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2005
of the majority or the rich" - Prof. Romila Thapur, Delhi University.
Last summer, I was part of JAINA delegation to Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona, Spain. Here I experienced a fundamental leadership style that fostered unity. Naresh Jain of New Jersey and Hema Pokharna from Chicago cochaired the Jain delegation. Both of them put in countless hours in pre-parliament planning and brought together a rather diverse group of monks, nuns, scholars, educators, activists and youths from USA, UK and India. Their style of empowering people and then supporting them fully, resulted in everyone giving their 200% to the cause. There were no rules, restrictions or indoctrination. Their openness to various ideas and approaches and willingness to experiment, resulted in a unified front for all Let us first be Jains. This even impressed the parliament organizers who in turn, gave Jains a much larger platform in this conference. There was trust and respect for all the delegates clear on what and we learned to celebrate the diversity among us. It was a pleasure working under
unity does not this kind of leadership.
mean: it does Unity in Diversity
not mean This is rather simple yet often misunderstood concept. In a call for unity, many
uniformity. respected Jain leaders have stressed the importance of same dates for celebration, same rituals, same statues etc... Let us first be clear on what unity does not mean: it Unity is oneness. does not mean uniformity. Unity is oneness. Uniformity is sameness. As Jains, we should not seek uniformity, but rather unity in diversity.
Uniformity is Let us explore the concept of unity in diversity as an expression of unity without
sameness. As uniformity and diversity without fragmentation.
Jains, we should In a time when tolerance is frequently lacking, the promotion of unity in diversity is more relevant than ever. Rigid conceptions of right and wrong, which appeal to
not seek the most puritanical aspects of many cultures, lack an appreciation for what Jainism refers to as Anekantvad (non-absolutism). The diversity of strokes in a painting
uniformity, but reflects a unity of thought in the mind of the artist. Could it be, therefore, that diver- rather unity in sity, the many, is ultimately an expression of unity, the One?
diversity "If the flowers of a garden were all of one color, the effect would be monotonous to the eye; but if the colors are variegated, it is most pleasing and wonderful. The difference in adornment of color and capacity of reflection among the flowers gives the garden its beauty and charm".- Bahai text.
We live in a world filled with a wondrous diversity of experiences, opinions, physical appearance, cultures, religion, etc. One of the challenges of this age is not only to find a way to tolerate people who differ from us, but to celebrate the diversity and learn from it. We can only learn a limited amount from those who are like us but
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