People likely do not think of the UR and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in the same sentence, but the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, a cozy house bordered by a spacious community garden, has intrinsic ties to the University. Founded by Arun Gandhi, grandson of the Indian anti-colonial movement activist Mohandas K. Gandhi, and located at 929 South Plymouth Avenue, the M.K. Gandhi Institute has found its home in Rochester as an organization advocating for and teaching nonviolence. The Institute pays homage to the teachings of Gandhi and prominent Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. through community involvement, in the form of workshops, community dinners, volunteer work, and work with the Rochester City School District and several other local organizations.
The Gandhi Institute was founded in 1991 in Tennessee before eventually moving to Rochester due to founder Arun Gandhi’s desire to be near the University for its medical facilities. It was housed in the Interfaith Chapel for years before relocating to its current spot in the 19th Ward in 2007, reflecting their goal to be more involved in the community.
When entering the Institute, visitors are welcomed with a warm presence: walls filled with photos of Gandhi taken by American journalist Margaret Bourke-White and paintings inspired by the Institute’s mission statements by various artists donated to the Institute. Here, nonviolence is not just a philosophy but a daily practice, one lived out through dialogue, collaboration, and connection. The walls are filled with not only artwork and photos, but also advice from learning how to grieve to resolving conflict.
As the website says, “The Gandhi Institute collaborates with local organizations, academic institutions, students, and committed peacemakers in nonviolence education, restorative practices, environmental sustainability, and racial justice.” The four pillars that the Gandhi Institute is built on all connect with the overarching theme of nonviolence and in their mission of “increasing peace,” according to the M.K. Gandhi Institute’s Director of Community Connections, Katie Thomas…