The C-20 national conference on ‘The spirit of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ on Sunday laid a strong emphasis on the need to appreciate the differences among living beings and as well identify the common traits of oneness to make the world a better place.
The event was conducted by the Chinmaya Mission-led C-20, the representative of civil society, as a prelude to the G-20 Summit. Experts on education; ecology and environment; media and entertainment; and Dharma dwelt on the steps to achieve the universal goal of making the world an extended family.
SV University vice chancellor K. Raja Reddy recalled how essential oneness served as the cornerstone of Indic civilisation, underlining the principle of ‘One earth, one family, one future’. He said the humans continued to ignore the eternal truth that the universe was inherently interconnected and called for strategies to look at the world as a whole beyond narrow considerations such as caste, religion, race, species, etc. C-20 national coordinator Swami Mitrananda highlighted the conference theme.
Citing Adisankara, SCSVMV Kanchi University former vice chancellor N. Jayasankaran said he saw commonality among all living beings. Gadde Bhuvaneswari Lakshmi, an academic from University of Hyderabad called education as laying the platform for achieving unity.
Renowned educationist and researcher S. Jeelani explained how man failed to achieve sync with nature, in contrast to other creatures living on the grassland, in desert and marine ecosystems. Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) distinguished fellow Sarachchandra Lele wanted active steps for eco-conservation beyond symbolic gestures like taking pledge or shouting slogans.
Ethnomusicologist Divakar Subramaniam, who handled music for the hit film Rocketry – The Nambi Effect, sought pluralistic music education to achieve unity in thought process, besides suggesting musicians to proactively engage with the community. Journalist Rangarajan Atthi made a presentation on taming hatred in media to bring people together.
SV Vedic University vice chancellor Rani Sadasiva Murty spoke on Kashyapa, the source of universal fraternity. Swamini Seelananda, head of Chinmayaranyam, called Dharma as the supreme means of ‘self-perfection’.
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