Swami Vivekananda thanks the audience for the warm welcome on behalf of Hinduism, the oldest order of monks, and millions of Hindus. He is proud to belong to a religion that has taught tolerance and acceptance of all religions as true. Hinduism has sheltered persecuted groups of various faiths. The speech asserts that all religions ultimately lead to the same truth, as illustrated in the Gita. It expresses hope that the convention will mark the end of sectarianism, bigotry, fanaticism and violence between those who are all striving for the same spiritual goal.