The Community of the Ark is a small spiritual commune in southern France that was founded in 1948 by Lanza del Vasto. Lanza del Vasto was a non-violence activist and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi.^[1] During the 1970s, many of the communards, under the leadership of del Vasto, took a leading role in the civil disobedience campaign resisting the proposed extension of the military base on the Larzac plateau. ^[2] The campaign was ultimately triumphant.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1970s, the community spread to several locations, including Italy, Spain and Quebec. In the 1990s, some communities were closed due to conflicts and lack of new members.^{[citation needed]}

• About the Community of the Ark
• L'Arche de Saint Antoine (The Ark of Saint Antoine) website in French and English.

• Mark Shepard: The Community of the Ark. A Visit With Mahatma Gandhi's Disciples in the West. Ocean Tree Books, Santa Fe (New Mexico) 1992, ISBN 0-943734-28-2.