A celestial dragon soared above the Ninth Parliament of the World’s Religions in a Taoist ceremony for peace. We felt the dragon’s blessings throughout the five-day event as over 7000 of us gathered in Chicago from ninety-five countries, representing 210 diverse religions, spiritual expressions, indigenous traditions, and ethical convictions.

Dave Denny and I encountered people from all over the planet spending themselves generously for the common good.

We hope you’ll listen to “Open Hearts, High Hopes,” our ninth Fire and Light podcast, as we share our enthusiastic response to the Parliament and Green Faith, Climate Repentance, and Raw Tools, which buys back guns and beats them into garden tools.

“Enough,” they said to gun violence in a powerful display at the Parliament. Bundles of orange fabric represented the 30,000 children killed by guns since the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012. Dismantled guns lay waiting to be “born again” in new art objects.

I was a last-minute replacement at the Parliament panel on “Creating Inclusive Sacred Spaces: Interfaith Dialogue, Contemplation, and Action.” That’s a cumbersome title for my simple human suggestions on ways to open our hearts to people who are different and to a wider world. I discuss some of these practices in “Open Hearts, High Hopes” and then more extensively on tessabielecki.com in my new post, “Twelve Ways to Cultivate Inclusivity.”

Dave describes his Parliament focus on relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims, especially in Israel-Palestine, including an indie film called Mary under Occupation. You can meditate more deeply on his reflections through his new post on sandandsky.org, “Iceberg Tips and Stones of Hope.”

“See no stranger,” urges Valarie Kaur, Sikh leader and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project: “You are part of me I do not yet know.” There were no strangers at the Ninth Parliament in Chicago, only new friends, ordinary people cooperating with one another around the globe with extraordinary dedication and high hopes for a more loving and compassionate world. It’s possible. It already exists in places. I hope you’ll feel encouraged by all we have to share.