A two-day International Conference on “Being Eco-Spiritual: A Way of Sustainable Living” was inaugurated by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) director Prachi Kaul at SASTRA, a deemed to be university, Thirumalaisamudhram near here on Friday.
Dr. Prachi, who inaugurated the conference in virtual mode, said the theme of the conference was in tune with the mission of SICI, which is “to improve the quality of life of the people of Canada and India by building and strengthening intellectual and cultural links through research, dialogue, and exchange.”
She said India, since time immemorial, had laid down some rules for preserving its ecology. Indian culture and tradition gave importance to ecology and sustainable living. “We need to continue these spiritual traditions for a sustainable future, and this is the need of the hour,” Dr. Prachi said.
In her keynote address on “Communicating eco-religion as culture: Community Action for Sustainable Development”, head of the Department of Communication and Journalism, Sri Padmavati Mahila University Kiran Prasad said India had a long-standing tradition of community participation in preserving the ecology.
Stating that the climate crisis could affect rural population, Dr. Kiran Prasad said by modifying the practice of adoring the elements of nature, according to changing times, would help overcome the crisis.
In the conference organised by the School of Arts, Sciences, Humanities, and Sciences, SASTRA, nine invited talks were delivered by experts on various themes of eco-spirituality, including three academics from Canada and the U.S.
The conference, sponsored by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New Delhi, aims to revive and revisit the sacred domains of eco-spirituality and to find new ways for sustainable living in the post-COVID era. A total of 160 papers are being presented and over 200 delegates are attending the conference, which is conducted in the hybrid mode, according to a university release.
Published - March 01, 2024 08:25 pm IST
