For the past four years, URI Korea has organized a Youth Leadership Peace Camp in partnership with the Korea Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This year the Peace Camp took place June 24-28 in Seoul. Dr. Abraham Karickam and Dr. Hira Paul Gagnegi, URI Coordinators from India, and Father James Channan, URI Coordinator from Pakistan, who are members of the URI Asia Executive Council, joined the Ven. Dr. Jinwol Lee and the young adults attending the Peace Camp this year. In addition to sharing their perspectives on interfaith work, they joined in youth activities and took this opportunity to develop plans and programs to sustain and develop URI across the Asia region.
The program began with a pilgrimage in Korea on June 24th. As the participants landed in Seoul, the Korean sky was opening its fountains and the cool showers brought much relief after a train of very warm days. It was a historic day as the Ven. Dr. Lee (a descendent of the Korean Lee Dynasty), Dr. Gangnegi and Dr. Karickam unveiled the stone of the new URI Asia office at the heart of Seoul. After the formal inauguration, the party consisting mainly of university students from Korea, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, the Philippines, etc., went on exploring various sites of religious and cultural importance which included Cathedrals, Buddhist Temples and a Folk Art Museum. When we were at the Seoul Anglican Cathedral, they said it was here that Bishop William Swing addressed a great gathering a few years ago. At the Won Buddhist Centre, there was an enlightening lecture about the emerging trends in Buddhism by a woman Buddhist Minister. Religions are being transformed every day.
In the evening we had the first formal session at the Seoul International Youth Hostel and the Ven. Dr. Lee introduced URI and its charter to the enthusiastic youth. He explained the dynamics of the youth camp supported by the South Korean Ministry. Dr. Karickam gave a presentation about the philosophical bases of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, which was the main theme of the assembly. The youth were very curious about what URI is doing around the world, especially in the field of peace building. That gave us a chance to introduce TPA and all our efforts in various corners of the world.
On June 26th, participants celebrated the 11th anniversary of the URI Charter signing at the Confucian Youth Centre here in Korea, 300 miles away from Seoul, where the second part of the assembly was held. We read the Charter and cut a cake with eleven candles to mark the occasion. Ven. Dr. Lee was led the session, sharing his memories from Pittsburg.
Sister Kim Suk-eeh and Dr. Gagnegi presented papers on Values Education and Vedanta philosophy before the group proceeded to the Central Mosque in Seoul, where Imam Chen Hussein gave a presentation on the basic tenets of Islam. The assembly was structured in such a way that the youth participated in a lot of site visits, which give them first hand information about philosophical aspects of different religions.
On June 27th, participants learned about Confucianism. We were all given special apparel which is the uniform of Confucian Academy students. And then we stayed in one of their academies, which resembles a monastery. Here we had to sleep on the floor. A blanket and a pillow are luxuries. But the philosophy very is rich.
As we celebrate the 11th anniversary of URI, we are all grateful for the richness and gifts it has been rendering to many people around the globe, young and old, all these years.
It will be difficult for everyone to part after such a marvelous experience of the youth camp, which was truly a real pilgrimage in every way
