Dear Friends,

The quest for peace is an eternal pursuit for
human fulfilment. Human beings can become human
and humane only in conditions of peace.
Creativity, spirituality, individual and
collective achievements attain grandeur and glory
only when there is amity. Qualities of
compassion, forgiveness, love, sharing and
universal solidarity become cherished and sought
after virtuous attributes only when a community,
society or nation is at peace - within and
without. War on the other hand, internal or
external, civil or military, declared or
undeclared valorises bravery - the capacity to
kill or be killed - the destruction of human life
and accomplishments; it mocks compassion and
conscience. Economic, social and cultural rights
are necessary pre-conditions for the realisation
of an effective, egalitarian and
non-discriminatory civil and political order.

Peace Festival on the theme “Peace and Justice”
aims to address the importance of justice and
peace issues and raise public awareness using
innovative and alternative means of
communication- video films, street theatre,
poster exhibitions, literature, etc. The thrust
of the Festival will be based on perspectives and
worldviews of rural and urban communities -
Dalits, Adivasis, Women and minorities. At the
close of the Festival there will an attempt to
formulate a perspective and establish linkages
with various groups working towards strengthening
peace and justice.

Mumbai based organisations* under the banner of
“Forum for Peace and Justice” in collaboration
with Peace for Life - a Philippines based global
solidarity network have taken the initiative to
organise a International Festival on the theme
’Peace and Justice’. The significance of this
theme is very relevant especially in the context
of war, conflict and crime against humanity. In
this context there is an urgent need to uphold
the desirability and principle of peace that can
only be realised through the actualisation of
justice with democracy, equality and
strengthening the principles of secularism.

We invite you on behalf of "Forum for Peace and
Justice" to participate in the Peace Festival and
you are welcome to present any cultural items
giving expression to Peace and Justice. Please
confirm your participation at the earliest to the
addresses given below:

Vikas Adhyayan Kendra (VAK)
D-1, Shivdham,
62 Link Road,
Malad (West)
Mumbai 400 064
Email:  bom3.vsnl.net.in>vak bom3.vsnl.net.in
Tel: 2882 2850

* Center for Study of Society and Secularism
(CSSS), Vikas Adhyayan Kendra (VAK), Federation
of Center for Community Organizations (FCCO)
Mumbai, Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ),
Focus of the Global South, Pakistan India Forum
for Peace and Democracy, Peoples India
Initiative, CNDP, Muslim Intellectual Forum, EKTA.