Australia’s sixth largest city Gold Coast has said no to the request of naming a street after peace icon Mahatma Gandhi. The City Council declined citing their existing guidelines.
Replying to a plea of US-based Gandhi Monument Council, Ron Clarke, Gold Coast mayor, said, “…Council's Street Naming department will not be able to support the request. Following Council's Street Naming Guidelines Section S.1.4., Council will name streets of which have a historical or cultural significance of Australia and/or of those who have resided as a local resident for a considerable time.”
Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. and Rajan Zed, Council coordinators, in a communiqué to the City of Gold Coast, had urged to name one of the major streets of Gold Coast after Mahatma Gandhi, preferably to be called Mahatma Gandhi Marg (“marg” means path). While Savoy is Head Bishop of International Community of Christ, Zed is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism.
Zed had also informed that as Gold Coast attracts millions of tourists worldwide, the street (Mahatma Gandhi Marg) named after Gandhi would get international exposure.
Formed in September 2007, the Gandhi Monument Council consists of religious heads from all faiths including Christian (various denominations), Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha’i, Native American.
According to Zed and Savoy, the purpose of this Council is to commemorate Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, his commitment to world peace, and his work for the upliftment of the downtrodden.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the few men in history to fight simultaneously on moral, religious, political, social, economic, and cultural fronts. His life and thought had an enormous impact on the world, and he continues to be widely revered as one of the greatest moral, political, and peace leaders of the twentieth century.
Gold Coast; known for surf, partying, sun, active nightlife and meter maids; is Australia’s answer to Las Vegas.
Earlier, Australian capital city, Canberra had rejected a similar request of the Gandhi Monument Council.
|
|
Comments:
