Bratislava, Slovakia—To mark World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF held a roundtable on “Wisdom Sharing: Our Attitude toward Enemies.”
A hot issue nowadays is the role that religious figures play in inciting violence and discrimination. It is obvious that those who do so act in contradiction to their own teachings. But how do we personally act, if we face rejection and persecution? How do we show respect to those with whom we might profoundly disagree?
The guest speakers at the February 8, 2018, meeting were two representatives of the Hare Krishna movement: Raghunátha Priya das and his wife, Sucitra Devi dasi.
A dozen people from various faiths, including a Roman Catholic priest, listened to the presentation of Raghunátha Priya das, who spoke, based on the Vedas, about sectarianism and traditions which cause divisions and hostility. The couple became Ambassadors of Peace last February.
At the conclusion of the two-hour meeting, we read excerpts from the UPF founder’s autobiography, including the poem Crown of Glory.
The presentation was enriching and helpful in understanding a minority faith that has faced much discrimination in Slovakia.
“UPF-Slovakia plans to organize more such roundtables to build bridges among faiths,” said UPF-Slovakia Secretary General Milos Klas.