Written by Atharva Mehendale, Community Project Manager, URI - North India & Afghanistan
Dwarka Peace Society was born out of the need to build a society that promotes peace and inclusive development. Environmental conservation and right to education for all is also something that the society lays its emphasis on. Mr. Mahinder Pal, Founder, Dwarka Peace Society believes in and strives to uphold the principle of ‘Unity in Diversity’, which he thinks also binds the country together. In order to make sure that the above happens, the society proactively celebrates all festivals that are a part of different faiths and religions. In the month of January 2020, the society celebrated Lohri under the name ‘Harmony Lohri Celebration’; which saw participation from people belonging to all religions. In a similar fashion, Iftar Dinner & Diwali organized in 2019 saw active participation of people from all faiths.
Dwarka Peace Society strives to bring in inclusive growth, development and peace at the grassroots level. It ascribes to a number of internationally celebrated and followed causes. The society actively celebrates World Interfaith Harmony Week in the month of February every year. This year, the society organized a trip for school children; and it stressed upon the need propagate interfaith awareness at the school level. As a part of the trip, the children were taken to places of worship of a number of religions like the Lotus Temple, ISKON Temple, Buddha Temple and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in order to understand the importance of interfaith harmony 'first-hand'.
The society celebrated ‘World Health Day’ on April 23 last year; where Ms. Subhi Dhupar, Regional Coordinator, URI – North India & Afghanistan was invited as the chief guest. The aim of the celebration was to promote protection and conservation of the environment. On the occasion of ‘International Peace Day’ on September 21 last year, the society organized a drawing competition for children that saw massive participation. Their association with URI – North India & Afghanistan as a member group has been a long one. The society upholds URI’s idea of the use of peace to counter disharmony and discord in the society. The society also stresses upon the importance of education in laying the foundation stone of a truly inclusive society. It is through education that we can change the face of the world is something that Mr. Mahinder Pal strongly believes. A huge section of the society in India has little or no access to primary education; and this is something that the society strives to change. It is through education that one is able to find a place in society. Dwarka Peace Society believes that URI has an important role to play in the use of religion to promote this idea of harmony and it is in complete support of the same.
