The US House of Representatives has passed the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act.
This act, co-sponsored by Indian-American Representative Ami Bera, will establish an exchange initiative between the US and India to study the work and legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
The bill was written by the late civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis. It authorises the United States State Department, in cooperation with the Indian government, to establish an annual educational forum for scholars from both countries with a focus on the legacies of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
It aims to address, in a professional development training initiative, conflict resolution based on the principles of nonviolence espoused by both leaders, and establish a foundation to address social, environmental, and health priorities in India.
“Just like Gandhi and Dr King, Congressman Lewis shaped the world through his actions of nonviolence and his commitment to human rights, equality, and justice for all. The Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act is a fitting tribute to the incredible life and legacy of John Lewis,” said Bera, who is the longest-serving Indian American member of Congress in history.
In 2009, Congressman John Lewis visited India to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr’s pilgrimage to India. Inspired by his visit, Lewis created the Gandhi-King Exchange Act to seek to apply the philosophies of Gandhi and Dr King to conflict resolution efforts and current policy challenges.
"As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India have long traditions of upholding these shared values championed by figures like Gandhi, King, and Congressman Lewis. But they are increasingly under threat in both countries. I’m proud the House of Representatives passed this legislation, which will help these values endure and remind us that by holding true to them, we embody and live up to the best of our two nations,” Bera, who serves as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, added.
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