We have inherited a big house, a great 'world house' in which we have to live together - black and white, Easterners and Westerners, Gentiles and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, Moslem and Hindu, a family unduly separated in ideas, cultures and interests, who because we can never again live without each other, must learn, somehow, in this one big world, tolive with each other.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The new paradigm of pluralism does not require us to leave our identities and our commitments behind, for pluralism is the encounter of commitments. It means holding our deepest differences, even our religious differences, not in isolation, but in relationship to one another. The language of pluralism is that of dialogue and encounter, give and take, criticism and self-criticism. In the world into which we now move, it is a language we will have to learn.

Prof. Diana Eck

Rising religiosity must be accompanied by a willingness to interact and learn from one another's faith communities. It is through such study, dialogue and action within and between different religions that we are able to achieve common values for the good of all.

Rev. Dr. Yap Kim Hao

One could ask what is the end, the purpose of getting to know one another? But I think that those whom we choose to get to know, to have as friends, matters and says something about our cultural and political attiudes as well as our emotional and intellectual desires. Without shared space, we cannot have shared experiences and friendship needs both to grow.

Prof. Mona Siddiqui

Amongst the most pressing issues facing mankind at present are climate change and destruction of the natural environment. In all religions, everything that exists is seen as having a common source. When the mind is clam and clear, we begin to sense this underlying connection; we come to understand the fundamental unity of oneness of spirit and nature. Spirit is everywhere but if we don't return to it, we wouldn't know how to treasure nature and appreciate its intrinsic value. Only by returning to the spiritual dimension will we be able to solve the problem of how to live sustainably.

Master Hsin Tao