INTERVIEW : In Gandhi’s Footsteps

Under the sign of the Oath for Humanity©, the meditation centre L’Émergence – Brahma Kumaris Montréal and Femmes Internationales Murs Brisés Canada present…

INTERVIEW
In Gandhi’s Footsteps

To mark the International Day of Non-Violence (October 2), Eric Le Reste will interview Jill Carr-Harris and Raja Gopal. Following in the footsteps of their inspiration, Mahatma Gandhi, this captivating activist couple advocates a culture of non-violence as a catalyst for change, in educational and social settings.

Wednesday, October 1
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Join us in-person or on our YouTube channel

Jill Carr-Harris and Rajagopal P.V. share a deep commitment inspired by Gandhian thought, dedicated to non-violence, social justice, and human rights. For several decades, they have consistently supported marginalized populations, particularly rural, tribal, and landless communities, both in India and internationally.

In recent years, they have launched national and international programs on non-violence and peace. In India, they created a Peace Builders’ Forum bringing together diverse engaged actors. At the international level, they have been energizing Peace-7 (distinct from the G7), a civil society platform from seven countries working for peace, conducting large-scale awareness campaigns, and encouraging governments to commit to mediation and peacebuilding. (The seven countries are: Canada, Switzerland, India, Armenia, Japan, South Africa, and Costa Rica.)

Jill Carr-Harris, a Canadian activist, first encountered Gandhian non-violence when she arrived in India in 1985 to work on a United Nations Development Programme project. Since then, she has mainly lived in India, dedicating herself to defending fundamental rights, especially those of rural women, through grassroots action, non-violence training, and empowerment initiatives. She returned to Canada for a period, where she earned a master’s degree and then a doctorate in leadership. As co-founder of the Jai Jagat movement, she helped organize an international march for peace and justice, from Delhi to Geneva in 2020, which was interrupted in Armenia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Jill has continued to lead numerous peace initiatives at both national and international levels.

Rajagopal P.V., an Indian activist influenced by Gandhi, began his journey by helping to reintegrate former bandits in the Chambal Valley through non-violent means. He is the founder of Ekta Parishad, a major people’s movement that has organized several peaceful marches for agrarian reform, including Janadesh (2007) and Jan Satyagraha (2012). As co-founder of Jai Jagat, he was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2023. Today, Rajagopal is a respected Gandhian leader in India, who has inspired thousands of young people to engage in fair and inclusive grassroots action.

Both are signatories of the Oath for Humanity©.