London pays tribute to two advocates of non-violence

LONDON: Seventy-five years after his visit to the East End of London, Mahatma Gandhi’s presence was felt again in the historical Kingsley Hall on Saturday at a climax to the Festival of Non-violence.

The Festival and the Gandhi Tour Benefit Concert was held at Kingsley Hall — the place where the Mahatma stayed during his first trip to London in 1931 — to commemorate the 60 years that have passed since the assassination of two advocates and practitioners of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. The principle aim of the festival was to remind Londoners and visitors of the depth and power of non-violence and its pervasive power today in solving major problems in the world.

The event was endorsed by Mahatma’s grandson Dr Arun Gandhi, whose aim is to utilise the annual concert to raise money to build a school in India. Guests attending the concert fell silent at 7.00pm when Tushar Gandhi, the Mahatma’s great grandson, delivered an emotional address to the audience via telephone from Mumbai.

“The Festival of Non-violence has brought people together who stand in solidarity, which is crucial at a time when the world is on the brink of violence of all forms. Bapu spent his life trying to harmonise the world with his message of peace, and thank you very much for all of you for coming together to keep his message alive,” said Tushar Gandhi.

Another emotional moment was when film footage of Bapu’s 1931 trip to London and his stay at Kingsley Hall to be among the working class of East London, as opposed to staying in a luxury hotel was shown. The rare footage of the Mahatma meeting East Enders and an audio recording of him delivering a philosophical speech about God and truthfulness brought a tear to many an eye.

Set against the thematic backdrop of ‘Unity in Diversity’, the Tribes of the World, a non-profit organisation to preserve the indigenous cultures around the world, brought together a concert that showcased an eclectic grouping of art and artists on one platform. This included 1001 Ways, Bianca Rose, Khaliq, Norma Lewis, Ash King, Kirsty Crawford, MC Xander, Randomites Dancers and many more.

“This wonderful event has been organised with a lot of passion and dedication. This is a work of peace in motion,” said Michael Johnson, Spiritual Adviser to the UN and a guest speaker at the event.