As America commemorates ‘Labor Day’, a trio of Gandhian ‘peace walkers’ from India and Japan continue their four-month-long journey that started in New York, going on to Miami, Dallas, Seattle, and Los Angeles by end October, before heading across the Atlantic to the UK
By Pragyan Srivastava / Sapan News Network, Boston
“No work is insignificant. All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” These words by Martin Luther King Jr. encapsulate the essence of Mahatma Gandhi’s quote, “work is worship” – also an essential tenet of Islam.
As America commemorates ‘Labor Day’, a trio of Gandhian ‘peace walkers’ from India and Japan continue their four-month-long walk from New York to Dallas, then Seattle to Los Angeles before proceeding to Canada and the U.K. – Yogesh Mathuria also known as VishwaMitra Yogesh and Nitin Sonawane from India, along with Rev. Kanshin Ikeda from Japan.
Their aim: To rekindle hope for a more peaceful world.
A global message
Having walked across nine countries over twelve years, Yogesh believes that the simple act of walking in the name of peace can create a ripple effect across the world.
“Nonviolence is not just a concept; it is a way of life,” he told Sapan News. “We are here to remind people that peace is possible, even in these turbulent times.”
In January 2005, the shock of his wife’s passing due to pancreatic cancer catalysed a lifestyle change for Yogesh, then 50 years old. He renounced his corporate life and vowed to dedicate himself to working on “peace through pilgrimages and wellness services”. He also dropped his family surname after noticing that people aligned him with a particular community. He later took on the name VishwaMitra, or ‘friend of the universe’.
Nitin Sonawane, a 33-year-old engineer-turned-peace activist, has cycled and walked across 50 countries, covering over 45,000 kilometres. Known as the ‘Gandhi Peace Walker,’ Sonawane has engaged in dialogues with over 100,000 young people, spreading the message of nonviolence and mutual respect.
“We are walking to rekindle hope,” Sonawane told Sapan News over a phone call. “In a world where peace often seems elusive, our walk symbolises that it is still within our reach.”
Rev. Kanshin Ikeda, a 45-year-old Buddhist monk from Tokyo has participated in peace walks across 25 countries, chanting the Buddhist mantra “Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo’ (A chant for manifestation) and beating the peace drum as a prayer for the wellbeing of all living beings. A follower of Rev. Nichidatsu Fujii, also known as the ‘Gandhi of Japan,’ he adds a profound spiritual dimension to the journey.
“Peace is not just the absence of conflict,” Rev. Ikeda told Sapan News. “It is the presence of justice, compassion, and love for all.”
On a hot, humid July day, the trio, accompanied by supporters, began their journey with a symbolic walk from the UN Headquarters to Nanak Gurudwara, a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs in Jersey City.
Their walk is rooted in the rich history of nonviolent resistance. They emphasise the relevance of these principles in the context of modern challenges—such as the advent of artificial intelligence, nuclear threats, ongoing conflicts, and climate change—arguing that the values of love and mutual respect are more crucial than ever.
“Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man,” said Mahatma Gandhi, a man whose life was a testament to the power of nonviolence.
Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence transformed political activism from his early days in South Africa, where he developed the concept of Satyagraha, or nonviolent civil resistance, to his pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence. His marches, like the iconic Salt March 1930, were not just protests but spiritual exercises, demonstrating the strength of collective action rooted in truth and justice.
The Mahatma’s belief in the interconnectedness of all life extended to his views on environmental stewardship. He saw the protection of nature as an essential component of nonviolence, a philosophy that resonates in today’s climate change and environmental degradation context.
The Gandhi-King nexus
Inspired by Gandhi, Martin Luther King’s peaceful marches, such as the historic March on Washington, 1963, challenged systemic racism. King’s adoption of nonviolence was not merely a tactical decision but a deeply held conviction that love and peaceful resistance can overcome hatred and oppression.
Gandhi’s nonviolent principles also had a profound impact across Southasia*. In the then North-West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, the Pashtun freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as the “Frontier Gandhi,” led the Khudai Khidmatgar, ‘servants of God’ movement in the 1920s, advocating for nonviolence and social reform.
In independent India, the northeastern state of Manipur, Indian civil rights activist Irom Sharmila carried forward Gandhi’s legacy through her 16-year-long hunger strike starting in November 2000 against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), demonstrating the power of peaceful resistance even in the face of severe adversity.
