Religious leaders can take lead in resolving global issues: Jain leader

Leaders from major world religions and faiths can play a significant role in resolving the major challenges like the Ukraine war currently being faced by humanity and bringing in lasting peace, an eminent Jain religious leader has said and advocated dialogue and diplomacy for resolving disputes.

This is the message I am taking to Chicago, Acharya Lokesh Muni told PTI in an interview ahead of the 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago from August 14 to 18.

The event is being attended by about 10,000 religious leaders from 80 countries. He is one of the few world leaders who have been invited to speak during the plenary session.

Time has come for the world leaders to prepare a roadmap for a peaceful and prosperous society and world, he said.

Leaders from major world religions and faiths can play a significant role in resolving the major challenges currently being faced by humanity and bringing in lasting peace at a time of war in Ukraine, he said.

Asserting that war, violence and terror are not a solution to any problem being faced by humanity, the Jain leader said that all differences and disputes can be resolved by dialogue.

Even after years of war, it ends only through dialogue, then why wait, start dialogue and diplomacy now, he said in the context of the war in Ukraine.

Dialogue is the key to ending the war. I plan to raise this issue during the Parliament of the World's Religions next week, Lokesh Muni said.

Travelling various parts of the US for the past few months, Lokesh Muni said that the key to resolving the issue of gun violence lies in moral and value-based education and starting this from the elementary school level.

Ban on guns is not a long-lasting solution to gun violence, he said, noting that this is the message he has conveyed to US President Joe Biden during his recent interaction.