The 25th

Annual Gandhi Peace Festival

Hamilton, ON, Canada - 2017

A Brief Summary of Events around the Festival

Edited by: Khursheed Ahmed, Contributors: Chandrima Chakraborty, Anne Pearson, Rama Singh

The 25th

anniversary of Gandhi Peace Festival was marked with several

new events spread over as many days, as summarized here. The peace

festival - peace walk (held on Sep 30, 2017) was a scaled up event

consisting of invited speakers, cultural events, and children’s craft table.

Garlanding of the Gandhi Statue preceded the peace walk throughout

downtown followed by a free, hot Indian vegetarian meal for all. The

various cultural presentations included dance performance by Lata Pada’s

Sampradaya Dance Creations, Mississauga.

Keynote speakers included Don Mclean, Founding Board Member, Environment Hamilton; Tom Cooper,

Director, The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction; and Leo Johnson, Executive Director,

Empowerment Square. In terms of awards, Jay Parekh – a long time India-Canada Society Executive as well as

a Board Member of Gandhi Peace Festival, was honoured with the Distinguished Community Service Award,

and a Peace Studies student Morgan Potter won The Newcombe Peace Prize awarded by McMaster University.

A number of Individuals and organizations were honoured with a Special Certificate of Recognition for their

support of Gandhi Peace Festival over the years. These included: Steve Janzen, Senior Graphic Designer,

McMaster University; Iwona Rozko, Information Technology Analyst III, McMaster University; Russ Forbes,

Eye catcher Signs; Rose MacGowan, Hamilton City Hall; Jordan Abraham, Professional Audio Services; India

Village Restaurant, and Hindu Samaj Women’s Outreach group. A Special Award of Appreciation was

presented to the devotees of Sanatan Temple, Toronto, who had come by the bus load in support of Gandhi

Peace Festival. Rama Singh received a special plaque for 25 years of service to the festival.

The festival publication “Living Gandhi Today 2017” can be downloaded free-of-charge from:

www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~gandhi/festival/booklets.html

(See pictures of Gandhi Peace Festival at the end of this document).

Gandhi Photographs Exhibition

A month-long (Sep 22-Oct 22) exhibit of 100 selected

photographs from the life of Mahatma Gandhi was hosted

at the Central Public Library in Hamilton. The

photographs came from “MAHATMA: Gandhi’s Life in

Colour” published by Peter Rühe, GandhiServe

(Germany). The Exhibit was inaugurated by

representatives of Hamilton Mayor Hon. Fred Eisenberger

and Consul General of India (Toronto). A closing talk:

“Anecdotes from Mahatma Gandhi’s inner circle” was

delivered by Peter Rühe himself. This was the first time

an Exhibit of this kind was mounted at the Hamilton

Public Library on India. Copies of the book of

photographs were gifted to Mayor Fred Eisenberger and

Dr. Patrick Deane, President of McMaster University in

appreciation of their ongoing co-sponsorship and support of the Gandhi Peace Festival. Peter Rühe’s exhibition “Mahatma: Gandhi’s Life in Colour”

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Education for our times: Towards a culture of peace, nonviolence and social justice

A one-day conference, organized by Dr. Chandrima

Chakraborty (University Scholar and Associate Professor,

McMaster University), was held at McMaster Innovation Park

(Hamilton) on October 1, 2017 and made possible by the

generous support of McMaster University.

The conference theme invited reflection on how scholarly,

artistic, and activist work helps us to think through and

navigate our times. The aim was to advance knowledge and

understanding of a wide range of issues pertaining to education

for promoting diversity, social justice, and peaceful

coexistence among myriad communities.

The conference featured an opening address by McMaster President

and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Patrick Deane; keynote addresses by The

Hon. Bob Rae (former premier of Ontario and parliamentarian) and

Dr. Henry Giroux (McMaster University Professor for Scholarship in

the Public Interest); research presentations by Indian and Canadian

scholars; roundtables by social justice groups and community

organizations; and creative performances and talks by local and

internationally acclaimed artists’ like R. Cheran, Nirmala Thomas,

and Mary Jo Leddy. There was active and engaged participation by

local and global community leaders, scholars, social activists,

students/youth, and the wider public. For conference videos:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzwhA0URICU&list=PLzLUWMt2NZLS4Q2Cd_fTEJoZq_VHhrOyG

