The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Swami Vivekananda was an embodiment of Hindu Culture and his messages that are relevant till today reverberate across India. He was addressing the valedictory session of the 2nd World Hindu Conference 2018, in Chicago, USA today, in commemoration of 125th year of Swami Vivekananda’s address at Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893 held in Chicago.
He also said that preserving the invaluable heritage of India is true nationalism and said that with its knowledge and wisdom India could provide honey of wisdom in the bitter world.
The extraordinary vision of ancient India encapsulates a message that is timeless and eternally relevant because it is holistic, integrated and universal. Whenever the world is faced with the threats of fragmentation, conflict, hatred and irrational prejudices, the Indian voice brings to the world the soothing, inclusive perspectives that have pervaded its cultural world for more than two millennia.
As Swami Vivekananda said in his inaugural speech at Chicago on September 11, 1893, ours is a country that has “taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.” India believes “not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true.”
Sisters and brothers from around the world,
We have come here to celebrate an event. We have come here to celebrate the remarkable exposition of important facets of the Indian world view. We have had an opportunity to listen to eminent personalities who have dedicated their lives to spread this message. As we come to the conclusion of this three-day conference, I would like to suggest some important aspects of our shared cultural heritage that were articulated so elegantly and emphatically by the great sage of modern India, Swami Vivekananda in his Chicago addresses.
