San Jose City Council commemorates Gandhi

ICA

On Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary Oct. 2, the city of San Jose, Calif., declared the day as the International Non-Violence Day. 

To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the San Jose, Calif., city council presented a proclamation declaring Oct. 2, Gandhi’s birthdate, as the International Non-Violence Day in the city of San Jose.

On behalf of the Indian American community and Indians for Collective Action, Uday Kapoor accepted the proclamation from city councilman Johnny Khamis.

Accompanying Kapoor were several community leaders, including Raj Desai, CEO of the India Community Center; Reshma Nigam, president of Indians for Collective Action; Bhupen Mehta, past president of ICA; and retired Kaiser physician Dr. Lulla, who has led the local Gandhi camp for youth for 30 years.

This proclamation designates Gandhi’s birthdate as the International Day of Non-violence in recognition of his immense contributions to human rights and the struggle for freedom across the world, starting with India, and through non-violent means and satyagraha or ‘truth force.’

Gandhi’s vision of community service, hope, unconditional love, compassion, and non-violent action is needed in our times as never before, it has concurred at the event.

Kapoor thanked councilman Khamis in making this proclamation and in this context, he commended the city in its actions to address the scourge of homelessness. “Safe lodging is a basic human right and we need to do everything possible to house the dispossessed,” he said.

ICA, formed in 1968, is a San Francisco Bay Area, California based nonprofit supporting innovative community-led development projects all over India. It believes in providing a secure life for every Indian in a sustainable environment and creating a just society.

Source: https://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/on-mahatma-gandhi-s-th-birth-anniversary-san-jose-declares/article_84467a9a-f1cf-11e9-a127-5fa5564b5d11.html