Fourth Conference

Fourth World Religion's Conference New Delhi : February, 1970.

The Fourth World Religion's Conference was held in New Delhi, from 4th to 8th February, 1970, at Ramlila Grounds, Delhi. The Conference was inaugurated by H.H. Nihidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan. Mr.Morarji Desai, the then Deputy Prime Minister of India, presided. Several distinguished delegates from India and abroad addressed the various sessions of the Conference.

The following four themes were considered by the Subjects Committee in four panels :-

  • "Contribution of Religion towards inner and outer development of man."
  • "Concept of Universal Harmony in religions and need for the establishment of institutions for the comparative studies of Religions."
  • "Universal Charter of Religions."
  • "The message of Religions in modern times."
    • The Chairmen of the above four panels respectively were : Professor Ram Murthy (New York); Shri Kaka Saheb Kalelkar (India);

Address of:-
Acharya Sushil Kumar Muni
Sponsor of the World Conference of Religions

"Dear Souls,
It gives me great pleasure to greet heartily all the present gentlemen, pundits of religion and representatives of different religions on the occasion of Fourth Session of World Religions' Conference. To build up a platform and to propagate the ideals of brotherhood, co-existence and cooperation, the people from all religions may frame a code of conduct universally acceptable all over the world and should free themselves from the narrow feelings of caste, religion and race . In the present age this is an important and a vital problem. We have convened this Conference in the Gandhi Centenary Year. It is, therefore, natural to refer to the burning problems of the day. There cannot be two opinions that Gandhiji's contribution in the 20th century to world peace and world religion was great and spectacular. Service to 'Daridranarayan' or the poor was the great message of Gandhiji. Truth and Non-violence were symbolic of his virtuous life.
It is evident from different phases of the World History of about three thousand years that only religious and moral precepts and practice are capable of maintaining social harmony. In today's world fraught with fear and tensions, World Religions' Conference earnestly desires to contribute its bit for fearlessness and non-violence. To achieve this is our sole object.
I shall express my gratitude to Dharam Jyoti Sant Kirpal Singhji for his guidance cooperation who has travelled around the world and carried the message of humanism with a sense of loyalty and devotion to this great cause. World Religions' Conference is proud of him as its President. I cannot forget the valuable cooperation which I got from our co-President, Baron Frary von Blomberg.
At the moment we have the draft agenda of the Fourth Religions' Conference. We wish to organise a World-Family on the basis of religion and wish that millions of religious pundits and people should come together to create a feeling of confidence, friendship and co-existence in the mankind. Religion should be brought out from the narrow shackles of conservatism and should function in a creative and constructive way so that this basic unity could be of use for the welfare of humanity. Religious unity may not help in guaranteeing Natural Security, but if harmonious relations are not established in human society, the world will have to face terrific disasters. Socially or intellectually man may rise to commanding heights but if he is void of spiritualism or spiritual unity, the net result will be the disaster of war. Non - violence, truth, and love are the basic values of Religion and we can have world peace only through them.

This Conference has to consider the following four points :-

  • Establishment of a Religious University. In the age of science, Religion is the basic need and to fulfill this need, establishment of a university, free from differences of caste, religion and sects, is necessary so that for co-ordinated study of all religions, Arts, Philosophy, Culture and History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, etc. could be enriched.
  • World Religions' Encyclopaedia to be compiled. Completion of this Encyclopaedia would facilitate complete study of human culture, civilization and religion.
  • A code of conduct should be framed according to suggestions of thinkers and religious pundits of the world which may be recognised by every unit of world humanity. To bring man close to man, a meeting place should be selected.
  • U.N.O. is making efforts in this direction but due to lack of spiritualism could not succeed. Therefore it is necessary to establish contact between Nations and Religions so that unity and good sense may prevail.

It is my earnest desire that representatives of religions of the world should contribute their bit in changing the heart of man and bringing happiness, prosperity and fellow-feeling. The horizon of the True, The Good and The Beautiful should be enlarged to the entire humanity through love and sympathy and eradication of evil. Then only we can succeed in giving effect to the teachings of Lord Mahavira, Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Nanak and Confucious, etc.

"Move together, Speak with unity, work in unison and take a pledge to remain united," is the message of our reverend Rishis and by carrying it through we can achieve the great ideal, "World is one family."