Local group honors Gandhi's birthday with statue in Davie park - posted by Florida Fine Art Blog

Photo by Ginny Dixon / October 2, 2012

Local group honors Gandhi's birthday with statue in Davie park

By Robert Nolin, Sun Sentinel

The stooped figure was clad in loincloth, sandals and carrying a staff. But there was no mistaking the benign smile.

Mahatma Gandhi, who sparked India's independence in 1947, made his Florida debut Tuesday evening in the form of a 7-foot-tall bronze statue in a Davie park.
It was the first such statue of the revered leader in Florida. Five other statues have been erected in Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco and New York.

"In this day and age, we need a role model for peace and nonviolence, and there is no better role model," said Davie Mayor Judy Paul, whose town dedicated the property for the monument at Falcon's Lea Park on west Stirling Road.

The $50,000 statue was paid for by the Kerala Samajam, a local Indian cultural group. The group will also manage the statue's upkeep. The ceremony marked the 143rd anniversary of Ghandi's birth. He was assassinated in January 1948.

"It represents a population," said Town Administrator Richard Lemack. "It's a wonderful opportunity for the entire community."

Link to Sun Sentinel Article