DDM Shares Peace-Loving Power at Sudan Youth Peace Dialogue
From 1 to 7 March 2007, five Venerables and six young delegates from Dharma Drum Mountain attended the “Sudan Youth Peace Dialogue” at the Gallmann Africa Conservancy in the Laikipia District of northern Kenya. They included Venerable Guo Guang, Venerable Guo Chan, Venerable Chang Ji, Venerable Chang Wu, Venerable Chang Wen, Hsieh Sufei, Lin Liting, Wang Zhengqiao, Zhang Weiqi, Huang Boren, and Li Shiying.
The Sudan Youth Peace Dialogue was supported by DDM, Ruder Finn Foundation and Global Peace Initiative of Women. Approximately forty young delegates from Sudan, Japan, Nigeria, the United States, Uganda and Lebanon were present at the six-day conference, where in-depth discussions unfolded in an attempt to generate peaceful resolutions for problems caused by the civil war in Sudan.
Although Venerable Master Sheng Yen was unable to attend this significant occasion, Venerable Chang Wen delivered the opening speech on behalf of the Master. He stressed that all problems must be resolved peacefully, for it is the only true-and-effective means of problem solving.
“I sincerely hope that everyone could remain in a peaceful mind, and engage in mutual dialogue and search for ways to attain the goals of peaceful co-existence, social harmony, economic development and clean politics.”
To the people of Sudan, who had endured much suffering due to racially and religiously motivated ethnic cleansing, the Master’s remarks undoubtedly signified sincere suggestions laden with great compassion.
Discussion topics for this conference, including AIDS, environmental protection, poverty and women’s rights, were diverse and constructive. Conference participants were not only required to familiarize themselves with the problems within each country, but were also availed of the opportunity to gather precious experience from past resolutions adopted by other international humanitarian organizations.
In preparation for a reunion in the following year, and in order to aid the facilitation of Sudan’s constant development, the next conference – the Sudan Youth for Dialogue and Development – had also been drawn up by Sudan’s young delegates.
During the last day of the conference, delegates unreservedly shared what they had learned from the six-day discussions with one another. One of DDM’s delegates, Hsieh Sufei, described her past experiences regarding how to influence others with inner peace in the face of conflict. Her honest account not only received the warmest feedback from other young delegates, but also introduced them to the power of inner peace.
(Translated by Jin Yang/edited by Shu Min)
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