'Corporate spirituality need of the hour'

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">NEW DELHI: Casting its cocktail networking agenda aside, the forthcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) jamboree at Davos is determined to win trust through spirituality. <br />Trust - which is the only missing link in the current global scenario today, according to the WEF - is what the four-day meet for business leaders will seek to bring to the table.<br />Forty top spiritual leaders from across the globe will get together and discuss the role faith can play at the now famous Swiss resort beginning January 24, 2003.<br />Among those who have accepted the invitation to Davos are Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder, Art of Living Foundation; Berel Lazar, chief Rabbi of Russia; Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop of Capetown, South Africa; Reverend Junei Nakakd, Buddhist priest, Japan; Dr Abdullah Omar Nasseef, president, World Muslim Congress, Saudi Arabia; and Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.<br />These leaders will play an anchor role in helping business leaders face the challenges of a weakening West-Islamic relationship and a terror-ridden world in the wake of 9/11 and a possible war in Iraq. <br />Not to speak of the uncertainties brought on by global recession, accounting scandals and poor corporate governance.<br />"We have never been in a situation where we had so many challenges at the same time. We cannot move forward unless we have trust in our future," says Klaus Schwab, president WEF.<br />Mastermind of the WEF, Schwab is credited to have set the new trust agenda. "A war will lead to enormous tension in the Western and Islamic world and we need platforms where the two worlds can meet. We have decided to integrate various spiritual dimensions at Davos 2003," says Schwab. <br />The discourse on globalisation has so far been restricted to economics and technology. The Swiss business professor said that the attending religious leaders would discuss "how we can come to more mutual understanding" amidst the growing geo political tensions in the world.<br />Schwab said that business leaders now needed spiritual guidance more than ever before. <br />"Today, spirituality is not only important, but very essential. A person who has a value system based on spirituality will always be a person who will contribute to society and not exploit it. Neither will he destroy nature or exploit the world," he concludes.<br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Comment:</span> The evangelist would say: "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar''s, and unto God that which is God''s". To which the spiritualist would respond, "But whose is Caesar if not God''s?" </div> </div>