Jain Spirit 2004 10 No 20

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 22

20 NEWS FEATURES
World Class Conference: Ahimsa Center Brings Jain Values to Academia
Photo by: Jeff Smith of Lunar Designs in Palo Alto, California
From left to right: Seated are: Madhu and Jagdish Sheth, Datta Shah, Barbara Way (Dean), A. T. Ariyaratne (holding Ahimsa Center Logo), Girish Shah, Tomas Morlaes (Provost), DR. Mehta, Nirmal Sethia Standing are: Padmanabh Jaini, Asha Jaini, Sushma Parekh, Manilal Mehta, Savita Mehta, Prem Jain, Sandhya Jain, Dilip Parekh, Neeraj Jain, Tara Sethia, Parveen Jain, Nitin Shah, Rekha and Bipin Shah, Kirit and Pramila Daftari, Vimala and Suresh Lodha, Harish and Sunila Daga
Director, introduced prominent speakers and activists from around the world. Speakers and delegates, came from a variety of faith traditions and organisations including the Society of Friends (Quakers), the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Council on Islamic Education, the Vedanta Society and
others.
In California, the Ahimsa Center's Inaugural Conference was hailed as an unqualified success. It promoted dialogue between faith communities and ideologies, and set out important pointers towards a modern culture of ahimsa. Over two hundred people including academics, students, peace activists and members of the wider community attended the event, which took place on 14-15 May 2004. The event was organised by Dr. Tara Sethia, who founded the Ahimsa Center last year at the California State University, Pomona, known as Cal Poly Pomona, in suburban Los Angeles. Dr. Sethia, Professor of History and the Center's
The conference began with welcome addresses by Michael Ortiz, University President, and Barbara Way, Dean of the Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Both of them emphasised the relevance and timeliness of the study of non-violence in today's world and shared their commitment to the Ahimsa Center, which they regard as a significant development on campus.
Commending Professor Sethia for her efforts and hard work culminating in the establishment of the Ahimsa Center, Dr. Way noted that she considered the Center important because of its proposed educational programmes and the potential it has for curricular innovations in colleges and schools.
In her introductory remarks, Professor Sethia laid out the vision and goals of the Center and underscored the role of education, research and training in fostering a culture of nonviolence. The first day of the conference focused on the experience of men and women working for peace in areas of the world affected by violence. A. T. Ariyaratne from Sri
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