Jamshedpur, Oct 4: Saroni Roy Foundation, SRf Creatists and Strathfield Rotary Club hosted a live virtual global community-cohesion event to commemorate Gandhi jayanti and UN International Day of Non-Violence. The first-of-its-kind, inaugural Ahimsa Peace Symposium 2021 (APS 2021) was a tribute to the global peace hero Mahatma Gandhi and presented a virtual panel of inspirational guest speakers from India and Australia, and a global community forum to discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Ahimsa (non-violence), their articulation with UN Sustainable Development Goals and the global ‘Women, Peace and Security’ agenda.
“Though Mahatma Gandhi is a great peace hero of history, the Gandhian values of Ahimsa — social action, justice and peace through non-violence — have universal relevance today, and inform this Peace Symposium, and perfectly align with Saroni Roy Foundation (SRf) & SRf Creatists’s core principles of ‘Diversity, Sustainability & Social Justice’ to create a more peaceful, more inclusive ‘One World’ to live and love. Which is essentially Rotary’s vision of fostering lasting peace in the world as well.” said Jamshedpur-born Saroni Roy, founder & CEO, Saroni Roy Foundation.
Amidst the chaos and unprecedented trying times we’re living in, APS 2021 is a call for action to multicultural communities, peacebuilders, artists, government leaders, advocacy, media and academia worldwide, for global partnerships, to create a shared blueprint to achieve a better, peaceful and more sustainable future for all. Violence against women and girls has risen globally since lockdowns, which has led to what we see as a ‘Shadow Pandemic’, and thus the focus on the global ‘Women Peace and Security’ agenda this year.
APS 2021 is also a celebration of the shared values between Australia and India bi-lateral friendship and is seen as a prelude to the India@75 initiative – when India completes 75 years of independence.
The event started with Rick Vosila, member of the Rotary Club of Strathfield, Assistant Governor, Sydney Central Clubs and Saroni Roy, member of the Rotary Club of Strathfield & Director, SRf Creatists, welcoming the dignitaries and attendees, with Kartik Mohandas, Country Manager, Forum Films, as the MC.
While keynote speaker, Dr Janice Hall, District Governor Elect Rotary District 9675 & Ambassador – Empowering Women and Girls, presented an awe-inspiring talk about Ahimsa & its articulation in the Global Women Peace & Security (WPS) Agenda by Rotary, Patricia Garcia AO, Partnership Development Manager, Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) demonstrated Ahimsa and its articulation in the UN SDGs and highlighted the IEP and Rotary International peacebuilding framework.
