Chan Master Sheng-yen Attends World Economic Forum Meeting In NYC

02/01/2002  

The World Economic Forum (WEF) was founded in 1971 in Switzerland. It's original mission was to gather outstanding and talented people from the European business, commercial and financial communities to establish a forum for the study and discussion of topics such as business management and the mutual exchange of experiences for the benefit of each other. The WEF has had one annual meeting every year for the past thirty years and in that time, has become a leading non-partisan non-governmental organization (NGO) with great influence on the future direction / policies of the world. For example, the original idea of a World Trade Organization (WTO) came from the 12th WEF. Also during the 20th WEF, came the idea of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Now we have in 2001, the 31st WEF's decision to invite some religious leaders to participate.

The 32nd WEF's annual meeting will be held for the first time in New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel from January 31 to February 4, 2002, a total of five days. New York City was specifically selected because of the devastating terrorist plane attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Over three thousand government, business and financial leaders from around the world as well as renowned scholars and specialists will participate in this year's meeting. What makes this year's meeting special however, is the inclusion of over forty religious leaders from the world's major religions in an important role.

At the request of last year's participants, this year's religious leaders will be fully integrated into this annual meeting program and will be consulted on issues of global concern with an emphasis on the challenges facing mankind. For example, finding new ways for solving mankind's problems such as promoting better dialogue, enabling adherents of different religious faiths to establish closer ties, etc.,

Chan Master Sheng-yen is only one out of two non-monotheistic religious leaders invited; the other leader is Hindu Swamiji Chidanand. The rest of the religious leaders are from the following: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthrodox, Protestant, Judaism and Islam.