By Anjali Sharma
NEW YORK – According to the organizers of One World One Humanity” event at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday stated that over 5,000 people from across 39 US states attended a gathering which was addressed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, with organizers said demand became so high that registrations had to be closed.
The organizers said participants came from 85 US cities and more than 200 organisations have partnered for the programme, which included interfaith, cultural and spiritual elements.
The “Universal Oneness” programme in New York drawn participants from 85 cities and has more than 200 partner organisations, according to event spokesperson Priya Samant.
The gathering took place on Satuyrday at 2 pm local time.
The organizers pitched the event around the Indian philosophical idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam the world as one family while also responded to opposition surrounding the programme
Samant said “This event is a celebration of the Indian philosophy ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which is that the world is one big family”.
“And we all can live in peace and harmony, even though we have our differences,” she said.
“With this event, we are trying to bring that message forward where people from all walks of life are going to come.”
The event had initially been opened for general registration, but organizers have stopped taking registrations after received more requests than they could accommodate.
“We got so much overflooded with the requests to attend this event, so it’s closed, but it was an open registration,” Samant said.
She said that those who cannot attend at Madison Square Garden will be able to watch the programme online.
The gathering has been planned as an interfaith programme with cultural and spiritual components.
Indian-American youth staged an a cappella performance, while hymns also chanted.
The event is being held during the Raksha Bandhan weekend.
Samant described the festival as represented “protection, care, and bond between one another”.
The organisers have also addressed opposition to Bhagwat’s appearance, argued that disagreement should not shut down dialogue.
“We might, we will have differences, profound differences, but we can still come together, and we can still have a seat at the same table and talk through our differences,” Samant said.
She drew a distinction between engaged with opposing views and accepting them.
“Dialogue does not mean endorsement, listening does not mean agreement, and understanding does not mean abandoning your differences,” she said.
“Oneness does not mean sameness. It means that we can have differences and we can still work together.”
Dr Avinash Gupta, who is associated with the programme, said its message had greater relevance at a time of conflict and division.
“In this divided world and at this difficult time, it is all the more important for us to be united and spread the message of oneness and peace and harmony with each other,” Gupta said.
He described the idea behind the gathering as the “timeless philosophy of our ancient Indian culture, that the world is one family”.
Ankur Vaidya, who is associated with the programme and is a volunteer with the Federation of Indian Associations, appealed to people beyond the Indian-American community to participate.
“We urge the greater American community, the community of New York, to participate, to seek truth in what we are trying to share,” Vaidya said.
“Inclusiveness, wellbeing for all is the message that the programme intends to give,” he said.
The RSS was founded in Nagpur in 1925 and has marked 100 years since its establishment. Bhagwat has served as its Sarsanghchalak since 2009.
The Madison Square Garden programme is part of his visit to the United States.
