A Soldier of Peace: Mahatma Gandhi's Use of Nonviolence, Peace and Harmony and Its Relevance Today

A Soldier of Peace' was a speech delivered by Mahatma Gandhi during a meeting in Victoria Hall, under the auspices of the International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom and was attended by about 2,000 people.

There are few among the 20th century leaders who can measure up to the standards set by Mahatma Gandhi in the practice of non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi proved that moral and ethical behavior is inexorably linked to the sincere understanding and practice of the philosophy of truth, nonviolence and purity of means. Mahatma Gandhi’s thought and principles can guide the people in any part of the world as it has the strength to inspire and bring about change. He is considered a supreme practical leader for change whose life can inspire and guide the modern and aspiring youth in building and leading an ethical and sustainable ecology.

Gandhi envisioned a world that would evolve towards peace and harmony- a world where different religions, cultures and peoples of the world would live together with mutual respect and tolerance, rather than in suspicion and animosity. In a century marked by two world wars, the holocaust and the atomic bomb – when the world was torn apart by hate and intolerance– Gandhi emerged as a powerful antithesis to man’s cruelty and small mindedness. He became the voice of sanity and a beacon of hope for peace minded and tolerant individuals everywhere.

The lecture attempts to provide some principles, ideas and alternatives that can help us in understanding his thoughts and experiments on the use of non-violence, peace and harmony, while also stressing its importance in today's world.

This seminar is organised by SSEAYP International Indonesia, with support from Paramadina University, Tempo Institute and Ship for World Youth (SWY) Alumni Association - India.

Speakers:

Shobhana Radhakrishna is the Chief Functionary of the ‘Gandhian Forum for Good Corporate Governance’ formed by the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) for promoting ethical business practices, organizational integrity in Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) of Government of India. The Forum aims to promote ethical business practices, organizational integrity and social responsibility in the public and private sectors. For the past four years, she has travelled internationally to give lectures on transformational leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, among others to Japan, South Africa, Tunisia, China, Singapore and Thailand. Having over 35 years of experience in social work in development projects, she was empaneled as an ‘Eminent Citizen’ for the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.

Ravi Chopra started his career as a journalist working for development agencies and national newspapers. He is the President of the Ship for World Youth Alumni Association-India, Discover Japan Club, India and Centre for Gandhian Vision and Values. Since the past three decades, he has been motivating youth for taking part in social development through volunteerism as he guides them to think beyond them-selves and do good for society. He is also the founder President of the Indo-Japan Friendship Group India, and member of Japan Business Forum of FICCI.