The message of oneness of God and universal kinship of humankind of Guru Granth Sahib serves as a model for harmony and world peace. It promotes inter-faith dialogue and spiritual elevation of all humankind. Its message of love and peace continues to inspire the generations. These observations
were made by Governor of Punjab, Mr O.P. Verma, in his presidential address at the inaugural session of the third International Conference on Guru Granth Sahib and Inter-faith Understanding to World Peace held at Guru Nanak Dev University on December 3-5, 2003. 

The conference was organized by the Department of Guru Nanak Studies of the university in collaboration with the Academy of Guru Granth Studies, Texas, USA. Justice Mota Singh of England delivered the keynote address while Bhai Habans Lal, Chairman of the academy, gave special lecture on Guru Granth Sahib. 

The Governor Verma further said Guru Granth Sahib also reflects composite culture of this region for the praxis of universal brotherhood. Its essence revolves around humanism and religious tolerance. It also remains beacon of hope amidst the socio-economic inequalities in many societies of the world,
he added. 

Justice Mota Singh in his keynote address said the fundamental need of the world was spiritual reawakening, a recovery of faith. Humankind’s highest destiny was to become more humane, more spiritual and more capable of sympathetic understanding. The greatest danger facing humanity after the collapse of secular ideologies was nationalism fuelled by various religions. This nationalism is the cloak of sanctity over the politics of hate. Sikhism knitted entire humankind into one universal family. He said a new orientation was required to build a unity out of divisions and out of rivalries. This requires radical change of outlook as propounded four centuries ago by compilation of the Guru Granth. 

Bhai Harbans Lal in his special lecture on “World Peace Based on Guru Granth Message of One Spirit One World” regretted that the world today failed to see Guru Granth as meant for all on account of the failures and selfishness of the present-day keepers and caretakers of the scripture. Guru Arjan and 35 other authors of the Guru Granth brought the Granth as gift of divine wisdom to humanity.

Earlier, Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon, Director-coordinator of this International Conference, welcomed nearly 35 scholars from outside India and more than 65 scholars from every state of India who were participating in this conference. Dr. S. P. Singh, Vice Chancellor of the Guru Nanak University, described the purpose of this series of conferences by recounting the initiatives taken during first conference held in 2001. He announced the inauguration of annual journal on Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib. 

Dr Satinder Singh, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university who was the coordinator of the First International Conference, thanked all those who worked hard to make the Third International Conference a success. Galaxy of scholars who participated in this conference was the largest ever seen at any academic conference on Sikh scripture.

The conference was divided in eight academic sessions and one long roundtable session in addition to an evening of the hymns singing in classical raags by Bhai Baldeep Singh and his world class associates. 

Besides scholars from India and abroad, delegations from Vatican and from the Parliament f World Religions were received. Visitors from abroad were taken to Sri Darbar Sahib in three different groups. The delegations were guided by Dr. Balwant Singh and Bhai Harbans Lal. They were received by
Manjit Singh Calcutta, Honorary Secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee and Joginder Singh Vedant, Jethdar of Akal Takhat.

Dr Noel King, USA, Dr. Davinder Singh Chahal, Canada, Dr K. R. Abdullah, USA, Dr Sangat Singh Saylee, USA, Dr. Daya Singh Sandhu, USA, Sardar Surain Singh Dhanoa, Canada, Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra, USA, Dr. Gurbax Singh, USA, Howard Sulkin and Connie Sulkin, USA, Dr. Dirk Ficca, USA, Diane Golden, USA, Dr. Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, USA, Satjwan Singh Khalsa, USA, Dr. Rajinder
Kaur, USA, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, Vatican, and Father Felix Macado, Italy, were among the scholars from abroad who made presentations. Elizabeth Espersen, USA, was unable to attend but her paper on Guru Granth and Religious Tolerance was distributed. There were several other scholars from European countries who were present but, due to time contingency, were able to participate only in the round table discussion. 

