Lanza del Vasto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lanza del Vasto
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Lanza del Vasto
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Giuseppe Giovanni Luigi Enrico Lanza di Trabia-Branciforte
29 September 1901 San Vito dei Normanni, Italy
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| Died | 5 January 1981 (aged 79) |
| Occupation | Philosopher, poet, artist, and nonviolent activist. |
Lanza del Vasto (born Giuseppe Giovanni Luigi Maria Enrico Lanza di Trabia-Branciforte; 29 September 1901 – 6 January 1981) was an Italian thinker, poet, artist, and a strong supporter of nonviolence. He was also a Catholic.
He was born in San Vito dei Normanni, Italy. He later passed away in Murcia, Spain. Lanza del Vasto was a follower of Mohandas K. Gandhi in the West. He worked to bring different religions together. He also promoted spiritual growth, cared for the environment, and believed in peaceful action.
Contents
Early Life in Europe
Lanza del Vasto's father, Don Luigi Giuseppe Lanza di Trabia-Branciforte, was from Sicily. His mother, Anne-Marie Henriette Nauts-Oedenkoven, was from Belgium. From a young age, he traveled a lot across Italy and other parts of Europe. He started studying at the University of Pisa in 1922.
Meeting Gandhi and a New Path
In December 1936, Lanza del Vasto traveled to India. He joined the movement for Indian independence, which was led by Gandhi. He had learned about Gandhi from a book. He spent six months with Gandhi, who was also known as the Mahatma.
In June 1937, Lanza del Vasto visited the source of the Ganges river in the Himalayas. This is a very important pilgrimage site. There, he had a special vision. It told him, "Go back and found!" This meant he should return home and start something new.
After this, he went back to Europe. In 1938, he visited Palestine, which was in the middle of a civil war. He went to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, describing it as being "between two lines of tanks."
He returned to Paris when the Second World War began. He wrote several poetry books. In 1943, he published Return to the Source. This book told the story of his trip to India and became very popular.
Starting the Community of the Ark
Lanza del Vasto founded the Community of the Ark in 1948. This community aimed to live by principles of nonviolence and simple living. At first, the community faced many challenges.
In 1954, he went back to India. He joined Vinoba Bhave in nonviolent protests against unfair land practices. In 1962, the Community of the Ark found a permanent home. They settled in a deserted village called "La Borie Noble" in Haut-Languedoc, France. This was near Lodève.
The community grew to over a hundred members in the 1970s and 1980s. However, some communities later closed due to various reasons. Today, groups of the Community of the Ark are active in France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Ecuador, and Canada.
Standing Up for Peace
Lanza del Vasto was a strong advocate for nonviolence. He took part in many protests.
In 1957, during the Algerian War, he joined others to protest against torture. He went on a fast for 21 days to show his protest. In 1958, he demonstrated against the nuclear power plant in Marcoule, France. This plant made plutonium for nuclear weapons.
In 1963, he fasted for 40 days in Rome. This was during the Second Vatican Council. He asked Pope John XXIII to speak out against war.
In 1965, he visited the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina. He spent weeks talking to students about nonviolence.
In 1972, he supported farmers on the Larzac plateau. They were protesting against the expansion of a military base. Lanza del Vasto fasted for 15 days to support them. Later, a community of the Ark settled on the Larzac.
In 1976, he joined protests against building the Superphénix fast breeder reactor. This was at Creys-Malville, France.
Later Life and Death
In January 1981, Lanza del Vasto was working to start a new community. This was in Elche de la Sierra, Spain. On January 5, he suffered a brain hemorrhage. He was taken to a hospital in Murcia. He passed away there on January 6, 1981.
See also
In Spanish: Giuseppe Lanza del Vasto para niños
- List of peace activists
