COVA Activity Report: 2023-24

Innovating
PEACE

ACTIVITY REPORT OF COVA

From 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024

Dear Friends and Partners,

For many years now, COVA has been sharing the Activity Report of its Programs for April to March of a Financial yearon the 1st day of April of the following financial year.

This is part of our endeavoursfor good governance and transparency.

A Year of Fulfilment and Pathbreaking Progress!

We were honoured and humbled by the Maja Koene International Peace Award conferred on 12th March 2024 for our contributions to prevent violence and promote peace from local to global domains.

In previous years, COVA and partners had received recognition and Awards for relief work on COVID from Government of Telangana, for Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Asia Star Peace Award by Association for Communal Harmony in Asia and UN My World Award for MDGs

Innovation for 2023-24
COVA has always been on the forefront of social innovations and in 2023-24 COVA introduced the unique Program of Multi Faith Celebrations to inspire and motivate people to invite members of other religions and communities to their homes to celebrate festivals together and understand the values and message underlying each festival.

Key Achievements
The Compassionate Citizenship Program of COVA that was introduced as a Pilot in 120 schools by Education Department of Government of Telangana in 2022-23 demonstrated excellent perspective and attitudinal transformations in students making them sensitive human beings and responsible citizens. Encouraged by the results, Education Department has included the Program as part of Moral Education and it will be imparted in 3000 schools of the State from 2024-25.

Great hope indeed for our society, country and the world in the coming days if Compassionate Citizenship Program becomes part of our education to make students sensitive and responsible beings!!

Intra Faith Action
In view of the growing misuse and abuse of religions that are becoming a norm, COVA initiated Religions 4 Peace, a national network of leading faith leaders, community doyens and activists in 2022-23 that received very good response from across the country.

Religions 4 Peace encourages Intra Faith critique and corrections to prevent misuse and abuse of religions to instigate hate and violence in society.

COVA’s concerns and activities literally span from the local to the global and in keeping with this tradition, COVA had to initiate some programs at the grassroots to prevent any outbreak of communal violence in the sensitive localities in view of the growing atmosphere of hate in the country and Telangana State Assembly elections that were scheduled in December 2023.

During this period COVA became part of an initiative that led to the formation of Citizens for Action in Manipur Campaign.

The other programs of COVA that include Interfaith Forum, and Refugee Facilitation Center produced good results in serving the communities

Mazher Hussain

Executive Director

COVA Peace Network

Hyderabad. India

Contact us:

# 18-13-8/A/508/B, Bandlaguda, Chandrayangutta, Hyderabad, Telangana 500005

Phone: +91 40 24442984

Mail: covanetwork@gmail.com

Website: covanetwork.org

Part-I: Contributions for Peace: The Recognition

Maya Koene International Peace Award

Riot Preventions in Localities
Securing Peace in Jammu & Kashmir
India Pakistan: Peace Initiatives
Development as a Strategy to Integrate Communities
Citizens for Action in Manipur:
Multi Faith Celebrations for Integration across Religions
Intra Faith Initiatives to De-Weaponize Religions

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part –II: Crafting Peace in Troubled Times
From Grassroots to Global

Sanitising Vulnerable Localities
Resolving Challenge of Ganesh and Miad Processions on the same route on the same day
Saviours of Hyderabad
Launch of Citizens Action for Manipur
Global Vigils for Peace

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part III: Unique Innovations for Peace

Multi Faith Celebrations

People can use Religions to Unite

Through Multi Faith Celebrations of All Festivals:Every time- Every Where!

The Proposal is to bridge the divide created by social media through Multi Faith Celebration of Festivals in our Buddha Viharas, Churches, Temples, Masjids, Gurudwaras, Derasars., Fire Temples, Synagogues, places of Worship of all other Faiths and in every Home!

