International Conference on Interfaith Dialogue

Introduction
Asia Journalist Association Nepal (AJA Nepal) is a media organization established by a group of professional journalists and media activists in Nepal fully dedicated to press freedom, democracy and human rights. The key members of the organization have a history of involvements in press freedom and democratic movements and had led the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), the umbrella organization of the Nepalese journalists, at the time when Nepali media went through critical and hostile period of conflict and the King’s autocratic regime.

AJA Nepal is affiliated with the Asia Journalist Association (AJA), a regional organization of the professional Asian journalists. Set up in 2005, based in Seoul, South Korea; AJA’s focal working areas are peace, press freedom, humanism, democratic ideas and environment. AJA Nepal is a non-partisan and non-governmental social institution registered with Nepal Government as a non-profit organization to work even for peace, youth mobilization and women empowerment, humanism, democratic ideas, press freedom, right to information and environment, especially the climate change issues as well. Based in Kathmandu, AJA Nepal is established in 2008 with a mission of working as a supporting agency to consolidate the relationship among media, people and the state.

Our Effort: United We Stand
AJA Nepal organized an International Conference on Media and Peace from March 7 to 9 in 2014. Providing the first-hand information to the journalists of Asia by bringing them to Lumbini was the major objective among others. We strongly believe that freedom of expression can only survive amidst peace and tranquility; so its importance has thrived and been felt day by day around the globe. Although AJA Nepal underwent several hardships to conduct it because managing all those active journalists from different countries was so challenging, it went well more than we had anticipated because of different helping hands. Our consistent endeavor was always there. We still hope the same effort from all sides, so that we would succeed in materializing this noble deed wisely. The whole world needs to realize the importance of Lumbini for peace and harmony.

Why AJA International Conference in Lumbini
Many people around the world mistake Buddhism as a part of merely religion henceforth creating several cults and creeds within its very ideal way. But Buddhism is a practice one should apply in a day to day life. Respecting differences has become a far cry among the people and the nation states. The solution is quite simple: Interfaith Dialogue. AJA Nepal strongly believes in Interfaith Dialogue; let’s make this world a better place where every person can live without fear. Let’s respect the voices of others. The conference aims to disseminate the true message of the Buddha – PEACE. Beyond any sects and dogmas, He always emphasized finding out the peace in the world; for that the Buddha strongly urged everyone to find inner peace.

What New This Year
This year our major concern behind organizing this kind of conference is to seek solution through peaceful dialogue in the country unearthing the obstacles invisibly imposed upon peace process. Nepal has long been suffering from chaos. We steadfastly believe unless peace prevails in the world, sense of brotherhood among the nations would become a terrible. Quite interestingly, the archeological and historical significances of Lumbini are yet to be explored. As a matter of fact, there are two more Buddhas–Kanakmani and Kakurchhanda–prior to Siddhartha Gautama. Nothing has been done to uncover about them. Moreover, our dream project is to make Lumbini an important spiritual hub where people from different countries come to learn and practice Buddhism.

Youth Mobilization and Women Empowerment
By writing poem like this, “I have seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked…” prominent American poet Allen Ginsberg has come to follow Buddhist ideas to seek permanent peace. Quite bizarre it may sound, the same thing has happened to our country. Youths of our nation have been stigmatized due to various factors: one is lack of proper leadership in the country among many others. We want to see youths in our country being capitalized according to their qualifications. Unemployment leads to poverty and poverty leads to drug addiction, violence are the two faces of the same coin. As a direct result, many beautiful minds have turned out to be violent because of this vicious problem. Engaging youths by exploring the possibilities through this kind of conference is our major concern. Our special session of talk on youth mobilization and women empowerment would help explore many possibilities giving enormous pressure to the state. We even want to see youths handling this kind of international standard conference by training them so that the country would seek a new way out.

Our Spirit: Let Peace Prevail on Earth
The above written sentence might sound so idealistic but we all human beings are peace lovers. Different factors sometimes provoke people to do naughty things; sometimes being influenced by different religious dogmas. But wait: If we follow the words what Buddha said 2600 hundred years ago, no human beings have to be worried about travelling, living, and spending her/his life in any nook and corner in this world. No human beings have to be worried about being kidnapped, tortured and murdered anywhere in the world. This world has already endured excruciating agonies; let’s root out all these heinous things. Let’s not consider other people by using the lens of religious, political, and cultural tenets. As TS Eliot ends his epoch making poem
The Waste Land by reiterating Shantih, Shantih, and Shantih which means peace, let’s work together to make this whole world as a global village.We,AJANepal,are determined to continue series of campaign stobring back peace in this earth through this kind of conference.

Be a Part of This Noble Deed
It is not our private affair; rather, it is the need of the time. And it’s all about our joint venture that would yield fruitful results. It’s our great matter of honor for AJA Nepal to be a major role behind this venture. We would appreciate your support.