Discussion points will be submitted to the regional cabinet and the Union government, forum officials said.

Between 10 to 20 people from among active Sayadaws for interfaith unity, religious leaders, political activists and philanthropists from each district in the Mandalay Region were invited.

The objectives of the forum are to build a mechanism to coordinate interfaith goodwill activities, to hold open regional level talks between religions, to set the process to prevent and protect from hate speeches and confrontation, and to make suggestions for regional peace and development.

Ko Khin Maung Tun from the Peaceful Myanmar Initiatives told The Myanmar Times, “We have thought about the forum. As there are a lot of opposing views and conflicts in the Mandalay Region, we have decided to hold a forum there. Problems cannot be solved by pointing fingers at each other. It will be fruitful only if we sit at a table and discuss issues.

“What will be discussed will gradually emerge. The matters raised by each district will be submitted to both the regional cabinet and the Union government. One district’s view will differ from another. For example, Meiktila’s will be different from Pyin Oo Lwin’s.”

At the forum each district will discuss their particular issues, how they were solved and how they were controlled. Religious leaders will discuss about their successes which could only be achieved by team work and getting the youth involved.

Ko Khin Maung Tun said, “There are those who incite religious intolerance and we need people who can diffuse potential conflicts. We understand that interfaith unity goes hand-in-hand with regional development.

“Such forum should be held to foster unity. If we are united, we can achieve anything. Without unity, we can do nothing. We need unity to bridge the gap between the ruler and the ruled or between the military and civilians.

Even the monks in our Sangha world are not united.

“It will be more beneficial if this kind of forum continues to be held. If we can hold one forum, we obtain one benefit,” Ariya Wuntha Biwuntha (Myawady Sayadaw) told The Myanmar Times.

– Translation by Zaw Nyunt