International Peace Award

Internationally recognised, this award has had some distinguished winners.

Encouraging discussion

With special guests and lecturers, The Gandhi Foundation lecture is not to be missed.

Multi Faith Celebration

Bringing together communities through rememberance and a celebration of Gandhi’s life.

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Activities

Find out more about the activities of The Gandhi Foundation and our partners below. Many of the links are to past editions of Gandhi Way, the quarterly publication produced by the Gandhi Foundation. This publication is available on joining the Foundation. You can find out more information about how to join or make a donation to the Gandhi Foundation by visiting the Join The Foundation page on the website.

Please note: Some of the activities shown have scrolling lists. By moving your mouse into the frame the scroll bar will appear.

Gandhi International Peace Award

The Gandhi International Peace Award was inaugurated in 1998. Recipients have included:

  • 2022 Esther Trienekins – Action Village India and the valuable support to rural communities across India.
  • 2018  Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, UN Special Rapporteur for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples presented in 2019.
  • 2017  Ramzi Abu Redwan, founder of Kamandjati which fosters the teaching and playing of music in Palestinian refugee camps and villages.
  • 2016  Peter Tatchell – campaigner for human rights around the world particularly LGBT.
  • 2015 Tore Naerland – Bike for Peace.  Norwegian campaigner for a nuclear free world.
  • 2014 Godric Bader and the Scott Bader Commonwealth for the alternative business model created by him and his family.
  • 2013 Jeremy Corbyn in recognition of his consistent efforts over a 30 year Parliamentary career to uphold the Gandhian values of social justice and non‐violence.
  • 2012 The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group for their humanitarian work in very difficult circumstances and for bringing people together through that work for the betterment of all.
  • 2011 Dr Binayak Sen and Bulu Imam ‘for their humanitarian work’ amongst the tribal peoples of India, the Adivasis.
  • 2010 The Parents Circle Family Forum. The PCFF is a grassroots organization of bereaved Palestinians and Israelis, families who have lost loved ones to violence in the conflict. It promotes reconciliation as an alternative to hatred and revenge. Each year they arrange hundreds of dialogue encounters between Israelis and Palestinians, to promote mutual understanding.
  • 2009 The Children’s Legal Centre, for its work in representing young and vulnerable children, especially girls, and in helping to change the legal structures relating to children.
  • 2008 Rev. Harold Good OBE & Father Alex Reid CSSR, for their work in Northern Ireland as independent witnesses to the disarmament conducted under General John de Chastelain.
  • 2007 Media Lens founders David Edwards and David Cromwell. Media Lens is an online, UK-based media watch project, set up in 2001, providing detailed and documented criticism of bias and omissions in the British media.
  • 2006 Shabana Azmi, Indian film actress, social activist and United Nations Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador. The award was for Ms. Azmi’s tireless work over many decades helping the slum dwellers of Mumbai through the organisation Nivara Haak, her activism in championing women’s rights and her passionate opposition to religious fundamentalism.
  • 2005 Clive Stafford Smith, human rights lawyer, for his work representing Guantanamo detainees and campaigning against extraordinary rendition.
  • 2004 Helen Steven and Ellen Moxley, for their work in campaigning against weapons of mass destruction and the arms industry over the past 30 years.
  • 2003 Denis Halliday, former UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Iraq.
  • 2000 “Jubilee 2000” founders Martin Dent and Bill Peters.
  • 1999 Nicholas Gillett, a life-long peace educator.
  • 1998 Michael Harbottle, founder of Generals for Peace.

Annual Lecture

The Annual Lecture is usually held on or near Gandhi’s birthday, the 2nd October. The chronological list of lecturers together with the titles of their lectures is as follows:

 

  • 2022  Dr Alexandre Christoyannopoulos on “Peacefully preventing and stopping war: Some challenges to conventional wisdom”.
  • 2020  Graeme Nuttall on “Employee Ownership with added Gandhian Purpose” part one (part two).
  • 2019  Gopalkrishna Gandhi on “Atonement in Politics: Perspectives from Gandhi” part one (part two).
  • 2017  Satish Kumar on “Gandhi for the 21st Century”.
  • 2016  Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury on “Empathy, Ethics and Peacemaking: reflections on preserving our humanity”.
  • 2014 In association with the Inner Temple – Hon Dr Navichandra Ramgoolam – Prime Minister of Mauritius on The Rule of Law and Nation Building.
  • 2013 Rt Hon Vince Cable MP on “What Would a Gandhian Business model look like? and what steps would a LibDem Govt take to get there”.
  • 2011 Professor Anthony Parel on “Pax Gandhiana: Is Gandhian Nonviolence Compatible with the Coercive State?”
  • 2010 Panel discussion on the Middle East with Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad with Denis Halliday and Huw Irranca-Davies MP; Lord Parekh chairing.
  • 2009 Justice Aftab Alam of the Supreme Court of India, who spoke on “The Role of the Indian Supreme Court in Upholding Secularism in India”.
  • 2008 Rev. Harold Good, independent witness to the disarmament conducted under General John de Chastelain.
  • 2007 Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Centennial Professor, Centre for the Study of Global Governance, LSE, and Patron of the Gandhi Foundation.
  • 2006 Kamalesh Sharma, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, on “Encounters with Gandhi”.
  • 2005 Sir Mark Tully, former BBC South Asia correspondent, on “Was the Mahatma too Great a Soul? Pulling Gandhi off his Pedestal”.
  • 2004 Helen Steven, founder of The Scottish Centre for Nonviolence, on “Our World at the Crossroads: Nonviolence or Nonexistence”.
  • 2003 Simon Hughes MP, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London. “India and Gandhi: Their Legacy to London”.
  • 2002 John Hume MP & MEP (joint Nobel Peace Prize 1998). “An Eye for an Eye”.
  • 2001 ­ Dr. Scilla Elworthy, Founder, the Oxford Research Group. “Gandhi’s Legacy: the Vibrancy of Nonviolent Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century”.
  • 2000 Prof. Adam Curle, Founder, Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University. “Mahatma Gandhi: the Master of Truth”.
  • 1999 ­ Bruce Kent, former Chair CND, former President, International Peace Bureau. “Time to Abolish War”.
  • 1998 ­ Mairead Maguire, Peace People, Northern Ireland (Nobel Peace Prize 1976). “Building a Culture of Nonviolence”.
  • 1997 ­ Prof. Madhu Dandavate, Delhi. “Gandhi’s Human Touch”.
  • 1996 ­ Lord Donald Soper. “Total Repudiation of Mass Violence the Only Way to Peace”.
  • 1993 The Dalai Lama (Nobel Peace Prize 1984). “Compassion: ­ The Basis of Nonviolence”.
  • 1991 ­ Dr L.M. Singhvi, Indian High Commissioner. “Gandhi Today”.
  • 1990 David (Lord) Ennals, Chair of the Gandhi Foundation, former Cabinet Minister. “Non-violence in International Relations”.
  • 1989 A discussion programme was broadcast on Channel 4 instead of a lecture.
  • 1988 ­ Prof. Paul Blau, Austrian Green Party. “The Beginning of an Epoch: Time for the Great Peace Treaty”.
  • 1987 ­ Martin Ennals, Secretary General, Amnesty International. “The International Concept of Human Rights”.
  • 1986 ­ Jonathon Porritt, Director, Friends of the Earth. “Gandhi and the Green Movement”.
  • 1985 ­ Prof. Johann Galtung, Founder, International Peace Research Institute, Oslo. “Gandhi Today”.

