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Dr. Raj Kumar, President- IAFC, Hawaii Chapter & Founder & President Emeritus GIIP-Gandhi International Institute for Peace

Gandhi International Institute for Peace calls for World Peace

Los Angeles/Sept 09, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

Today, multiple wars are being fought with increasingly sophisticated and more deadly weapons, yet Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings have inspired the work of Nobel Prize winners and other peacemakers who have, each in their own way, shared Gandhi’s view that we must hope for peace even when peace appears to be impossible.

For the past 19 years, Gandhi International Institute for Peace (GIIP) based in Honolulu has continued the work through activities supporting Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of cultivating the spirit of nonviolence and peace in the hearts of men, women and children around the world. Gandhi firmly believed that violence could not be removed by violence; it could only be removed by nonviolence.  Gandhi’s teachings-drawn from many Eastern and Western philosophical and religious traditions-- united people from diverse backgrounds and across the globe by preaching nonviolence (ahimsa) which means a person should refrain from harming others in his or her thoughts, words and actions, thus seeking peace within us, but also within families, and within society as steps toward world peace, for it restrains those thoughts of anger and intolerance which take hold of our minds before they take place in the external world.

Those that share Gandhi’s hope for peace even in times of turmoil are welcome to join us at Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Waikiki, Honolulu for its annual celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s 155th birthday and the International Day of Nonviolence on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 from 5 PM to 6: 30 PM. The theme for this year’s event is “World Peace.” This program includes Hawaiian blessings of peace by Kahu Kaleo Patterson and Indian spiritual invocation by Veda Das. The Royal Hawaiian Band will play the peace music and national anthems of the U.S.A, India and Hawaii Pono ‘I.

The keynote speaker is Suzanne Chun Oakland, former Hawaii State Senator.  Kai’li Trask O’ Connell, Director of Arts and Culture will represent Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.  The sharing of hopes for peace by Haaheo Guanson, President of the Interfaith Alliances of Hawaii, sharing Gandhi’s teaching of nonviolence through peace education by Peter Greenhill retired founder of the Iolani Peace Institute and families of peace and practicing forgiveness in our daily life by Michael North.
Indian classical dance Bharatnatayam will be performed by Dr. Janani Lakshmanan and Elizabeth Mager, and a solo classical dance will be performed by Arini Shankaralingam.  A song about Gandhi will be sung by a young singer, Adrija Halder.  Yoga poses will be demonstrated by Michele Santos from Sun Yoga, Meditation for peace will be taught by Professor Hong Jiang from University of Hawaii and sound healing through crystal bowls will be offered by Leticia Sharp.  Madana Sundari will be the moderator of the program.