Ethics, nonviolence and justice explored at Peace and Dharma Conference

The Fresno State Department of Philosophy, M.K. Gandhi Center: Inner Peace and Sarvodaya, the Jain and Hindu Dharma Initiative and the Annual Uberoi Meeting are combining to present the Peace and Dharma International Conference on Oct. 2 and 3 at Fresno State’s University Business Center (Room 191). The conference will focus on ethics, nonviolence and justice in the religious traditions of India. All events listed below are free and open to the public.

Dharma, a foundational concept from Indian philosophy, encompasses ethics, duty and living in harmony with natural law. This multifaceted tradition, found across different Indian philosophical schools, provides profound insights for building peace, practicing nonviolence and working toward the welfare of all. The conference’s events explore this timeless wisdom through speeches, panels featuring internationally recognized experts and artistic expression.

“Dharma principles can offer guidance and insights into skills and values that can help address the issues of violence, distrust and divisions,” said Dr. Veena Howard, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, endowed chair in Jain and Hindu Dharma and director of the M.K. Gandhi Center: Inner Peace and Sarvodaya.

“Gandhi used the principle of nonviolence to confront the structures of violence. A new generation of leaders can help bridge differences on social, ideological and personal levels by focusing on the importance of working together, deep listening and respecting different opinions.”
Dr. Veena Howard

The conference begins with a commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Fresno State Peace Garden, north of the Fresno State Library. The commemoration includes performances and a garlanding ceremony.

Following opening remarks by Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Dr. Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, will present his keynote address “Dharma as Radical Tradition: From Ancient Sages to Gandhi,” at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. His lecture proposes that justice, if it is to be truly radical and make a difference, has to be grounded in old values and old ways of seeing the world — that is, in an ancient wisdom that challenges us today. Dharma (encompassing values and questions regarding religion, ritual, ethics, law and virtue) is a primary example of this dynamic. The event is free and open to the public.

The core of the conference consists of panels from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, following a welcome from Dr. Honora Chapman, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.

9:15-10:45 a.m. “Dharma in Action” – chaired by Dr. Jeffery D. Long of Elizabethtown College, with panelists Dr. Venu Mehta, Claremont School of Theology; Dr. Shivani Bothra, CSU Long Beach; Dr. Mahua Bhattacharya, Elizabethtown College; and Dr. Sumita Sarma, CSU Bakersfield.
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. “Peace, Nonviolence, Interfaith Dialogue and Constructive Imagination in Dharma Traditions” – chaired by Dr. Andrew Fiala and Dr. Veena Howard, Fresno State with Dr. Xuanning Fu, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Fresno State; Dr. Christopher Chapple, Loyola Marymount University; Dr. Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, Colby College; Dr. Michael Eze, Fresno State; Dr. Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Harvard Divinity School and H.E. Bawa Jain, The Centre for Responsible Leadership.
2-3:30 p.m. “Dharmic Resources for a Plural World” – chaired by Chapple with panelists Dr. Samiksha Goyal, Simon Fraser University; Dr. Saam Noonsuk, Fresno State; Dr. Zoë Slatoff, Loyola Marymount University; and Dr. Raja Rosenhagen, Fresno State.
3:45-5 p.m. “Dharma in the Modern World” – chaired by Singh with panelists Dr. Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa-Baker, Loyola Marymount University; Dr. Cogen Bohanec, Arihanta Institute; and Dr. Swasti Bhattacharyya, Fulbright Nehru senior scholar alumna.

After the conference proceedings, attendees and the community are invited to unwind at the jazz concert, “Poetry and Music for Peace,” featuring Dr. Benjamin Boone, professor of composition at Fresno State and two-time U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera from 5:15-6:30 p.m. at the Wahlberg Recital Hall in the old Music Building. They will be accompanied by Professor Craig VonBerg on piano and Professor John Martin on percussion.

“I hope that academic presentations from prominent scholars and the music program by our own Fresno State professor and the U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, focusing on the topics of ethics, peace, nonviolence and justice, will inspire dialogue in the face of dissenting voices, prompt conversations on the value of nonviolent methods in seeking justice and build a shared sense of community,” Howard said.

Conference attendees and the community are also invited to a special mass by Fr. Francis Clooney, S.J., at 7:20 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the St. Paul Catholic Newman Center (1572 E Barstow Ave.).

The conference is supported by the Uberoi Foundation for Religious Studies. It is sponsored by the Interfaith Scholar Weekend and the College of Arts and Humanities, the Peace and Conflict Studies program, Asian American Studies program, the School of Music, the University Business Center, the Asian Faculty and Staff Association, the Cross Cultural and Gender Center, the Fresno State Alumni Association and the Department of Media, Communication and Journalism.