The Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa held its annual general meeting on December 3, 2017. The president's report outlined the council's objectives of promoting Gandhian values through educational programs, scholarships, and cultural events. Recent activities included an expert panel discussion on Gandhi, the annual M.K. Gandhi lecture, and community outreach. Upcoming plans include further commemorations of Gandhi and an essay competition for youth.

1. Annual General Meeting
December 3, 2017
President’s Report
Dr. Mayurika Chakravorty

2. Objectives of the Council
a. To organize seminars, workshops and cultural events related to
Gandhi’s life and ideals, Gandhi’s writings, and Gandhian thought
b. To assist in the establishing of scholarships and the setting up of
courses of study and educational programs in universities and schools
on Gandhian principles and thoughts;
c. To contribute toward the establishment of a Chair for peace studies
and research at university level;
d. To assist in the publication of bulletins, articles, and essays related to
peace studies; and
e. To organize exhibits on historical perspectives of Mahatma Gandhi’s
life and his work primarily to educate people on principles of peace
and non-violence.

3. Board of Directors 2016
Dr. Mayurika Chakravorty, President
Dr. Heather Eaton, Vice President
Mrs. Sneh Dhingra, Secretary
Mr. Dinesh Mohan, Treasurer
Mrs. Asha Mehta, Director and Membership Coordinator
Mrs. Rashmi Gupta, Director
Mr. Beant Barewal, Director
Mrs. Mamata Dutta, Director
Dr. Noel Salmond, Past President
Dr. Kanta Marwah, Emeritus Director
Dr. Jagmohan Humar, Emeritus Director

4. Historical Perspective
• The organization earlier operated under the name
Mahatma Gandhi Society and has been active since
2006.
• The Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa was
established as a Federally incorporated body in
September 2009.
• The Council was granted charitable status by
Revenue Canada with effect from May 2010.

5. Historical Perspective
• The Council has pursued initiatives toward the
fulfilment of its goals including the following:
• Gandhi Jayanti 2010: Talk by Dean Lawrence
Carter of Morehouse College Atlanta and musical
concert by Dr. Vinay Bhide and his Group
• Gandhi King Ikeda: A Legacy of Peace Exhibition
in collaboration with Soka Gakkai International
(SGI)
• Seminar October 10, 2010 by Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

6. Historical Perspective(2011: A
Very Significant Year)
• Gandhi Memorial Day was observed on Sunday, 30th
January, 2011 in collaboration with Carleton
University with screening of the documentary film
“Frontier Gandhi, Apostle of Peace.” Ms. Teri
McLuhan, producer of the film, was present to share
her experience in the making of the film.
• Prof. Noel Salmond started offering a 4th year level
credit course at Carleton on “Gandhi across cultures”
in the College of Humanities from Winter 2011 term.
Dr. Chinnaiah Jangam also offers a course “Gandhi
and the Modern World” in the Department of History
since 2011.

7. Unveiling of the Gandhi Statue in front of River Building, Carleton University
on October 2, 2011

8. • Celebration of Gandhi
Jayanti, October 2, 2011
with a keynote lecture
by Prof. Noel Salmond

9. • “Legacy of nonviolence”, an exhibition
of Gandhi, King, Mandela paintings by
Suraj Sadan, a well known artist from
Montreal

10. Historical Perspective
In 2012, the endowed lecture was established in the
College of the Humanities at Carleton University with an
initial contribution of $30,000. Additional funds have
been raised since, reaching $50,000.

11. Inaugural M.K. Gandhi
Lecture on Peace and the
Humanities delivered on
October 14, 2012 by Dr.
Anthony Parel,
University of Calgary
titled “In Search of Pax
Gandhiana”.

12. • M.K. Gandhi Lecture, September 29, 2013 by Dr. Vinay Lal, University
of California at L.A. on “Gandhi’s Religion and the Politics of
Hinduism”
• M.K. Gandhi Lecture 2014 on Sunday, September 28, 2014 by Dr.
Arvind Sharma, McGill University on ”Mahatma Gandhi’s Solution for
Religious Conflict”.
• M.K. Gandhi Lecture on Sunday September 27, 2015, by Dr. Noel
Salmond, Carleton University, on “Gandhian Reflections on the Pope’s
Recent Letter on Environment”
• M.K. Gandhi Lecture, 2016 on Sunday October 2, 2016, by Dr. Hope
Fitz, Eastern Connecticut State University, on “Ahimsa: A Way of Life,
A Path to Peace”
Annual M. K. Gandhi Lecture in
Peace and Humanities

13. Historical Perspective
• Co sponsored with Saint Paul University a Conference on
“Nonviolence: A Weapon of the Strong”, May 8-11, 2014
• Lecture by Douglas Cardinal, Architect, April 21, 2016 on “A
Centre for Peace: A Vision for the Sacred Islands in the Ottawa
River

14. With Mr. Douglas Cardinal, after his lecture

15. Community Engagement

16. • MGPC participated in a peace march to protect the sacred
Chaudière site led by the Grandmothers of Pikwakanagan
(Golden Lake) First Nation (June 2016)
• It was to support the cause to protect reservation of the area as
a national park (as called for in the longstanding National
Capital plan) rather than having it turned into condominiums.
• It began with a ceremony on Victoria Island at 10:00 a.m.
followed by a march to Parliament Hill.
Community Engagement

17. At the peace march to protect the sacred Chaudière Falls site

18. Community Engagement
MGPC Board Members participated in the two-hour volunteering session
at the Sorting Depot of Ottawa Food Bank

21. Community Engagement
 Since last two years, MGPC has been a Community
Partner of Festival of India
 Goal has been to inform the community about MGPC, its
objectives and initiatives, as well as to boost
membership.
 Shared a booth with ICCC and the MGPC board members
handed out leaflets, informed the festival attendees
about MGPC, and encouraged new membership.

22. Activities during 2017
 On June 23, 2017, we had a panel discussion with eminent
Gandhian scholars and activists from India and Canada.

23. His Excellency Mr. Vikas Swarup,
The High Commissioner of India to
Canada spoke about his commitment
To Gandhian ideals
Mr. Nicholas Barla: Indigenous activist,
Catholic priest, and lawyer who works
among the tribal communities
In Orissa

24. Dr. William Bhaskaran of the Department
of Gandhian Thought and Peace Science
At Gandhigram University

25. Dr. Reva Joshee teaches at the University
of Toronto and is the chair of the Advisory
Board of the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian
Foundation for World Peace.

26. Ms. Jill Carr-Harris:
Community Development Specialist
Who has trained at the Institute for
Nonviolence and Peace Mr. P. V. Rajagopal: A leading Gandhian
activist in India who led 50,000 people
on a peaceful march in 2012 to
promote a land reform agenda.

28. Annual M. K. Gandhi
Lecture was held on
Oct 1, 2017 in
collaboration with
University of Ottawa

29. Gandhi Jayanti October, 2017

30. Musical Recital
Of Bhajans by Parampara

31. Dr. Bindu Puri

32. After the lecture, October 1, 2017

33. Our banner, designed and created by Mrs. Rashmi Gupta

34. Future Plans
 Observance of Gandhi memorial day in January, 2018:
Seva activity at the Ottawa Food Bank
The M.K. Gandhi Lecture on Peace and the
Humanities, October 2018
 Essay competition on Gandhian thought, open to
middle and high school students in Ottawa
 Other Suggestions?
 (Photo credit: Most of the photos from the Panel Discussion event and
the Annual Lecture were taken and generously shared by Koozma
Tarasoff)