Aman Charitable Trust

About Aman

Our history, mission and philosophy

Our History

Aman Charitable Trust emerged from anti-communal civic action groups that came together following the violence against the Sikh community in Delhi in 1984. The founders were initially engaged in relief work for victims of communal violence.

From late 1997 to April 2003, Aman operated under the Violence Mitigation and Amelioration Project (VMAP) of Oxfam (India) Trust, supported by the Ford Foundation.

Our Mission

Aman envisages a pro-active role for civil society in the reduction of conflict and the mitigation of its effects. Our work is grounded in the principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and samrastha (harmony).

"Peace could not be achieved by passivity, but by identifying sources of social discontent and defusing tension through positive rebuilding."

Our Philosophy

We believe that peace requires active engagement with the sources of violence and injustice. Our approach combines immediate relief with long-term capacity building, advocacy and research.

Programme Areas

The six thematic pillars that guide our work

Gender, Mental Health and Conflict

Campaign for Non-violent Conflict Resolution

Pedagogy for Social Peace and Civic Restraint

Human Security, Citizenship and Law

Social Resources and Caste Conflict

Culture, Symbols and Identities