Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj and his wife, Mata Rita Ji, toured two countries in South America, Colombia and Ecuador, from April 19 – May 2, 2007. Thousands of people greeted the spiritual Master wherever he went.
One of the highlights during the tour occurred on Friday, April 27th with the 25th Human Unity Conference held in Quito, Ecuador. In the morning prior to this illustrious occasion, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj met with the Vice Minister of Culture, Jose Ron Rodriguez, Subsecretario de Cultura. In their conversation, the spiritual Master explained the history of the Human Unity Conference which has been held since 1974 in such countries as India, South America and Europe. The goal of these conferences, he said, is to bring people of all faiths together to focus on their commonality as children of the Creator. The vice minister replied that he agreed with Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj’s vision of peace and spiritual unity. When the spiritual Master spoke about the mission’s sixteen schools in India, called Darshan Academies, which combine a rigorous academic curriculum with a spiritual curriculum, the vice minister replied that to nurture spirituality and peace in the world we need to educate our children in these values. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj agreed, saying that suchlike schools will further the cause of unity, love and peace for all humanity. The vice minister thanked the spiritual Master for his visit to Ecuador and hoped that the purpose of his trip would be fulfilled.
Following this meeting, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj and Mata Rita Ji and their son, Kunwarjit Ji, drove to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City), San Antonio de Pichincha, located 20 km north of the center of Quito. Joined by people from Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, North America and Europe, they gathered together at a beautiful park where lush gardens surround the Ecuador Monument, a 30 meter tall pyramid-shaped building which stands on the 0-0-0 latitude line, topped by a large 5-ton globe. After enjoying a tour of the monument, the spiritual Master placed the group into meditation.
In the evening, thousands gathered at the Teatro 24 de Mayo where the 25th Human Unity Conference was inaugurated by its president, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. After the speakers were introduced from the podium, Mata Rita Ji opened the event by singing a hymn, accompanied by flute and tablas.
In his keynote address, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj stressed the importance of living in harmony, peace and unity. The saints and mystics of all traditions have stressed that we are one family of the same God; we are all the same at the level of the soul. We need to experience this truth, he urged. Even though we have heard this sentiment, we still feel we are strangers. The spiritual Master then spoke about the genome project which discovered that 99.9% of the genes of all human beings are the same. Only 0.1% of our genes account for our physical differences. In reality, he explained, we are soul, and it is the soul which gives life to the human body. Through meditation on the inner Light and Sound of God we can rise above body-consciousness and experience God’s love.
Mr. Diego Gangotena followed the keynote address and said that it was a great blessing to have Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj visit Quito, Ecuador after nine years. He thanked the spiritual Master for choosing Quito to host the 25th Human Unity Conference and for his effort to bring love and peace to all humanity. Luis Infante, Coordinator for the Region of Colombia, said that Quito, Ecuador is the heart of the world. We need more events like this where people of all nationalities can come together to experience the truth that we are all part
