Jain Digest 2006 07 Vol 24 No 3

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 16

GANDHIAN CONFERENCE ON NONVIOLENCE
GANDHIAN CONFERENCE ON NONVIOLENCE
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The second annual Gandhian Nonviolence Conference, sponsored by the M.K. Gandhi Institute, the National Civil Rights Museum and the National Conference for Community and Justice, and hosted by Christian Brothers University and Rhodes College was held in Memphis, Oct. 14-15, 2005
The conference brought together hundreds of academicians, activists and the general public to participate in wide-ranging discussions about applying the principles of Gandhi's nonviolence to contemporary issues. This year's conference theme, "Gandhian Nonviolence: Personal Transformation, Political Revolution and Social Justice," explored how Gandhi's methods can bring about personal, political and social change.
"This conference provided an opportunity to learn more about the principles of nonviolence and how these principles can be applied in people's everyday lives," said Dr. Manoj Jain, conference chairman. “Last year's conference drew almost 300 people and this year we had over 400 people who discussed issues on how to use a nonviolent approach when faced with a violent situation."
The conference featured talks, workshops, academic papers and presentations from notable speakers based on Gandhi's principles, ideas and practices, including Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi.
Arun Gandhi, founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, kicked off the conference on Friday, Oct. 14, at 1:30 p.m. Gandhi - an author and public speaker, regularly travels around the world teaching his grandfather's philosophy of nonviolence.
Other guest speakers included Dr. Luther Ivory, a professor in the religion department at Rhodes University and noted author on the theological legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King: Mark Juergensmeyer, director of Global and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an expert on religious violence and conflict resolution; and Dr. Ken Butigan, a long-time activist for social justice and developer of the From Violence to Wholeness process, a program that invites individuals, groups, and organizations to explore, experiment with, and practice nonviolence in their daily lives. Dr. Butigan is also the development director for Pace e Bene, an international organization that offers training and resources in spirituality and the practice of active nonviolence.
Keynote speaker Kathy Kelly wrapped up the conference on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the evening banquet. Kelly, peace activist and three-time nominee for the Nobel Peace prize, has helped organize nonviolent direct action teams in Haiti, Bosnia and Iraq. She currently is helping coordinate the Voices in the Wilderness campaign, which is seeking an end the United Nations/United States sanctions against Iraq.
"The National Civil Rights Museum is proud to be a co-sponsor of the conference here in Memphis," said Bev Robertson, Executive Director at the National Civil Rights Museum. "This city has a rich history with the civil rights movement and the influence of Dr. King. He was a practitioner of Gandhian nonviolence, and so it only seems appropriate for the National Civil Rights Museum to help with this conference"
Detail program of the conference available on the website www.gandhiinstitute.org on "conference details"..
The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence was founded in 1991 in Memphis by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi, and his wife, Sunanda, to promote and teach the philosophy and practice of nonviolence. The institute offers year-round programs in conflict resolution and nonviolence studies. Founder Gandhi regularly travels around the world to promote his grandfather's nonviolent methods and to promote the work of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. In 2004, the Gandhi Institute joined forces with the National Civil Rights Museum, the National Conference for Community and Justice and the Assisi Foundation to present the first Gandhian Nonviolence Conference in Memphis. Conference participants are drawn from around the globe to discuss Gandhian nonviolence and how Gandhi's teaching can be applied to solutions for
conflicts at the personal, local and global levels. For more information on the Gandhi Institute, visit www.gandhiinstitute.org.
Contact:
Manoj Jain MD
M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence (901) 240-2602
14/JAIN DIGEST Spring 2005 www.jainelibrary.org