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Hindus Laud Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Over Environmental Leadership

Hindus have applauded His All Holiness Archbishop Bartholomew, Patriarch of Orthodox Christian Church, for organizing a world-level and interfaith symposium to examine "moral aspects of the ecological problem" of Mississippi River.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, praised the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew for attempting to explore the "way the religious communities can contribute in facing the ecological crisis through a unified approach, in order to meet the challenges of this important river and other major river and delta systems around the world."

Symposium "Restoring Balance: The Great Mississippi River" will be held from October 18 to 25, in the lower part of Mississippi river in USA. About 200 participants; including theologians, scientists, policy makers, environmentalists, business leaders, non-governmental organizations, and the media; are participating, which includes discussions like "Can Religion Save the Planet?", "Can Religion and Science collaborate to mitigate the crisis?". Mrs. Maria Becket is the coordinator of this eighth symposia to be organized by "Religion, Science and Environment Movement" under the auspices of Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, who pioneered this movement.

Zed, who is the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, commended Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, who have described climate change in the past as "a moral and spiritual problem", for taking a strong stand on environment, and for reaching out across different faiths and denominations over environmental issues.

Religions coming out in support of the environment were a remarkable signal; Rajan Zed said and urged all world religious leaders, religions and denominations to openly bless the environmental causes. Ancient Hindu scriptures, especially Atharva-Veda, were highly respectful of mother nature, he added.

We may believe in different religions, yet we share the same home-our Earth. We must learn to happily progress or miserably perish together. For man can live individually but can only survive collectively, Zed says quoting scriptures.

His All Holiness, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch is the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew and spiritual leader of about 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. Hinduism, the oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.