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The Miho Museum 10th Anniversary Symposium November 5th, 2007 On November 5th, Shumei International organized a special symposium, “Integrating Beauty, Nature and Spirituality into Life in the New Millennium,” at the Biwako Hall in honor of the Miho Museum’s 10th anniversary. The Miho Museum exemplifies Shumei’s commitment to improving the human condition by creating an inspired, harmonious museum where the beauty of art and nature come together to foster inner reflection and spiritual upliftment. In reaffirming that commitment, Shumei hosted the anniversary symposium to explore how we as individuals and a society can advance our personal and collective wellbeing by ensuring that art, nature and spirituality are more central to our everyday lives; by deepening our sensitivity to beauty, renewing the deep respect and reverence for nature that our ancestors had – and which are central to living in harmony with our planet -- and by understanding our spiritual purpose and place in this vast universe. Many of the dilemmas facing us in this new millennium require a change in mindset to one that is more sustainable, equitable, compassionate and appreciative of the deeper values in life. Former United Nations Under-Secretary General Maurice Strong, who served as the Secretary General of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Brazil, gave the opening keynote address. Mr. Strong made a compelling appeal to the audience to believe in the power of people to bring about positive change. He stated that we are seeing unprecedented risks facing our planet and human survival and we must respond. He also spoke of the valuable contributions Shumei was making through its sustainable agriculture, artistic and cultural activities saying … “This is helping to heal the wounds we have inflicted on our precious planet and on each other and to put us on the pathway to a future in which all can share in the bounty and the beauty that nature provides. This is the unifying theme of the spirituality which is source of all beauty and unity among peoples as the indispensable basis for a sustainable future.” – Maurice Strong Other speakers included Patrick Holden, director of the UK-based environmental organization the Soil Association, Ardath Rodale, co-chair of the Rodale Institute, the Very Reverend James Parks Morton, one of the founders of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment in the US, and Philip Jodidio, former editor-in-chief of Connaissance des Artes. Dena Merriam, vice chair of the Ruder Finn Group and founder of the Global Peace Initiative of Women moderated the panel. The panelists spoke of new places of pilgrimage for inspiration and reflection because our current priorities are damaging the natural world, the idea of creating an international peace corps to achieve the three-fold global mission, the need to see more deeply the sacredness of art, to seek ways to impact others through daily life, and acknowledge that beauty brings meaning to life. In order to do this we need change our attitudes and we can foster change by focuses on education, prayer/spiritual life, and being prepared to take action |
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