International Peace Prayer Meet Pays Tribute to Pahalgam Terror Attack Victims | Global Gandhi Network
The Global Gandhi Network organized a virtual International Peace Prayer Meet on 27 April 2025 to pay tributes to the victims of Pahalgam, Kashmir and promote peace and unity .
The virtual meeting brought together nearly two hundred participants from across the world. Participants were mainly from India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan,UK, USA,Mexico and other parts of the globe.
The online meeting expressed grave concern about the Pahalgam terror attack which pierced the soul of humanity where innocent civilians lost their lives.
In the midst of the tragedy, the meeting underscored that peace must be our response and we should stand together in prayer and solidarity holding in our hearts the memories of the innocent and families who mourn .
Thoughtful reflections were made by distinguished personalities in the virtual meeting , including: Shri Chandan Pal, President, Sarva Seva Sangh ,Prof. Anand Kumar, noted sociologist and President Citizens For Democracy , Shri Ram Dutt Tripathi, Former Correspondent of BBC and Sarvodaya Activist, Dr. Anamik Shah , former Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar,Director, Gandhi Research Foundation, Shri A. Annamalai, Director, National Gandhi Memorial Museum,Ms. Lubna Yasmin Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh Dr.Siby K Joseph, eminent Gandhian scholar based at Sevagram
Speakers while paying tributes to victims emphasized the need to transform collective sorrow into a resolute pursuit of peace and prayer followed by nonviolent initiatives in this darkest hour. The spirit of Mahatma Gandhi will be our strength and guiding light.The gathering was enriched by soul-stirring musical tributes. Fraz Khan presented the heart touching Vaishnav Jana To ,one of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymns. Sonia Deotto and her team from Ora WorldMandala, Mexico, offered heartfelt prayers and reflections from across South America. Dr. Prema Annamalai performed a moving Tamil devotional song. Vaibhav Kumar rendered “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram,”a timeless Gandhian bhajan .
Prominent figures who graced the occasion included: Ms. Medha Patkar, renowned social activist Mr. Sam Pitroda, technocrat and policy leader Mr. Uday Dandavate, Gandhian and urban strategist ,Mr. Mohammad Reza Rafat, former Director of Environment Protection, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, Mr. Vijay Tambe, Secretary Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan and many others.
The meeting concluded with a firm resolve by the participants to organise similar programmes in their own localities and report it to the Gandhi Global Network. At the end, participants observed two minutes of silence to honor victims of violence and to express solidarity with affected families .