IBEC Sayadaw joined global religious leaders at Vatican to discuss Myanmar peace efforts
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Lynn (NP News) - Dec 1
It is reported that on November 25, at the Vatican, IBEC monk participated in a meeting with global religious leaders and the Pope Francis.
The IBEC Sayadaw arrived in Rome, Italy on November 24, and on November 25, participated in a meeting at the Vatican with global religious leaders, including Pope Francis, where they discussed global peace as well as Myanmar's peace efforts.
Sayadaw described the situation in Myanmar as a crisis that tragically exceeds the three Ds—being the deadliest, most diffused, and most dangerous conflict. He emphasized that civilians are enduring unimaginable suffering, with villages being burned, families displaced, and society torn apart by violence, fear, and division. The economic consequences of the war have been devastating, and he stressed that ending the conflict has become the most urgent priority.
He highlighted Pope Francis’s call for an end to the Myanmar conflict, emphasizing several key areas: “Humanitarian Assistance: Mobilizing international aid to assist displaced populations, particularly children, who are suffering from malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, and disrupted education. Dialogue for Peace: Encouraging warring factions to engage in dialogue, fostering an inclusive peace process based on mutual respect and a commitment to human dignity. Conflict Mediation: Raising global awareness about the plight of Myanmar's people and urging world leaders to prioritize conflict mediation and peace negotiations, in line with the Five-Point Consensus of ASEAN.”
Additionally, in a meeting at the Vatican with global religious leaders, discussions were held not only on the urgent need for peace in Myanmar but also on global peace challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, regional disputes in the Middle East, and geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific. The leaders stressed the importance of achieving internal peace in Myanmar as quickly as possible, alongside addressing these other global peace challenges.
It is reported that for this meeting, IBEC Sayadaw from Myanmar was specially invited as a Buddhist monk by the Universal Peace Council (UPC). –