A Special Commemorative Book

One way we marked the 25th anniversary of the Gandhi Peace Festival as well as the 150th

anniversary of

Canada, was the preparation of a visually-appealing book with photos and stories on the history of peace-

making in Hamilton, highlighting the city as a “City of Peace.” Over the last many decades, there has been an

extraordinary range of efforts by groups, organizations and individuals to promote a culture of peace,

nonviolence and justice in Hamilton. These efforts make us proud. Yet, there had been no systematic attempt to

gather together a record of these activities, a record which would serve not just to recall and honour noble

initiatives and stellar individual peace-makers, but which could also serve as a source book of wise counsel and

best practices for the present and into the future. Major funding for the book was received from a Hamilton

Community Foundation "Canada150" grant. The book, edited by Anne Pearson, Khursheed Ahmed and Joy

Warner, is to be published in December 2017.

Gala Fundraising Dinner - A Word of welcome for Shabana Azmi by Dr. Rama Singh

Nearly twenty-five years ago in 1993, as many of you will recall, Dr. Karan Singh spoke in this very hall and

spoke on the broad subject of peace. The year 1993 was the tri-centenary of three great personalities of India

moving in different directions: Vivekananda sailed from India to attend the Parliament of World Religions that

was held in Chicago, Aurobindo left England after 14 years and returned to India for good, and Gandhi sailed

from England to South Africa.

With his peace lecture Dr. Karan Singh started the ball rolling for what finally materialized as the Annual

Mahatma Gandhi Lecture at McMaster University, and the Annual Mahatma Gandhi Peace Festival in the City

of Hamilton.

Hon. Bob Rae addressing the conference

President Deane receiving book on Gandhi

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At the welcome of Dr. Karan Singh I remember making the remark that there were few things in India to be

proud of and Dr. Karan Singh was one of them. India has changed. The sleeping elephant has awakened.

Ladies and gentlemen - today I have the honour and the privilege of welcoming another great Indian, Shabana

Azmi.

I have been meaning to bring Shabanaji as Gandhi speaker for twenty five years. Every time I go home I travel

by Kaifiat Express to get to my home town, Azamgarh. Kaifiat Express is named in honour of Shabana Azmi’s

father, Kaifi Azmi, a famous artist, poet, and lyricist. Kaifiat Express is unlike any other train. When you sit in

Kaifiat Express you know you are going somewhere.

After Shabanaji agreed to come I would tell friends about her and they would ask me: What is she like? I would

answer: she is Meryl Streep, Jody Foster and Julia Roberts all combined in one.

They will say “wow! You mean we are getting three for the price of one?”

I would say “four for the price of one; I have not mentioned Gandhi yet”.

Ladies and Gentlemen - I have the honour of presenting you:

A great actor,

A great social activist,

A voice of women,

A symbol of peace, justice and Religious harmony,

A former member of Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Indian Parliament),

A voice of the voice-less poor millions, and above all

A great lady who through thoughts, words, and action has risen to become the jewel in the crown of Indian

democracy ----Shabana Azmi!

Shabana ji - I have the honour of presenting you this great gathering, the great people of Hamilton who over the

last 25 years have withstood with Gandhi Peace Festival. If I had the time I could sing their praises for days but

today it should suffice just to mention the names of the supporting organization they represent. In no particular

order they are:

McMaster University, The City of Hamilton, India-Canada Society, McMaster’s Gandhi Lectureship Committee,

Gandhi Peace Festival Committee, McMaster Faculty of Humanity, McMaster Office of International Relations,

Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Culture of Peace, McMaster’s women’s group, Hindu Samaj of Hamilton

and Region, Hindu Samaj Women’s Outreach group, Sagar Pare – the Bengali association, Malayali Samajam, South

Asian Association of Hamilton and Region, Odia Association, Senior Seva Mandal, McMaster Indo Caribbean

Association, Democracy Probe International, Malhar- the Indian Classical Music Group, Satyananda Yoga Ashram, and

Hamilton Police

Supporting co-sponsors: Hamilton Spectator Newspaper, India Village restaurant, Hamilton Sheraton (New)

Guests from India: Prof Chandra Mohan and Dr. Ramesh Mohan, New Delhi; Dr. Geeta Mehta, Mumbai; Dr.

GVVSDS Prasad, Sevagram Ashram, Hyderabad.

It is a great honour for us to welcome you in Hamilton.

