The Weekend Leader - Peace Talks

Actor Nandita Das to take part in a meeting to explore ways of preventing communal violence

23-September-2011

Vol 2 | Issue 38

National Advisory Council member Harsh Mander, award winning film actress and director Nandita Das, and Shiv Visvanathan, Professor at the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology in Gandhinagar, will participate in a discussion on “Preventing Communal Violence” in Mumbai tomorrow, September 24.

The two-hour session that will commence from 4.30 pm at Victoria Memorial School for the Blind, Tardeo, is being organised by Citizens for Peace (CfP), a non-political organization that was formed after the communal violence in Mumbai in 1992-93.

Actor-activist: Nandita Das who been awarded the prestigious Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France advocates issues of social concern through her talks around the world

Tomorrow’s discussion is part of their initiative called Peace Talks. “Our Secular Rethink project is a dialogue-based process of asking how we as Indians can live our lives peacefully alongside others who eat, speak, think or pray differently from us. Peace Talks is part of this process,” said Priyesha K. Nair, Program Coordinator, CfP.

Preparing the ground for what promises to be a useful discussion, the organisers have made the following statement:

“Justice and proper rehabilitation have eluded most victims of identity based mass violence ever since Independence. In addition, many communities -- most of all dalits and tribals -- continue to face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of both individual and group violence.”

“Laws and policies adopted by the Indian government provide a strong basis for protection, but are not being faithfully implemented.”

“Why does this situation persist even though there is a National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Minorities, and an entire department in the central government for the Welfare of SC/ST, OBC and Minorities?”

“This session of PeaceTalks will attempt to explore how communal violence can be prevented. The speakers will examine a combination of factors that has led to the outbreaks of mass violence going unchecked.”

“They will also share positive stories about what has worked and how we can build on these signs of hope. Against the backdrop of the Communal Violence Bill, now under consideration, they will explore the best way forward.”

RSVP: [email protected] – TWL Bureau

Editor’s Note: If you are organising an event in public interest, you may bring it to our attention by contacting us at [email protected]
 

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