Dear Well Wishers of Shanti Fund.

During Gandhi 150 more than dozen events took place including Gandhi Peace Garden that was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in September 2019. Onset of COVID-19 precluded many planned events for 2020 and 2021. However, two important milestone events: one Gandhi Punya Tithi (January 30th) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2nd) were observed and celebrated in-person with limited invitees as per restrictions imposed by the governments. Last year in September, Gandhi Lecture Series was established at SUNY-Old Westbury where Gandhi Peace Garden is located.

This year, again flare up of different strains of COVID forced to have Gandhi Punya Tithi on Zoom. The Peace Award Ceremony took place on April 27, 2022 at the Stonebridge Country Club. Awards and certificates were presented to 12 students whose art works graced the Shanti Fund Peace Art Calendar of 2022 in the presence of School Superintendents, principals, Consul General and Deputy Suffolk County Executive. The event photographs will be in 2023 Shanti Fund Peace Art Calendar.

An innovative new project that took a little over one year to become a reality. Volunteers of Shanti Fund selected one school and requested them to provide best artwork for each grade. These artworks were printed on one side and other side has a Gandhi image. Many of us are aware that school age youth have posters in their room be it a singer, actor, or cars. Intent is that student has option to show Gandhi or Peace Artworks or can be rotated. The formal event to present 7500 Peace Posters took place on Wednesday June 15, 2022, at one of the schools in Freeport School District. The event was graced by Consul General, Consul, Acharya Lokesh Muni, School Superintendent, and school officials, invited guests and students and parents whose artworks are shown on the Peace Poster. School officials were entrusted to distribute one poster to each student as well as staff members. Our hope and expectations will be fulfilled even 1% (75 posters) of recipient get inspiration to promote peace. The event photographs will be in 2023 Shanti Fund Peace Art Calendar.

Please contact either one of us for additional information or if interested in recommending a new project or to volunteer your time at local schools to promote peace and nonviolence.

We hope to see you at the school events on Saturday October 1, 2022, at 9:30 AM and on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at 6:30 PM. Both events will take place at the usual location of H. Lee Dennison Building, 100 Veterans Hwy, Hauppauge, NY 11788.

At the government facilities neither admission fees nor raising of funds or selling can take place. We count on your generosity to continue the mission of peace and education. You may donate online at SHANTIFUND.ORG and receipt will be issued immediately. To remove your name from the Shanti Fund mailing list, please inform us on the shantifund.org website or by sending us an e-mail.

Your Partners in Peace

Arvind Vora 917 404 6065 arvindvora@gmail.com

Paresh Raval 917 533 8850 ravalparesh@yahoo.com