Mahatma Gandhi led India to independence through nonviolence. His grandson, Dr. Arun Gandhi, will be in Chattanooga Sept. 17-21, teaching how to take Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence into our lives and onto the streets, during "Gandhi Visits Chattanooga”—A City Moving Toward a Season for Nonviolence.
The week will feature a Social Justice and Cultural Tour including: visits to local schools, the 2012 Connecting the Dots Summit with mediation and conflict resolution training presented by Chattanooga Bar Association, a Blessing of the Eastgate Library, and the Tennessee Economic Council on Women.
On the second day of his week in Chattanooga, Dr. Gandhi will visit The Howard School to speak with students there about “A Season for Nonviolence.” The event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. in The Howard School auditorium, 2500 South Market St.
Additionally, Howard Principal Dr. Paul Smith and EAC Administrator Missy Crutchfield jointly announce a county-wide invitation to all Hamilton County High School Students to join Howard students in attending this community event.
Dr. Smith said, “Having Dr. Gandhi visit The Howard School is an incredible event not only for our students but also for our entire community. We are proud to extend a county-wide invitation to all high school students to join us as Dr. Gandhi shares his grandfather’s message of nonviolence and together learn how we might incorporate that philosophy into our schools and our community.”
Ms. Crutchfield said, “We know that Dr. King’s work was informed by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence which shaped the American Civil Rights movement—from young people marching in Nashville to The Howard School students leading the sit-ins right here in Chattanooga. This county-wide invitation for all students to join The Howard School event sends a message of solidarity across our community as our youth stand up and speak out for nonviolence, for positive peer pressure, and for leadership starting now and moving forward into the future.”
While this event is open to all Hamilton County high school students, it is not open to the general public. According to Ms. Crutchfield, there will be plenty of opportunities during “Gandhi Visits Chattanooga” the week of Sept. 17-21, for the public to attend speaking engagements and follow Dr. Gandhi’s social justice and cultural tour of sites across the city.
Visit “ChattanoogaEAC” on Facebook for the full itinerary and watch for future releases on the full week of events.
For more information about “Gandhi Visits Chattanooga” the week of Sept. 17-21, or the city of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture, contact Melissa Turner 425-7826 or turner_m@chattanooga.gov.