New York, Jan 11 (PTI) A special event focusing on integrating the teachings of Ramayana in today's governance was held on the Capitol Hill in Washington, underscoring the importance of cultural heritage in contemporary geopolitics.

'Ramayana Across Asia and Beyond', organised by HinduACTion, was held on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and attended by diplomats and lawmakers, an official release said.

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The conference underscored the importance of cultural heritage in contemporary geopolitics, the release said, adding that its focal message was the integration of the Ramayana's teachings in today's governance.

India's Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, was among the various attendees of the event.

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“Pleasure to join ‘Ramayana Across Asia: The Shared Cultural Heritage of the Indo-Pacific' event at US Capitol" with Congressmen Max Miller, US Congressman Shri Thanedar and Thai Ambassador to the US Tanee Sangrat, Sandhu said in a post on X.

“Ramayana's timeless wisdom transcends geographies across the Indo-Pacific & beyond,” Sandhu said.

According to the release, Sangrat spoke of the Ramayana's eternal influence on Thai society and its philosophical significance.

The event was attended by US Congressman Jim Baird, among others, as well as by representatives from the offices of Congressman Gerry Connolly and Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs.

Members of the Afghan Hazara community also participated in the event and shared their experiences in safeguarding Buddhist and Hindu monuments in Afghanistan from the Taliban, the release said.

HinduACTion is a Washington-based non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering American pluralism by integrating STEM, meditation, and yoga with Hindu civilisational wisdom for inclusive policies, media accuracy, and community engagement.

"A historic first at the #CapitolHill. Thanks to @RepJimBaird @RepShriThanedar @MaxMillerOH @CongressmanRaja and his excellencies Ambassador @SangratTanee and @SandhuTaranjitS and embassy staff from #Bangladesh for a fantastic event highlighting the civilisation thread that binds the nations of the Indo-Pacific together - The #Ramayana. We hope that our foreign policy towards the region and beyond can find inspirations and pointers from this crucial civilisational thread," HinduACTion said in a post on X.

Jay Kansara, one of the exhibition's co-curators, said that not many in the Congress would have been aware of the cultural and geopolitical significance of the Ramayana for so many nations around the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The story of Ramayana transcends millennia, and its message of ethical governance, coalition building and respect for family values are relevant now more than ever before," Kansara said.

Utsav Chakrabarti, co-curator of the exhibit and executive director of HinduACTion, said he strongly believes that “America as a nation should engage our friends in the Indo-Pacific through a civilisational lens, and the Ramayana and the message it carries, provides us with such a lens."

"That is why the Ramayana has transcended boundaries of ethnicity, language, culture and religion in each of these nations and has found a place of respect and reverence in them,” he said.

Chakrabarti added that this civilisational message has the power and strength to “unite us in our stand against” China and its machinations in the region.

Attendees lauded HinduACTion's initiative to highlight the need for a deeper comprehension of the Indo-Pacific region's civilisational qualities and values.

“This insight is instrumental for American policymakers to develop nuanced relationships with the 16 nations in the region,” the release said.

It said that “think-tank members from Sri Lanka also contributed their perspectives on the necessity of reinforced Indian cooperation in the Indian Ocean, anchored in shared historical values and ideals.”

A cultural dance performance on the occasion complemented the exhibition panels, illustrating the epic's interpretation across various Indo-Pacific nations, the release said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)