A man embraces a child in an IDP camp in Syria. Photo by Ahmed akacha.
By BGR Staff
Representatives from Buddhist Global Relief participated in an important interactive symposium in mid-November on the overarching theme “Upholding Human Dignity in Turbulent Times,” hosted by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. The intense symposium took place over two days, on November 17 and 18, where prominent speakers led panels and workshops addressing some of the most critical issues of our time. Speakers included religious leaders, activists, scholars, lawyers, medical practitioners, public health specialists, and NGO executives.
The panels and workshops dealt with such topics as detention, immigration raids, and deportation; gender inclusion and sexual equality; hunger, displacement, and civilian suffering; healthcare access; religious ethics and emerging technologies; and the importance of interfaith cooperation.
The gathering featured two keynote lectures. On the morning of November 17, Senator Chris Coons of Delaware gave a keynote address on the vital role of dialogue, highlighting the value of both intra- and interfaith engagement. In the evening, the environmental leader Bill McKibben delivered an inspiring talk on climate change and the transition to renewable energy, pointing out how other advanced nations, especially China, have been outstripping the US in adopting clean and renewable technologies for generating power.
Three BGR team members participated in the symposium: our Chair, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Executive Director Kim Behan, and Board member Sylvie Sun. On the morning of November 18, Ven. Bodhi gave a presentation on a panel dedicated to the theme, “Hunger, Displacement, and Civilian Suffering.” He explained how BGR originated as an attempt to apply Buddhist ethics to the urgent problem of global hunger and malnutrition, briefly highlighting our history, guiding values, and the range of our projects. At midday, Kim and Sylvie (along with Bhante) joined a workshop on the topic “Faith-Based Approaches to Basic Needs.” Here they shared their experience in the work of BGR with Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, Executive Director of JTS’s Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, and Rabbi Elizabeth Richman, Associate Director for Jewish Engagement and Advocacy of the American Jewish World Service.
We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we were not the only Buddhists at the gathering. One of the speakers at the panel on emerging technologies, who introduced himself to us, was Peter Hershock, adjunct Senior Fellow and coordinator of the Human AI initiative at the East/West Center in Honolulu. Peter is also author of the book Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future.
At the symposium we also met Christina Mellace, director of faith-based giving at the World Food Program USA. Christina was one of the speakers at BGR’s October online gathering, and we were delighted to meet her in person.
Videos of the panels and keynote addresses (but not the workshops) can be found on the website of the Jewish Theological Seminary here.
