Global Foundation for Civilizational Harmony (India)
Global Foundation for Civilizational Harmony (India) or GFCH (India) is an eastern initiative for conflict avoidance. The GFCH is founded on the conviction that all faiths are valid and sacred for their respective adherents who are strongly motivated by such faiths. The GFCH is founded equally on the concern that different civilisations sourced in the different faiths are moving towards conflicts and clashes. It believes that a harmonious relationship between them can be achieved through a free and frank dialogue between them add to their potential and propensity to promote, and to avoid and RESOLVE, conflicts. The GFCH trusts that such an initiative will increase their willingness to co-exist with other faiths and civilisations and help to avoid conflicts among them.
Launch
GFCH India was launched1 in Delhi on January 22, 2008 at a function attended and addressed by great religious and spiritual masters belonging to all faiths including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, founder of Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Art of Living Sri Sri Ravishankar, renowned yoga guru Baba Ramdev, the chief of Akal Takt Jatthedar Joginder Singh Vedanti, the founder of Dhyanapeetam Swami Paramhamsa Nithyananda, the president of Chinmaya Yuvak Kendra Swami Mitrananda, Jain Muni Sumermal, the Arch Bishop of Mumbai Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the chief of Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband Moulana Mohammod Ali Madani, Rabbi Ezekiel Issac Malekar and Swami Prajnan Mitranand of Mata Amritanandamayi Muth. The GFCH was launched by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam delivered the presidential address at the function and blessed the initiative. The spiritual masters and religious scholars who attended the function are the now Patrons of GFCH India.
Founder Patrons
• His Holiness Dalai Lama
• Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam
• Swami Dayananda Saraswathi
• Sri Sri Ravishankar
• Acharya Mahapragya
• Archbishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias
• Yog Guru Baba Ramdev
• Maulana Mahmood Madani
• Mata Amritanandmayi Devi
• Paramhamsa Nithyananda
• Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar
Patron
• Ms. Zena Sorabjee - A prominent Bahá'í in India; Social Worker
Director
K G Suresh, a working journalist for the last two decades is the Director of the foundation. Suresh has served in various capacities including as Chief Political Correspondent with the Press Trust of India, the country's premier news agency, Bureau Chief with pioTV.com, the only web channel connecting people of Indian origin world wide and Consulting Editor of Eternal Solutions, India's No 1 Wellness Magazine.
Activities
One of the initiatives taken by the GFCH is to work with the Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband in the efforts of the latter to hold rallies against [...] and to promote religious harmony in different parts of India. Beginning with New Delhi, these conventions witnessed the Deoband School issuing ‘Fatwa’ against [...] and describing such violent activities as Un-Islamic. These conventions, supported by organizations such as Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, were held in Hyderabad and Bangalore also and were attended among others by prominent leaders from other religions including Hinduism.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, one of the leading Islamic organisations, along with several other Muslim outfits owing allegiance to different sects and ideologies, issued a “fatwa” against [...] at the Anti-[...] Global Peace Conference at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi.
The “fatwa,” sought by Member of Parliament and Jamiat leader Mahmood Asad Madani and issued on the letterhead of Darul Uloom Deoband, read: “Islam is a religion of peace and security. In its eyes, on any part over the surface of the earth spreading mischief, rioting, breach of peace, bloodshed, [...] of innocent persons and plundering are the most inhuman crimes.”
On December 22, 2008, the Global Foundation of Civilizational Harmony (India) led by its Hon'ble Chairman Sh Subhash Chandra and Founder Trustee Sh Ajit Doval along with leaders of different communities joined the Jewish community in New Delhi to celebrate 'Hanukah' or the Festival of Lights, similar to the Deepawali celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs.
GFCH India in World Bank Directory
Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics, a unit of the World Bank conducting evidence-based analytical, operational and capacity development work on issues related to faith, ethics and development, has decided to include GFCH India website in their directory, which will be having information of about 500 like-minded organizations worldwide.