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Shabana Azmi –A brief biography

Daughter of noted Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi and theatre

actress Shaukat Kaifi, Shabana Azmi grew up in a

family that believed Art should be used as an

instrument for social change. Winner of the Gold

medal for Best student in Acting from Film and

Television Institute of Pune, her entry into films

marked the way for the Parallel Cinema movement

with Shyam Benegal's Ankur in 1974.She has played

leading roles in 140 Hindi Films and 12 international

films. She has won five National Awards for Best

Actress, three of them in a row, which is an

unprecedented feat. She has also won five

International Awards for Best Actress. Satyajit Ray in

his book 'Our Films Their Films’ says of her " In her

very first film Shabana Azmi establishes herself as the

finest dramatic actress in the country” She is also highly respected as a tireless campaigner for the rights of

slum dwellers, women and the underprivileged. She heads the Mijwan Welfare Society an NGO that works for

empowerment of the girl child in rural India.

A fearless crusader against religious fundamentalism of all hues, Shabana Azmi was nominated to The Rajya

Sabha by the President of India in 1997.She is a recipient of the Padmashree and Padma Bhushan. She was

awarded the Gandhi International Peace Prize at the House of Lords in 2006. At the Bicentennial celebrations

of International Human Rights in Paris 1989 she was awarded along with Mother Theresa by President

Mitterand of France. She also won the Crystal Award along with Mohammed Ali and Michael Douglas at the

World Economic Forum 2006. She has been conferred four Doctorates by prestigious universities both National

and International. She was UN Goodwill Ambassador for Population and Development and continues to work

on issues of Public Health.

The 17th

Annual Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence

October 2, 2017

Shabana Azmi

Towards a violence free society for women

The minute the subject of this talk was announced the question raised was why a

world free of violence only for women, why not free from violence for men also?

Let’s remind ourselves of the saying of Mahatma Gandhi whose birthday we

celebrate today... that he would not rest till justice had been delivered to the

marginalized and the most vulnerable section of society... in India that person

would have to be a Dalit woman. When we speak of a world free from violence

against women we necessarily include violence against men and children too.

When you reach out to the weakest the most powerful get included too. But it’s a

fact that in any kind of violence, systemic or individual, communal or in times of

war, it is always the woman who is the worst sufferer because she exemplifies the

most discriminated against.

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Somebody posted me a Whatsapp message on Durga pooja day.

This Durga Ashtami let us pray that no Durga is aborted, no Saraswati is stopped from going to school, no

Laxmi has to beg for money from her husband, no Parvati is sacrificed for dowry, no Kali is given a tube of

fairness cream . I was v moved and posted it on twitter. Immediately there was a backlash and I was trolled.

Trust her to speak only about the violence Hindu women are subjected to... why doesn’t she talk about the

violence Muslim women suffer? The fact is that I have spoken out against the practice of instant triple talaaq

and the other ills of Muslim societies consistently and publicly: triple talaaq is anti-woman and unjust. It does

not have sanction in the Quran and must be banned in India. More than 20 Muslim countries have banned it so

why should secular India tolerate it for which I have earned the wrath of Muslim fundamentalists.

I have always believed that the good fight must not be posited as a Hindu vs. Muslim or Christianity vs. Islam.

The fight is of ideology and we need the liberal Hindu Muslim and Christian on the same side against the Hindu

Muslim and Christian on the other. Religious fundamentalists are mirror images of each other and feed off each

other. Both must be opposed.

When communalism thrives it is women who are the worst

sufferers because they are regarded as being the custodians of a

community’ honour and revenge is sought in their names due to

expediency. But what happens in other times? Are we not

worshiping women as goddesses comes the answer. To them we

say, “we do not wish to be worshipped; we want equal

opportunity so we can rise to the level of our own potential. And

that’s where the problem lies in a patriarchal society where the

boy is privileged; for sheer not being born male the girl child

faces discrimination from birth that is if she is allowed to be

born at all.

India lives in several centuries simultaneously. If you look at gender imbalance you will find that there are

thousands of missing girls- the ratio going as low as 840 girls to a thousand boys in some pockets. Eight year

old is a surrogate mother in another.

How has this come to be in the 21stcentury where rational discourse must overcome deep seated inequalities

embedded in our psyche?

I believe it is because violence vs. women has the tacit approval of society the world over. The statistics are

shocking and they are not confined to the so called developing world alone. In USA according to national

statistics more than 600 women per day are sexually assaulted.

