In honour of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, New Acropolis in Marseille (France) presented two great figures of India as models of the philosopher in action. The event highlighted the philosophical base on which Gandhi conducted the political struggle for the independence of his country, and that Vandana Shiva resumes today in her alter-globalist fight: self-governance, autonomy, fortitude and non-violence.

These peaceful weapons, we all need them in our most Just struggles, because we all carry within us the seeds of violence, cowardice and submission. The philosophy of Gandhi and Vandana Shiva is aimed at idealists who aspire to change the world by changing themselves. Their doctrine of nonviolence and its practical applications, drawn from the heart of India’s tradition of wisdom, remain highly relevant to the personal and collective challenges that face us today.