Online International Fellowship Programme on Nonviolence and Peace

 

https://nonvpi.in/index.php/2026/08/25/international-online-fellowship-program-on-nonviolence-and-peace/

A Story for Reflection

 

War is a Cruel Guest

By: Sulafa Mohammed Elnour
The Voice of Women

Introduction Note:
This story was written by the author to describe the realities of war. After being abroad with her family, she has now returned to Sudan. Her moving, seven-part narration captures the painful transition from normal life to the hardships of displacement, loss, and the ultimate journey toward safety.

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Part 1: The Looming Shadow

On an ordinary day, everyone goes to work, shops, visits friends, or stays home, expecting a happy day. The sounds of the sellers in the markets rise as vendors call out their wares, and the aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through every street. Everyone is happy.

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire rings out. We thought it was just a brief clash and that peace would soon prevail. Perhaps it was a heavy burden that would quickly pass. No one considered that this heavy burden was a shadow that had settled over us, its dark, colourless spectre looming.

The sound of rifles and cannons grows louder for hours, days, months, and then years. This house is not my house; this home is not my home. Where are my friends? Where are we? Will we ever return?

To be continued...

Part 2: Displacement: Twelve Stories of Pain

Twelve stories of pain and loss, beginning from the unknown and leading to the unknown. All the earth is your home now, and all places feel the same. There is nothing special and no extra requests—just whatever is available. You move from house to house, from state to state, fleeing the anguish and horrors of war.

Over there, someone cries—someone whose son, father, or entire family was killed. Rape, forced disappearance, and murder happen without any crime other than belonging to this wounded homeland. How I long for my own pillow. There are so many stories to tell, but nothing remains. Everything has been violated and looted. All the houses stand empty, filled only with the sound of rats and a deadly silence.

Part 3: Shelters, Lines, and Shared Kitchens

People and their eyes tell everything: story after story, pain hidden behind a smile. We are here, but thank God, the first thing to remember is that we are still okay.

There are service lines and registration queues. Someone collapsed from the heat; he could not stand, so we will help him first. A rug, a container of water, and cooking utensils are all we have. Perhaps the food basket will arrive soon. Hot meals and a shared kitchen fuel us; hundreds of mouths are waiting.

The day ends. We dream that we might return home, but it cannot be my home anymore. I change my home every few days. As the sunset waves goodbye, telling us to hang up our lights, we hope that tomorrow might be different.

Part 4: Fading Memories, Clinging to Life

Every day is the beginning of a new life. The past is gone, and memories fade away. Moving around constantly weakens our connection to places and people. Yet, amidst all this, there were flowers and moons that illuminated the darkness of displacement. Work, however simple, makes you cling to life. Traveling to shelters and villages to help others brings a small measure of satisfaction.

Love visited us once, but it did not want to stay. Perhaps it felt that displacement was too beautiful and decided to leave us for other hearts that were safer and more comfortable. Heartache is nothing when you are the one who has lost everything. Your heart does not matter; nothing matters except clinging to life and to a new day that may never come.

Part 5: White Lilacs: Love Amid Destruction

During these days, many marriages took place, as if they were the strongest weapon to bring security and strengthen our presence despite the war and destruction. Love stories began during displacement and homelessness. Flowers blossomed and buds opened in every dark corner, like a luminous white lilac whose fragrance is like dew gently scattered to alleviate suffering and give birth to hope and love amidst the devastation.

Part 6: Stolen Treasures and Empty Houses

My mother’s dress and bracelets, her husband’s things, and so many items filled with love. My mother’s scent, my father’s shawl that I saved for a wedding day, clothes, and bridal tools—their precious treasures are hidden away. There are pictures of scattered things, the most beautiful treasures on earth, because they belonged to my dear mother.

None of it is the same anymore. They took it all and buried it alongside the souls that were stolen from us while we were still alive. There is a mother who remembers her kitchen utensils and other belongings: her bags, clothes, and ebony furniture crafted with pride and love. She cries out, "Have my children returned? Will we ever go home? Is the house still the same, or is it destroyed?" And the questions go on...

Part 7: Immigration: Building from Scratch

Immigration means leaving one's home for another country as a refugee, wanting to create a homeland, a safe place, and a warm haven to protect against the constant movement of a long displacement. There is illegal immigration, filled with harsh roads, cars, mountains, deserts, and traders who make the journey feel longer than it actually is.

Sometimes you succeed in crossing, and sometimes you wait for days until you are safe. Then, the story continues: building everything from scratch—a new life, a new place. But thank God, they are finally safe. There is no sound of bullets, no death; everything has stopped now.

