Negotiation: The Hidden Dimension of the Nonviolent Struggles of our Era

Ela Gandhi

This symposium is intended to heighten awareness of the two frameworks for dealing with conflict, illuminating differences as well as shared values and strategies. It is our hope that the symposium will show how both negotiation and nonviolent action have been used to deal with some of the most intractable conflicts – including political struggles in South Africa and India, and civil rights conflicts in the U.S. – and how those tools can be used effectively today.

This year is the 100th anniversary of Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance, Satyagraha, and we are pleased that Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and former member of Parliament in South Africa, will be our guest of honor.

Negotiation: The Hidden Dimension of the Nonviolent Struggles of Our Era, sponsored by the Program on Negotiation and the Global Negotiation Project, is one of a series of events exploring the intersection of negotiation theory and nonviolent action. William Ury, director of the Global Negotiation Project, will introduce Ela Gandhi and join her for a discussion honoring her grandfather’s work and those who were inspired by him, and sharing thoughts on negotiation and nonviolent action as strategic tools for dealing with conflict.

Symposium Schedule:

1:30 – 2:45 P.M.

• Welcome – PON Managing Director Susan Hackley
• William Ury introduces Ela Gandhi
• Remarks by Ela Gandhi
• Discussion between William Ury and Ela Gandhi

2:45 – 3:00 P.M. – Break

3:00 – 5:00 P.M. – Panel Discussion

Exploring the relationship between strategic nonviolent action and negotiation with applications to current challenges, including terrorism.

Moderator, James Sebenius, Harvard Business School
George Lakey, Training for Change
Adil Najam, The Fletcher School at Tufts University
Maria Stephan, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict

5:00 – 6:00 P.M. – Reception