Multi Faith Celebration

Every year, around the anniversary of his assassination (30th January 1948), there is a Multi Faith Celebration of Gandhi’s life. It is normally held in London, and brings together people of different faiths such as Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh. Our aim is to remember Gandhi, and to share words, music and dance from our religious traditions.

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS – Remembering those we have lost
2021  Many Hearts – One World –Dedicated to John Rowley – Gandhi Foundation Trustee
2020 – Held at Golders Green Unitarian Church

Summer Gathering

Every year in July there is a Summer Gathering in the UK, where people of all ages live together for a week in the countryside, sharing the necessary tasks of cleaning, cooking, and washing-up, and attending daily workshops to explore different aspects of the chosen theme for the year. A variety of crafts are taught, and our usual lifestyles and attitudes are challenged. Many find this an enlightening experience and return year after year. Some of the participants come from India and other countries.

You can read an account of the Summer Gathering 2012 by clicking on this link.

Annual Gathering & Workshop

The Annual Gathering is usually held in Spring, around late May, at Kingsley Hall. Its purpose is (a) a gathering of GF Friends (although visitors are also welcome); (b) to present our Annual Report & Accounts; (c) to offer a workshop on Gandhian principles. Workshop topics have included the following:

  • 2015  A screening and discussion of Cotton for My Shroud – A film about the plight of cotton farmers in India and the culpability of the multinational Monsanto and the Indian Government.
  • 2014  Mirabai Swingler who is a mental health chaplain and trained teacher, psychotherapist and spiritual director gave a talk entitled From Breakdown to Breakthrough; Gandhi and Mental Health. This was followed by a reception and an opportunity to visit where Gandhi stayed at Kingsley Hall in 1931.
  • 2013 Ruhul Abdin and colleagues from Paraa gave a lecture, slideshow and video presentation about their work to establish a community learning and resource centre in the Mohammadpur Geneva Camp in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This project has been helped by the Gandhi Foundation.
  • 2012 Photographer Brijesh Patel delivered a post AGM presentation on his “Salt: Land & People” project inspired by Gandhi’s Satyagraha campaign.
  • 2011 Gandhi in Noakhali – Film screening. Testimonials from Gandhi’s visit – Shaheen Westcombe MBE talks about her father’s archive. And a mid-season exhibition by resident artist Saif Osmani who examines the spaces inhabited by Gandhi.
  • 2010 First lecture in a series exploring “Violence and Social Justice – Tribes and Tribulations” – How do we bring peace and justice to the dispossessed, and who is responsible? with Felix Patel and exhibition by Robert Wallis.
  • 2009 Workshop on “Peace Through Encounter and Dialogue”, led by Susan Denton-Brown.
  • 2007 Workshop on “Martin Luther King”, led by Yeoshahfaht Israel.
  • 2006 Workshop “The Ethos of Gandhi in Educating for Peace”, by Susan Denton-Brown.
  • 2005 Presentations  by Susan Denton-Brown “A Future Legacy & Global Citizenship”, Cecil Evans on “The Surur Hoda Memorial Fund”.
  • 2004 Workshop on “The 5 Listening Skills”, led by Paul Vincent.
  • 2003 Debate on asylum seekers, led by Simon Hughes MP & Gill Casebourne, Kent Refugee Action Network. Workshop on “Listening Skills & Communication” led by Binnie Degli Innocenti.

 

The Gandhi Way

The Gandhi Foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Gandhi Way, containing essays, articles, reports, letters, book reviews, Friends news, etc. Many of the articles are now being made available via this website. Edited by George Paxton for over 20 years, The Gandhi Way celebrated its 100th issue in 2009. Appropriate articles are always welcome, so if you would like to submit something for publication in The Gandhi Way, contact us.

You can also find an archive of back issues by using the link Visit the archives either here or in the website footer.

Encouraging discussion banner pic supplied courtesy: GandhiServe – www.gandhiserve.net

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