Scholars from every corner of India included, Dr Mukul Raj Mehta, Banaras, Dr N. Muthumohan, Madurai, Dr Kashmir Singh, Bhai Baldeep Singh, Dr Rai Jasbir Singh, Dr Harnam Singh Shan, Dr Jagbir Singh, Dr Gurnam Kaur, Dr Jaswinder Kaur Dhillon Dr. Jaspal Singh Wallah, Jogeshwar Singh, Gurdev Singh, Gurbux Singh Shergill, Brig Sangat Singh, Major-Gen Himmat Singh (retd), Dr. Gurbhagat Singh, Dr. Darshan Singh, Dr. Jaswinder Kaur Dhillon, Dr. Shashi Bala, Dr. Hadev Singh Virk, Dr. Surjit Kaur jolly, Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Dr. Jaswinder Singh Jolly, Dr. Anita Mehrotra, Maj. Ajeet Singh, Dr. Kashmir Singh, Dr. Sukhdev Singh Sohol, Dr. Kirpal Singh, Dr. Rohini Punekar, Dr. Bhupinder Kaur, Dr. Balvinder Arora, Dr. Surjit Singh, Dr. Mohinder Kaur Gill, Nanak Singh Nishter, Dr. Gurcharan Singh Muhay, Dr. Ranjit Kaur Rohi, Dr. Sukhdial Singh, Dr. Rai Jasbir Singh, Dr. Jasbir Singh Saber, Dr. Sarabjit Singh, Simarjit Singh, Dr. Gursharanjit Singh, Dr. Sharon Arora, Dr. Balvinder Singh, Dr. Jora Singh, Dr. P. S. Sidhu, Dr. Iqbal Kaur, Ravinder Pal, Dr. Harmohinder Singh Bedi, Pawan Kumar, Dr. Surjit Kaur Chahal, Dr. Dharam Singh, Dr. Gurnam Kaur Bedi, Bhagwant Singh Dalawari, Dr. Ranjit Singh Bajwa, Dr. Dharam Singh, Dr. Kharag Singh. Speaking time could not be made available for many speakers and their paper were included in the printed proceedings of 377 pages. 

Officials of the Parliament of World Religion (PWR) who attended the conference said that the Parliament would coordinate with Sikh institutions and various organizations for study and discussions on the message of oneness enshrined in the holy Guru Granth Sahib. This was disclosed by Mr
Howard Sulkin, chairman of the PWR Council who was spoke at in the conference. 

Dr. Balwant Singh, a board member of the PWR Council, said in view of the quadri-centennial celebrations of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib, NRI Sikhs and the PWR had made an ambitious program to make the event a big success. For the first time regular langar would be served at Barcelona, in Spain, to delegates of the fifth international conference of the PWR to be
held from July 7 to July 13, 2004. Bhai Harbans Lal said special musical concerts based on Gurbani and Guru Granth seminars which include speakers from all world religions are being proposed for the Barcelona conference. To acquaint the thousands of delegates from all religions at the conference,
the PWR is constituting two awards, named as the Guru Tegh Bahadur Award for Contributions to Promote Freedom of Religion and Bhai Ghanayaa Award for promotion of Service to Humanity.. 

Major-Gen Himmat Singh (retd), who chaired a session of the conference, said religious intolerance and the spread of fundamentalism in Asia and the Middle East and Europe had created an unsavory situation in the world. He said message of the Guru Granth Sahib should be imparted to humanity to
bring peace in the world. 

Dr Davinder Singh Chahal from Canada speaking on “Acceptability of Nanakian philosophy in the science age” said although the Sikh theologians keep science and Nanak philosophy separate nevertheless, Nanak philosophy was based on science and logic. He said Nanak philosophy as included in the Guru Granth could become universally acceptable provided it was preached
scientifically and logically. 

Dr N. Muthu Mohan in his lecture on “the themes of dialogue and justice in the Guru Granth Sahib” was of the view that dialogue and justice were very fundamental and interwoven themes, which were dealt with not only at the empirical level but are also achieved fundamentally in the philosophy. 

An eminent historian, Dr Kirpal Singh from Chandigarh, delivering his presidential lecture said one of the fundamentals of inter-faith understanding was the recognition of efficacy of other faiths and Guru
Granth Sahib recognized that all religions dispensations were capable of elevating the human soul. He said the emphasis of the guru’s was on creating communal understanding with the assertion that the essence of true religion consisted of love of God and good conduct. 

Dr Nanak Singh Nishter from Hyderabad opined that Guru Granth Sahib had played a significant role to unite Hindus and Muslims for co-existence. 

Brig Sangat Singh of Delhi said the Guru Granth Sahib, the common spiritual treasure of humankind, emphasized on a direct path of realization of God based not only on logic but on self-enlightenment. 

Prof Noël Q. King, prominent theologian and historian from USA, said the basic tenets of Guru Nanak’s faith were revelation of one God and in his oneness. Dr. Daya Singh Sandhu, a prominent social psychologist from USA, said that teachings of Guru Granth were the sine qua non for interfaith
understanding.

Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, President of the Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue, Vatican (Rome), stressed the need for comparative study of religions. To him there were many themes in the Bible which were shared in Guru Granth Sahib. He also talked about the Christian-Sikh dialogue for
creating permanent peace in the world while delivering his presidential address at the valedictory function of 3rd International Conference on Guru Granth Sahib. 

Dr Jagdev Singh Rai of the Sikh Human Rights Group said Guru Granth Sahib promotes pluralism. It further encourages rationalism but also brings home the limits of human logic. 

The conference concluded with Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon reading a declaration prepared by the attending scholars at the end of the conference. He said the holy book inspired the people to work for all-round development of society The galaxy of religious scholars who participated in the three-day
international conference was of the unanimous view that this holy scripture of Sikhs was a strong votary of inter-faith understanding and peaceful co-existence. The messages of the Sikh Gurus, as enshrined in the Sikh scripture, inspire the whole humankind to eradicate evil from all walks of
life. .