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TOWARDS A GLOBAL SAINTS'
BRIGADE
[Speech at the Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Earth Summit at Rio, June 8, 1992]
The dialogue on Religion and Environment has been very thought provoking. It is a welcome sign that the approach to link Religion and Environment is at once dynamic and not dogma ridden. It is not a question of bringing the church and the state together. It is more the issue of applying the lofty principles of religion in the policy-making process, which would influence the future of humanity on this planet. Both thinking and action on the part of individuals, society or state must be inspired by deeper considerations of humanitarianism, compassion and cooperative peaceful coexistence.
One of the panelists put it very beautifully that 'no religion is an island. Let a message go out of this Parliamentary Earth Summit that all religious leaders will unite to work together for a better ecology both inner as well as outer. There may be nuances of difference in religious theory, perceptions, customs and traditions, but in the field of arousing awareness among human beings, let them work together. We have heard of the proposal to launch an International Green Cross. Indeed, it is to be adopted at tomorrow's concluding plenary session. President Mikhail Gorbachev has consented to be its first Chairman. The mission of the L.G.C. is to be two-fold.
1. To create a global disaster relief program of volunteer and expert service that can respond to environmental disasters in much
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