The closing of the 18th Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue: Aiming for Spiritual Awakening to Co-create a Sustainable Generation
The 18th Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue, held over two days at the Museum of World Religions (MWR), successfully concluded on July 6. The event, themed "Is There a Solution to Ecological Sustainability?", received enthusiastic responses from religious and academic communities, as well as environmentally concerned citizens. Through four keynote speeches and eight dialogues, prominent speakers from Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and Bahrain reached a consensus that the ultimate solution to ecological sustainability lies in human awakening. They hope for cross-disciplinary collaboration between religion and science to create a sustainable future.
The closing ceremony was held in the special exhibition area on the 6th floor of the MWR. Attendees included Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Rev. Monsignor Stefano Mazzotti of the Apostolic Nunciature, Representative Maya Yehudit Yaron of the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, Arch-Envoy Tsai Guang-Szu of the Lord of the Church of the Universe, event moderator and speaker Ishag Ma Shiao-Chi, former Elder of the Taipei Grand Mosque, Danjou Souken, Abbot of Saiko-Zenji Temple, Japan, Cody Bahir from the Taiwan Jewish Community, Professor Azizan Baharuddin from the Department of Science & Technology Research, University of Malaysia, Professor Odeh Jayyousi of Innovation Policy at Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, Associate Professor Tsai Yuan-Lin from the Graduate Institute of Religious Studies at Taiwan’s NCCU, and senior media professional Charlton Peng.
Professor Azizan Baharuddin from Malaysia took the stage to share her thoughts. She praised the Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue for its profound significance, emphasizing gratitude, compassion, and love, and noted how it allowed diverse voices to be heard. She extended an invitation to Venerable Hsin Tao, the founder of the MWR, to participate in the interdisciplinary dialogue organized by the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya in 2025. The invitation was accepted on his behalf by Master Hsien-Yueh, CEO of the Museum of World Religions Development Foundation.
"Restore Ecological Sustainability with Love!" remarked Master Hsien-Yueh as she summarized the two-day dialogue by quoting memorable statements from the hosts and speakers. She concluded with the dialogue “Spiritual awakening, religious connection, interdisciplinary cooperation, common good, shared vision, and harmonious sustainability.” Master Hsien-Yueh mentioned that this dialogue was like the "Jeweled Net of Indra" depicted on the ceiling of the museum's first floor, where each person is a jewel, interconnected and reflecting one another. Regarding solutions for ecological sustainability, as several speakers noted, these solutions have long existed in the sacred texts of various religions. It is up to us to embrace them, said the master.
On the first day of the dialogue, discussions delved into the survival challenges brought about by technological development and environmental changes from a macro perspective, exploring how religion can provide ethical and spiritual support on these issues. The second day shifted to practical aspects, focusing on how religious actions and life wisdom can promote ecological sustainability. Through concrete examples, participants sought ways to achieve harmonious coexistence with nature in daily practices. Each subtopic, whether serious or humorous, offered thought-provoking insights and startling statistics. More importantly, the dialogue aimed to leave everyone feeling empowered and looking forward to the next discussion.
The closing ceremony was held in the special exhibition area on the 6th floor of the MWR. Attendees included Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Rev. Monsignor Stefano Mazzotti of the Apostolic Nunciature, Representative Maya Yehudit Yaron of the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, Arch-Envoy Tsai Guang-Szu of the Lord of the Church of the Universe, event moderator and speaker Ishag Ma Shiao-Chi, former Elder of the Taipei Grand Mosque, Danjou Souken, Abbot of Saiko-Zenji Temple, Japan, Cody Bahir from the Taiwan Jewish Community, Professor Azizan Baharuddin from the Department of Science & Technology Research, University of Malaysia, Professor Odeh Jayyousi of Innovation Policy at Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, Associate Professor Tsai Yuan-Lin from the Graduate Institute of Religious Studies at Taiwan’s NCCU, and senior media professional Charlton Peng.
Professor Azizan Baharuddin from Malaysia took the stage to share her thoughts. She praised the Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue for its profound significance, emphasizing gratitude, compassion, and love, and noted how it allowed diverse voices to be heard. She extended an invitation to Venerable Hsin Tao, the founder of the MWR, to participate in the interdisciplinary dialogue organized by the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya in 2025. The invitation was accepted on his behalf by Master Hsien-Yueh, CEO of the Museum of World Religions Development Foundation.
"Restore Ecological Sustainability with Love!" remarked Master Hsien-Yueh as she summarized the two-day dialogue by quoting memorable statements from the hosts and speakers. She concluded with the dialogue “Spiritual awakening, religious connection, interdisciplinary cooperation, common good, shared vision, and harmonious sustainability.” Master Hsien-Yueh mentioned that this dialogue was like the "Jeweled Net of Indra" depicted on the ceiling of the museum's first floor, where each person is a jewel, interconnected and reflecting one another. Regarding solutions for ecological sustainability, as several speakers noted, these solutions have long existed in the sacred texts of various religions. It is up to us to embrace them, said the master.
On the first day of the dialogue, discussions delved into the survival challenges brought about by technological development and environmental changes from a macro perspective, exploring how religion can provide ethical and spiritual support on these issues. The second day shifted to practical aspects, focusing on how religious actions and life wisdom can promote ecological sustainability. Through concrete examples, participants sought ways to achieve harmonious coexistence with nature in daily practices. Each subtopic, whether serious or humorous, offered thought-provoking insights and startling statistics. More importantly, the dialogue aimed to leave everyone feeling empowered and looking forward to the next discussion.