When Cuba just enjoyed, what was at the time, its wonderful and humanistic revolution, before openly and ominously declared itself communist for reasons that will not be detailed here -but that lead to the loss of freedoms and other innate fundamental human rights-, in October of 1959 and thanks to the resolute collaboration of the distinguished Mr. Camilo Cienfuegos, it was allowed in the island of Cuba a chapter of the PERMANENT WORLD CONGRESS OF ALL RELIGIONS, FRATERNITIES AND FILOSOPHIES of the UNIVERSAL ALLIANCE that took place in the chambers of the Cuban Parliament at the National Capitol. This Congress, as all those made before it in different countries and continents, set guiding principles about the course of human evolution.

Once Cuba was declared communist a few months after the Congress concluded, the same officials that coordinated the event, all people from different nations, years long living in Cuban as naturalized Cuban citizens, were subject to domiciliary incarceration, all belongings of the Universal Alliance confiscated and its bank accounts arbitrarily frozen and denied the right to defense. Thanks to the historic and persistent request from different governments, the Human Rights Commission of the Organization of States from the Americas (OEA), the Human Rights Commission and the Economic and Social Council of the Organization of United Nations ONU, as well as a great number of Religious, Humanistic, Cultural and Philosophic Organizations around the world, in March 19 of 1962, these officials were allowed to leave Cuba with their archives only. However, after having being exiled from the island, the international organisms in charged of defense of human rights and protection of refugees and cultural wealth, overlooked elemental legal permits to relocate the Universal Alliance and its mission in any country willing to accept it. This has been to date, the only case of its kind in world history. It constituted a shameful episode and a major tragedy for the international community, since with this negligent act the Universal Alliance’s Cultural Mission and all people involved with it went from being rescued to refugees without refuge, despite of what has been established in international treaties such as Roerich’s Pact (1933) and the Haya Pact (1954) among others that were simply forgotten or ignored. We will be back on this subject later in other Ariel edition, giving its huge transcendence. For now, the following document represents a Preliminary Inform of the Congress mentioned above. (Editor’s Note).


ORIENT AND OCCIDENT MEET HEART TO HEART

AND IN COMPLETE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

congreso_habana_59

“Give us effective and practical facts, not fancy words, vain promises and unrealized ideals”
The Maha Chohan Koot Hoomi Lal Singh

The PERMANENT WORLD CONGRESS OF ALL RELIGIONS, FAITHS, FRATERNITIES AND PHILOSOPHIES is now holding its Grand Assembly in Cuba, where it has been Officially Invited by the government of that country. The halls of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, at the National Capitol, were placed at the disposition of the organizers and constituents of this historical event.

The opening of the event took place on October 22 at the National Capitol itself with a great Prayer-Meditation with some 165 Official Delegations already arrived, and thereupon they declared in a special Pact of Friendship and Co-operation that their moral ties and spiritual communion would remain unshakable at all time. The official opening took place the next day, marking the beginning of strenuous work, with three daily Sessions. The night Sessions were opened to the general public, and very interesting Lectures were heard. The Official Delegates from all the latitudes of the world were the official speakers. All Motions and Declarations were made in public.

The WORLD JAIN MISSION was humbly represented by the noble lady Blanche Ledran d’Olmes, who also delivered several important lectures, one on the “Spiritual significance of Jainism in modern life”, and other about “Transcendental Yoga as a mean of attaining perfect health, biopsychological vigor, and mental power”. The special Message of the Hon. Director of the World Jaina Mission Kamta Prasad Jain was read, deserving general applause and profound interest.

The event was marked by the attendance of 289 Official Delegations, coming from all the nooks and corners of the world. Of these 73 came from America, 9 from India, 7 from Japan, 3 from Puerto Rico, Mexico, France and Nigeria, 2 from England, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Ghana, Switzerland, Italy, Argentine, Brazil and Chile, and one each from the other countries. Other Official Delegations were from Adherent autonomous religious, fraternal, humanist, mystical, spiritualist and philosophical organizations. 92 different countries of all around the world were thus duly represented, and by a large count well cover two thirds of all mankind was morally and spiritually as well as physically or officially represented in this Universal Open Forum of Human Conscience and Dignity for the ushering in new age.

