My friend has sent me this message. It is something that we all need to think about regardless of our race, religion, gender etc.
The Gandhi Foundation is commemorating the 60th anniversary of Gandhiji’s untimely demise by organising a series of events to spread the message of non-violence.
Non-violence is an important message for young people today where people are carrying knives and guns and are increasingly not afraid to use them on other humans. Just last week a Gujarati lad was jailed for life for the fatal stabbing of another young person. More here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/7251462.stm
The events that he is talking about are: ~
The Gandhi Foundation as much pleasure in inviting your organisation to participate in The Festival of Nonviolence” during the 18 days from Tuesday 25th March to Saturday 12th April to mark the 60th year since Gandhi’s death in 1948. Representatives of participating organisations will be invited to The Festival Launch Party on 25th March at The British Library Conference Centre on Euston Road when The British Library will unveil their new exhibition: “The Life of Gandhi” At 7:30, a number of eminent people from the worlds of the arts and culture will each contribute a short piece on Nonviolence. Indian and Western music will be played during refreshments.
ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING THE FESTIVAL [to 25th February]
The British Library & The India Office, The Indian High Commission & The Nehru Centre, The TUC & their EU + International Relations Department, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Peace Child International, The Noble Sage Art Gallery, The Conflict Research Society, The Christian Ecology Group, “Yoga and Health” magazine, The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, The Schumacher Society, The Environmental Law Association, The Jeevika Trust, The Prem Rawat Foundation, The Blake Society, The Power of Word & Song, The Inter-Faith Network, “Alternatives” at St James Piccadilly, The London Socialist Film Club, Action for UN Renewal, The Commonwealth Countries League, The Centre for International Peacebuilding, Green Mantle [Ecosophy], The ministry for peace, The Christian Council for Monetary Justice, The Global Justice Movement, The India League, The Gandhi Tour
and iane Abbott MP, Peter Bottomley MP, Mike Horovitz, Dr James Chiriyankandath, Diana Basterfield, Manab Majumder, Harry MarshPATRONS:
Godric Bader, Sir Bernard Crick, Lord Navnit Dholakia, Eirwen Harbottle, Professor Eric Hobsbawm, A L Kennedy, Dr Nanda Kumara, Mrs Monika Mohta, Roger Lloyd Pack, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Martin Polden, Clive Stafford-Smith, Princess Helena Moutafian MBERSVP: John Rowley
73 Carysfort Road, London N16 9AD Tel: 0207-249-4471.
Email: festival.of.nonviolence@gmail.com
Website: www.gandhifoundation.orgFurther details:
“The Festival of Nonviolence”
Tuesday 25th March to Saturday 12th AprilThe Gandhi Foundation has created “The Festival of Nonviolence” to complement The British Library’s travelling exhibition of “The Life of Gandhi” while it is in London.
Both serve to mark the 60 years that have passed since Gandhi’s death in 1948 and both will open together at The British Library on 25th March. The 6 panels of the exhibition will be on public view for the first time on the following Saturday [29th March] at Kingsley Hall in Bromley-by-Bow where Gandhi stayed in 1931. The Festival will end on Saturday 12th April when the exhibition moves to Hull, the next stop on its journey round the country.
The aim of The Festival is to remind Londoners not only of their tacit and personal adherence to the principles and practice of Nonviolence but also of its power to solve the major problems of our city, namely, violence in the street, in the home, at work, at school, between the State and the individual, and towards the environment. Adopting Nonviolence explicitly as a basic law of behaviour is the most effective means to implementing justice, creating and maintaining communal harmony, achieving authentic race and inter-faith relations and establishing environmental integrity.
We believe that you and your organisation are one of many committed to the basic tenets of Nonviolence and that your work reflects this. We note that there are huge numbers of other people and groups in London who share this commitment with you. They range from the Faiths, not-for-profit and campaigning groups, most businesses, central and local governments to teachers, police, journalists, trades unionists, social and community workers, lawyers, managers, artists, academics, counsellors, politicians and many more.
You can now make your organisation’s commitment to Nonviolence explicit by participating in The Festival either as a “Supporter”: you simply put the title and logo on your publicity for your normal work and activities. Or as an “Activist”: you put on a Special event during the 18 days of The Festival. The Programme shows the events already organised. Clearly, the more there are, the greater the impact of our unifying theme.
Once you register as either a “Supporter” and/or an “Activist”, we will post you a hard-copy Invitation Card for the Launch Party at The British Library, 6:30pm on 25th March. In between times, we will:
1. Email you weekly up-dates on Patrons, Supporters and Activists.
2. Add your Special event and details to the Festival Programme and GF website.
3. Include your Special event in The Festival London-wide marketing campaign.