World Religions Conference November 1957

Author(s): Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth

Page 96

Second Session of the Conference
at the Red Fort
On 18th November, the second and third sessions of World Conference of all Religions took place in the morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the afternoon session from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Diwan-e-Aam, Red Fort. Nearly 250 delegates from different countries of the world and belonging to different religions participated in both the sessions. There were nearly 20 thousand citizens also there to watch the proceedings. Only two resolutions were passed in these two sessions. According to the first resolution it was decided to start a Non-Violence Research Institute, and according to other the establishment of World Fellowship of Religions was decided upon. Non-vlolence is the central thesis of all religions. It is therefore necessary to find out the basic unity in all religions on the basis of Non-Violent ethics common to all. All the delegates who participated in the session were agreed on this point and expressed their strong opinion to support the basic spiritual unity of mankind by rising above political and economic interests. The second resolution was for the creation of the World Fellowship of Religions. The importance of this resolution lay in the fact that it was the first time that a common ground was created on which men of different faiths could sit together.
Address by Shri U.N. Dhebar, President,
Indian National Congress.
Sisters and Brothers,
"I came here in this your function to listen and not to speak, because the nature of the function does not give me a right to speak much about it. Only those may speak about religious matters who have devoted their lives to religion and after deep devotion found out the basis of life. I am not a devotee and have not tried to find out the basis of life. I came here as a disciple. I have come here to learn something. There are many problems before the human society today. There are good things as well as bad things. The human society has regard for those who lead us in the direction of Karma (action). They may teach us lessons from their life,