Round-Table Discussion

on
The Role of Arts and Culture in Promoting World Peace
at
The Centre of Indialogue Foundation, M-207, GK II, New Delhi
Saturday 16 April 2016 11:00 am

The Participants:

Prof. RP Singh (JNU)
Prof. Hema Ragvan (Former Principal Gargi College, DU)
MP Lele (Former Additional Director General, AIR)
Maj. Gen. PK Saighal
Rajnikant Verma (Journalist)
Ruman Hashmi (Journalist)
Prem Arya (Social Activist)
Prof. Razi Kamal (Former HoD, Islamic Studies, Jamia)
Asha Mohini (Journalist)
Principal Pramod Kumar (Jagran Public School)
Umesh Mathur (Former Director, Steel Authority of India)
Prof. Madhu Khanna (Jamia Millia)
Gulam Rasool (Research Scholar)
Chand Bhardwaj (Scholar)
Prof. Nimirta Bagga (Mass Communication, Marwaha Studio)
Vikram Dutt (Eminent Scholar)
Nilakshi Rajkhowa George (Director, Bha’i House)
Prof. Maya Joshi (Deptt. of English, Lady Sriram College, DU)
Kumar Dhananjay (Journalist)
Choudhary Raghuvinder Singh (All India Radio)

Concept Note

Peace has always been an aspiration, ideal and a duty. However, in the current fast-paced world, peace has become a scarce commodity. There is an important challenge to find a suitable way of realizing the ideal of unity in diversity by assimilating the rich wealth of diverse cultures of the world and averting fear reflex, when confronted with the otherness.
The Arts promote peace because of their emotive nature, and create a desire and commitment to work for peace and harmony. All Arts – music, drama, literature, poetry, film and the visual arts such as paintings, posters, sculptures and photography can substantially contribute to creating an atmosphere for social harmony. 

Cultures emerge as an essential factor for sustainable development and lasting peace. In fact, equitable progress and social cohesion are possible by practicing a culture of universal human values. The road to inclusive socio-economic development and environmental sustainability, peace and security are grounded in culture, which determines and creates paths for lasting conflict resolution and healing.