Hind Swaraj Centenary Commemoration (1909 - 2009)
Hind Swaraj Centenary Commemoration

 

 

Established and registered as a Trust in Delhi in1992, Swaraj Peeth Trust  Text Exempt nonprofit and nongovernmental organization.

Swaraj Peeth Trust, a Gandhian center for nonviolence and peace, works for  Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Swaraj – Home-Rule or Self Rule based on culture of nonviolence or cultural democracy- through building a community based nonviolent social force called Gandhi Shanti Sena; organizing public dialogues, training in nonviolence  and education programmes for creating swaraj awareness in various areas of life.

Swaraj Peeth is dedicated to advocating, promoting and applying Gandhian vision and methods of nonviolence, satyagraha, peace with justice and human dignity.  Based on the vision of his root text, Hind Swaraj, Swaraj Peeth is engaged not only in bringing Hind Swaraj in the center of discourse on nonviolence, freedom and justice, but it has been able to translate it into an action programme through developing a four stage process of building Gandhi Shanti Sena or a community based nonviolent voluntary social force. Four stages are:

·         Public meetings and public Swaraj-dialogues ;

·         Hind Swaraj study sessions emphasizing on culture of nonviolence;

·         Formation of Gandhi Shanti Sena and oath taking on the day of the birth of Satyagraha, Eleven September; and,

·         Training in nonviolence for violence prevention, conflict resolution and humanitarian service.

 

Swaraj Peeth is also engaged internationally in dialogue on nonviolence and actively supports nonviolent movements for democracy, freedom and justice. Swaraj Peeth supports morally and actively those who are struggling nonviolently for human dignity, preservation of culture, environment and Life on the earth. Swaraj Peth believes that nonviolence as a Law of Being and as a principle of life must be coextensive with economic, political, social and cultural domains of life.

 

Challenge We Face

 

There are identifiable and worrisome aspects to the present situation: 

 

Failure of    ideological, institutional and technological correctives;

General environment of economic instability, insecurity and fear;

Clear public sentiment about the need to do something – something that every citizen can do; and,

All pervasive sense of helplessness compounds the challenge.

 

People want to do ‘something’ at their own level. This ‘need to do something’, something that individual can do, gets expressed at every time when the forces of  various forms of violence make attempts to assume greater power and legitimacy. A continuous and collective search for constructive and nonviolent remedies  in the light of experiences and attempts is  required  in order to provide anchor to people’s faith in nonviolence at this difficult time.

 

This compelling situation demands answers. It calls for exploration of nonviolence in a manner that individual, family, community and nation can do something that can help dispel the environment of fear, insecurity and violence, and show some way to the people fatigued with violence and to the believers in nonviolence. The present situation, locally and globally, has posed a serious challenge to the advocates of nonviolence. It is easy to narrate the vices of violence and virtues of nonviolence, but the deeper and practical question before us is about how to face these various forms of direct, structural, environmental and civilizational violence through forms and methods of nonviolence.

 

What is our duty at a time like this, and what are the possibilities?

 

 
PROGRAMMES

 
People's Voices
Nothing has so far shaken my thoughts so totally and positively as Hind Swaraj dialogue in this camp has.During Emergency I was in jail with many political leaders but have only now learnt true patriotism.
Chandraveer Singh Gahlot, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh

You have rekindled my fire.It was extinguished twenty years back.
Zahir Ul Islam, Saharanpur , Uttar Pradesh

I could experience that power in Hind Swaraj , which raised India to such heights and won us freedom .I am convinced we can once again replace hatred by love; violence by voluntary suffering and sacrifice; and brute force by soul force.
Dr. Salim Baig, Bhojpur, Uttar Pradesh

Ever since I took the Shanti Sainik pledge on 11 Sept 2005 I have learnt to forgive and control my anger and I am less fearful to be truthful and when I need to accept my guilt. Now I do not ignore my parents' advice. I try to keep them happy.
Sahazad Bharti, Biharigarh, Uttar Pradesh

I was an angry un-bending man and never knew humility.I am changing after the pledge.Now I can bend when wrong or guilty .I realize how humility alone brings many other wonderful changes.
Nagendra Rathore, Biharigarh, Uttar Pradesh

People fear to intervene when there is conflict and violence. I have joined Shanti Sena and want to be trained so that at least I can intervene
Razia bi, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh

I am shaken fundamentally. Hind Swaraj carries the essential teachings of Islam, Hinduism and all the anti-materialist religions .it teaches the highest meaning of liberation and how only nonviolence is the path.we must therefore start by organizing nonviolence through Shanti Sena
Dr. Abdul Mazid, Saharanpur , Uttar Pradesh

Swarajpeeth is unlike a typical NGO. it is different.it endeavors to awaken true heroism in us by creating awareness about our true Self and showing the path of true duty..
Zakia, Sahabad, Uttar Pradesh
 


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