International Day of Peace
Achieving Individual & Social Peace – International Day of Peace
Friday, September 21st, 2018, 6:30 – 9 PM
We are celebrating
4054 Van Buren St. NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 | Directions
Achieving Individual & Social Peace Symposium Speakers on September 21st, 2018
Donna Schmitt, Mayor – City of Columbia Heights. Donna Schmitt is the Mayor of the City of Columbia Heights, Minnesota. In 2010, she was elected to the Columbia Heights City Council and then in 2016, she was elected as mayor. Her desire is that each council member should consider themselves servant leaders, leaders that are here to serve the city, not themselves. Columbia Heights is blessed with many people passionate about their faith and willing to
discuss their faith openly with others. Donna has been honored to have hosted the Columbia Heights Interfaith Prayer Breakfast twice since becoming mayor. Each time, various faith communities have provided prayers, readings, music, and support.
Shri Ram Gada – Minnesota Historical Society & Founder of Jain Center in Minnesota. Educated as an Electrical &Mechanical Engineering, Shri Gada has nurtured and fostered several communities from their inception and now playing as a mentor and trusted lifetime advisor role in almost all of the foundational communities. Following are just a sample of his commitment to the India/Asian/Jain communities. Founding member and president of “Gujarati Samaj” 1976-77. The founder of “Jain Center of Minnesota”(JCM)@ and served as its President. (1989-1992) and (2009-2010). Serves as a Director to JAINA since JCM inception. Jain Pathshala teacher and speaker at JCM Satsang(Monthly) meetings. Serves as Region 4 Director to Kachhi Oshwal Jain Association in North America (KOJAIN) Since 2001 to 2011. Serving as an Honorary Advisor to the IAM Board-2018. Played an active role in raising $275,000 for Gujarat Earthquake fund in 2001 and rebuilding an entire village, Vijaypar, in Kutch, India. And donating Medical Mobile Van to Bhojay Sarvodaya Hospital to treat Women health issues at Bhojay, Kutch. Served as language and history teacher (volunteer) for several years at the School of India for Languages and Culture (SILC) since its inception in 1977. Active role in fundraising during SILC 10,20 and 30 Year Celebrations. Serves as Lifetime Trustee in Hindu Society of Minnesota. Sponsored Jain Temple in 2007. Speaker on Jainism at a monthly Temple and Interfaith meetings. One of the founding members of “Oral History Projects” with Minnesota Historical Society, sponsored by India Association Of Minnesota (IAM).
Ebony Adedayo is the founder and creator of the Kinky Curly Theological Collective, a space that centers the experience of African and African American women, grounded in healing justice, liberation and community health and wellness. In this work, she has gathered women across the African diaspora to build out a theological pedagogy based in their own experiences and expertise. This collective includes women of various faith and cultural backgrounds, each who embodies a commitment to using the lens of spirituality to uproot systems of oppression. In addition, she is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota, an adjunct professor at Bethel University, a staff pastor at Church of All Nations in Columbia Heights, MN and works for the City of Minneapolis as the Resiliency in Community After Stress and Trauma Program Manager (ReCAST). As the ReCAST Program Manager, Ebony has implemented community based models to increasing the understanding of community trauma, healing and resiliency, and systems change. Prior to her work at the City, she worked with the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability for nearly six years in various capacities, most recently as the Communications and Capacity Building Manager where she designed an asset based model to equitable development in the Twin Cities called Transformative Equitable Development. Ebony is the author of Dancing on Hot Coals and Embracing a Holistic Faith: Essays on Biblical Justice. Ebony is also married to her wonderful husband, Babatope Adedayo, of nine years and has two children – Oluwatamilore (age 8) and Oluwateniola (age 5).
Abdisalam Adam came to the United States in 1991 and worked as Arabic-English-Somali Translator in Virginia before moving to the Twin Cities in 1996. He is the Board Chair of the Islamic Civic Society of America, which operates Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis.
Abdisalam also serves on the Boards of Islamic League of Somali Scholars in America, Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, and Neighborhood House in St. Paul. He is also on
Abdiasalam works for St. Paul Public Schools as a Somali Cultural Specialist with the ELL Department and Office of Family Engagement and Community Relations.
