A Confluence Of Ideas

The 11th edition of the World Confluence of Humanity Power and Spirituality was concluded on December 21 and 22, 2018, at The Westin Hotel Kolkata, India. This spiritual gathering was jointly organised by Srei Foundation and Kanoria Foundation and the theme for this year was ‘Spirituality and Humanity’. Many religious leaders representing Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism were present at the confluence including representatives of the Ramakrishna Mission, Ahisma Vishwa Bharati, Divine Shakti Foundation, All India Imam Organisation, Paramarth Niketan Ashram, and Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Ladakh.

The ‘World Confluence of Humanity, Power & Spirituality’ aptly christened ‘Enlightenment, a Journey Within Through Service’ is aimed towards motivating people to cultivate and integrate the inner virtues with the outer being and to imbibe a strong value system coupled with a rich cultural and religious heritage. The first day session of the 11th Edition of the World Confluence was inaugurated by the honourable Governor of West Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathi.

“Good Morning! Jai Hind! Jai Vishwa! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Honourable Governor of West Bengal Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, Swami Suvirananda Ji and other dignitaries on the dais, respected religious leaders, respected political leaders, eminent guests and speakers, divine brothers and divine sisters. I welcome you all to the 11th World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality, at the Westin Hotel in Kolkata. I extend my grateful thanks to all the dignitaries and distinguished guests and students for gracing the confluence for the last 10 years. Through your presence, we promote spirituality, humanity, peace, harmony, unity in diversity, selfless hard work, righteousness, fearlessness, truthfulness, simplicity, austerity, cooperation, and the realisation of God in all beings. Various religions are flowers of different colours to be tied with a cord of love to form a bouquet of love which is to be offered at the altar of truth. We are all manifestations of God in various forms. God said, “I am alone, let there be many of me. Bahushyami.” In the Bible it is said that God manifested human beings in his own image. Religions of the world are complementary and not contradictory. God is seated in the hearts of all beings. God is the force within us. We are born as perfect and divine. I have called today all divine brothers and divine sisters and divine youth. Our souls are parts of the Universal soul. There is no upper and lower class, no inferiority and superiority in man and woman; all are equal. All rivers flowing from several countries merge into the ocean and the ocean returns water in the form of rain to nurture God’s creation. Lord Krishna had said – “The entire Universe has been manifested from my form. All beings are dependent on me but I am not dependent on them.”