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The Moravian Theological Seminary Department of Biblical Studies and Office of Continuing Education, in conjunction with several Moravian College departments, organizations, and offices, sponsored the fifth Peace and Justice Scholar to present at the institution, Dr. Vandana Shiva. Dr. Shiva presented "Earth Democracy: Human Freedom and a Fragile Planet" to a full crowd in Prosser Auditorium on October 12th. The event drew such an audience that it was streamed live into an overflow room in the same building.
Dr. Shiva is an internationally known scientist, environmental activist, eco-feminist philosopher, and author. Seminary professors frequently incorporate her works into their course materials. She has been recognized by TIME as a hero for our times ("Heroes for the Green Century."), yet critics have called her a "Green Killer" (Times of India, Sept. 22, 2002).
Born in Dehra Dun, India, Dr. Shiva obtained her Ph.D. in particle physics in 1979 from the University of Western Ontario, then returned to India to do research in science, technology and environmental policy in Bangalore. In 1982 she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology, which gave birth to Navdanya—a women-centered movement for cultural and biological diversity that has trained 500,000 farmers in sustainable agriculture. Through her books and lectures, she exposes the "biopiracy"of multinational corporations and international trade bureaucracies that have been privatizing common resources, such as water and seeds.
Shiva has received numerous awards (including the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize") for her work on behalf of traditional farmers, women in third world countries, and the environment. This November, she will travel to Sydney, Australia, to receive the 2010 Sydney Peace Prize "for her commitment to social justice" and for "her work on the empowerment of women in developing countries, her advocacy of the human rights of small farming communities, and her scientific analysis of environmental sustainability." |
