14 DAY TRIAL // Several studies have listed religious practices as one of the major drives behind the ivory trade now up and running in several parts of the world.
Because of this, a group of Buddhist leaders in Thailand recently went through the trouble of organizing a ceremony during which they prayed for the animals slaughtered by poachers over the course of the years.
The Buddhist leaders hoped that their taking part in this ceremony would help convince other temples and members of their congregations to no longer purchase religious trinkets made from ivory, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) informs us.
“Having prestigious leaders from the Buddhist community in Thailand lead this ceremony here, which is usually practiced for a family member who has passed away, emphasizes that we are all interdependent and part of one great web of life,” argued Phansiri Winichagoon, currently working as the country director of WWF-Thailand.
The ceremony took place in downtown Bangkok on March 9.