‘The Power of Cooperation’ : In-Person Program at Hotel Tropika Davao City
Manila ( Philippines ): In partnership with the City Government of Davao through the City Cooperative Development Office and the Mindanao Peace Council, Brahma Kumaris was host to a multi-sectoral audience of over 200 participants. They represented cooperatives, grassroots organizations, non-government organizations, interfaith and peace advocacy groups.
BK Charlie’s talk emphasized how values, the “future of life,” are made richer by love, respect, and kindness. Love is the seed of cooperation, he said, as it gives birth to truth. He gave the metaphor of human beings breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, while plants take in carbon dioxide and expend oxygen. This is natural cooperation he pointed out, “It follows the law of nature. The greatest obstacle to cooperation is ego, he said. “When there is ego, there is less love— and therefore less cooperation.” That’s because ego works toward self interest, he added. “It distracts the thread of unity and sparks conflict.” To increase one’s capacity to cooperate, he pointed to quality of love for oneself as the foundation. “This is where meditation helps. One gets to closely observe the original and real self as a soul, just a point, peaceful and immortal. It is the basis for having a loving relationship with the self, with God and with others.”
After BK Charlie’s talk, four special guests gave individual responses: Bishop Guillermo V. Afable of the Diocese of Digos, Davao del Sur; Vince Molejon, Secretary General of Mindanao Peace Council; Nelia Tumarao of the Cooperatives Movement; and Atty. Randolph Parcasio of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. All four expressed resonance with everything that they had just heard, and gratitude for the guest speaker’s deep insights.
BK Arlene and BK Cha organized the event with the good wishes of BK Shanti.
For the recorded link, please visit https://fb.watch/kAhlZUPpZf/
