Sloan's Lake Citizen's Group

Season for Nonviolence

Nonviolence Principles Applied

Season for Nonviolence

“Wouldn’t it be great if this community could come to be known as a leader in nonviolence?” This vision was articulated at the June meeting of the SLCG Board meeting. At both this meeting and the general meeting, the notion of supporting a community based Season for Nonviolence was discussed.

The Season for Nonviolence was started by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife. In 1997, Arun and Sunanda Gandhi were considering that 1998 would mark the 50th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and the 30th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s assassination. They developed the idea that the dates marking these events, January 30th and April 4th (64 days), could be used to define a period of time, a season, during which particular attention could be brought to the principles of nonviolence as developed, lived, and promoted by Gandhi, King, and others such as Cesar Chavez, Nelson Mandela, Eleanor Roosevelt and others. In 1998 the first Season for Nonviolence was undertaken. It is now observed in many countries and in many cities across the United States.

The primary focus of the Season for Nonviolence is to educate about the principles of nonviolence and encourage individuals, families, and communities to embrace these principles and put them to work in their daily lives. Any function or activity that serves this focus can be included a Season for Nonviolence. Activities ranging simply displaying a sign saying you support the Season for Nonviolence, to individually committing to read and try to implement the 64 daily practices, to including the principles of nonviolence in classes and activities in schools, to discussion groups, to neighborhood wide events can be included. It is hoped that many community residents will come forward with a diversity of ideas and a willingness to implement them.

Joe Grindon, a long time resident of the area and member of the SLCG, is heading up this effort. For more information, Joe can be contacted at 303-455-5947 or by email at gjoe5@qwest.net.