The UN defines violence vs. women as: Any act of gender based violence that results in or is likely to result in

physical sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts coercion or

arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or in private life.

In our society gender inequality is present in many areas including politics, religion, media, cultural norms, and

the workplace. Both men and women get messages covert or overt that it’s natural for men to have more social

power than women.

In this context the false belief that men have a right to control women even violently is common.

It is important to recognize that working towards gender equality benefits society as a whole. Rigid gender roles

limit everyone and they are contributing factor to violence against women.

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Research indicates that gender equality is associated with more peaceful and stable societies as well as overall

economic growth.

In India the pressure to keep the marriage alive under all circumstances leads families to accept domestic

violence as a matter of course. Instead of saying zero tolerance to violence parents often send their daughters

back saying maybe he was in a bad mood, it was just one slap you can’t break up a marriage because of that. I

have worked with women who suffer because of dowry demands, it’s unacceptable because essentially it says

women plus dowry is equal to man. Parents would come to us saying that if their daughter comes back she

would jeopardize the chances of her other sisters getting married and society would boycott them.

In the absence of state support for battered women shelters, no shelter for

children, and inability to be financially independent the woman is left with little

choice but to remain in a violent marriage. The belief that ladke paraya dhan hoti

hai uski doli uthati hai to sirf arthi wapas aani chahiye (a girl is the treasure of

another household and can come back only as her dead body, if at all) must be

changed. We need to keep our doors wide open for our daughters as we keep for

our sons.

So many immigrant families here in Canada and US find that their daughters

given away in marriage from India are treated no better than maids. They are not

allowed to make friends, keep contact with their families or have any mobility at

all. Most can’t speak the language and feel imprisoned. The long term experience of being abused can destroy a

woman’s self confidence making it more difficult for her to believe she deserves better treatment, that she can

find the courage to leave or that she can manage on her own.

Assault physical or sexual over periods of time can lead women to believe that they deserve it.

According to a recent survey in India women from Mumbai and Delhi felt it was ok to be beaten or rather they

deserve to be beaten because they had upset their husbands - that is how insidiously it works, instead of the

perpetrators being punished the victim is held guilty.

It is a commonly held belief that if we have more women police officer the victims will find it easier to report

cases. But we forget that most times the woman officer is so deeply entrenched in a patriarchal mindset the she

perpetuates the myth that somehow it must be the woman’s fault. Mercifully this discourse is changing in the

aftermath of Nirbhaya.

So what do we do about it? We need to shake off the shackles of patriarchy lock stock and barrel.

We need to educate our women but we need to educate men too because they are victims of patriarchy too.

Notions of masculinity are skewed. Men must never cry, never show their vulnerable side?

Masculinity is about exercising power over the weak. Our son Farhan Akhtar has started an NGO Men Against

Rape and Dowry (MARD) which redefines masculinity.

The Annual Mahatma Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence was established at McMaster University to make the value and

strategies of nonviolence widely known, and to develop the concept and practice of nonviolence through intellectual

analysis and criticism, dialogue, debate and experimentation. The lectureship was initiated by funding predominately

from the Indo-Canadian community in 1993, formalized in 1996 and currently receives support from the broader

community. The series is named after Gandhi to honour his role in the revitalization and development of

nonviolence. This free public lecture or set of lectures or workshops is currently organized by the Centre for Peace

Studies under the auspices of the Faculty of Humanities.

For further information and to make donation, please visit: www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~gandhi/lectures/

or contact Dr. Rama Singh <singh@mcmaster.ca>

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Selected Pictures of 25th Annual Gandhi Peace Festival 2017, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Entertainment provided by Sampradaya Dance Creations, Colombian Dance Group of Hamilton and Female Hand Drum

Group

Awards for community service and peace studies initiatives were handed at the festival. Raging Grannies sang protest songs

Keynote speakers Leo Johnson (Empowerment Squared), Tom Cooper (Poverty Reduction) and Don McLean (Env. Hamilton)

Overseas and out of town guests were welcomed and garlanded Mahatma Gandhi’s statue outside Hamilton City Hall

Gandhi Peace March went around the downtown core in Hamilton

(All photos by Khursheed Ahmed)

Entertainment provided by Sampradaya Dance Creations, Colombian Dance Group of Hamilton and Female Hand Drum

Group