icpdn 2024 Session 1

Session 1: Peace for the Individual: Nourishing Mind, Body, and Spirit for True Fulfillment in the Face of Disparity

This session is designed to delve into the intersection of individual inner and spiritual contentment and the challenging realities of societal disparities. It aims to explore how individuals can cultivate and maintain inner and spiritual peace despite the inequities and injustices they may encounter in the world. This topic recognizes that many people face various forms of inequality, discrimination, or hardships, and seeks to provide strategies and insights to help them navigate these challenges while nurturing their well-being. Read More!

Moderator:

Asst. Prof. Dr. Passanan Assavarak,
Department of Social Sciences and Humanities at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

Speakers:

Main idea: Leadership development must come from within and focus on taking responsibility for both actions and inactions.
Important points:

We are responsible for our inactions: Things we could have done but didn't, like picking up a banana peel, can have consequences.
Leadership involves inspiring others: Leaders need to motivate others to take action and get work done.
Integrating wisdom from ancient civilizations: Leadership development should incorporate principles from traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism.
Peace-building requires inner work: Efforts in Cyprus show how developing inner peace and self-awareness can contribute to conflict resolution.

1. Mr. Mandar Apte,
Founder and Executive Director of Cities4Peace, India

Main idea: Morality can be made tangible and measurable through tools like the Moral Behavior Index and Life Asset evaluations.
Important points:

Morality is crucial for achieving development goals: SDGs and other objectives cannot be reached without a moral foundation.
Moral Behavior Index: A tool to measure and evaluate morality across different age groups and occupations.
Life Asset evaluations: Assessing positive power in family, community, and self to understand societal health.
Digitalization of moral promotion: Using technology to encourage good deeds and positive behavior, especially among youth.

2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suriyadeo Tripathi,
Director of Center for Morality Promotion, Former Director of National Institute for Child and Family Development

Main idea: Inner peace is foundational to achieving sustainable world peace and can be developed through self-reflection and healthy habits.
Important points:

Self-discovery process: Moving from self-awareness to self-acceptance to self-esteem.
Two main tools for self-empowerment: Mindfulness/meditation and habit development.
Four daily routines: Focusing on bedtime, wake-up time, eating time, and exercise time to create a healthy lifestyle.
The importance of letting go: Cultivating the ability to prioritize and sacrifice for better habits.

3. Ms. Ping Ping Worakate,
Co-founder and CEO of World Peace Initiative Foundation (WPI)

Main idea: Achieving personal fulfillment in the face of disparity requires developing inner strength through wisdom, freedom, and spirituality.
Important points:

Experience of disparity: Individuals suffer impacts of inequality in body, heart, mind, and spirit.
Existential meaning of fulfillment: Humans are intelligent and free, capable of choosing their way of life.
Developing inner strength: Using wisdom (knowledge, purpose, principle) to overcome obstacles.
Spirituality and transcendence: Aspiring to something higher can provide insight and courage to persist despite challenges.

4. Mr. Chachaval Sudjai,
Assistant Director of Parish priest of St. Joseph Chatholic Church