TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Attorney to draft a resolution in support of designating the sixty-four days between
January 30, 2007 and April 4, 2007, as "A Season for Nonviolence" on an annual basis;
Request that City Council members consider ways to participate in A Season for Nonviolence by hosting or promoting events in their district that encourage meaningful dialogue and demonstrate that every person can move our city in the direction of peace through their daily nonviolent choice and action;
Request City Manager work with Season organizers to develop a community calendar on the City of Long Beach's website in service to residents interested in attending the various events throughout our city; and
Request City Manager designate other resources for supporting A Season for Nonviolence in this and coming years, that could include but not be limited to resources such as street banners, street closures or other actions taken to promote Season of Nonviolence events.
DISCUSSION
A Season for Nonviolence, January 30 - April 4, is a national 64-day educational, media, and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower lives and communities . Inspired by the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this event honors their vision for an empowered, nonviolent world starting with our city.
A Season for Nonviolence was co-founded by Arun and Sunanda Gandhi of the M .K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and a group of ten ministers forming the Leadership Council of The Association for Global New Thought, the organization that convenes A Season for Nonviolence on an annual basis.
For the past eight years, the United Nations has marked the beginning of A Season for Nonviolence through events, endorsements and commitments by the likes of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the U.S. Ambassador to India, the Director General of UNESCO and Vice President Al Gore. In general, A Season for Nonviolence has received the written support of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, the late Coretta Scott King, Dr. Robert Muller, and many other distinguished individuals from virtually all sectors of the world leadership community. A Season for Nonviolence has also been recognized in 200 cities in 40 states and 10 countries. At least 350 organizations, religious, business, arts, and learning institutions have elected themselves as official co-sponsors of A Season for Nonviolence initiative.
It is our hope that each of the religious, spiritual and civic leaders and organizations in Long Beach
embrace A Season for Nonviolence and bring their own events and activities to their members as a means of encouraging them to build a community that honors the dignity and worth of every human being. Organizations participating in A Season for Nonviolence in Long Beach have spent the last two months reaching out to various community groups for their involvement and we anticipate that with the City of Long Beach's participation, several more organizations will be encouraged to contribute their own efforts to making the sixty-four days between January 30 th and April 4th, a commencement for thoughtful discussion and foundation for exemplary action in all 365 days of the year.
The City of Long Beach and its residents, businesses and visitors should aspire to and deserve nothing less in our communities.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
[Timing Considerations]
FISCAL IMPACT
[Fiscal Impact]
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
NAME Suja Lowenthal |
APPROVED: |
TITLE Councilmember, 2nd District |
|
|
|
|
GERALD R. MILLER |
|
CITY MANAGER |