Jain Spirit 2004 10 No 20

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

Page 23

NEWS FEATURES 21
Lanka, for instance, talked about the Day two of the conference began Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a with Professor Padmanabh Jaini from grassroots organisation he founded the University of California at based on Gandhian and Buddhist Berkeley speaking about Indian values. He stressed that non-violence perspectives on heaven and warfare. He must begin with the self and then argued that in the Jain and Buddhist translate into compassionate actions. traditions, there is no room for the A panel also addressed the
idea of a 'just war'. Jagdish Sheth of question 'Is Non-violence the Way?" Emory University, Atlanta, offered Jack Du Vall of the International insights supported by facts and figures Center for Non-violent Conflict into the nature, scope and costs of highlighted examples of non-violent violent acts by employees and social change in the twentieth
customers. He made a strong case for century, drawing from his book 'A the practical value of ahimsa in the Force More Powerful: a Century of Non- workplace and the marketplace. violent Conflict.' Mahmood Ibrahim, Christopher Chapple of Loyola from Cal Poly Pomona, spoke about Marymount University, Los Angeles, the original non-violent resolve of spoke about the passages on ahimsa the Intifada movement against Israeli in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. Glenn Paige, occupation of Palestine, and Krishna founder of the Center for Global Ahooja Patel of the Women's
Non-violence in Honolulu, described International League for Freedom his book 'Non-killing Political Science, and Peace explored women's
which is being translated into fifteen perspectives on non-violence.
languages. Mary Elizabeth King of the
A Round Table on Education and United Nations University of Peace the Culture of Non-violence explored spoke in great detail about the ways in which education in general, ongoing contact between African and the school curriculum in American civil rights activists and particular, could be shifted from an the Indian independence movement emphasis on competition and throughout the 20th century. Dr. aggressive individualism towards coKing urged remembrance of the operation and compassion. Tara Sethia many successful non-violent struggles emphasised that this is one of the goals of the past century that drew
of the Center, and the new course inspiration from Gandhi's work in *Non-violence in the Modern World India and South Africa. Another panel at Cal Poly Pomona is a beginning in looked at the connections between that direction. ahimsa in Indian philosophy and ideas Two presentations highlighted of redemption through love in other projects demonstrating the application traditions. The concepts explored of ahimsa and compassion to larger included agape (spiritual devotion) in social issues. D. R. Mehta, the Founder Christianity, Africa's Bumuntu
and Chief Patron of Bhagwan Mahavir tradition, Sufism within Islam and the Vikalang Sahayata Samiti, showed how Daoist insights of China.
compassion and ahimsa inspire and The first day concluded with an permeate the work of Jaipur Foot, the inspiring speech by Dolores Huerta, co- world's largest artificial limb fitting founder of the United Farm Workers of charitable organisation. He said that America. She affirmed the power of treating patients with dignity and non-violence in bringing about social helping restore their self-esteem are change. She pointed out the impact fundamental to the organisation's Gandhi had on the well-known union credo. Samani Sanmatipragya and leader Cesar Chavez, with whom she Samani Unnatpragya talked about had worked for thirty years. Ms. Huerta the significance and positive impact of spoke extensively of her involvement Acharya Mahapragya's Ahimsa Yatra in with environmental campaigns, which healing the communal divides have a long tradition of non-violence. I in India.
The final speaker, Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand's most prominent social critic and co-founder of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, presented three categories of responses to global conflict: peacekeeping, peacemaking and peace building. The essence of his message was that ahimsa is the only way to create a culture of lasting peace.
In his recognition remarks, Tomas Morales, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Cal Poly Pomona noted, that "when the Americans spend more money on violence and war than on educating the youth...it is indeed a privilege and an honour to have an opportunity to host on our campus this international conference. Dr. Morales expressed the University's appreciation for the Center's sponsorships provided by numerous individuals.
"The energy, wisdom and experience brought together during this extraordinary conference, observed Professor Andrew Moss of Cal Poly Pomona, "represented a most unique kind of confluence. The reverberations will be felt for a long time. One thing is for sure: this is a wonderful public start for the Ahimsa Center." Bipin Shah, the president of the Jain Center of Northern California summed up the significance of the event perfectly, "The high quality of the inaugural conference bodes well for the future of the newly established Ahimsa Center and its success in creating a culture of nonviolence in the community at large. This success will be measured in its ability to adopt some of the teachings of non-violence both in Jainism and Gandhian philosophy, and impart and apply them to interpersonal, interfaith and international matters in a nonviolent manner. I am very happy to be part of this beginning. The above was compiled by Aidan Rankin from reports by Tara Sethia, Bipin Shah and Christopher Chapple. For more information, contact Dr. Tara Sethia at tsethia@csupmona.edu or visit www.csupomona.edu/ahimsacenter.