8th International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action (8th ICPNA)
Theme:
Towards a Nonviolent Future:
Seeking Realistic Models for Peaceful Co-existence and Sustainability
organized by
ANUVRAT GLOBAL ORGANIZATION (ANUVIBHA), INDIA
in association with
ANUVIBHA JAIPUR KENDRA, JAIPUR
Youth Cultural Exchange as a Vehicle for Peace
Susan Seats, Ms.
The youths are our future peacemakers. Misperceptions and stereotypes about a person or groups' religion, ethnicity or beliefs have often resulted in a lack of understanding, prejudice and at times violence. We must do all we can to guide our youths' hearts and minds.
This workshop will present a cross cultural project inspired to open the minds of students from two different countries. A cultural exchange of surveys and pen pal letters took place between a university in Wuhan, China and students from a high school in Illinois, United States.
As a result of this cultural exchange, the students reported new understandings, and concluded that they were wrong about some of their perceptions. For some this had life-changing implications. This project can easily be done in your schools or with any youth groups. Handouts of instructions and sample surveys will be distributed. Also a video excerpt made by students will be shown. Other suggestions and project possibilities will be offered as well as the sharing of ideas for teaching tolerance.
Workshop: Rebuilding Lives: Bringing Peace
Bharti Jain, Prof.
Prof. Bharti Jain would like to introduce his work and his step towards youth, women, society and nation. He introduces "Udaanbharti" (Inspire Yourself), an initiative, which is established in the year 2012 to groom professionals, who are actually in the process of building their careers and recognizing their inner strengths. Here he intends to launch "Udaanbharti" to a bigger platform and also work on issues like women empowerment, child care etc. This apart, my larger vision is to empower and illuminate lives and to make each and every section of the civil society to come forward and participate in this venture of building a new healthy society. Throughout the workshop you will learn strategies to help you overcome limiting beliefs, empowering you to cope with challenges, helping you to overcome fear, self doubt, and you will find yourself equipped with requisite skills to handle work independently, in group settings such as with family, with friends and even at work and also to make the decision that will lead you to a balanced and peaceful live.
Moral Culture of Youth Conducive for World without Violence
Doboom Tulku, Ven.
The Sanskrit word Virya is to do with qualities like vigor, enthusiasm, strength and force; but for me Virya essentially means diligence. Religious fervor is a phenomenon witnessed everywhere. When a guru gives a satsang or when a mulla gives a sermon, thousands over thousands of "seekers" gather voluntarily. But, the question is: what are they seeking? Seeking benefit to many people (bahujana hitaya) or seeking benefit to a few in his or her circle? Unfortunately, most of the "seekers" are after wealth, name, fame, success and removal of hindrances to some achievements. Strictly, from a Dharma point of view, seeking these worldly gains are wrong motivations. When the motivation is of materialistic and of self seeking, no matter how ambitious one's goal is, result will be little or no benefit for others.
Essentially, we are talking about secular ethics or humanity and moral culture or self-restraint.
The Individual and Society: Responsibility for Change
Graham Leslie Peebles, Mr.
This talk and workshop will explore the relationship between sharing and peace. The need to inculcate economic, social structures based on principles of sharing will be shown and investigated. The philosophical basis underlying the need for sharing and the fundamental ideas sharing reflects - unity, brotherhood, oneness will be explored. Pragmatic models for encouraging sharing will be explored and recommendations made. The talk/workshop will be a practical work, based upon clearly understood and articulated perennial truths/ideas.