Taksham Nüden Dorje: On December 20, 2006, a boy by the name of Jalue Dorje was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. His father Dorje Tsegyal and his mother Dechen Wangmo noticed many wondrous omens just prior to this birth. On April 8, 2007, Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche recognized the young boy as the 8th Terchen Taksham Rinpoche, and it was reported by the media in different countries that he was the first Tibetan Buddhist reincarnation born in Minnesota. That same year, Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche upon meeting Jalue Dorje, recognized the essence of body, speech, and mind to be that of the 8th Terchen Taksham Rinpoche. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Sakya Trinzin, and His Holiness the Karmapa all recognized the young boy as the 8th Terchen Taksham Rinpoche. The Dalai Lama gave the young Taksham Rinpoche his name Tenzin Gyurme Trinley Dorje and His Holiness conferred blessings. “The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of all Tibetan Buddhists as well as the traditional Tibetan lineages. I have deep faith and trust that the Dalai Lama is the real Buddha. That is why I am so happy that he recognized my son to be the Terchen Taksham Rinpoche,” said Dorje Tsegyal, the boy’s father. At this time Taksham Rinpoche is attending public school in Minneapolis and his parents report that he is studying very well;. His father is teaching him Buddhist practices and rituals, as well as Tibetan grammar and history. He has memorized The 37 Practices of the Bodhisattvas, Sakya Lekshey, and many traditional prayers. After he completes his public education and his traditional Buddhist studies, he intends to offer Buddhist teachings at his nonprofit educational center called Nyingmapa Taksham Buddhist Center in Minneapolis (Columbia Heights), Minnesota.
Prabhat Tekriwal: Prabhat graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from IIT, Banaras Hindu University, with a Gold Medal distinction. He received M.S., Ph.D. and M.B.A. degrees in the USA. He served in several large corporations such as GE, Maytag, Philips, Bosch, BP and Verizon in senior leadership roles. He is a certified Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and Business Improvements. Prabhat has been associated with Minnesota Hindu Milan Mandir since 2014, considers himself as a devotee, first and then an office bearer leader. He attempts to interpret and translate his scriptural knowledge into daily practical life. His motto is “One can learn from everyone and everything as long as one is a willing student. and WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS FIRST.” In addition to enjoying being an Agent of Change in Corporations, he enjoys meeting people from diverse cultures, playing tennis and learning/sharing in various interfaith communities, including Science of Spirituality. Prabhat lives in Lakeville, Minnesota with his wife and two daughters.
Richard Dworsky: Richard (aka Rich or Richie) grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota and began classical piano lessons at the age of six. By age 11, he was studying piano at the University of Minnesota. In his teens, he began playing for theatrical productions and joined his first rock band. When just out of high school, Rich joined forces with jazz/pop vocalist extraordinaire, Al Jarreau, for two years in Los Angeles, performing as a duo, and with a band, and writing and recording songs together. is a versatile keyboardist/composer/recording artist/producer/music director, and is known for his amazing ability to improvise compositions on the spot in virtually any style. For 23 years (1993-2016), he served as pianist and music director for Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, a live public radio variety show with, at its peak, over 4 million listeners. He provided original theatrical underscoring, led the house band, and performed as a featured soloist. Richard also served as the film’s music director, arranger, and composer. Dworsky’s original compositions for piano (and piano with ensemble or vocal) can be heard on his CDs All In Due Time, So Near and Dear to Me, and The Path to You. At Minneapolis’s
Arvind Naik, MBA, educated as an Electronics Engineer, works as Technology and Business Professional in Minneapolis area. Working with his wife he leads the Science of Spirituality Meditation Center Programs and as a Speaker, Public Relations, and Outreach coordinator. He has been studying a practical form of meditation under a world-renowned spiritual teacher Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj for over 15 years. He has been conducting talks, classes and workshops on the topic of meditation, where he discusses how incorporating meditation into our daily routine could be life-changing. In his programs, Arvind, explores how this practice can help each of us achieve holistic health physically, mentally, and spiritually. Arvind introduced meditation program at various corporations such as Target, Anthum, Boston Scientific and regularly speaks, conducts meditation talks at local community organizations. Recently he introduced meditation at NAMI & Columbia Heights Police Department as a tool for stress reduction in life and at the workplace. Arvind lives in Minnesota and is married with two teenage sons. Arvind could be reached through email: anaik@sos.org.