International Interfaith consultation held in Kuala Lumpur from 3rd to 8th November made a serious attempt to identify the shared wisdom common to all religions and indigenous tradition. In this connection it took notice of the ‘’Declaration Towards a Global Ethic’’ adopted by Parliament of the World Religions on 4th Sept 1993.It was in that conference, for the first time in human history that the representatives of different religions agreed on a set of common ethical values and moral standards which were shared by all of them .In that declaration the representatives of the various religions identified the following six ethical standards common to all:
1. Every human being must be treated humanely which means that every human being has an inalienable and untouchable dignity which has to be honoured and protected.
2. What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others.
3. Commitment to a culture of non -violence and respect for life.
4. Commitment to a culture of solidarity and a just economic order.
5. Commitment to a culture of tolerance and a life of truthfulness.
6. Commitment to the culture of equal rights and partnership between men and women.
Commission found that the above moral and ethical standards, if adhered to can bring about a just and peaceful society. Commission also found corresponding to Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, that there should be a Universal Declaration Of Human Responsibilities which are quite essential for successful implementation of the human rights enshrined in the Declaration. Accordingly it adopted a code of Universal Declaration Of Human Responsibilities.
Unfortunately, the leaders of various religions made no serious efforts to present the global ethical principles, probably because they wanted to present the values contained in their own respective scriptures from an exclusive perspective.I feel in order to overcome the present crises of values and failure of governments to built a peaceful and just society, it is necessary that they should recommit themselves to the common ethical norms defined in the global ethical declaration.
