L to R: Hon. Rob Marris, MP & Co-Host; H.E. Kamalesh Sharma, High Commissioner of India; Lord Tarsim King of West Bromwich; Lord Bhikhu Parekh

At the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, people from the world's largest democracy challenged the United Kingdom to consider ways in which religion can join with civil society in partnership with governments and the UN for the sake of peace. "Religion is kept at arm's length by the UN and national governments," India's former ambassador to Nepal, K.V. Rajan, stated. "Isn't this good for our world when we consider the contribution religion can make to resolving, or at least diminishing conflict, through applying universally recognized values such as sacrifice and service to others?"

Concerns were raised about religion as an aggressive force. "Why has religion become militant?" asked Lord Bhikku Parekh, Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics. Observing that religious people feel mocked and rejected, he said, "We must find a proper and respectable place for religion in public life. Once religion enters the public space to speak, it also has to accept certain norms around respect for others and working together. The religious voice should not be monopolized by the militants or the conservatives; we should restore the voice of religion to its original values."

"The Universal Peace Federation is the forum to address these issues" said Dr. L.M. Singhvi, former High Commissioner of India to the UK. He echoed Lord Parekh's concern about finding ways in which religion can promote coexistence: "Peace is too important to be left to diplomats and soldiers alone. Peace will not come unless civil society is at the forefront and pushing interfaith dialogue."

Presenters expressed confidence that religion can make an essential contribution to the world by calling people to higher common values. Ambassador Sharma compared humanity to a person dying of thirst and arriving at an oasis offering bottled drinks of different flavors. "Would they argue over who has which flavor?" he asked. "Religion is the water, and it has many flavors."

Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, secretary general of UPF, stated that "religion needs to mature and grow beyond attitudes of separation and hostility. Secularization is not the final outcome of human development but rather the integration of religious sensibility with the intellectual and the technical." He mentioned that each person arrives in the world not as an individual but in the context of the family, and a harmonious family provides the template for a harmonious society. Others commented about the need for self-reflection and internal dialogue in order to enter into constructive dialogue with others.

Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, UPF Secretary General

H.E. Kamalesh Sharma, Indian High Commissioner (L) and Dr. L.M. Singhvi, UPF Presiding Council, Chairman UPF-India. (R)