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International Seminars are also being organised inviting prominent educationists, exponents of non-violence environment, ecology and social reforms. Special training courses on life science culture have been organised for school teachers for all age groups of students. These are becoming very popular and educative for Jains & Non-Jains alike. The courses are secular. spiritual and ethical and there is no religions connotation given to them.
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Such programme deserve international recognition and encouragement. It would be a good idea if under U.N. auspices an International Conference/Seminar is organised on education and training for Non-violence and its abiding relevance to both inner as well as outer environment. Institutions like the U.N. University for peace at Costa Rica could also usefully include non-violence in their training and teaching programmes.
UNESCO could take a lead in publishing series of books in all major languages of the world on folklores and folktales of different countries and mythological stories from different religions depicting love for peace and dedication to the concept of "live and let live".
(3) Promotion of vegetarianism can be a very visible and effective form. of practising active non-violence. For Jains it is an intergral element. of the practice of active non-violence. Trend towards vegetarianism is already visible, but encouragement to voluntary enbrace of vegetarianism at this summit may prove extremely helpful. Vegetarianism has distinct spiritual, ethical and environmental connotation. Renowned experts have also testified to the nutritious and health-energising content of vegetarian diet. Unrestrained Non-vegetarianism is anti-environment as it involves merciless killing of innocent, voiceless and defenceless animals and birds at slaughter houses and rearing of animals exclusively to provide food for human consumption as it they are a food crop without any soul, emotions or sentiments. Already it is feared that 25% of earth's total biological diversity is at serious risk of extinction. If this continues, it would lead to a dangerous disturbance for the worse in the ecological balance. We are killing the masterpieces of life on the planet and destroying life support system.
Jain Guru Chitrabhanu has converted many Americans to vegetarianism over a period of three decades. Jain Acarya Chandanaji at Virayatana (Rajgiri) (near birth place of Lord Mahavira - Kundalpur) in Bihar State of India has persuaded a large number of tribals to give up eating meat and take to a vegetarian diet. Entire State of Gujarat became vegetarian since 1133 A.D. when the then King Kumarpal developed vegetarian culture under influence of Jain religion. Such programmes can be very usefully multiplied in all the continents. After all John Robinson has rightly observed:
Arhat Vacana, 14 (4), 2002
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