To Knit All Religions and Communities Together for Harmonious Neighbourhood, Peace in Country and Prosperous Nations
Let Us Make Every Festival a Festival of Unity-a Celebration for Humanity

Every House can be an Opportunity for Multi Faith Celebrations
To Bring Heavens Down to Earth

Please Click Here to Read More:

Intra Faith Initiatives

The Context: There is increasing hate against communities in society and its manifestation in violence. This is becoming worse with weaponisation of religions and misuse and abuse of religions during festivals and in social media.
It is time to go beyond Inter Faith to Intra FaithWhere:
• Faith Leaders assess and critique misuse, abuse or incorrect use of their own religion
• Secure corrections and ensure their religion is not exploited or weaponised to bring discords and promote violence in society.
COVA initiated the Religions for Peace Group from May 2022
COVA is able to secure good results in Hyderabad through Intra Faith Initiatives and is now scaling to national level. READ MORE to understand the Problems and the Solutions

Part IV: Sowing Peace in Schools

Compassionate Citizenship Program in School Curriculum

Compassionate Citizenship Program is part of Moral Education initiated by Education Department of Government of Telangana in collaboration with COVA Peace Network for students of government, private and residential schools engaged in systematic understanding of a range of social issues like child labour, dowry, care of elders, budgeting, heritage, environment, fake news etc. through experiential learning.
The objective is to take students beyond textbooks and classrooms to also make them compassionate human beings who are sensitive to different social issues through extension lectures, direct field engagements and Project Works with affected sections of society. Students are also oriented to social advocacy and encouraged to undertake micro level social transformations and community improvement.
The Compassionate Citizenship Program will be imparted in 3000 schools of Telangana State from the Academic year 2024-25
To get into the Magic World of Compassionate Citizenship, Please Click: https://www.covanetwork.org/in-school-curriculum/

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part V:Youth and Peace

Sambandh: Interschool and Intercollegiate Competitions

Sambandh Competitions are organised annually to commemorate Hiroshima and Nagasaki and celebrate the memories and contributions of Swami Agnivesh and Praful Bidwai of India and B. M. Kutty of Pakistan to honour their invaluable contributions for peace.Theme for Sambandh 2023: Impact of War and Violence on a Family
Objective: Sensitise society to long term devastation of individuals and families from different forms of violence.
52 Plays were performed by schools and colleges on suffering of common people:
All the Plays succeeded remarkably in bringing out the sufferings and struggle of families and common people due to these conflicts and have potential to sensitize society at large to the devastations caused by different social conflicts.
Siti Cable Network was the Media Partner and they have started Telecasting the Plays on their Network reaching lakhs of people.The Elders have Devastated the World Enough:
Time to Hand it Over to Youth to Nurse it Back to Health

Please Click Here to Read More:

PART VI: COVA IN MEDIA

COVA received good coverage for its programs in print and electronic media in English, Telegu, Urdu and Hindi.
Siti Cable Network also Telecasted Plays by school and college students performed as part of Sambandh One Act Play Competitions.
Siti Cable Network and HMTV telecasted interviews of Dr. Mazher Hussain on issues of Good Governance and Interventions for Peace and Community Empowerment.

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part VII: Collaborations

COVA collaborated with over 200 partner organisations across India for programs relating to communal harmony, promotion of peace through innovative initiatives, empowerment of children and women, environment and other social issues.
Details of collaborations and partners are given in Reports of different programs.For collaboration with Young Indians of CII for Swachata Hi Seva Campaign, Please Click Here

Part VIII: Scholarships For Orphans

COVA Peace Network provided scholarships for six students from lowincome group who have lost their parents or their fathers- who were the sole bread winners of the family.
All these scholarships are made possible thanks to 3 Endowment Funds that are started with COVA Peace Network and a donation to support education of orphan girls from the marginalised communities.Mr. K.R. Venugopal, former Secretary to 3 Prime Ministers of India, has generously instituted two funds to honour the memory of his father Mr. Kasba Ramaiah to support one Christian and one Muslim orphan girl to continue education.Another Fund is instituted to Honour the Memory of Col. Naem Ahmed by his family to support education of an orphan girl.

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part IX: Refugee Facilitation Center

Subsistence- Education- Medial and Livelihood Support for Refugees
Refugees from 7 countries are living in Hyderabad- majority are Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar.
Thanks to the generous support from our donors, COVA has been supporting most destitute refugee families since 2015 comprising widows, single mothers, elderly, orphans and chronically ill who cannot earn and need support to survive with dignity.
COVA also supports education of refugee students, funds for medical emergencies and grants to start small businesses.

Please Click Here to Read More:

Part X: Homage to Adm. L. Ramdas

Admiral LaxminarayanRamdas, PVSM, AVSM, VRC, VSM, ADC (5 September 1933 – 15 March 2024) was the Chief of Indian Navy
Admiral Ramdas also dedicated himself to the cause of peace, especially between India and Pakistan for which he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award. He became an outspoken voice of conscience, advocating actively for the defence of the Indian Constitution, especially the values of liberty, equality, fraternity and secularism.He guided and was closely associated with COVA for 3 decades.

Please Click Here to Read More:

Activity Report of COVA

From 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024

Innovating Peace

Part I: Contributions for Peace- The Recognition

Maja Koene International Peace Award

CESCI Switzerland and CESCI India conferred Maja Koene InternationalPeace Award 2023 on Dr. Mazher Hussain, Founder and Executive Director of COVA.
This Award is for work of COVA and of Dr. Mazher Hussain for over three decades for prevention of violence, community development and building goodwill and
solidarity in South Asia and Globally.

Overview of some Contributions for Harmony and Peace.

1. Contributed forPrevention of Communal Riots in Hyderabad.

Riots Prevented by Women with On Ground Interventions

Yes! Empowered Women Can Prevent Communal Riots!!
Candle Light Vigils, Peace Marches, comments and petitions on social media do serve as statements against violence but they cannot prevent riots.
Women Link Volunteers of COVA showed riots can be stopped with Action on Ground!
In the aftermath of Gujarat riots of February 2002 and announcement of Shila Niyas in Ayodhya on Friday, 15th March, every one feared riots will break in Hyderabad after Friday prayers.
Women Link Volunteers of COVA formed a Human Chain between the mobs and the police and prevented outbreak of any violence.
Please CLICK the Link to see the video of how women prevented riots
https://youtu.be/sOiWd-kqqj4?si=_61WpxnF-D1IIYFn

On Ground interventions by people committed to peace is the best way to prevent mob violence. Please CLICK the Link to see video Testimonies of how men, women and youth prevented outbreak of violence in their localities
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBx-6IQ6ALaDqVdokv45cYit4IUUoC9Qw&si=WMILIQVVraqfcKbS
If they could do it in Hyderabad you can do it anywhere in India!
Want to try???

2. Facilitated meeting of Indian Parliamentarians and Hurriat Leaders in 2010that resulted in reduction of violence in Jammu & Kashmir for 4 years

2. Provided a platform for common people of India and Pakistan
To assert their desire anddemand for peace through the Flags for Peace Campaign initiated in 2004 by COVA and partners that inspires spectators from both countries to wave their Flags together in Stadia during Cricket matches anywhere in the world- andthereby make a clear Foreign Policy Statement for Friendship and Peace.
Flags of Aggression have now become Flags for Peace

4. Post Gujarat riots in 2002: Facilitated collaborations between organisations from
different communities engaged in working for the riot affected. This provided relief and
rehabilitation to all across communal divides and also subsequently brought togethercommunities for peaceful coexistence.

5. Partnering with initiatives to bring together different communities in conflict in Manipur to worktowards securing peace in the violence torn State.

6. Introduced the Concept of Multi Faith Celebrations where families are encouraged toinvite their neighbours from other religions andcommunities to their homes to celebrate festivalstogether.This is leading to understanding the reasons for celebrating a festival, the commonality of values promoted with other religions and fostering respect for all faiths.

When Multi Faith Celebrations start trending, understanding,respect and peace in society is guaranteed!

