FICIR Al-Hakim Foundation

Mouvement International de la Réconciliation

Report on the Event to Commemorate

The International Day of Non-Violence Vision of Mathma Gandhi for a more tolerant World and of Peaceful coexistence.

Friday, 29 September 2017 Palais Des Nations, United Nations, Geneva "Nonviolence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being" Mahatma Gandhi About 35 people from different countries and organizations gathered at this event to celebrate the day of non violence at the UN that day. Mr. Biro Diawara, Manager Officer of the RADDHO Program the moderator of the side event, thanked everyone for their presence and explained the background to the event –In its resolution 61/271 the General Assembly decided to celebrate on 2nd October each year the International Day of NonViolence. The purpose of this celebration is to disseminate the message of peace to better promote the culture of peace, tolerance and understanding of Non-Violence through education and awareness-raising actions. Tolerance recognises the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe. Today the meeting was honoured to welcome Mr. Shaibal Roy Chowdhury, the Minister and Consul General of India, Geneva. Mr. Diawara said that the world is still threatened by violence with people being forced to flee their homes, we need to operate and be active on every level. Speakers : 1

REPORT ON DAY OF NON VIOLENCE PICS 2017.DOCX

Mr. Shaibal Roy Chowdhury, Minister and Consul General Of India, Geneva said that the UN International Day of Non-Violence is an honor to Gandhi but the concept of non-violence as proposed by Gandhi had a long legacy beforehand. It is a way of life for some communities, comprising a set of special values, not simply a philosophy. The values include confronting injustice wherever you may find it. This is not a weak response to injustice but a courageous one and it is a powerful tool, favored by many writers for example Tolstoy, Spencer and Ruskin. Prof K. Warikoo, Secretary General, Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation stated that Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of thought and action is relevant today when the world is confronted by so many challenges. It is necessary to revisit his concepts of mitigating the world’s problems – he listed the

following severe ills to be avoided : Wealth Without Work; Pleasure Without Conscience; Education Without Character; Commerce Without Morality; Science Without Humanity; Worship Without Sacrifice; Politics Without Principle. Gandhi’s concept of non-violence went beyond non-killing and injury to include not hurting any living being even by thought or unfair means like lying or trickery. In South Africa Gandhi championed justice and social inclusiveness and wished to eradicate nontouchability. With present day violence often carried out in the name of religion it is timely to recall Gandhi’s call for peace and reconciliation. Gandhi also believed that economic growth should be consistent with sustainability which is relevant to today’s globalisation which is not contributing towards equality. We have to mobilise world opinion to pursue peaceful means to achieve our objectives and expose countries that support xenophobia. Ms.Valériane Bernard, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University UN Representative reminded the audience that Mahatma Gandhi was particularly such an amazing leader because in the context of his time, he went deep into Indian culture and reflected on the ancient philosophy of non violence and he developed and brought this concept back to his time and historical context. Colonization robs people of their self-respect so when they were able to connect with their deepest and most valuable heritage and bring it back to their life, in their action against colonization, they were able to come back to their inner dignity. Gandhiji thus enabled people to have inner power which they could offer to their country in an attitude of greatness and thus bring about change. Gandhi was able to achieve this through his own reflection and personal depth and by doing incredible inner work. Part of Gandhiji’s freedom fight included also to choose and recommend not to buy or consume anything which had come from the British. He allowed people to make such a decision themselves and was thus promoting independence in a very personal and global manner. There are so many wonderful stories about Mahatma Gandhi, Ms Bernard remember one in particular reflecting how he connected with people and children. Once he met a grandmother and her grand child and since the child admired The Mahatma and was a diabetic, the grand mother wanted Gandhi to tell the child to stop eating sugar, he told them to come back in two weeks. Two weeks later he told the child he should give up sugar for his health. When the grandmother asked why he could not have told the boy that two weeks previously, Gandhi said “Because I had to give up sugar myself first.” Gandhi lived his values, which is very difficult to do even for the most dedicated of us. Indeed, how would he react now, she wondered, in the face of the world’s injustices and violence such as the 2

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destruction of the Islamic City of Marawi in the Philippines? Gandhi inspires Ms Bernard and she hoped he inspires all those present too. Mr. Diawara agreed that we need a Gandhi today and invited comments from the floor. There were a range of points made by attendees. One person believed that the world is at its darkest point and will now make a transition towards peace; another highlighted the experience of Colombia which after many years of conflict has come to a peace agreement; another remarked on how many States suppress their people and that all should obey Gandhi’s teachings; a ‘peace activist’ recalled Gandhi’s advice to be the change you want to see and suggested we all BE peace and be happy and put forward the idea of a UN Resolution for Peace. Another speaker came from Burundi and spoke about the problems there where they have the same religious configuration as Rwanda and much suffering. The UN had recognised the situation that day and he asked the meeting for their solidarity - and received it from the moderator. Costa Rica was discussed and Ms Bernard commented in reply as she had lived there for many years, suggesting that a Ministry of Justice be established there. Other speakers spoke about situations in South Africa and Saudi Arabia. In response to many of the comments about world events Ms Bernard recalled the spiritual roots of tolerance and gave the image of an abundant fruit tree which, when a stone is thrown at it, gives forth its fruit. This image of tolerance can free us of fear, which makes us weak, for when we come back to our inner power we can feel secure and feel security around us – as exemplified by a woman’s group from the Congo who have been brutally victimised and assaulted but bring hope to others. Ms Bernard led the meeting through a contemplative meditation to this effect. On closing the meeting Mr. Diawara said that we had all shared messages of hope for the peaceful coexistence of mankind, different but able to live together like the five fingers on a hand, and invited everyone to regroup next year so that we can dream of a better world together and give hope where there is none. -

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REPORT ON DAY OF NON VIOLENCE PICS 2017.DOCX