The nation, the monarchy and Buddhism are the pillars commonly attributed to the Thai identity. A mixture of doctrinal rigour contaminated in practice by many Hindu and animist elements, Thailandese Buddhism, which belongs to the Theravada current, is in substance a ‘religion of works’. Offerings, donations and almsgiving are its determining elements, associated for many…
Read moreImportant political events will mark the Asian panorama in 2019 while the evolution of strategic and economic questions will play a role in regional and global relations. Once again Chine will take the lead. Again in 2019 the gaze of the world will be turned towards China, the economic colossus which, in the second half…
Read moreToday, Bangladesh is a country in tumultuous growth, afflicted by many problems that for the small local Church and the missionary presences are so many fields for intervention, both in country areas as well as in the capital Dhaka, a metropolis of 15 million inhabitants, containing in its chaos both problems and potential as well…
Read moreAshulia and the nearby districts of Savar, Tongi and Gazipur on the edge of the metropolitan area of Dhaka, represent the greatest industrial concentration of the country, the heart of the production of textiles, clothes and accessories much of which is destined for the foreign markets of European and US brands. However, they are also…
Read moreThe population of Bangladesh is rapidly approaching 170 million, depending on an area of 147,570 square kilometres, large parts of which are subject for their productivity to seasonal variations in the tides and seasonal flooding. After the first dramatic decades following independence in 1971, the country succeeded in bettering its agriculture and rationalising its resources,…
Read moreGeography, demography, history, faith and politics are inextricably intertwined in determining the reality known as Bangladesh. Many positive elements and progress in many areas have marked its journey since independence, but an equal number of elements render difficult a view into its future. The country is mostly a flat area in the combined delta of…
Read moreFor the last five years, a retired engineer and his wife have been feeding poor people on the streets almost every week, on Kamias Road in Quezon City. Nobody knows about it – neighbours, family members, and friends. “We do not advertise or brag about it,” Imelda said. “It is our expression of faith or…
Read moreNearly all major religions of the world were born in Asia. Some characteristics of Asian spirituality – inner journey, search for depth, silence, detachment nonviolence, honesty – show their significance in today’s world. An inward pilgrimage has remained central to the Asian understanding of religion. Spirituality is the removal of all obstacles on this journey…
Read moreFounded in Kerala fifty years ago, the Missionary Society of St Thomas is the first exclusively missionary Institute of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation, at Melampara (in Kerala, India), of the Society of the Missionaries of St. Thomas. Today it has grown to around 350 priests responsible…
Read moreThe Tibetan Buddhist leader Dalai Lama remembers a discussion he had with Thomas Merton on how the great religions of the world could learn from each other’s spiritual traditions. In this era of rapid secularisation it has become all the more necessary. It is often in encounter with others that we discover ourselves. Mahatma Gandhi…
Read moreChinese spiritual outlook made Confucius remind his people of their own inherited ethical convictions. Ethical traditions develop in society in response to the human need for guidance for life together. A spirituality of responsibility reminds us that our fates are interlinked and that we all must be concerned for each other and develop sensitivity for…
Read moreUndoubtedly, nonviolence remains at the heart of Asian spiritual tradition. It is not that Asians are less violent than others, but a longing for peace has clung to their hearts even in the most violent of times. Ahimsa, nonviolence, remains an inspiring theme in Asia among the co-nationals of Buddha and the disciples of Lao…
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The Colombian environmental and peace activist has played a key role in establishing a protected area in the Amazon, providing small farmers with access to…
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One day, two friends named Ebopp and Mbaw went off in search of a good site to establish a farm with fine fields of grain and…
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Young people will play an important role at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. This will give young people a greater voice in climate action and policy-making at…
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