By TCN News,
New Delhi: Several civil and human rights groups are jointly holding a two-day national convention on peace and communal harmony in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa. The program is being held to promote and strengthen communal harmony in the state which saw worst communal violence against Christians last year.
“In certain sense the Kandhamal violence has been an eye opener for all of us who are working for the cause of an inclusive society with space for dissent, dignity and appreciation for different faiths and beliefs. In this context we face a grave challenge to realize the fact that communalization and polarization has gone beyond the political realm and has penetrated to our very psyche where it is increasingly becoming difficult to think about social harmony in a multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious society like ours. Terrorism in this concern has stereotyped certain community and the role of media and the political leadership has not been very much encouraging. Furthermore emerging paradigms in development process induced by liberalization and globalization has made this process more complex making the oppressed and depressed most vulnerable invading their most intimate spaces. This has not only threatened the very existence of certain communities but also gradually mainstreaming Naxalite and Maoist violence. The saddest part is that our children are growing up in an atmosphere of increasing violence and intolerance which will be seriously impeding the prospect of social harmony in future,” said the organizers in a statement.
[Photo by Orissadiary.com]
“Keeping all this in perspective and from the revealing experience in the process of peace and reconciliation in the riot affected Kandhamal we decided to make peace and social harmony a long term pursuit among teacher and student community in particular and civil society groups in general. The idea of a National convention on Peace and Communal Harmony in this concern is to create a vibrating force in Odisha context to carry forward the cause of peace, non-violence and social harmony.”
Some of the themes of the conference are: The Implementation of Peace and secular education in School Curriculum, the Role of Media in Promotion of non-violence, Peace & Social Harmony and Religious and Political Leaders in Promoting Peace and Social Harmony.
All these themes will be touching upon all the major perspectives including Dalit, Minority, Tribal, Women, Environmental, Gandhian, National, Human right, Developmental paradigm etc. that decides the nature of peace and social harmony in our society.
The convention will be held at Bhanja Kala Mandap, Bhubaneswar (adjacent to State Museum) on 30-31 January 2010.
The organizers include Gandhi Shanti Sadbhabana Mancha, National Alliance of Peoples Movement (NAPM), Odisha Shanti Sadbhabana Abhiyan(OSSA), Bajirout Chhatrabas,Yuva Bharat, Sarva Dharma Sadbhabana Mahasabha, India Peace Centre, Ayodhya ki Awaz, Asha Parivar, Utkal Christian Council, and International Sarvodaya Trust.