IFPNP IV Valedictory


 The Online International Fellowship Program on Nonviolence and Peace (IFPNP) concluded its four-month journey on January 30, 2026, with a valedictory session organized by the Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan. The program was held in association with an esteemed global network of partners, including Gandhi International (France), The Academic University College for Non-Violence and Human Rights (AUNOHR) (Lebanon), the International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) at the Durban University of Technology (South Africa), and Portland Community College (USA). Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director of the International Fellowship Programme on Nonviolence and Peace, presided over the function.

The session commenced with introductory remarks from Dr. Michael Sonnleitner, a former professor and trustee of Portland Community College, who introduced the guest speaker. Prior to the main address, Louis Campana, President of Gandhi International, France, addressed the fellows. He advocated for replacing destructive economic development with a philosophy of balance, emphasizing harmony with nature and others. He noted that true, nonviolent living involves nurturing an "infinite seed" within and prioritizing service to others over personal gain.

World renowned American activist and Board President of World Beyond War, Kathy Kelly, then delivered the valedictory address titled "Building Hope, Non-Violence, and Peace: What is Our Excuse Not to Do More?". Her address challenged global complacency toward active war zones while urging for grassroots mobilization, individual accountability, and the dismantling of nationalistic biases to counter militarism.

The programme concluded with a reflective address by Prof. Dorcas Ettang, representing the International Centre of Nonviolence at the Durban University of Technology and serving as the UNESCO Co-Chair for Education for Peace and Transformative Education. Summarizing the four-month IFPNP journey, Prof. Ettang highlighted the core takeaway that the nonviolent means used directly dictate the final peaceful outcomes achieved. Her closing remarks left participants with vital questions regarding the true feasibility of a nonviolent world and the personal price individuals must be willing to pay to achieve it.

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