CID organizes webinar on inclusion and religion

Louie Montemar, News, Center for Inclusivity and Diversity

Allan “Acharya Das” Tibby, a respected teacher of Vedic and yoga philosophy, meditation and kirtan, talked about the inter-related themes of religion and social relations in a webinar titled: “Inclusion and Religion: Understanding Society and Spirituality”, organized by the Center for Inclusivity and Diversity (CID) held last April 27, 2022.

The webinar garnered an estimated 700 viewers from Zoom and Facebook live, with Acharya Das offering a profound discussion of diversity in faith-based organizations; religious pluralism, and inclusion; the role of religion in common values, social responsibility, social justice, and ethics; and religion and spirituality. He shared interesting insights on the shared principles of all major world religions especially as they impact on the “modern” concern for inclusion or inclusivity.

“Actual religion is better understood as spirituality within the context of Christianity, engaging in living principle that we are eternal spiritual being,” Acharya Das quipped.

EMO Director Dr. Rolan Malvar, in his welcoming remarks, underscored how faith-based organizations should be means by which we can unite communities towards development work rather than being founts of misunderstanding, factionalism, and conflict. Dr. Vivencio Ballano of the Sociology Department was a reactor for the main talk. He affirmed the insights of the main speaker while pointing out how Catholic theology evolved to be responsive and inclusive given current social dynamics and concerns.

As the university’s advocacy unit related to community extension and outreach work, CID offered this webinar as part of its lynchpin program of sponsoring a series of online educational lectures on key issues that help clarify and promote the various concerns of inclusion and diversity in our university and the broader community.

The Webinar is one of the many initiatives and activities of Extension Management Office (EMO) under the Office of the Vice President for Research, Planning, and Development (OVPEPD). It is part of the year-long series of online CID talks on relevant issues borne of inclusion concerns dubbed as the “Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Inclusion and Diversity Talks” or PUnDIT.