The recipients of the International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, awarded annually by the Government of India, further exemplify how Gandhi’s philosophy transcended borders.
Recipients have been profoundly influenced by Gandhi’s teachings, showcasing the global impact of his philosophy. They include: Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne from Sri Lanka, who founded the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a self-governance movement launched in 1958 that provides comprehensive development and conflict resolution programs to villages; Nobel Laureate and current caretaker prime minister of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus, the visionary behind the Grameen Bank initiative launched in 1976 in Bangladesh;
Nelson Mandela, the first president of South Africa; and Qaboos bin Said Al Said, former Sultan of Oman and the region’s longest-serving leader at the time of his death in 2020, known for his efforts to promote peace and non-violence in the Gulf region.
Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr.’s work resonated beyond the United States, inspiring global figures in their struggles for justice and equality. Leaders such as South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Northern Ireland’s John Hume, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, drew from King’s nonviolent approach to challenge injustice in their own countries.
A Massachusetts connection
The walkers reached Washington, D.C. on 05 August, and organised a peace prayer at the White House. They then travelled to Leverett, Massachusetts, which has a long history of peace activism. The New England Peace Pagoda community received them warmly.
Two significant events took place in Leverett: a silent walk with senior citizens to the local library and a larger peace walk through the streets. The latter was particularly moving, as it included chants of “Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo (A chant for manifestation),” led by Rev. Kanshin Ikeda. These chants resonated deeply with participants as they walked in remembrance of the horrors of nuclear war.
One poignant moment occurred at L3Harris KEO, an arms factory in Leverett. The walkers stopped to conduct a joint prayer and left behind a peace symbol -small handmade paper doves that they had crafted. They told Sapan News that the factory personnel appreciated their gesture and cooperated with them.
“This was a powerful gesture,” Sonawane told Sapan News. “We pray for peace at a place where instruments of war are made, hoping to transform the energy of the space.”
The peace walkers’ say they have encountered many remarkable individuals in their journey through different cities. In Birmingham, Alabama, they reunited with James and Shelly Douglas, whom Yogesh affectionately calls the “living American Gandhi and Kasturba.”
The Douglases, now in their late 80s, have been organising bi-weekly peace demonstrations for over 23 years, since the 9/11 attacks.
In the heart of America’s South, kind families housed the walkers and provided them with financial assistance for their pilgrimage. In Natchez, Mississippi, they learnt about the city’s harrowing past as a hub for the slave trade. In Alexandria, their hosts treated them to a heartfelt traditional homemade Gujarati dinner.
In Houston, they visited the Eternal Gandhi Museum, where they met several trustees. Opened in August 2023, it is the only museum in the United States dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.
Yogesh shared his appreciation of the museum, largely designed by women. He found the last two sections especially touching, featuring young leaders like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai alongside icons like King, Mandela, and the Dalai Lama.” It was inspiring to see how Gandhi’s message continues to resonate with today’s youth,” he said.
The Gandhi-King Peace Walk invites people from all walks of life to join in the effort to promote nonviolence and peace.
For more information please contact:
VishwaMitra Yogesh: vishwamitrayogesh57@gmail.com
Nitin Sonawane: Nonviolenceplanet@gmail.com
Rev. Kanshin Ikeda: ikedakanshin@yahoo.co.jp
Pragyan Srivastava, an Indian journalist and former Fulbright-Nehru Master’s scholar, has extensive experience in digital storytelling, social media, and television production. She is passionate about creating authentic and powerful stories about Southasia*, aiming to foster understanding and connection through her compelling narratives.
LEAD PHOTO: Peace walkers on the streets of New York. Photo supplied
This is a Sapan News syndicated feature available for republication with due credit http://www.sapannews.com.
Note on Southasia as one word: We use ‘Southasia’ as one word, “seeking to restore some of the historical unity of our common living space, without wishing any violence on the existing nation states” – Himal Southasian.
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Also published in:
- Scroll.in : Peace walkers take Gandhi and Martin Luther King’s message of nonviolent resistance across the US, 4 September 2024.
I will look for the Peace Walkers in Los Angeles.
I think Mahatma Gandhi got the concept of non-violence from Holy Koran.
Is there anybody to contradict it? Once Gandhi ji said non-violence is weapon of poor. It is true weak and poor people fight for their rights with patience and tranquility which ultimately becomes a weapon for their usurped rights and privileges.
A community of one, has little violence: if any. The possibility of violence increases with numbers and density!