Between 25 and 27 October, the Indian embassy in Egypt will hold a number of events in Cairo and Port Said celebrating the anniversary of the birth of India's famous peacemaker Mahatma Gandhi. The celebration will feature a lecture and a photo exhibition in the coastal city of Port Said, as well as a round table and a film screening at the premises of the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) in Zamalek, Cairo. "Gandhi's influence is eternal. He is an example and inspiration at a time in which we're facing challenges and violence. His values urge us to pause and think about how important it is to actively pursue peace," stated the Indian ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharyya in a recently issued press release. In Port Said, a photography exhibition will showcase images documenting key moments in Gandhi's life. The exhibit is organised in collaboration with Port Said governorate and the Suez Canal Authority. Gandhi visited Egypt in 1931, passing by Port Said on his journey by boat to England where he was due to attend a conference. Once in Port Said, Gandhi was welcomed by a delegation from Egypt's El-Wafd party. This visit will be the topic of a lecture that will follow the photo exhibition. Titled "A Return to History: Gandhi's Visit to Egypt on the Ship's Deck," the lecture will focus on Gandhi's visit to Egypt and the conversations that ensued with Egypt's intellectuals. In Cairo, MACIC will screen The Making of the Mahatma, a 1996 film focusing on the early life of Gandhi by filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Moreover, a roundtable titled "Gandhi in Tahrir" will highlight Gandhi's philosophies and their importance in today's world. The discussion will feature Mostafa El-Feki, Egyptian political analyst; Gamal Nkrumah, Al-Ahram Weekly's international editor; Hassan Nafea, professor of politics and economics at Cairo University; and Zakr Alrahman, director of the Indian-Islamic Culture Centre in India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on 2 October, 1869. His life and beliefs of 'no violence' constituted an inspiration in India and across the globe. In 2007, 2 October was designated as the International Day of Non-Violence by the UN General Assembly. Programme: Tuesday, 25 October Screening of The Making of the Mahatma (Shyam Benegal,1996) Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), Cairo Wednesday, 26 October A photography exhibition on Gandhi's life Lecture titled "A Return to History: Gandhi's Visit to Egypt on the Ship's Deck" Port Said, venue has yet to be announced Thursday, 27 October Roundtable titled "Gandhi in Tahrir" Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), Cairo Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), 2nd floor, 3 Abu El Feda St, Zamalek For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
