The Nineteenth Annual Gandhi Peace Festival
September 15, 2011
Press Release
HAMILTON: The Annual Mahatma Gandhi Peace Festival will take place on Saturday, October 1, 2011from 10:00 am -3:00 pm at the City Hall, 71 Main St W. in Hamilton. This year the theme of the Peace Festival is: No to Fear- Yes to Peace.
Festivities will start at 10:00 am with refreshments, followed by a welcome from the Mayor, invited speakers, live music, and a cultural program. A peace walk throughout downtown will start at 12:00 noon, followed by hot Indian vegetarian food – free for all! -- at 1:00 pm. Admission to the Festival is free. All are welcome. Professor Atif Kabursi, Emeritus Professor of Economics, McMaster, will deliver a keynote address on the topic of “Peace and Democracy: Which Comes First?”
The Peace Festival will be followed by Mac Peace Week, held on the McMaster campus from October 3-8th. Featured activities will include live music during the lunch hour, workshops in the evening, and a candlelight vigil to stop violence against women.
Two prominent speakers will be visiting McMaster during this week to deliver lectures. The annual Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence will be delivered by Professor Richard Falk, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of International Law, Princeton University. Professor Falk’s lecture is entitled “Toward a Nonviolent Geopolitics: Attainable and Necessary” and will be held on Monday, October 3, 2011: 7:30 pm at McMaster, Room MDCL-1105.
Professor Hilal Elver, Visiting Fulbright Professor at McGill University, will deliver a lecture entitled “Reflections on Islamophobia in North America” on Tuesday, October 4 at7:30 pm. The location of this talk has yet to be determined.
In addition, the unveiling of a Mahatma Gandhi Bust will take place at the Mills Memorial Library on Monday, October 3, 2011 at 11:00 am. Invited speakers will include the Consul General of India, Ms. Preeti Saran, and McMaster President, Dr. Patrick Deane.
All events are free and are open to the public.
Make a banner and join the peace walk!
Contact: Rama Singh ; Ashok Kumar , ;