USA
Six Cities and a State in the USA Declare 2nd August 2023 as Global Forgiveness Day, commemorating Revered Dada Vaswani’s Birthday.
New York City as Mayor Eric Adams officially proclaimed August 2nd, 2023, as “Global Forgiveness Day.” The historic proclamation, by official decree, recognizes the significance of this day in promoting love, peace, and healing among individuals and communities worldwide.
Distinguished leaders and representatives from the State of New York, the City of New York, and the towns of East Brunswick, Closter, Edison, Secaucus, and Guttenberg, New Jersey, all united and joined Mayor Eric Adams in proclaiming this day as the Global Forgiveness Day, celebrating the life and teachings of visionary spiritual luminary Revered Dada J.P. Vaswani. The esteemed spiritual leader’s birthday served as the perfect occasion to commemorate Global Forgiveness Day and embrace forgiveness as a powerful catalyst for positive change. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker were deeply touched by the occasion and sent special messages of compassion and love to all.
As part of the celebrations, an event was organized at the Consulate of India, New York, on August 2nd, to proclaim “Global Forgiveness Day.” Joining this event were Jennifer Rajkumar, New York State Representative and Assembly Woman, Mayor of Closter, John C. Glidden, Jr., Dilip Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, Jagdish Sehwani, Jonathan Granoff, and several participants, dignitaries, and prominent personalities from New York City, who paid homage to the visionary spiritual luminary, Dada J.P. Vaswani, whose teachings have inspired the Global Forgiveness Day movement.
The core team of Dada J.P. Vaswani’s mission in New Jersey, led by Eddie Datwani, Chairman, Ashok Lalwani, CEO, Chandru Mahtani, Treasurer, and all the board and committee members, were gratefully overjoyed by these proclamations, which highlight the commitment of these cities and the state to foster understanding and empathy in a world that craves healing and unity. Global Forgiveness Day aims to inspire acts of forgiveness, love, and kindness, nurturing an environment of compassion and hope for everyone, and creating a more inclusive world.
A profound message on the power of fostering a habit of forgiveness on a day-to-day basis by Dada J.P. Vaswani and a guided visualization-based meditation by Didi Krishna Kumari along with deeply moving live santoor (meditative musical instrument) by Vinay Desai, a student of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, was played at this event in New York, taking everyone to that calm state within. The event proceedings commenced with the rendering of the national anthems of India and USA, probably for the first time ever on Santoor. The entire audience rose in respect while Vinay played his instrument. Everyone observed “A Moment of Calm” with silence, practicing forgiveness, and reflecting on its significance in their personal and collective journeys. The Moment of Calm resonated with similar sessions held in numerous cities worldwide, including Pune in India, the headquarters of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, where millions united in the message of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The movement is receiving widespread acclaim, attracting collaborations with esteemed organizations dedicated to peace and forgiveness. Partnerships with Greater Good of the University of California, Berkeley, CCARE of Stanford University, Project Forgive, Unify, Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance, The Path of Forgiveness, Infinite Love, The Love Foundation, Pardon International, Project Happiness, and Choose Love Movement continue to strengthen the global network of peace advocates.
Revered Dada Vaswani’s profound statement, “Hearts at peace will create world peace,” continues to resonate with people worldwide, inspiring them to embrace forgiveness as a path to lasting peace and understanding. His legacy of love and compassion continues to touch hearts across the globe. The teachings of Dada Vaswani resonated with prominent personalities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, H.H. Dalai Lama, H.H. Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni, H.H. Pope Francis, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, Grand Mufti of Syria, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, and many others, who have embraced the transformative power of forgiveness.
“Love is seeing God in the person next to us, and meditation is seeing God within us.” – Revered Dada J.P. Vaswani
“Global Forgiveness Day” and “A Moment of Calm” have now become a symbol of collective responsibility, inspiring individuals to contribute to a more compassionate and loving world. As the event concluded in NYC, the spirit of forgiveness lives on, encouraging everyone to integrate forgiveness into their daily lives and foster personal growth.
-Press Release
