International Seminar on Education and Peace by World Peace Movement Trust, Mumbai, India (May 15-16, 2010)
The two days international seminar on Education and Peace, organized by the World Peace Movement Trust (Founded in 2001
by Dr. Ravindra Kumar, a renowned scholar and Former Vice Chancellor of the CCS University, Meerut, India) at The Club,
Andheri West, Mumbai, India concluded on May 16, 2010 with a resolution passed by more than one hundred
academicians-scholars, peace-workers, socialites and Gandhians of ten countries of the world, including India to bring
like-minded, sincere and dedicated people together to work at local, national and international levels for harmony,
peace and unity.
Besides well-known Gandhians like SN Subbarao, N Radhakrishnan, Siddheshwar Prasad, Satyanarayan Reddy and Christian
Bartolf from Germany, eminent scholars and activists like Asghar Ali Engineer, Uzma Naheed, Allwyn D’Silva, Teesta
Setalvad, Suleman Kakar from Afghanistan, Kingsley Okoro from Nigeria, and Enver Duran from Turkey, and renowned
constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap, Justice Rajesh Tondon, Justice Alok Singh, and HP Kanoria were among the chief
speakers of the two days seminar.
Earlier on May 15, Kantilal Bhuria, Minister for Tribal Affairs, India in his inaugural address laid great stress on
mass awakening in rural areas in a country like India where more than 65 percent people are still far behind of those
who stay in cities and metropolitans in all walks of life, and particularly in the field of education.
Manikrao Thakare, the MPCC Chief in his address urged for a value-based education while the Chairman of the Cyber
Tribunal Justice Rajesh Tondon called for a fair and speedy justice and safeguarding the freedom of each and everyone in
the society.
In his speech on May 16, Asghar Ali Engineer, remembering Gandhi, urged for practicing non-violence and to follow the
Mahatma’s message of giving respect to others’ religions and faiths. P Joshi from the NLU, Jodhpur emphasized that the
most intense danger to the world peace would not stem from irrational acts of the state or individual but from the
legitimate demand of the world’s poor and disfranchised. She called for united international action to follow law and
legislation in its true spirit. Emphasizing on launching time-bound schemes Dr. Suleman Kakar suggested seven points
programme that could be the basis of peace-education at global level, while Teesta Setalvad emphasized on broad thinking
and outlook, and reform in society on this basis.
Asserting on creating a culture of peace through well-directed and value-based education Trust’s Chief and a Former
Governor of Tripura Siddheshwar Prasad welcomed the guest-speakers and endorsed the endeavours of Dr. Ravindra Kumar,
the Convener of the Seminar and Secretary-General of the Trust, particularly his bringing people together through this
historic event in the City of Mumbai and for, he congratulated him and Lakhmendra Khurana, the Chairman of organizing
committee of the Seminar.
-A Report by Dr. Prinkal Joshi
National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
ENDS