November 2009

Religious Youth Join International Religious Summit in Costa Rica

The World Conference of Religions for Peace sponsored an international summit of some 120 young religionists November 7-9 at a hotel in San José, the capital of Costa Rica. Under the theme "Inauguration of the Global Youth Campaign on Disarmament for Shared Security," the participants gathered to shape action programs for a new global interfaith youth campaign for disarmament to be called "Arms Down! Campaign for Shared Security."

The young people represented religious traditions in 50 countries worldwide. Also present were specialists from United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the fields of disarmament and development. Rissho Kosei-kai was represented by Rev. Koichi Matsumoto, director of its Youth Department, who is also a special advisor to the secretary-general for youth affairs of Religions for Peace. The Youth Committee of the Japanese Committee of Religions for Peace also sent a delegation, which included youth members of Rissho Kosei-kai who are leaders at various Dharma Centers.

The campaign's prime aim is to persuade every nation to divert at least ten percent of its military spending to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015. It also promotes the nonproliferation and abolition of nuclear weapons and an end to the misuse of conventional weapons, in particular small arms, land mines, and cluster bombs. These goals reflect the spirit of the Kyoto Declaration adopted by world religious leaders at the eighth world assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace in August 2006 in Kyoto, Japan.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. John J. Maresca, rector of the University for Peace in Costa Rica, made a speech and read out a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praising Religions for Peace's efforts for disarmament and expressing his hope to support its endeavors. Costa Rica's president, Dr. Óscar Arias Sánchez, who received the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize, also gave an address and signed the campaign petition, which calls for the diversion of military spending. The three-day event included panel discussions by disarmament specialists and workshops to train participants in the promotion of the campaign in their communities. Other programs included publicizing the campaign through collaboration with the media and various organizations.

Both the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, founded by President Arias, and the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rice fully supported the summit.

The Youth Committee of Religions for Peace/Japan announced that it would hold a gathering in Tokyo on December 3 to report the results of the conference and deepen understanding of developments toward nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, inviting some 150 young religionists from across Japan as well as specialists in these issues from UN agencies and NGOs.

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