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VOICE OF JAINISM
[A report on Jain participation in the UN Earth Summit (1992) and the Sacred Earth Gathering (1992), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]
In the last decade of the twentieth century, the Movement for environment has become worldwide. The protection and preservation of Mother Earth has become necessary for the continuing existence and survival of humanity and indeed all living beings. It is the sacred law of Nature that there should remain a harmonious balance between Humans and Nature. Indifference to this has led to serious problems confronted by the entire world – be they developed or developing countries. The lure and pursuit of material pleasures has set the humans on the path of reckless exploitation of nature.
In June 1992, under the auspices of the United Nations, an all-important Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, a leading city of Brazil in South America. The first U.N. World Conference on environment was held in 1972 in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden in Europe. The then Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi had raised the voice of India articulating that “poverty is the worst pollutant", and therefore “it is absolutely essential and inescapable to look at, assess and seek solutions to the aspects of Environment and Development in a coordinated manner”.
Twenty years later at the Earth Summit Conference both these aspects were analyzed and assessed together and decisions were taken to advance the cause of environment and development hand in hand.
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