Scholars Gather in Varanasi to Tackle Crises Through Tradition
Scholars and thinkers from across the globe will convene in Varanasi from November 2 to 4 for a three-day symposium examining how ancient wisdom can guide solutions to modern global problems.
Titled World Symposium on Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges, the event will host roughly 200 participants, including philosophers, educators, policy experts and intellectuals. Discussions will center on Hindu, Buddhist and Jain philosophical traditions and their relevance today.
The conference is guided by the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which regards the world as a single family. Organisers say the aim is to nurture peace, sustainable development, good governance and human welfare in line with this principle.
In a media interaction on Sunday, Jeffrey Sachs, President of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), warned that the world faces a series of serious crises. He urged people across all sections of society to work for peace, cooperation and a shared future rather than allow conflict, instability and division to deepen.
“To achieve shared objectives such as prosperity, social justice, environmental stability and world peace, countries and societies must advance together,” Sachs said.
He pointed out that gatherings like this one serve a purpose beyond academic exchange. By connecting philosophers, industry players, policymakers, political leaders and United Nations representatives, they help chart a course for practical solutions.
Chiara Robbiano, Associate Professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said the conference’s chief goal is to strengthen dialogue among diverse cultures and belief systems. She noted that participants need not reach identical conclusions, though building a common dialogue and understanding is highly important.
According to Robbiano, ancient knowledge traditions provide new lenses for examining complex social, economic and environmental issues. She added that responding to modern opportunities and challenges calls for attention to philosophical reasoning and cultural values, not only technical solutions.
Riccardo Pozzo of Roma Tor Vergata University said previous world philosophy conferences in Athens, Beijing and Rome had enhanced dialogue among civilisations and intellectual traditions. These platforms, he said, have sought to bring together thinkers from Aristotle, Confucius, Buddhist and Islamic traditions.
Pozzo added that discussions which began in philosophy now extend into civil society, politics and geopolitics, and that their significance is likely to increase.
Professor Workineh Kelbessa of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, observed that the local knowledge of African and other traditional societies was undervalued for many years. Research now shows that these communities offer significant lessons on protecting the environment and living sustainably.
Kelbessa said studies of several African communities and Ethiopian ethnic groups suggest that traditional environmental knowledge can help address modern ecological challenges. He emphasised that balancing local knowledge with modern science will be a key requirement going forward.
Participants will also visit important historical and cultural sites in Varanasi and Sarnath during the symposium. Organisers believe the event will foster new thinking and partnerships that support global peace, cultural dialogue and sustainable development.