Official declaration of Peace fellows of IFPNP IV 2025-26

     From Students to Peace Fellows: A Global Commitment to Nonviolence in a War-Weary World

The Fourth International Online Fellowship Programme on Nonviolence and Peace (IFPNP IV) reached its final milestone on March 24, 2026, with the formal declaration of Peace Fellows and the issuance of certifications. Following a rigorous evaluation of monthly assignments and comprehensive project reports submitted by fellows through February, 33 participants were officially designated as Peace Fellows. This four-month initiative was inaugurated on October 2, 2025, to mark the International Day of Nonviolence, and concluded its academic sessions on January 30, 2026, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi.

The programme was a collaborative global effort involving Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan (India), Gandhi International (France), the Academic University 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). To qualify, candidates successfully completed detailed project reports in February covering four core modules: Global Sustainability, Gandhian Nonviolence and Peace, Application of Nonviolent Action, and Conflict Transformation. These fellows were guided by a distinguished panel of mentors, including Prof. John Chelladurai, Prof. D. Jeevankumar, Prof. Dorcas Ettang, and Prof. Michael Sonnleitner.

The 33 Peace Fellows represent a diverse international network spanning 13 countries: India, Nigeria, The Gambia, Kenya, Bangladesh, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Sudan, and South Africa. The formal declaration was endorsed by key international partners, including Louis Campana (Founder of Gandhi International), Prof. Dorcas O. Ettang ( Associate Professor, ICON , DUT and UNESCO Co-chair on Education for Peace), Dr.Ogarit Younan (President of the Board of Trustees at AUNOHR), Dr.Michael Sonnleitner (former Trustee of Portland Community College), and Asha Bothra ( President, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan).

Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director of IFPNP, emphasized that the Peace Fellow Declaration is far more than an academic recognition; it serves as a profound ethical pledge. It recognizes each recipient as a dedicated practitioner of nonviolence and invites them to rededicate their lives to promoting ahimsa, truth, and service within their professional and community contexts. As a  part of the constant evaluation  , participants were asked to engage in an in-depth evaluation of the course to reflect on the various components of their learning journey and its practical application.

The fellowship concludes at a time when the world is facing a turbulent situation, and it is hoped that these fellows remain steadfast in their commitment to nonviolence and act as catalysts for peace in a war-weary world. Their journey from students to Peace Fellows marks not an end, but the beginning of a lifelong mission of service and reconciliation.

This note was issued by Dr.Siby K.Joseph, Director of IFPNP. 

        

The Choice of Nonviolence and the Infinite Seed by Louis Campana

 

• Siby K. Joseph
• February 3, 2026
• 8:51 am
• No Comments

The Choice of Nonviolence and the Infinite Seed

Louis Campana

I would first like to congratulate you on the choice you have made: the choice of nonviolence and the way you have chosen to see the world. You may have observed that the world we live in is not only violent but dominated by a will for domination and profit. The greatest agent of this world is what we call ‘economic development.’ I would like to explain how this development can be a catastrophe.

A few years ago, I met with Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and a Guarani chief from South America. The Guarani people never considered the earth as property. When asked what ‘development’ meant to him, the chief replied that the word did not exist in his language. He said, ‘In our world, we have a word: balance.’

This means balance with nature, the environment, the cosmos, God, the unknown forces, others, and ourselves. When this balance is broken, violence begins. These people have never damaged their environment. Before farming, they ask the earth for forgiveness for digging into her. They live beyond what we call ‘sustainability.’

In my own tradition, the first commandment is to love God with all your heart and strength, and the second is to love your fellow being as yourself. It is a matter of balance. I would like to quote Satish Kumar: ‘You are, therefore I am.’ This is very different from Descartes’ ‘I think, therefore I am.’

In France, the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once said, ‘Hell is other people.’ He was right in the sense that when I compare myself to others, I often try to be the best or the most intelligent. Loving others is the opposite: it is stepping down from the stage to let others stand upon it, seeking their happiness.

We are like a deep well. The purpose of life is to seek the ‘infinite seed’ within us. This is true in all religious traditions unless they are manipulated for political or ideological gain. Gandhi was a master of this. In all his social work and struggles, he listened to his ‘inner voice.’ You are right to trust Gandhi’s teachings.

Be brave. The world is difficult; you will climb mountains and navigate oceans of difficulties. But if you find your inner seed, you will succeed in everything. Thank you, and be brave.”

Acknowledgment

This brief address was delivered at the valedictory session of the online International Fellowship Programme on Nonviolence and Peace, organised by Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan on January 30, 2026. The programme was held in association with an esteemed network of global 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, introduced the speaker, Louis Campana. His address, originally delivered in French, was translated into English by Christophe Grigri, Coordinator of Gandhi International.

About the Speaker

Louis Campana is an influential French nonviolent activist and the founding President of Gandhi International. As a direct disciple of Lanza del Vasto (known as Shantidas or the “Gandhi of Europe”), he has dedicated his life to propagating Gandhian ideals across Europe and beyond.He is a recipient of many accolades, including the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Award for promoting Gandhian values abroad. Through Gandhi International, he continues to federate various nonviolent organisations under a single Gandhian banner to address issues of poverty, exclusion, and environmental damage.

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