Swastika Education & Awareness Campaign (SEAC)
WHY THIS CAMPAIGN?
SEAC (Swastika Education and Awareness Campaign), is an initiative of CoHNA to spread the awareness of the Swastika, one of the most ancient and sacred symbols for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains worldwide for thousands of years. We aim to promote mutual understanding and respect between communities to impart much needed education on this symbol and remove misconceptions while condemning bigotry, hate, and antisemitism.
Hitler’s symbol of hate was never called “Swastika,” a Sanskrit word that means “to be well.” He called his symbol a “Hakenkreuz”(German for “hooked cross”).
Words, context, and intentions matter.
Information booklet on Swastika
Share this illustrated booklet with family, friends, colleagues, policymakers and others to increase awareness about the Swastika.
Steven Heller literally wrote a book on why the Swastika is “irredeemable”. See what changed his mind.
See the in-depth article in USA Today discussing the importance of the Swastika to various faith communities across the globe
Nikunj Trivedi explores the history of the Hakenkreuz and how it came to be conflated with the Swastika
Videos to watch and share
Additional Resources
Articles
Model for good legislative language: The government in Victoria, Australia makes a clear distinction between Swastika and the Hakenkreuz
Rakesh Krishnan Simha: Lost in Mistranslation: Why the Hindu Swastika is nothing like the German Hakenkreuz. IndiaFacts
Taylor Romine: The New York town of Swastika votes to keep its name. CNN
Sidharth Shekhar: Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi schools Canadian MP Jagmeet Singh on difference between ‘Swastika’ and ‘Hakenkreuz’. Times Now News
Lynda Edwards: Swastika complicated symbol that co-opted Hindu, Buddhist sign of peace. Times Union
Academic Research Paper
Jeff Kelman: The Hakenkreuz, Swastika, and the Christian Cross, MA Thesis, Gratz College, Spring 2021
Books
Daniel Rancour-Laferriere: The Sign of the Cross: From Golgotha to Genocide. 2017, Routledge
T.K. Nakagaki: The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate. 2018, Stone Bridge Press
Thomas Wilson: The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol, And Its Migrations; With Observations On The Certain Industries In Pre-Historic Times. 1894, The Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum
Videos
Supporting Organizations and Partners
- Bharat Sevashram Sangha
- Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan USA
- Chinmaya Mission, Washington Regional Center
- Community Voice, NY
- Dwarapalakas, Canada
- Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York
- Federation of Gujarati Associations
of US - Federation of Indian Associations, NY-NJ-CT
- Ganesh Temple, NY
- Gokuldham Haveli, GA
- Gujarati Cultural Association of North America
- Hindu Americans of San Diego
- Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference
- Hindu Students Council
- Jain Center of New Jersey
- Kannada Koota New York
- Kashmiri Overseas Association,
GA Chapter - Kerala Hindus of Minnesota
- Konkani Association of Georgia
- Hindu Speakers Bureau
- Hindu Service Foundation
- Hindu Society of Minnesota, MN
- Hindu Temple Society of the Capital District, NY
- Humvatan, VA
- Marg Foundation, MD
- OVBI, Dallas, TX
- Sardar Patel Foundation of North America
- Shiv Mandir of Atlanta, GA
- Shree Sai Pariwar, GA
- Shree Shakti Mandir, GA
- Shree Umiya Mataji Mandir, GA
- Shri Navagraha Devasthanam of North America, NY
- Siddhi Vinayak Mandir Atlanta, GA
- Siva Durga Temple, GA
- Swastika Awareness Coalition
- Tendai Buddhism – North America
- United States Hindu Alliance
- USA Pandits Parishad
- Westchester Indians
- World Hindu Council of America (VHPA)
- World Hindu Organization, GA