www.gandhianpeace.com
HONOLULU, HAWAII, April 20, 2015 (Gandhi International Institute for Peace): On April 9, 2015, when Governor David Ige signed SB 332 into law, Hawaii becomes the first state to officially commemorate Mohandas K. Gandhi who earned worldwide recognition for his methods of nonviolence. The bill, officially known as ACT 005, does not create a new state holiday, but does set aside each October 2nd, Gandhi’s birthday, as a day of commemoration.
The foundation for the Gandhi International Institute for Peace was laid after terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001. One of the major goals of this Peace institute is to promote World Peace. For years, in pursuit of this goal, the Peace Institute has been raising awareness towards nonviolence in Hawaii.
In June 2007, when the United Nations designated October 2 as a day of Nonviolence, Dr. Raj Kumar organized a Peace March, which was supported by 23 organizations. Thousands of people joined the march in solidarity and walked from Ala Moana Park to Kapiolani Park in Honolulu. Since then, the Gandhi International Institute for Peace has organized annual peace conferences, and multi cultural events, building bridges with various organizations in Hawaii and around the world. According to Dr. Kumar “Hawaii is a melting pot, where people from different ethnic backgrounds and different faiths live in harmony. Hawaii and its people have become a role model for the rest of the world by sharing the Aloha spirit with one another and with visitors when they travel to this very special place.”