On June 19, Fresno State religious studies Professor Dr. Veena Howard took the stage in a ballroom with more than 1,000 people. White-draped tables stretched out across the vast room as dim shadows behind the glaring lights.

A blue backdrop segued into an oversized video screen, one of several in the room, so people in the back could see the panel as part of the opening general session at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies in Singapore. Later that day, the news dedicated nearly entire broadcasts to the event — and Howard, along with the panel, was featured on the front page of the largest newspaper in Singapore.

For Howard, the past year and a half has been a blur of accolades and events, as she moves in global circles with the world’s leading experts on peace, interfaith dialogue, Asian religious traditions and the philosophy of Gandhi.

After receiving the Fresno State Provost Award for Promising New Faculty in 2018, Howard was selected by the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society committee for 2019 faculty membership. Howard also served on the board of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and on the planning team of the 2018 conference in Toronto, Canada.

As people around the world celebrate the 150th birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Howard’s next project is hosting Gandhi’s Global Legacy International Conference at Fresno State.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating Gandhi’s 150th birthday, because it marks the beginning of a deeper appreciation of each other’s humanity,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Fresno State.

As the world celebrates Gandhi’s landmark birthday, the University will host a series of events to mark the occasion. The first three include:

• Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birthday Celebration
  • 9 a.m., Oct. 2 in the Henry Madden Library Ellipse Gallery. Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro will speak at a ribbon-cutting event opening an exhibition of lives of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Daisaku Ikeda and Cesar Chavez. The exhibition will remain open during library hours until Oct. 12.
  • 6 p.m., Oct. 2 in the Peace Garden at Fresno State
    The event will include a garlanding and flower ceremony, speakers, classical dances, mediation and candlelight vigil. Click here for flyer.
• Gandhi’s Global Legacy International Conference
  • Oct. 10-11 with events in the Alice Peters Auditorium (PB 191), the Peace Garden, Satellite Student Union and Wahlberg Recital Hall.

Visit Fresno State News for a full schedule or to read more.