Gandhi statue honored during campus week of nonviolence

By Amy Roberts

Dozens of people gathered in the Peace Garden Thursday and watched as Arun Gandhi, 70, the grandson of Mohandas Gandhi, placed a garland around the statue of his late grandfather.

The ceremony took place on the 134th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth and also served to bring attention to the Building a Culture of Peace Week, held at Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University.

Mahatma Gandhi continues to be remembered as the legendary figure who urged and acted on the value of peaceful nonviolence during a time when India was in the throes of breaking away from British rule. His peaceful protest required patience; it began in 1915 and liberation occurred during 1947. Gandhi lived to see that day, but was assassinated five months later.

“ At Indian festivities the garland has a very auspicious meaning,” says Fresno State Professor Sudarshan Kapoor. “In this instance, the garlanding ceremony is being done to celebrate Gandhi’s life and his work.”

The rite, Kapoor adds, gives people an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Gandhi’s life and how they can infuse his nonviolent ways into their lives.

During the ceremony, Gandhi asked people to reject violence and embrace peace. He says it goes beyond the teaching of tolerance to people learning to respect others with understanding.

In 1991, Arun Gandhi and his wife Sunanda opened the M.K. Gandhi Institute of Nonviolence at Christian Brothers University in Memphis. His goal is to continue his grandfather’s approach by teaching practical ways of understanding nonviolence through workshops and community outreach programs.

“ My grandfather’s teachings affected many millions of people during his lifetime and his writings continue to influence people,” he says.

This week’s series of events, held jointly with Fresno Pacific University was formerly known as Stop the Hate Week. It’s being observed under the new name to emphasize a positive idea instead of the negative connotation hate conveys.

Kapoor hopes this week’s events encourage people to find peaceful solutions to problems.

“ Think of peace and peace will be there. Dream in peace and peace will be yours. Live in peace and peace will surround you,” Kapoor says.

In 1997, Kapoor helped organize Stop the Hate Week in response to an incident involving members of a fraternity who assaulted an African-American male student. Extensive injuries left him partially paralyzed on one side of his body. Positive reaction to the event led Kapoor to start organizing the following year’s activities to coincide around Gandhi’s birthday on Oct 2.

Junior Morghan Young, 19, represents the Campus Peace and Civil Liberties Coalition, one of 18 organizations promoting the various events.

She hopes attendees will embrace other cultures and build a foundation of commonalities instead of differences with people.

Julia Dudley was a graduate student during 1997’s observance and now teaches English at Fresno High. She brought a busload of students to Thursday’s event to remind them to think about tolerance and diversity.

“ I want my students to remember why they’re attending this program,” Dudley says. “It’s important to think about what people have gone through and reflect about people who are still trying to find peace.”

Dudley’s students, Heather Beck and Catina Price, both 16, say listening to Gandhi has strengthened their resolve to practice peace and understanding.

“ We all need to get along regardless of our differences,” Price says.

“ It’s our differences that make us interesting,” Beck adds.

This week’s events included Monday’s opening ceremonies and an international festival at Fresno Pacific; musical entertainment, Tuesday at CSUF; a cultural vendor’s faire, poetry jam and candlelight vigil Wednesday at CSUF; Thursday’s garlanding ceremony, a dialogue with Arun Gandhi at CSUF and an evening speech by Gandhi at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium.