Tony Monteiro Peace Pilgrimage to India

“It may be through the Negroes that the unadulterated message of non-violence will be delivered to the world” - Mahatma Gandhi, 1935.

A coalition of organizations in India including the Intercivilizational Dialogue Project, Gandhi Global Family and National Gandhi Museum has invited Dr. Anthony Monteiro on behalf of the The Saturday Free School for Philosophy and Black Liberation to conduct a peace and friendship tour in India. Between October 1st and 16th of this year, Dr. Anthony Monteiro, a life long participant in the Black Freedom Movement, and several members of the Free School will be visiting India for this tour. 

We seek to examine and renew the historic relationship between the two civilizations. The relationship between Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi remains one of the most significant intercivilizational exchanges of the 20th century. Further, W.E.B. Du Bois was a great friend of India, and was close to Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai among others. He corresponded with both Gandhi and Tagore, publishing their messages in his journal The Crisis.

To explore this history of exchange and reintroduce Indian audiences to these two figures, Dr. Monteiro will participate in a series of events in 6 different Indian cities. On Gandhi Jayanti on October 2nd, 2026, an exhibition will be put up at the Indian Institute of World Culture, Bangalore along with a discussion. Following this, events will be organized in Madurai, Mumbai, Shantiniketan, Kolkata and New Delhi. This tour will ideologically retrace the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. during his tour to India. We will explore ideas of non-violence and peace in this time of war. 

We are fundraising to cover international travel as well as make provisions for a send-off and report back in Philadelphia, which will include a photo exhibit of the historical linkages and friendship between India and Afro-America and various cultural performances. This is a people’s effort and we are relying entirely on the generosity of individuals for our fundraising. You can also donate via Venmo (@aliceyx71) or CashApp ($aliceyx71). 

"For I started thinking finally that that light which went down in India, went up in Montgomery, Alabama. The minute that the light was going out in India, the light of the sun is getting up in Montgomery because there is twelve hours difference in the time. And even that same light that will get up in Montgomery and go down, will be getting up in India again. You don’t block God’s lights. He manipulates and controls them. And we never need walk in darkness because God has a light for the night and a light for the day, and he controls both. This is our hope." -Martin Luther King Jr, 1956