Swarajpeeth, established in 1992, is a non-profit organization engaged in demonstrating the inspirational power of Mahatma Gandhi's vision, thought, and method. Our objective is to bring Gandhiji's vision of Swaraj, the highest form of democracy or home rule, to the forefront of today's struggles against all forms of violence. Spreading Swaraj awareness is the first step in creating culture of nonviolence.
The ideal of Swaraj has inspired Indians for ages. When Mahatma Gandhi reconceived India's struggle for liberation as a quest for true Swaraj, a quest for Ram Rajya, Khudai Rajya or the Kingdom of God , India rose as never before. He awakened the self-confidence and moral power of his people by envisioning the goal of India's freedom struggle as no less than the sovereignty of ordinary people over their lives and destinies. When the Mahatma spoke of freedom as Swaraj, Indians of all ages, classes, and faiths made the highest sacrifices on the altar of nonviolence. Nations all over the world were inspired by India 's nonviolent struggle for freedom.
Today it is painfully clear that the ideal of Swaraj is not a part of India's national vision, much less a part of national or global discourse on development, progress and education. However, nonviolence as a strategic method has acquired a considerable recognization world over and Mahatma Gandhi's essential root text Hind Swaraj has often attracted serious attention but it still remains the least interpreted.
Nonviolence as a method won India its independence but not swaraj. Mahatma Gandhi therefore said "The word Swaraj is a sacred word, a Vedic word, meaning self-rule and self-restraint, and not freedom from all restraint which 'independence' often means." He know that the quest for freedom does not necessarily involve quest for justice for others; and, similarly quest for justice can lead to repression of freedom. Nonviolence per se cannot guarantee symbiosis of justice and freedom. In swaraj - or culture of nonviolence - nonviolence is coextensive with all the departments of life; viz economic, political, cultural and spiritual. Swaraj is a term therefore for a true civilization. Gandhiji defines civilization thus: "Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man the path of duty. Performance of duty and observance of morality are convertible terms. To observe morality is to attain mastery over our mind and our passions. So doing, we know ourselves. The Gujarati equivalent for civilization means good conduct".
We believe that no society, race, nation and culture are devoid of sufficient reservoir of culture of nonviolence. Nonviolence is universal but has different levels of its manifestations. Quest for justice, quest for doing good for others without any vested interest, and quest for freedom are the attributes human being is born with everywhere. These attributes need stimulation, nourishment and development. Swaraj lies in the symbiotically harmonious development of each and the sum total of these attributes.
The goal of Swarajpeeth therefore is to serve and promote culture of nonviolence. Our programs therefore focus on helping to develop capacity for nonviolent intervention in conflict situation; education in understanding various forms of conflicts and violence and of nonviolence; education for swaraj; research and training.
Speakers
Dr Ralph Summy
Dr Ralph Summy is a peace scholar, educator, and activist. He taught at the political science department of The University of Queensland for 32 years and served as Director of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawai’i. His most recent book (2008) was a co-edited work, Nonviolence: An Alternative for Defeating Global Terror(ism). He has taught Hind Swaraj for many years. Founder Editor of “The Alternatives”.
Dr Anthony Parel
Dr Anthony Parel is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary, where he taught Political Philosophy from 1966 to 1994. Among his many publications are Gandhi: Hind Swaraj and Other Writings, ed. (Cambridge University Press, 1997), Gandhi, Freedom and Self-Rule, ed. (Lexington Books, USA, 2000), and Gandhi’s Philosophy and the Quest for Harmony (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
Prof Anna Alomes
Prof Anna Alomes is a philosopher with interests in nonviolence, reconciliation, restorative practices, human rights, exceptional leadership, and applied ethics (particularly medicine, pharmacy, nursing and police ethics). She has served as Director of the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Ethics [CAPE] at the University of Tasmania and the World Institute for Nonviolence and Reconciliation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization.
Prof Samdhong Rinpoche
Venerable Prof Samdhong Rinpoche is the elected Kalon Tripa (Chairman of the Tibetan Cabinet) of HH Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Government in Exile. He is a scholar, philosopher and senior Buddhist lama. He speaks and advocates widely for the vision of Hind Swaraj. He has served as Vice Chancellor of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, and as a board member of the Indian Council for Philosophical Research, Asiatic Society of West Bengal, Sikkim Research Institute, Central Institute for Buddhist Studies, and Nav Nalanda Mahavira.
Douglas Allen
Dr Douglas Allen is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Maine, U.S.A. His areas of specialisation are Indian philosophy (especially Hinduism and Buddhism), Mahatma Gandhi, the phenomenology of religion (especially Mircea Eliade), political philosophy (especially Karl Marx), and comparative East-West philosophy. His most recent books are Myth and Religion in Mircea Eliade, Comparative Philosophy and Religion in Times of Terror, and The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi for the Twenty-First Century.
Sami Awad
Sami Awad is the Executive Director of Holy Land Trust, a Palestinian not-for-profit organisation established in Bethlehem in 1998.It works to strengthen, encourage and improve the Palestinian community through working with children, families, youth, and the non-governmental organization (NGO) community. He has also worked with the Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence in Jerusalem.
Eilda Zaghmout
Eilda Zaghmout is an executive officer of the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem, Palestine. She became a member of Holy Land Trust’s Core Group in the year 2003 after taking the first training in nonviolence and later worked with the Trust’s Peace & Reconciliation Department.
Dr Sushil Mittal
Dr Sushil Mittal is the (Founding) Director of the Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence and tenured Associate Professor of Hinduism at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. His publications include Development and Change in India (1993), Surprising Bedfellows: Hindus and Muslims in Medieval and Early Modern India (2003), The Hindu World (2004), Religions of South Asia: An Introduction (2006), and Studying Hinduism: Key Concepts and Methods (2008).