Almost every standing human problem, malevolence and misfortune has been under study during this historical event. Also numerous decisions have been reached through important motions and a real plan for a new Spiritual Civilization is under way. In fact all the Official Delegations are eagerly striving to meet the needs of mankind and to seek lasting solutions to world problems, and real steps are taken to truly save mankind from the political confusion, the alternative of war, and the monstrous increase of criminality, delinquency, vice and odious materialism. A Preliminary Report on this extraordinary event is already in the mail, with a great many illustrations showing how this miracle of profound humanism, higher culture and transcendental spiritual communion is being accomplished, under the capable, though discreet leadership of the Illustrious Prince OM Lind-Schernrezig.

The great miracle, indeed, consists in the fact that people of all the races, from all countries and nations of the world, and from all walks of life gather here in genuine Brotherliness, assisting, cherishing, protecting, healing, teaching and blessing one another. Never, never heretofore such a grand Divinely United Mankind has shown its capacity for moral condescendence and spiritual integration. Numerous heads of different religions, mystic schools, Masonic bodies, learned Associations and philosophical movements were present. The Ecumenic Grand Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Grand Patriarch (orthodox) of America were also present. So were the Head of Islamic Mosque in Washington, the Gnostic Grand Patriarch, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of the Templar Knights, numerous Worthy Grand Masters of Masonry from America and Europe, and scores of prelates, theologians, scholars, educators, economists, poets and students of occultism (orientalists).

Despite the fact that the World Congress was Officially Invited by the government of Cuba, no officials of the government took the least part in this event, and none of the Delegates attended any official spheres of Cuba, due to the fact that we expressly wanted to keep strictly independent. Cuba is staging a wonderful humanitarian revolution, but we cannot show any partisanship or sympathy toward it while we are in Cuba, as this World Congress is absolutely non-political as well as non-sectarian.

We had considerable antagonism from the Roman Catholic Church, which refused all cooperation and warned all its parishioners against helping or even talking to us. The result was absolutely no advertisement in the press, radio or television, as everybody feared the excommunication of Rome and the wrath of the Catholic deity. Such a lamentable attitude led to numerous conflicts and problems, sabotage and who knows what else, but we managed to get out of this ordeal unscathed. For a while we felt the weight of the Inquisition and the obscurantism of the Xth century, which deserved the general protest of the numerous Official Delegations. All of this as result of a misunderstanding as the Roman Church believed we were trying to take control of its domains. One Japanese Delegate commented: “Should we treat the roman Catholics in the same manner when they try to impose themselves in Asia and Africa?” The World Congress was declared in recess on the 31 rst of October, continuing with only the private Sessions. Public Sessions are scheduled for the whole month of November and probably also December, until we complete our work. If we cannot continue in Cuba due to any unforeseen reason, we shall go to another country. In order to show the whole world that we mean it when we speak of LOVE, NON VIOLENCE, PEACE and BROTHERHOOD, a motion was passed opening the way for a Pact of Amity and Cooperation between the Universal Religious Alliance and the Vatican. In our opinion, Religion must live up to its teachings; otherwise, it must start outright to operate as an enterprise concerned with business or something similar.

The public in general showed great interest for India and Tibet. In fact H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet sent us a special Message requesting our intercession in behalf of the Tibetan people. We accomplished this important mission most heartily. It would come as no surprise if in the near future we open in Cuba an Academy of Jain Wisdom, so as to better inform the public about this great spiritual philosophy of India.

Amid the turmoil of this wonderful country, torn by a seven-year monstrous tyranny and perplexed by the exemplary democracy of the humanitarian revolution, we believe we have done a great job to clarifying moral issues and upholding true spiritual values and principles. Hopefully, other nations will imitate Cuba in lending us their National Capitol and the unlimited right to free speech. In general, this World Congress provoked a vivid impact on many millions of people who learned about it through television and by our intensive advertisement, and the rather unusual fact that the United Nations, the UNESCO and 43 different governments of nations of the whole world sent Special Observers proves amply that our endeavors are bound to provoke a great awakening of conscience throughout the world as well as a genuine Spiritual Renaissance.

