18 Sep, 2013

First conference to promote Buddhist-Muslim understanding as key to ASEAN integration

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Although the travel & tourism industry is preoccupied with the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community, it is being alerted to the fact that the creation of “an economically dynamic, politically plural and peaceful ASEAN community will depend on the future of Buddhism-Islam relations.”

Precisely in order to promote such relations, the first international conference on the theme of “Compassion As Common Ground For Understanding Between Buddhism And Islam” is to be held at Thailand’s prestigious Mahidol University between 3-4 October 2013.

Organised by the Center for Buddhist Muslim Understanding, College of Religious Studies, located at the University’s Salaya Campus outside Bangkok, the conference will bring together eminent academics, researchers and religious leaders. However, business leaders, especially in the travel & tourism industry across the South and Southeast Asian regions, are invited to attend. Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil will be attending this inaugural event.

According to the Center’s Director Dr Imtiyaz Yusuf, “The coming formation of the ASEAN community in 2015 highlights the urgent need for religions of Southeast Asia to move from co-existence to dialogue. When the 10 countries of ASEAN are integrated economically, Buddhists will make up about 40% and Muslims about 42%. Hence, the formation of an economically dynamic, politically plural and peaceful ASEAN community will depend on the future of Buddhism-Islam relations. This will require promoting coexistence, mutual understanding and dialogue while recognising the region’s religious and cultural diversity.”

Dr Yusuf said that Islam and Buddhism first came into contact in Central Asia and South Asia. Today, he said, the importance of promoting good relations had to account for contemporary realities such as the Taliban’s destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in March, 2001 and ongoing ethno-religious conflict in southern Thailand, expulsion of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, the fears of exclusion and discrimination among the Buddhist minorities of Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.

In Buddhist majority Thailand, Thai Muslims make up 7% of the total population, 44% of whom reside in the three southernmost provinces while the remaining 56% comprise different ethnic groups in the rest of the country. Muslim minorities are present in the predominantly Buddhist countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, while there are significant Buddhist minorities in Muslim majority countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Dr Yusuf said proper academic research and social outreach could help counter misinformation and deliberate attempts to sow strife and confusion amongst the religious groups. This is entirely within the scope of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) blueprint which calls for the building of people-oriented and socially-responsible unity. “The fostering of Buddhism-Islam understanding through nurturing of the human, cultural and natural resources for sustained development has now become an urgent need,” Dr Yusuf said.

The International Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding seeks to play an significant role in the promotion of such understanding in Thailand, the region and global levels.

Dr Yusuf said that compassion was chosen as the “unifying theme” because it goes to the heart of religious, ethical and spiritual traditions required to heal a polarised world and counter the voices of extremism, intolerance and hatred. Compassion encourages religious adherents to assert their common humanity to work together for a better world, and move beyond dogmatic and philosophical differences.

Conference speakers will discuss the concept of compassion and mercy as defined in Buddhism and Islam. He added, “Both Buddhists and Muslims know that the universal principle of compassion and mercy lie at the heart of their beliefs. Benevolence, as taught in these traditions, is not confined to their own groups. It is a universal value to empathise with the suffering of all human beings – even those regarded as enemies – and treat everybody with justice, equity and respect.”

Papers will be presented on the following topics:

(1) Regaining compassion (to heal the earth and the world)

– the exploited earth/nature (the eco-crisis, global warming and climate change).

– the polarized world (sectarianism, extremism or radicalism, fundamentalism and hatred.

(2) Compassion: the Common Ground of Buddhism and Islam.

– the Buddha’s model

– the Muhammad model

(3) Compassion in Action (Case studies)

– Co-existence of Buddhist and Muslims Communities in Southern Thailand.

– The compassionate works of Buddhist monks and imams.

(4) The practice of compassion in daily life.

– The Buddhist way

– The Muslim way

Steering Committee

Committee Chair, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wathinee Boonchalaksi, Dean, College Religious Studies, Mahidol University

Phra Thepvisuttikavi, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Planning, Mahamakut Buddhist University

Phra Metheedammajara, Vice-Rector for Public Relations and Propagation, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

Phra Methavinairos, Graduate School, Mahamakut Buddhist University

Mr. Aziz Pitakkumphol, Chularajamontri/Shaikh al-Islam of Thailand, State Counselor for Islamic Affairs of Thailand

Dr.  Preecha Gunteeya, Director General,  Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Thailand.

Mr. Nopparat Benjawatananun, Director General, Office of National Buddhism, Thailand.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pinit Ratanakul, Senior Advisor, College Religious Studies, Mahidol University

Prof. Dr. Jirachoke Virasaya, Acting Director, Doctor of Philosophy Program in Social Sciences, Ramkhamhaeng University

Asst. Prof. Dr. Imtiyaz Yusuf, Director, CRS International Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding and Lecturer, College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University

Mr. Boonmee Poungpet, Assistant Secretary, CRS International Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding and Lecturer, College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University

Dr. Piyadee Prasertsom, Assistant Secretary, CRS International Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding  and Lecturer, College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University

International Advisory Board:

Prof. Alexander Berzin, Berzin Archives, Berlin, Germany.

Prof. Johan Elverskog, Professor and Chair, Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Prof. Datuk Osman Bakar, Director, Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies, Universiti Brunei, Brunei Darrusalam.

Prof. Yong-pyo Kim, Professor, Department of Buddhist Studies, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea.

Prof. John Esposito, Director, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.

Prof. John Voll, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.

Contact Details: CRS International Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding, College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University, 999 Salaya, Phutthamonthol 4, Nakhorn Pathom, 73170, Thailand. Tel. +662-800-2630-39 ext. 311; Fax. +662-800-2659; E-mail: crs.buddhism.islam@gmail.com; http://www.crs.mahidol.ac.th/eng/index.htm