7. Intra Faith Initiatives: These go beyond Inter Faith Programs
Most religions are now weaponised and are being used to spread hate and encourage violence against followers of other faiths. The only way to check this growing menace is to get leaders of every faith to critique the misuse of their own religion and urge their congregations to not engage in or allow abuse of their religion for hatred and violence against anyone.
Some Faith Leaders have started Intra Faith Initiatives with theircongregations and getting good response and results!

The day abuse of every religion for hate and violence is checked by its own faith leaders and believers -through Intra Faith Critique, that will be the Day of Perpetual Heaven on Earth.

Part II: Crafting Peace in Troubled Times

From Grassroots to Global

1. Sanitising Communally Sensitive Localities to Prevent Violence
2. Challenge of Ganesh Immersion and Milad Processions on Same Day- 28th September
2023:Perfect Recipe for Riots
3. Saviours of Hyderabad Program
4. Citizens for Manipur
5. Global Vigils for Peace

BRIEF REPORTS

Sanitizing Communally Sensitive Localities to Prevent Violence

In view of the scheduled processions on the same day and State Assembly Elections in November, the chances of communal riots in Hyderabad increased thought there is peace in the city for the past 10 years. In view of the looming possibility of recurrence of violence again,
COVA started active interventions from January 2023 in all sensitive localities to motivate and orient people of both communities to come together and sanitise their areas against any outbreak of communal violence. For the purpose, COVA worked in 25 communally sensitive areas with such interventions as were required till the National Elections scheduled in May 2024 For details, please visit: https://www.covanetwork.org/portfolio/peace-initiatives/#1656407421570-e0f4eced-2292

Addressing Ganesh Visarjan and Milad Un Nabi Processions on same day
Both have participation of 2 to 4 lakh persons, use the same route, same timings and both were
scheduled on 28th September in 2023.With State Elections Scheduled in November 2023, it was a perfect recipe for riots.

COVA, along with Human Rights Forum, Montfort Social Institute, Concerned Citizens Collective and some Activists recognised the danger 3 months earlier and reached out to police, government. Members of Parliament and organisers of Bhagyalaxmi Ganesh Committee and
three Milad Groups that organise the processions and public meetings urging them to change dates or the timings of the processions and Public Meetings.Finally, the Milad Groups agreed to shift their processions and meetings to 1st October 2023, thus averting what could have been a major confrontation.

The Hyderabad City Police played an exemplary role and both festivals passed off peacefully to everyone’s relief.

Peace Activists Reactivated through the Sanman Program

36 Peace Activists who had volunteered with COVA for years were honoured at a Sanman Function on 14th August 2023 for making Hyderabad empowered and peaceful with their dedicated work at grassroots for years.
All the Awardees had proved that riots can be prevented if Hindus and Muslims come together to guard their localities. Some had even succeeded in making perpetrators of violence became active agents for maintaining peace in their localities.
Please CLICK the Link for a Report
https://www.covanetwork.org/current-activity-reports/
To view interesting testimonials of some Peace Activists, Please Visit:* https://youtu.be/sOiWd-kqqj4 and https://youtu.be/A4vCO5VCWgE

Citizens Action for Manipur
Launch of National Campaign
28 th – 30 th January 2024
Events Report

Manipur is being devasted by unrelenting and unprecedented violence between communities for 9 months with no sign of resolution. It has left more than 200 persons dead and over 1000 persons injured. About 70,000 internally displaced persons are reeling under despicable
conditions in 328 relief camps spread across the hills and valley. But there seems to be very little understanding or concern for the gravity of the tragedy that is unfolding in Manipur from other parts of India-.

The Citizens Action for Manipur is a national Campaign that seeks to provide a platform for Citizens from across the country to understand
the scale of violence in Manipur and undertake a series of Campaigns and Actions to call for redress and resolution of this festering problem now.

It will be a decentralised Campaign with Events organised in as many cities/ towns / villages as possible. One or more Anchor organisations will be identified and enlisted for each city / town/ village who will organise Events periodically till the violence in Manipur is checked & resolved.

