Your Excellancy Joseph Deiss, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Excellencies , ladies and gentlemen and the 3 special 5 years olds in the Audience.
9000 people walk in Salvador every year in the Spirit of Gandhi, this month the Shanghai Art fair opened with large bronze statue of the Mahatma at the northern gate. No official count exists of the number of status installed of the Simple Man in this world. But ……., Wellington, New Zealand, Suginami, Japan, Sao paulo, Brazil …all have paid tribute to this man and life of truth and ahimsa.
In 1924 nobel laureate Romain Rolland wrote a book on Gandhi, a German film was created in 1963 and the first Opera on his life commissioned by the city of Rotterdam was performed in 1980 by Philip Glass.
The world recognised Gandhi a long time ago and continues to find him …. Thank god we continue to find him as we need him more than any other time in history. His philosophy of peace, truth and Ahimsa and weapon called Satyagraha needs to be adopted and advocated.
I was at the Tolstoy farm in South Africa this May, they were celebration the Centenary and birth of Satyagraha - Passive resistance and the most obvious thing
\stuck me – Satyagraha does not have to be taught to mankind, as we are all born with the skill and adopt it in our early years of childhood. Ask any parent of a 5 year old and they will vouch for the fact that their child can make them bend with Passive resistance at will, I am sure my wife, my two brothers and their wives in the audience will back me on this claim.
So it would be appropriate to say the first thing we need to do is …. Ensure the children of our world do not forget this power of peace and truth.
And the second is for all of us to ensure we regain the power.
…. As we grow up We just lose the skill, or should I say we stop recognising the power as we are influenced by the waves of communication that show instant gratification and its fixations on material. But I am sure its like riding a bicycle, once you master it.. it stays with you for life….. so best of luck to regaining it and repeating from the Movie Star wars ……….may the power be with you.
A quick line on why this special edition is so special. It contains a work of Art about a man so priceless that only an exquisite book published in the purest of silk and paper does not do justice to his vision and life. It also contains 30 fine prints that juxtapose moments from his life with words of truth. But most importantly it contains a student edition that will reach the children of this world and teach them the power of peace, truth and Ahimsa.
A few months ago I created a short video clip on You tube - on the abilities of the Mahatma ………………one of his strongest was to be morally right and then - your opponents conscience is your biggest ally.
I gives me great satisfaction and hope When I see my 5 year old daughter Adya’s hands fly over an Ipad viewing the clip and then repeating the words “ I am Mollary Light “ .
Thank all to coming and I am truly honoured for this opportunity and time.