May God reach out to you in tenderness and give you peace Great is peace, for the Priestly Benediction concludes with 'peace
Response: Great is peace for it outweighs all other blessings. Great is peace for it is granted to those who repent as it says:
Response:" Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Eternal One". Great is peace, for it is granted to those who learn Torah, as it says:
Response: "All your children shall be taught about God and great shall be the peace of your children." Great is peace, for the Messianic Age will begin with peace, as it says:
Response: "How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, who announces peace". The whole Torah exists only to establish peace, as it says:
Response:" It's ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace". The world rests on three pillars: justice, truth and peace. That is, both between nations and between individuals.
Response: May it be Your will, O God, that war and bloodshed shall vanish from the earth and that a great and glorious peace may reign for ever in the world. Let every human being realise and understand the basic truth, that we have not been created for strife and discord, hatred and envy, but only so that we may come to know You to whom all praise is due forever.
It is not enough to pray for peace. We have to work for it: to challenge those who foster conflict, and refute their propaganda; to ascertain and make known the truth, both when it confirms and when it runs counter to conventional views; to denounce injustice. Not only when it is committed against us but also when it is committed against others; to defend human rights, not only our own but also theirs; to insist that peace requires sacrifice - of moderation, compromise and reconciliation; and to build bridges of respect and understanding, trust and friendship, across the chasms that divide humanity.
CHANT - HEVENU SHALOM ALEYCHEM Renu Gidoomal then sang the beautiful hymn the words of which were written by St. Francis of Assisi' Make me a Channel of your Peace' followed by all of us singing the Multi-faith hymn' We Are One in the Spirit' (each religion/tradition was acknowledged in this hymn of unity)
Nigel Billam, represented the Buddhist tradition and gave some readings from Sogal Rinpoche's "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying", inviting us to meditate on the words:
Rest in natural great peace This exhausted mind Beaten helpless by karma and neurotic thought Like the relentless fury of the pounding waves In the infinite ocean of samsara. Let us rest in natural great peace. Above all, be at ease, be as natural and spacious as possible.
Slip quietly out of the noose of your habitual anxious self, release all grasping, and relax into your true nature.
Think of your ordinary, emotional, thought-ridden self as a block of ice or slab of butter left out in the sun.
If you are feeling hard and cold, let this aggression melt away in the sunlight of your meditation.
Let peace work on you and enable you to gather your scattered mind into the mindfulness of Calm Abiding, and awaken in you the awareness and insight of Clear Seeing. And you will find all your negativity disarmed, your aggression dissolved, and your confusion evaporating slowly like mist into the vast and stainless sky of your absolute nature.
Rest in natural great peace This exhausted mind Beaten helpless by karma and neurotic thought Like the relentless fury of the pounding waves In the infinite ocean of samsara. Rest in natural great peace.
Bishop Jeremy Goring of the Brotherhood of Cross and Star, represented the Christian tradition. He recited the Beatitudes from 'Matthew' and said some extemporary prayers for peace:
THE BEATITUDES
And seeing the multitudes Jesus went up into a mountain and, when he was set, his disciples came unto him; and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they, which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Gandiva Lorcan, a Sufi initiate, represented the Sufi/Muslim tradition and said some prayers from both traditions.
Mr. Gurnam Singh, the founder of the first Gurdwara (Sikh temple) built in Reading about 30 years ago, represented the Sikh tradition and said some prayers for peace from the Sikh tradition.
Barney Leith, the general secretary of the National Assembly Office of the Bahais, did some readings and prayers from the Bahai tradition.
" My object is none other than the betterment of the world and the tranquillity of its peoples. The well-being of mankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded."
Baha'u'llah.
"Today upon the earth, one sees the sad spectacle of cruel war! Man slays his brother man for selfish gain, and to enlarge his territories! For this ignoble ambition hate has taken possession of his heart, and more and more blood is shed! Fresh battles are fought, the armies are increased, more cannon, more guns, more explosives of all kinds are sent out - so does bitterness and hate augment from day to day! But his assembly, thank God, longs only for peace and unity, and must work with heart and soul to bring about a better condition in the world. You who are the servants of God fight against oppression, hate and discord, so that wars may cease and God's laws of peace and love my be established among men."
