Yesterday, I participated in an amazing program called Art for Peace, held at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai. The program brings together religious leaders and community members from many different backgrounds to discuss in small group exchange the notion of peace. Paired with each group is an artist, who, for now, just listens to the discussion and presentation of ideas but will eventually create an abstract painting out of it all. In February, there will be a huge exhibit in Mumbai, wi
th heads of state--and perhaps even Jimmy Carter. In my group (pictured here in the courtyard of St. Xavier's), we have a mix of Hindus and Muslims, as well as a Zoorastrian and Christian. All in my group are Indian, except for me and an Afghani guy.
The program is run through the Wisdom Foundation, which is headed by a professor of Islamic studies at St. Xavier's College. I heard her speak at an interfaith dialogue I went to last week about how to bring compassion into the world, and she mentioned that she was running this Art for Peace program. Last year, her foundation held an event called Cricket for Peace, which was wildly successful, bringing together 1,500 people of all different faiths for a cricket match.
Religion is at the root of much of the communal tension in Mumbai--and in India, in general--so we have been discussing extensively many different faiths in my course at the university in communal harmony and social peace. In India, it's amazing how identified people are with their religion and how openly it's discussed. At home in the U.S., I never would have known the religion of each person in my class, but here, it's learned almost by way of introduction, "Hi, Deepa, and I'm a Hindu." While tension may be cre
ated because of these deep associations and identifications, I have found it to be so fulfilling to be in a cultural where religion is so much a part of the society. I never knew I missed that at home--or even that I didn't have it--until I came here and realized how much deeply spiritual life is in this country.
Our group discussing peace is meeting once per week for at least the next five weeks. After that, the artist will begin his painting, and each of us will contribute by adding a final brush stroke. Hopefully a Web site about the project will be up and running soon, and I will give you that address to read more once it's published.
th heads of state--and perhaps even Jimmy Carter. In my group (pictured here in the courtyard of St. Xavier's), we have a mix of Hindus and Muslims, as well as a Zoorastrian and Christian. All in my group are Indian, except for me and an Afghani guy.The program is run through the Wisdom Foundation, which is headed by a professor of Islamic studies at St. Xavier's College. I heard her speak at an interfaith dialogue I went to last week about how to bring compassion into the world, and she mentioned that she was running this Art for Peace program. Last year, her foundation held an event called Cricket for Peace, which was wildly successful, bringing together 1,500 people of all different faiths for a cricket match.
Religion is at the root of much of the communal tension in Mumbai--and in India, in general--so we have been discussing extensively many different faiths in my course at the university in communal harmony and social peace. In India, it's amazing how identified people are with their religion and how openly it's discussed. At home in the U.S., I never would have known the religion of each person in my class, but here, it's learned almost by way of introduction, "Hi, Deepa, and I'm a Hindu." While tension may be cre
ated because of these deep associations and identifications, I have found it to be so fulfilling to be in a cultural where religion is so much a part of the society. I never knew I missed that at home--or even that I didn't have it--until I came here and realized how much deeply spiritual life is in this country.Our group discussing peace is meeting once per week for at least the next five weeks. After that, the artist will begin his painting, and each of us will contribute by adding a final brush stroke. Hopefully a Web site about the project will be up and running soon, and I will give you that address to read more once it's published.
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