By the Grace of Allah, the Peace Symposium Bangalore which was held on the 26th Oct 2013 was a huge success.
The main intention of the program was to highlight the efforts taken by the community around the world to promote Peace and Harmony and to build Public Relations with the people of the city who matter most, such as Politicians, high level government administrators, Law Enforcement Officials, education institutes, Religious organizations, Media, etc.
Prior to the Program efficient teams of Jamaat members were formed and sent to about 300+ high profile people in the City. These teams of 3-4 members each visited each of these dignitaries spoke with them, gave the Folders with the Message of Peace on behalf of the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (Huzoor Anwar) and invited them to the Peace Symposium (Invitation card attached). These meeting proved to be very effective and almost all of these dignitaries appreciated the efforts. Most of them had heard of the community but now it gave them an opportunity to interact and get to know more.
We had organized a very interesting set of programs for the 2.5 hr function. The Highlights of the Symposium were the speech “Message of Peace” which was a gist of the efforts taken by beloved Huzoor Anwar around the world to spread Peace and harmony which was delivered by Muhammad Shafiulla Sb in English, a short interesting documentary highlighting the works of Islam Ahmadiyya around the world was shown via Projector, which was in a mixture of English, Hindi and the local Kannada language and a Book Release “World Crises and the Pathway to Peace” which was release by P Ramakrishna Upadhyay the president of Bangalore Press Club.
Apart from these there were speeches by the Home Minister, the Transport Minister, the representatives from the Chinmaya mission, the Catholics Church and the President of the biggest Gurudwara in Bangalore. President of Bangalore Press Club Mr. P Ramakrishna Upadhyay spoke very well about Huzoor’s Book and the efforts taken to spread awareness of the dangers to world leaders. Mv. Muhammad Kalim Khan Sb and Jb. K K Badruddin Sb delivered speeches in Urdu and Kannada respectively on how Islam actually promoted Peace and brotherhood in societies rather than terror.
A video message recorded specially for the occasion from the renowned writer Gyanpeeth, Padma Bhushan U R Ananthmurthi, was also played on the screen.
Jb. Musaddiq Ahmad Sb the Ameer of Bangalore Jamaat concluded the program with the presidential address, vote of thanks and silent prayers.
Apart from the eminent guests on stage the guests who attended the program included:
– Members of the Gandhi Peace Foundation Bangalore
– Representatives of the MahaBodhi Society Bangalore (Buddhists)
– Representatives of the Sri Adhichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt
– A former Judge and presently the Chairman of Human Rights Commission Bangalore
– Ex Members of the Legislative Council including Mr. B A Hasanabba & Mr. Mahesh
– IAS officers (Indian Administrative Services)
– IPS Officers (Police)
– State and Central Intelligence
– Vice Chancellors of Universities
– Bangalore University Profs & HoDs
– Members of the Kannada Sahitya Academy
– Secretary and Treasurer of the Bangalore Book Publishers and Printers Association.
– Reputed Doctors, Advocates and Architects.
– The Regional Head and other senior members of Metlife Insurance
– Social workers and Other Renowned People of Society
– Plenty of Print and Electronic Media Journalists.
All the guests were gifted with a packet containing the books “World Crises and the Pathway to Peace”, “Life of Muhammad(saw)”, a DVD Introducing the Jamaat and sweets.
The Impact:
Many who visited the Symposium appreciated the members of the community, many called back later and said they never thought Muslims could make such efforts for Peace on Earth. Even few non-Ahmadi Muslims called back and compared our speakers to their Aalims J. Many also appreciated the discipline maintained by all the members of the Jamaat during the program and showed how forward the community is.
Press and Media Coverage:
Very good reports were put in 3 New TV Channels (News 9, Udaya and DD Chandana)
Watch a video report @: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odIyAbVduek
Atleast 8 news papers have put good reports along with photos of the event very prominently.
5 Kannada, 1 Malayalam and 2 Tamil dailies (Find attached)
More Developments:
The Gandhi Peace Foundation, ISKCON Bangalore, Sri Adichunchanagiri Maha Samsthana Math and couple of other groups have invited us to collaborate and conduct similar programs at their facilities.
The KH Foundation headed by Smt. Vijayalashamma Hanumathaiyaji the daughter of an former Chief Minister of Karnataka State, phoned us directly and invited us to take part in their events in Delhi and Bangalore.
All Praise belongs to Almighty Allah!
Find all the photos of the Event
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ahmadiyya Jamaat for all its peace-building civic ventures over the past several decades and now spanning the globe in close to 180 countries. The most recent Peace Symposium was held on the 26th Oct 2013 in Bangalore India and was a great success. Many in India who visited the symposium or came to know about it through extensive news media coverage appreciated the Ahmadiyya Community very highly. There were many who never thought Muslims could make such efforts for Peace on this Earth.
I am an admirer of Ahmadiyya global movement and recently compared it to another only (to my knowledge) similar faith-based (Islamic) global movement with many similarities(http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/09/americas/the-ahmadiyya-movement-its-reintroduction-of-the-prophets-path-in-todays-age). The name of the other movement is ‘Hizmet Movement’.
The Hizmet movement, over 3 decades, has also established hundreds of educational and civic institutions in more than 140 countries. These institutions engage in various peace-building initiatives that foster inclusiveness and create shared spaces. The true purpose of Islam is peace building and Ahmadiyya and Hizmet movements have been gearing their efforts in the same direction. A Washington D.C. international peace symposium by Hizmet was being held at the same time (Oct 25th and 26th, 2013) as one in Bangalore India. A wonderful coincidence but these two movements for decades have been doing these noble works through best of education, peace-building and human development.
It will be most interesting to see if OIC (organization of over 50 Islamic countries) or any other so-called Muslim organizations would ever wake up to the occasion and join these two movements to further contribute to such admirable works or help promote true Islam in the world.
What is so “Islamic” about any Islamic country where Sunnis and Shias have been killing each other over the decades, and now Deobandis and Brelvis are killing each other? Due to extremism, sectarian conflicts and terror, the masses in many Muslim countries are being deprived of peaceful living and without a sense of brotherhood, tolerance and love. Allah Almighty is indeed the only Judge as to how Ahmadi Muslims have been brutalized over the decades in Pakistan when a government and Mullah’s took upon themselves on Allah’s behalf to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims.
Congratulations to the organizers of Ahmadiyya Jamat Bangalore for conducting such a great mission for advocating peace in this world where the world is at the brink of war and disaster. Such endeavors should be encouraged by all and PEACE be maintained in the world. I think this way you are making more friends. This is a continuation of what the Khalifa has started and striving to bring real peace to this world. May Allah accept this little effort in the right way. Amen.
This particualr Jamaat has lot of potential. Now it has been used properly. Specially small groups visting dignitaries and inviting them. Allah may shower His ever increasing bounties on all those who are promoting the real teachings of Islam. Particularly in the country of promsied Messiah.
mubarak ho
aaenda bhi ayse programe karne ki tawfeeq allah inayat farmaen aameen.
Congratulations to the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Bangalore for such a great programme.
SUCH A GREAT PEACE SYMPOSIUM.I REALLY CONGRATULATE ALL THE ORGANICERS. FOR THIS GREATEVENT.MAY ALLAH MAKE FRUITFULL IN FUTURE ENDEAVORS AMEEN