The Gandhi Memorial Trust Fund and Oakton Community College Organize Events to Spread Gandhi's Message

Submitted by skokienet on August 26, 2006 - 1:11pm.
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On September 21, at 7.30 pm, Gonapalli Prasad and four other peace activists will speak on “Is non violence an option after September 11, 2001 ?”.The talk will be followed by a question and answer session.

in OCC's Oak Room on September 24 between 2 and 3.30 pm, there will be events to mark the closing of the Peace Exhibit featuring the life and messages of world leaders who have promoted change through non-violence. The closing will be held at the legendary Megiddo Peace Table. Blessed by the clergy of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the Peace Table has been used by Nobel Peace prize winners – Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Mencha Tum and Jose Ramos Hasta. “The Peace Table is receptive to all outstanding questions esthetically transforming the square of the earth to the circle of heave with nothing lost” said its creator and peace activist, Alan Haber.

The Peace studies program and the exhibit are the culmination of volunteer efforts by members of the Gandhi Memorial Trust Fund. The GMTF, with the help of the Indian American community, installed a life size statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Heritage Park in Skokie. Not content with the installation, the GMTF seeks to actively promote the knowledge of Gandhi’s life and his message among the mainstream community. In addition to annual events at the Skokie Public Library, the schools in Skokie and Evanston, the GMTF also hopes to eventually set up a Gandhi museum. More information about the event can be had from Omprakash Kamaria, president of the GMTF at 847-673-0811.

9/11: PEACE STUDIES 2006

Five years after 9/11, where are we? Is change through non violence possible since 9/11? What has the war on terror accomplished, and at what cost? You are invited to examine options for non violent change. There is perhaps no better time to study strategies for nonviolence than now.

Registrants will receive a ticket to be presented at the door of each of the four planned events. These September Peace Studies are sponsored by the Emeritus Program and the Gandhi Memorial Trust Fund.

PSE B14-61, OC/SK, 9/11, 9/12, 9/21, 9/24, 7:30-9 pm FEE: $10

Thursday, September 21, 2006, 7:30-9 pm

A Town Hall Meeting - Is Nonviolence an Option After 9/11?

Four local peace leaders will speak about change through nonviolence, and selected participants will respond. Finally, questions will be taken from the audience. This Passport seminar is presented in conjunction with the Gandhi Memorial Trust committee as part of the 9/11 Peace Studies.

Peace Exhibit Closing

Sunday, September 24, 2006, 2-3:30 pm

Join for the closing of the peace exhibit and peace studies for September, 2006. Participate in discussions about what people who seek change can do now. Enjoy drinks and sweets enhanced by live peace music from Oakton’s South Asian club.

Registration is limited to 250. They will receive a ticket admitting them to the sessions. For more information call: 847-635-1414, or contact Omprakash Kamaria

Great and I am happy we do this in Skokie

Submitted by Anonymous on September 3, 2006 - 9:35pm.

Congratulations. I am a Skokie resident and was a conscientous objector during the Vietnam War, based on my Catholic religion's doctrine that all humans who live a life of love participate in the Body of Christ and love, not killing, is what gives life to the "Mystical Body of Christ" a reality of eternity and time. Different members of the Mystical Body of Christ, on opposing armies or forces, should refuse to kill others as well as one another, to live a life of love and not of killing.

The failures of Bush's followers in government, the media and local opinion formation have demonstrated how important it is to find effective but very different ways to communicate with political and religious opponents and tolerate dramatic differences in values among opponents while finding language which creates positive visions to enlighten the minds of followers and opponents without exciting stereotypical ignorance the way demagogues like Bush constantly do in their short sighted hopes of staying in power and getting 51% support from the few who vote.

As crazy and out of touch with reality any opponent might be, there may be a way to see what that person sees and thinks in that person's vocabulary and using that vocabulary, steer that person towards communication about issues without the need for violence. Instead, Bush and his followers have constantly bit the bait fed to them by Bin Laden, Saddam and now lots of cells of fanatics around the world and fulfilled our opponents' views of how evil our Western culture so that whatever injustice Israel does it is attributed to the U.S. and whatever injustice we do, it is attributed to Israel and whatever either does, it is viewed as an injustice to followers of Islam.

Who are strict followers of the Koran in either the governments of the U.S. or Israel? Who are the members of each government who believe that all strict followers of the letter of the Koran are committed to killing all Jews, Christians and non muslims who fail to accept government under Islam?