Astana / Kazakhstan : – To the astonishment of Pakistanis , an Indian Chancellor of a University in Gujarat state is impressed by the vision of the President Kazakhstan on religious harmony and he is promoting the same in his education group including the university and many other institutions.
Gujarat is a state in India where incumbent Prime Minister Narender Modi was once Chief Minister and more than 2000 Muslims were massacred for Hindu dominance in 2002.
The Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Gujarat, India, Mr. Samir Somaiya has said that at the campus of the University many religions and many cultures are present, as it encompasses 35 institutions, with more than 39,000 students and 2,000 faculty. The students and the faculty are from different religions and cultures and there is an atmosphere of mutual understanding.
In an interview , shared in connection with Congress of World Leaders and Religions Astana, he said , “This culture of understanding is an outcome of a series of 14 Interfaith Dialogue seminars in which participants from various parts have profoundly influenced the students creating an awareness in them about the existence of multiplicity of religions as well as cultures and the values they proclaim.”
UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) & Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan
To a question that how do you see the importance of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, and such similar venues? He answered that the Head of the Secretariat, Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstani Parliament, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, in the 6th Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in the month of September 2007 said,
“I am sure that together we will be able to turn the forum not only as the central place of the global Interdenominational dialogue, but also as a multipurpose platform for a constructive dialogue relating to the most urgent issues of modern time.”
These words were coupled with action and in the course of time the Congress proved to be a multipurpose platform for the increasing number of stalwarts from the diverse cultures, religions and ethnicities that added to the value of the Congress not only in number but in quality.
Mr. Samir Somaiya said on the uniqueness of the Congress, it ensures the ongoing journey of religious understanding.
Here it is worth noting that Narendar Modi’s India has almost strangulated not only the Muslims but Christians, Sikhs and other communities for implementation of their Hinditwa Agenda and transformation of India into a purely Hindu and Extremist Hindu state from a secular constitutional state. The education systems like this university and heads like Samir are badly needed in this India.
Pakistan in the World – Aug / Sep 2024