Religions of the World Tent at the Festival of Nations: St. Louis, MO
In 2022, the Religions of the World Tent returned to the Festival of Nations in St. Louis, Missouri after a hiatus due to the pandemic. This festival is one of the largest multicultural events in the USA. An inspiring feature of the festival is the Religions of the World Tent set up by the leaders of the interfaith community for their members to come together to learn, dialogue and share their love for God as expressed through the various religions of the world.
Members of the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Greater St. Louis were excited to be among the faith communities represented at the tent. To share the life and teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba with the interfaith community was truly a joyous privilege. To be able to dialogue with the different faith groups was a chance to not only witness firsthand the unique features of the different faiths but also truly grasp the underlying unity expressed in the human values that bridges all faiths such as truth, right action, peace, love and nonviolence. It was uplifting to be part of this rare opportunity to connect with our fellow human beings under the banner of the love of God.
Youths visiting the Sri Sathya Sai table shared that they had never heard of Sri Sathya Sai Baba but loved His message on the Unity of Faiths. A Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) student visited the other tables to learn about the different faiths and was thrilled to witness firsthand the spirit of unity underlying the faiths which she had learned about in SSE. When the SSE teacher asked the student to choose a faith group the SSE class should explore first in their field trip on Unity of Faiths, the student suggested the Muslim faith. A trip to a local mosque was organized, one that was well-attended by both students and parents alike. In return, a group from the mosque attended the Birthday Celebration at the Sri Sathya Sai Center, further building mutual understanding, respect and a sense of fellowship with one another. This exchange of visits truly gave testament to Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teaching that there is only one religion, the religion of love.
Sai Center members rejoiced that they were table partners with another faith group, Living Insights Center, that also promoted the unity of the faiths. The representative of the group shared that they really enjoyed meeting everyone from the Sri Sathya Sai Center so very much. “Everyone I have met from the Sri Sathya Sai Center has been so loving and kind. Seldom do I meet a group where all have the same loving qualities.” May we continue to live our lives so that we live out His message of Love All Serve All.