Proposed Activities for the Campaign are Lighting a Lamp for Manipur, Multi Faith Prayers for Peace, Meditations, Placards, Appeals for Peace, Call for action from the conflicting communities and the authorities etc.
The key tasks of the Campaign are
1. Immediately halt escalation of violence and initiate dialogue between the conflicting parties.
2. Provide full reparation, restitution and compensation for the loss suffered by the

survivors of the violence
3. Ensure right to return, with security, to their uprooted settlements or at the place of their choice
4. Reconstruct destroyed houses with full access to basic needs like education, health, medicine, livelihood, etc.
5. Firmly establish the Rule of Law by controlling proliferation of illegal arms.
6. Constitute an effective Special Investigation Team to conduct prompt and impartial investigations into each of the cases of crime committed as part of the ongoing violence and prosecute the guilty within a time frame.
7. Establish Truth and Conciliation Commission in order to heal the festering wounds and transform the collective trauma. A large number of civil society organisations, activists, concerned citizens, media persons and professionals have come together for the Citizens Action for Manipur Campaign that was launched successfully on 28 th January 2024 from over 250 cities, towns and villages of Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, New Delhi, Orrisa, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura. Programs also continued on 29 th and 30 th January- Gandhi Ji’s Martyrdom Day with Prayers for Peace and other activities in different locations.

Programs will be organised regularly in more places across the country till such time as the violence in Manipur stops completely and peace prevails. Large numbers participated in the launch in Hyderabad with Multi Faith Prayers, Guided Meditation, Peace Songs, Painting, Rangoli Designs for Harmony and displayed Placards appealing for action and peace. The Program was livestreamed on Facebook.

Global Vigils for Peace

Admiral Ramdas, Chief of Indian Navy (Retd) joins Global Virtual Vigils for Peace With 50 organisations from 14 countries including Israel

The historic city of Hyderabad in India anchors Multi Faith Celebrations for Harmony #be4peace
BOSTON: Dozens of organisations and individuals around the world last Sunday joined A Virtual Global Vigil for Peace to envision / pray for an end to the violence at home and elsewhere, for a ceasefire in Gaza and in Ukraine, and for hostages and child prisoners to be freed.

Dada- Dadi (Grand Parents) Meditating for
Release of Child Prisoners

The non-performative, multifaith, worldwide event involved individuals as well as groups meditating or praying for peace or simply going into a reflective silence for 10 to 15 minutes at whatever place they were between 10 a.m. and 12 noon of their local time.
The countries where vigils took place included Australia, Bangladesh, Croatia, France, India, Israel, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, UAE, USA, and UK

The Event was facilitated by Southasia Peace Action Network, a cross-regional, cross-diasporic peace alliance, and Confederation of
Voluntary Associations (COVA) based in Hyderabad, India.

Former Indian navy chief Admiral L. Ramdas and his life partner, the well known activist Lalita Ramdas, participated from their current base in Secunderabad, a twin city of Hyderabad in the heart of India.

The historic city of Hyderabad saw participation in the Global Vigil at two separate events.
One was Remembrance Day, commemorated to honour soldiers of Hyderabad Lancers and other Commonwealth nations who lost their lives during World War I.
Some 40 participants joined in a guided meditation and prayers of different faiths at the event, organised by the British Deputy High Commission in Hyderabad. They included diplomats, bureaucrats, faith leaders, professionals, academics, activists and journalists.

The second venue for the Global Virtual Vigil in Hyderabad was at Anuraga Nilayam, a home for elders, where some 40 residents along with 35 guests including children and women also joined in the Global Virtual Vigil.Representing the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Parsi faiths,
residents also participated in multifaith celebrations for Diwali, Mahavir Nirvana Jains and GurpurabGurta Gaddi Sri Guru Granth Saheb Ji with prayers of different faiths, bhajans (devotional songs) and firecrackers.

Participants spoke about why the different festivals are celebrated that promote core human values. The program concluded with multifaith culinary offerings, as is fitting in a city that is famous for its cuisine