Dharma Master Hsin Tao Prays for Global Peace

The opening ceremony of the 7th Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR), a major event in the religious community, held this year in Toronto, Canada, commenced at 6pm on Nov 1. Dharma Master Hsin Tao, founder of the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society and the Museum of World Religions, delivered a closing prayer, leading the audience in one minute of Peace Meditation to seek healing for the Earth.

The Parliament opened with a tribute to the indigenous communities of Canada, with artistic performances by different groups in ceremonial dress. Further music and dance performances from other religious and cultural groups, reflecting the theme of the PoWR, were interspersed with welcoming speeches by sponsors, religious leaders and local dignitaries. The ceremony closed with a prayer for global peace by Master Hsin Tao.

Master Hsin Tao exhorted all to start by harnessing the strength of spirituality to set in action a global ecological ethic based on diversity and interdependence. Leading the audience in one minute of peace meditation was a step in this direction, channeling the quantum of peaceful resonance thus effected towards loving the planet.

Master Hsin Tao is one of the main speakers of PoWR 18, the fifth consecutive PoWR to which he has led a team from the Museum of World Religions. Apart from a keynote speech at the Spiritual Ecology Forum (Nov 4, 2:15 pm), he will also lead morning prayers on Nov 5, where his many years of meditation practice will surely be a source of inspiration to many. He will further participate in the forum organized by the Elijah Interfaith Institute, an Israeli NGO (Nov 5 12:15pm), and at 8:30pm on the same evening, audiences may look forward to his plenary speech.

The PoWR is held once every three years. This year’s meeting will take place over one week at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada, and is anticipated to be one of the largest events of its kind. Buoyed by the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Toronto, often considered one of the most diverse cities in the world, the conference is expected to attract up to 10, 000 participants from more than 80 countries, as well as leaders and followers from more than 200 religions.