Session 2 - Need to Promote Gandhian Philosophy for Establishment of World Peace and Survival of Humanity

Padma Bhushan Dr Vijay Bhatkar - The learned speaker started by thanking the dignitaries who had come together for this session. He also spoke about how intra-national organizations are essential to spread the vision of peace and harmony globally. He then cited the Rotary club as an excellent organization which is doing its bit in support of spreading the world of peace. The speaker is himself a rotary member and is proud to be so. He then laudede Shri Rahul Karad and others for coming together with the rotary club to forward the aim of world peace. He then quoted a few specifics proving the value of an organization such as rotary for world peace.

Mr Shekhar Mehta - The learned speaker started by thanking all the assembled individuals. He then said that the idea of peace is in the very DNA of the Rotary club. He spoke of how under the leadership of rotary polio has almost been eradicated and a disease that would cripple hundreds of thousands a year, now afflicts a very tiny percentage of individuals in remote pockets. The speaker postulated that perhaps they have saved over 5 million children from death and disability, a number higher than for the second world war. In the speaker’s opinion working towards p[eace only qualifies as trying to bring about peace in the world. He then explains the different definitions of peace the world over depending on the individual's situation at a time. He then expounded further on the exemplary work the rotary club is doing even in these Covid times.

Rtn. Larry Lunsford - The learned speaker started by stating a few startling facts, namely that the number of displaced individuals has doubled over the last decade to 80 million individuals. He then spoke about how many individuals suffer from hunger everyday and prophesied famines to follow in the post Covid era as the pandemic disrupted the few lifelines operating in remote and hostile regions of the world where famine is a real possibility. He then spoke about what peace means to the Rotary organization. He spoke of how a rotary individual became more people oriented rather than just being law oriented. This was relevant as the individual is a police officer. He now fights for the rights of individuals. Similarly there are multiple rotary members in important positions of the governments of the world who have the same outlook towards peace and tranquility which they will strive for through active participation in social life. He then extrapolated the figure of how many rotary peace course trainees will be trained each year and how this number will keep growing while spreading its influence as well. But this is just one aspect of the peace program that rotary is driving.

Revered Prof Dr Vishwanath D Karad - The revered speaker spoke about the importance of this session and of how he also firmly believes that without cooperation between intra state organizations achieving peace is a difficult prospect. He stated how the philosophers of the world all preach the same message and how it is imperative now for the people to come together and battle the new demons that are plaguing the world such as the pandemic situation and the rapid armament most militaries are going for.