I am the Principal at Glendale School and have been a Board Member for the past year. Being a member of the Board has been such a rewarding experience for many reasons. Most importantly, it has helped me broaden my understanding of the concept of peace. I use to think of the concept of peace as the opposite of (military) war. I now understand it has more to do with how we choose to exist in our everyday practice of living. More specifically, how we interact with people. The ones who are easy to care for as well as those who are not. Being at peace is about seeking to understanding the plight of others as well as your own. One does not supersede the other.  We are challenged everyday to hold strong to such beliefs in spite of how difficult this may be at certain times. We know that anything worth "it" sometimes is also worth the effort. Here's to those who try to hold strong to their beliefs.

Prem Kalia is current the Past-Chair on the Board of Directors and has served as a Chair of the Gandhi foundation for more than 10 years.

Prem came in touch with Gandhian Ahimsa when he was in high school. He remembers selling Gandhi badges on Khaddar cloth with insignia of spinning wheel to raise funds for the student’s branch of Indian National Congress. He was appointed as a treasurer of the student congress when he was in grade 9.

Prem was a high school teacher for 33 years in St. Paul, Alberta and a tutor for Athabasca University in its early years. He also taught in a refugee school in India for six years before immigrating to Canada.

In 1986, he was elected as the provincial President of multicultural education council of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA). Prem focused on finding similarities between people, rather than differences. He published articles on universalism in a multicultural context, mystical universalism in ATA journals as well as the Moral and Religious Education Council. In St. Paul, Prem was the director and President of Mother Teresa Habitat Institute and Barbara Ward Learners’ Centre. He and his committee raised one million dollars for the Leper’s colony in Calcutta. Subsequently, Mother Teresa came to St. Paul to thank the generosity of its people.

Prem is interested in the “Universal” Gandhi who espoused Ahimsa, justice for the underprivileged, protecting rights of minorities everywhere, socio-economic equality, freedom from oppression and authentic interfaith dialogues. Brotherhood of humanity is truly the heart of Gandhian philosophy which can lay the foundation for world peace. Prem is convinced that genuine change occurs in society when we transform our own consciousness.

After retirement in 1994, Prem taught a number of alternative courses on spirituality and meditation at the University of Alberta, Extension and Metro Community College. He was invited to the University of Colorado and Griffith University, Australia to speak about Gandhian philosophy. Currently, Prem addresses student conferences and the Gandhian Institute at the University of Alberta.

My name is Madan Mohan Prasad and I am a founding member of the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace in Edmonton, Canada. Currently, I am serving the Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors. The main reason I have been associated with the Gandhi Foundation is because I believe in Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of teaching non-violence, peace and love with human beings. Mahatma Gandhi has inspired me by his preaching to pay respect and love to poor and common people. I am a Canadian citizen and have earned a Master of Arts in English, a Bachelor of Law degree in India, and 3 years of apprenticeship trade certification in parts from advance education and manpower from the Government of Alberta. I have been serving many charitable and non-profit organizations in Edmonton and have served as President of the Hindu Society of Alberta in 1988 - 1989, General Secretary of the same society for 5 consecutive years, and as Secretary for the Society for Development in Third World Countries. Currently, I am a Vice-President with the Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation, General Secretary with Brookview Community League, immediate past President with the Shanti Niketan Society for Semi-retired and Seniors, and a delegate member of the Council of India Societies of Edmonton. I work, at present, as a Parts Expeditor in the Edmonton head office of Finning (Canada), the largest Caterpillar dealer in the world. I started my job with Caterpillar on October 4, 1971 and am still working full-time. I have two children, my daughter, Dr Shailly Prasad is a Chiropractor, and my son, Mr. Vivek Prasad, is an electronic Engineer, and my wife is a professional Accountant. I enjoy working with the Gandhi Foundation with people who believe in non-violence and peace.

The Foundation is so pleased to support 3 scholarships at the University of Alberta. This year, the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Scholarship was awarded to Neda Asadi. Congratulations Neda, and thank you for sharing a bit about your important graduate work...

My name is Neda Asadi, I was born in Iran but have spent most of my life in Canada. I feel privileged to be born in a country with a rich history and culture. I feel equally blessed to have been raised in Canada, a country which has provided me with many opportunities—most importantly, the opportunity to thrive and become my authentic self. Currently, I am a PhD candidate in the department of Educational Policy Studies, in the faculty of Education, at the University of Alberta. I am interested in the topics of education, international politics, and health as they relate to marginalized populations, and in particular, those marginalized due to various forms of migration. I am thankful to the Gandhi organization for supporting my research both through financial assistance and through recognition of my work. The focus of my research is on the impact of current education policies on the educational opportunities of refugee youth. Through my work, I endeavour to propose new educational initiatives to effectively respond to the educational needs and by extension, the social well-being of young refugee learners. While the desire to begin this research has its roots in my own struggles in the education system, it was re-ignited during my volunteer work in one of Edmonton’s inner city schools. Witnessing refugee youths’ tremendous needs, and their real and alarming concerns, I found myself desiring the skills to be the change I want to see in my world. I am hopeful that with the knowledge and experience I gain in the academic world I will be able to open spaces inside the system to make transformational change for the betterment of all society while being true to Gandhian principles of truth and social justice.