Religious harmony and world peace

Six young "Ambassadors of peace" of Embassy of India school, Moscow, Russia are projecting  through this web site that schools can play an important  role  in promoting world peace and religious harmony keeping in mind the cultural, social and religious aspects of all faiths. 

 What is religion? George Bernard Shaw says ‘Religion is a great force – the only real motive force in the world’. There is a common misconception that religion means ritualistic religion and nothing else. The word religion actually means laws, both natural and moral, that ensure right living .Religion stands for an integral development of the personality, a comprehensive view of life.

 Only human species has the ability to transmit information and knowledge from one generation to the next. This ability has given man his cherished civilization and culture. An enquiring mind naturally seeks for an order, for a unifying principal behind the apparent diversity.  It is well known that faith infuses energy and grit, without which no worth while progress in any field of activity is possible. Today we all are at the verge of atomic destruction and when every body is busy in the mad rat race of materialistic pursuit, religious harmony will be a relief .We should make an effort to peep into the prominent religions of the world and find out a secular message for the man kind .Our aim should be to enlighten and educate the masses about all the religions, so that the message of universal brotherhood is spread throughout the world.  This is where schools can play an important role.

 Incarnations, Saints, Prophets and Sages have appeared in different parts of the world from time to time in order to teach men how to live in harmony. These great souls, on the basis of personal experience explained the essential ideals and values in life and taught how they can be achieved. In addition to their moral and spiritual teachings, almost all the religious teachers and reformers of the world gave out a plan and a system of their own on which human society would best be organized .It was thus that every faith helped to establish customs and conventions, with rites and rituals, amongst the communities of mankind and gave birth to a particular type of civilization and culture which naturally differed from others. This is how different religions came into existence. 

COLLABORATION 

 We are six Ambassadors of peace from Embassy of India School Moscow Russia. We are from different religious background and countries. Uroosa worked in Karachi, Pakistan, Alfred in Kerala, India, Rasheeda in Chennai, India,Krishna in Hyderabad, India and Ishma and Aamini worked in Moscow,Russia.They visited French, British, American ,German ,Russian and Indonesian International schools to take the views of principals, teachers parents and students on religious harmony and world peace. They have interviewed the heads of the places of worship. Each member of the team was given one topic to research. Aamini worked on the festivals related to Christianity, Hinduism and Islam .She gathered the information from different schools during the team visits. Uroosa worked on the topic: Unity in diversity. She tried to prove that cultural heritage plays an important role to bind the children. She worked in Karachi, Pakistan and interviewed the principals, parents and students and gathered their views about religious harmony. B.V.Krishna worked in Hyderabad,India.His topic was dances, music, clothes, food, jewellery related to Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Alfred's field of work is sayings of the saints of all religions. He worked in Kerela, India. He interviewed the head of a church to take his views about religious harmony. Rasheeda's place of work was Chennai, India. She visited different schools, interviewed the principals, parents and students. Her topic was extracts form the religious books of three major religions showing peace, tolerance and brotherhood. Ishma worked in Moscow, visited different schools. Her field of work is to trace the similarities between the cultures related to Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Ambassadors of peace worked together to make it a success. They have made an interesting quiz based on the three religions. Based on their experience of the visits of different schools in Moscow, 'The Ambassadors of peace' have prepared some worksheets. Supporting member of the team Priyanka has also shared her experiences of the visits of different International schools of Moscow. Ambassadors of peace are convinced that schools can play an important role in bringing peace in the world through Religious Harmony. 

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE 

 This web site can be used by any one who is interested to know about Religious Harmony and world peace. This information is for all age groups, if you are interested to know how people of different religions can live in perfect harmony by adapting all the good and practical qualities of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Cultural heritage is shown or depicted in the form of dances, music, dresses, food and jewellery. Ambassadors of peace have tried to prove through their visits, interviews and research that schools play an important role to bind the people through cultural heritage .Children of different religious and cultural background come to school. They show keen interest to learn each others' dance and music. They share food with each other. They show keen interest to know each others' festivals and other religious celebrations. Schools are playing an important role to instill values like peace, tolerance and understanding among the students. Ambassadors of peace visited different schools in three main cities in India Hyderabad, Chennai, Trivandrum and one main city - Karachi in Pakistan. They have also visited six international schools in Moscow Anglo American International school Moscow, British International school Moscow,Russian school No 19 Moscow, French International school Moscow, German International school Moscow and Indonesian school Moscow. In each school children of different religious background have perfect harmony with each other .Each school is trying to develop values like peace, tolerance and brotherhood among the children. Children are taught to respect each other's religion .By celebrating International Day in the school; this creates interest among the students about the cultural heritage of different countries. The music, dance, food and dress of different cultures are shown in such celebrations in the schools. This   makes the students to learn and adopt the best of all the cultures.Thus schools are playing an important role to bring peace in the world through ‘Religious harmony.’