Seminar stresses religious cooperation, ecological stewardship

Representatives from religious circles around the world called for greater religious cooperation to promote harmony between man and nature at a seminar on Thursday.

The seminar was held by the China Committee on Religion and Peace in Beijing, a nonprofit organization consisting of representatives from major religions in China-Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity.

Participants from inter-religious organizations and environmental experts from more than 20 countries, including China, Australia, Italy and Canada, attended the online seminar on religious culture and ecological civilization.

The participants affirmed China's remarkable achievements in building an ecological civilization and exchanged views on inter-religious dialogue, advocating green development and strengthening international cooperation to tackle climate change.

Azza Karam, secretary-general of Religions for Peace, a multi-religious leadership platform with about 90 national and six regional inter-religious councils, addressed the seminar.

"Today our very oxygen is being threatened, the very air we breathe, the water that we drink and the land which provides us with sustenance are all threatened," she said. "Therefore, the work that CCRP and Religions for Peace Asia are driving is life-affirming."

Karam said she is looking forward to working with the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace to continue the multi-religious and inter-generational action for the sustainable environment.

Panchen Lama Erdeni Chosgyi Gyalpo, member of CCRP and vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, explained the relationship between religious culture and ecological civilization from the perspective of Buddhism.

He said Chinese Buddhism advocates equality for all people and unity of all living things, and actively contributes to the construction of an ecological civilization.

Chinese Buddhists are willing to cooperate with religious circles of various countries to call on the conscience of nature and ecology as well as green development to build a clean and beautiful world, he added.

Deng Zongliang, executive vice-president of CCRP, stressed at the conclusion of the seminar Asian religious circles should strengthen dialogue, play an active role in the construction of an ecological civilization and contribute to promoting peace and development in Asia.