The most significant fact about the World Congress is the unexpected Spiritual Presence and its dynamic functionalism with clear impacts on materialistic civilization. Besides, it can no longer be spoken of East and West now that the Orient can send out as many Official Delegates to a World Congress such as this which stands for human rehabilitation, conscience and dignity, and that can prove that religion is not merely a form of stagnant contemplation and devotionalism but a real mechanism for the solution of world problems, the regeneration of mankind, the eradication of vice and war, and the reinstatement of ancient Spiritual Wisdom and Divine Teachings. Some people see in this a proof that mankind is simply bored with the antics of the United Nations and feeling untold repulsion toward the current piecemeal forms of politics, international diplomacy and savage warfare just as much as toward the infamies of religious intolerance and inhuman serfdom imposed on mankind by different systems of aggressive orthodoxy. Numerous scholars and publicists also see in this grandeous upsurge of the World Congress a decisive renewal of human hope by following the moral and Spiritual line as enacted by this World Congress, that is in the spirit of mutual respect, assistance, protection and blessing by all religions, faiths, fraternities and philosophies, which really have at heart the betterment of human character and the higher spiritual attainment of all people.

This has all been most emphasized by the infinite freedom expressed by the animators of this exceptional historical event. The world needed such a consecration of vital and inalienable spiritual-human rights, particularly in the face of present-day aggressive, repressive and compulsive forms of politics and religion. In short, the philosophy of Human Integrity and Spiritual Freedom was developed with the widest possible attitude of concept and rehabilitating affirmations. In summary, it proclaimed that there is no possible democracy, human integrity and Spiritual Freedom when nations or individuals are harassed, vilified or tortured by either political or religious forms of imposition, dogmatic ukases, physical enchainment by way of psychological paralysis, hypnotic brain-washing and fear of Divine punishment and eternal hell. No man is really FREE, or enjoys democracy and religion at their best as long as some fanatics take in their own hands all the privileges and deny the common people all the civic and spiritual rights that they claim for themselves. Colonialisms carried out by outdated glory maniacs and military demoncracies are, in fact, just as obnoxious and criminal as the mystical systems of orthodoxy that claim absolute authority and Divine power. All of this is now out of sync and worn-out since the visible and invisible tyrannies have not been interested enough in proving their moral and ethical capacities, and also due to the fact that they have mistaken the “church” for Religion, or the “political party” for the dignity of the community or nation. New times are ushering in, and the whole world is bound to change considerably in the light of these magnificent new concepts.

