Weapon of the Strong. Non-Violence: A Liberating Power

Abstract

9/11 conjures up images of the 21st century’s most notorious event – devastating attacks in the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people on 11 September 2001. But almost 100 years earlier, another 9/11 saw the birth of modern satyagraha – a peaceful force sparked by Indian immigrants in Johannesburg who came together to protest against prejudice and discrimination. Led by Mahatma Gandhi, the congregation on 11 September 1906 went on to inspire a global movement of passive resistance that rejected violence in confl ict resolution. Reflecting on this fi rst 9/11 presents an opportunity to rethink our conventional approaches to war and peace.