Nand Kishore Acharya
Nand Kishore Acharya is one of India’s leading Hindi literary figures. He is a poet, playwright, essayist, and critic. His works have extensively explored the thought of Mahatma Gandhi. Currently he is engaged in the creation of an Encyclopedia of Nonviolence.
Farrukh Sohail Goindi
Farrukh Sohail Goindi is Founder and Chairman of the Foundation for Democracy in Lahore, Pakistan. He has participated in and led nonviolent struggles for democracy in Pakistan. Currently he is a senior consultant for PTV and a leading voice in Pakistan for nonviolence. He has translated Hind Swaraj in Urdu, which will be released by his publication house Jumhoori Books, as well as a translation of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, Talaash-e-Haq.
PV Rajagopal
PV Rajagopal is founder-chairman of Ekta Parishad, a movement for tribal justice and land rights, and Vice-Chairman of Gandhi Peace Foundation. In 2008 he organized a Satyagraha for tribal land rights in which 25,000 tribals from central India undertook a month-long march to Delhi.
Dr Partha Nath Mukherji
Dr Partha Nath Mukherji is Professor, S.K. Dey Chair at the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. He has formerly served as Director of the Tata Institute and President of the Indian Sociological Society.
S Kullandaisam
Dr S Kullandaisam is Director, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Chennai. He has developed a programme at the Peace Foundation for youth.
Pandurang Hegde
Pandurang Hegde works to preserve the forests of north Karnataka. In 1983 he began a movement called Appiko (Hug the Trees) to prevent the felling of trees in the Western Ghats Region. The movement has had a significant impact on the preservation of forests. He was previously involved in the Chipko movement and worked with Oxfam in Madhya Pradesh.
DL Seth
Is National Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla. He is the former Director of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi, and a member of the Backward Castes and Classes Commission. As a founder of Lokayan, a centre promoting exchange between social movements and scholars, Prof D L Sheth has done pioneering social science research
Prof Ashis Nandy
Prof Ashis Nandy is Chairperson of the Committee for Cultural Choices and Global Futures. He is a celebrated political psychologist, social theorist, and activist who has served as Director of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. His numerous published works explore the social and psychological dimensions of violence, colonialism, nationalism, and secularism.
Fadi Abi Allam
Fadi Abi Allam is the President of the Permanent Peace Movement, a non-profit organization dedicated to peace building in Lebanon and the wider Middle East. He is a trainer in conflict resolution and Regional Coordinator of the Arab Partnership for Conflict Preservation and the Nonviolence Network in Arab countries. He is also a Steering Committee Member of the Arab Network for Tolerance.
Public Appeal for Revitalizing the vision of Hind Swaraj
This is an appeal to support by contributing Rs/$/Euro 11/ - (Eleven only)towards the public Commemoration of Hind Swaraj Centenary. HindSwaraj, written in 1909, is the most comprehensive presentation of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of culture of nonviolence. Swaraj, he declared, is “in which the poorest will feel it is their country and in whose making they will have an effective voice”. Such a State is known as Swaraj, Ramrajya, Khudai Rajya and The Kingdom of God on Earth. Gandhiji said “Swaraj is a sacred word… meaning self rule and self restraint, and not freedom from all restraint, which independence often means.” Hind Swaraj is a political, cultural and spiritual manifesto for those who strive to protect the honour and dignity of human beings and nations. To honour the Centenary of Hind Swaraj, (November1909-2009), Swaraj Peeth has launched since 2001 a decade-long series of programmes to bring the ideal of Swaraj, Swaraj-awareness, into today’s discourse on nation building; democracy, freedom and justice by holding Hind Swaraj study sessions, Swaraj Dialogue and building Shanti Sena.
We can not afford to ignore Gandhiji’s most essential teachings because only through that India and the world can liberate itself from exploitation, violence, domination and ecological disaster
Today the same ideal of nonviolence and Swaraj live in the vision and methods of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In order to Commemorate the Centenary of Hind Swaraj, leading upholders and students of Hind Swaraj from all over the world will meet for four days in Delhi from 19th till 22nd November 2009; work on an action plan that every individual, family and society can follow in order to contribute to the making of a non-exploitative, nonviolent order. This plan will be presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with a request to take the leadership of a global movement of nonviolence.
Help us make this cause a cause of masses by donating Rs/$/Euro Eleven. Your contribution is unique from the point of view of building a larger community of believers in culture of nonviolence or Swaraj. Your donation is your priceless vote for a society free from fear, free from violence and free from exploitation.
HELP US WITH MORE CONTRIBUTORS
Convenor, HHCC
Dr. Niru Vora
Dr. Niru Vora
Contact Us
Swarajpeeth Trust
G-92 SF, South City II,
Sohna Road, Gurgaon 122 018
NCR Delhi - India
Ph: +91.124.2217278 / +91.124.4361-1132
Email: swaraj@swarajpeeth.org
swarajpeeth@gmail.com
Website: www.swarajpeeth.org
www.hindswaraj.co.cc
Media Contact
Driving Directions for the Venue
View Driving directions for the venue in a larger map
G-92 SF, South City II,
Sohna Road, Gurgaon 122 018
NCR Delhi - India
Ph: +91.124.2217278 / +91.124.4361-1132
Email: swaraj@swarajpeeth.org
swarajpeeth@gmail.com
Website: www.swarajpeeth.org
www.hindswaraj.co.cc
Media Contact
- Dr. Niru Vora
Ph: +91.995-351-3950
Email:niru.swarajpeeth@gmail.com - Sethu Das
Ph: +91.996-702-1592
Email / GTalk: sethu.das@friendsoftibet.org
Driving Directions for the Venue
View Driving directions for the venue in a larger map