Numerous important Motions passed also prove that the World Congress is far from being simply some sort of debating society and mutual sanctification meeting of some elated religionists. Here, we see vegetarians, rugged atheists, kind Masons, spirited humanists, voltairian critics as well as self-centered theologians and respectable scholars rub elbows, exchange ideas and seek mutual assistance, forgetting all about the idiotic political squabbles of communism and Americanism, or of this and that race, or cultural tradition. Here, people are just that, HUMAN BEINGS. And, soothe to say, human beings that are working for all mankind, as when we see almost three hundred religious, fraternal and philosophical organizations (all non-adherent to the Universal Religious Alliance and Holy Realm) produce a Pact of Unbreakable Amity, Cooperation and Non-Violence. In other instances we see the World Congress feverishly at work striving to promote EFFECTIVE COOPERATION among all the nations, religions and people of the world on the basis of the Spiritual Covenant, which consecrated the Golden Rule. In another case, a World News Agency has been created for the purpose of imparting bonafide information to two-thirds of mankind, which depend now on the inspiration, guidance, defense, rehabilitation and blessings of the Universal Religious Alliance and Holy Realm. In fact, this organism of Universal Spiritual Communion and Confederation, Brotherhood and Commonwealth of different religious, fraternal and philosophical organizations was deservedly boosted by a motion that seeks to do it justice, consistent in affording it an INTERNATIONAL AUTONOMOUS STATUS, with official representation at the United Nations, the UNESCO and all the International Relations Bureau and Congresses, so as to facilitate its matchless task of rescuing war refugees, sans patrie, conscientious objectors, victims of racial discrimination and of religious persecution and intolerance, and political exiles, besides granting them shelter, social service and legal protection throughout the world. This important motion among numerous other equally breath-taking and practical, followed another quite significant in which the Universal Religious Alliance and Holy Realm was recognized as the world’s foremost brotherhood-cooperative, as well as the nucleus of different religions, faiths, fraternities and philosophies which sums up the highest moral authority and supreme spiritual power in modern times. And due to the fact that the Universal Religious Alliance and Holy Realm also officially represents around two-thirds of the world’s entire population it is the only organization with moral capacity and ethico-spiritual prestige susceptible of truly and duly perform the duties of a world mediatory and conciliatory mechanism in all cases of international conflicts and momentous human problems. These motions came about, precisely, because of the spontaneous and elegant defense made by the Grand patron Prince OM Lind-Schernrezig of the tragic cases of Tibet, Algeria, Spain, Palestine, Cuba, Tartary, Mongolia, Muli, Ala Shan, Tien-Ti-Shan, and other countries in different latitudes of the world, which do not obtain any benefit from the purely schematic and symbolical organization of the United Nations.

This extraordinary event was honored by the presence of Miss Mayer, who was secretary to Prof. Einstein for many years, the Hon. Curtis White and good number of the main leaders of Universal Masonry from Europe, America and Cuba, some three hundred Archbishops and Bishops of different Christian faiths, prominent savants from England, America and Germany, the Maharishi Sanyu and several authentic Yogis and Swamis from India, real envoys from the Lamaist Monasteries of Tibet, genuine Masters of Wisdom of mystical fame, the Grand Mufti, the Grand Patriarch of the Essenes of Jerusalem, the Patriarch (Orthodox) of Mans, the Gnostic Patriarch of France, etc, etc. The event was graciously honored by the Principal of the University of Havana, as well as by several noted Professors of that great educational center of the Americas. As it is most difficult to recall all the names and high Offices, and it would not do justice to those who remained unmentioned, we prefer to abstain. The four Spiritual Sanctuaries extant also sent their qualified representatives.

The great depositarian of the spirit of Mahatmaji Gandhi, Vinobha Bhave was much remembered, and his “land-gift” method was highly praised and much recommended to all the nations and people of the world as the easiest way to end the social cancer of latifundium. The Maharishi Bhagavan Sri Ramana, His Holiness Acharya Shanti Sagar Ji and Mahatma Ji Gandhi the three magnificent pillars of modern India were also honored in special form with the Holy Chant OM, by the Choir of the World Congress.

In Brazil, the Orden of Labradores that gathers all the workers with the mind and hands, made a wonderful gift of land with the purpose to establish in Brasilia, the world’s foremost new capital, a World Spiritual See. In other countries identical gifts were made.

The Preliminary Report on this great event will soon be sent urbi et orbi.

Sincerely in Divine Blessings,

Karl Efflinger

Havana, the 4th of November 1959

__________________

I am rushing this summary report specially made for the occasion, in as much as you request one. The more ample Preliminary Report will reach you soon, and the General Report also.

Photos are sent for in case you want to use them. If you please, return these as they belong to our files. We have no others.

May I invoke your understanding, and consider that we are all so tired, the toil being so great. We consider continuing the World Congress for many more weeks, possibly until the end of the present year.

It has been such a profound joy and unique feeling of honor to represent the Jain wisdom of the Tirtankaras, but I trust the World Jaina Mission will excuse my shortcomings and failures. Thanking you again and again for the privilege and for the infinite assistance through your Meditations.

Please send us 12 copies for files.

Blanche Ledran d’Olmes