Abdu'l - Baha
O thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence. O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all. Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy. O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony. O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind. O God! Establish the Most Great Peace. Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together. O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.
Jim Ryan, represented the Brahma Kumaris and said some prayers for peace.
The African choir of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star then concluded the morning programme with rousing hymns of unity and peace, which lifted the vibrations and got us all dancing to its soul & rhythmic beat.
The Multicultural Programme in the afternoon took place after a splendid Vegetarian Lunch, which gave those who attended an opportunity to network with people of like minds. The first item on the programme was a Sing-a-long, which was led by Renu Gidoomal - It gave us an opportunity to wake up after lunch and the singing of old favourites like 'Amazing Grace' and 'He's got the whole world in His Hands' united us all in spirit and harmony.
Renu then gave us a treat by telling us some spiritual anecdotes and singing universal songs with a spiritual content, my favourite being 'Dear Soul'
The next item on the programme was Indian classical dancing gracefully performed by Dipti, from the Brahma Kumaris. Her exotic costume and talented dance performance together with the pulse of the Indian raga transported us, bringing an Eastern flavour to the event.
Jane Seymour, who had stepped in at the last minute to replace the opera singer Anwen Eleanor Williams from Wales, was enthusiastically welcomed because of her generous acceptance to take part in the event at such short notice. I accompanied her on the piano and she sang three songs, which lifted our spirits. The first was 'If I can help Somebody', then 'There is no Death' sung to the tune of 'Danny Boy' and lastly my favourite ' The Holy City'.
Jasbir Sesson and two other friends then entertained us with some stirring Sikh Music, performed on the harmonium and Tabla (Indian Drum). Mohan Dogra explained the meaning of the verses, which added a greater enjoyment and The African Choir of the Brotherhood of the Cross & Star lifted our hearts and spirits even higher with their rousing songs of peace and unity and got us all joining in by singing and dancing with them.
Gandiva Lorcan, a Sufi initiate, who had represented the Muslim/Sufis at the morning service, was the next performer on the programme. His work as a Sound Weaver playing Tibetan Gongs, Horns and Conches, was a true experience of Healing through Sound. He took us through a meditation with various vibrations of sound, which filled every cell in our beings with light and healing.
Jim Ryan from the Brahma Kumaris followed the meditative state by leading us in a guided meditation, preparing us for the 'World Peace Prayer Ceremony'. Caroline Uchima had travelled all the way from Scotland with a group of helpers, who slept in the 'Temple of All Faiths' for a few hours before taking part in the event.
Volunteers brought out the flags of each and every country in the world. The Prayer: "May Peace be in ………………., infinite peace to the people of …………..." After every seven countries flags were displayed, we sang ' May Peace Prevail on Earth'. Eventually all the flags were displayed on the rostrum. It was a spectacular Ceremony, and even though it took a long time to represent and pray for 193 Countries, it was a powerful experience.
After a vote of thanks, Jane Seymour sang 'I'll Walk with God'. Brother Daniel Faivre then requested the youngest person in the audience to light a candle from the votive candles that were alight to light the candle of peace in the closing prayer:
INVOCATION
Spirit of Wisdom and Intelligence, help us to search for, to discover, to appreciate, to preserve, and to promote what is good in other faiths and cultures.
Spirit of Wonder, blend the voices of us all into a joyful hymn of praise and thanksgiving for all the marvels of creation.
Spirit of Faith, grant all people of faith the courage to stand up for what they believe.
Spirit of Love and Compassion, open wide our hearts, our minds and our purses to all those in need.
Spirit of Peace, make us instruments of peace, tolerance and understanding, ceaselessly working to further reconciliation and combat discrimination of every kind.
Spirit of Light, be our guide from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from hate to love, from death to life eternal.
The final hymn 'Let there be Peace on Earth' was then sung with great feeling and enthusiasm to end what had been a warm family day of prayer and unity with people of all nationalities and all faiths.
Thank you once again to all who helped to make this Celebration of Peace & Unity a Reality.
MARIA JORY
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