Context:
The International Day of Non-Violence, celebrated annually on October 2, to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
International Day of Non-Violence
- This day was proclaimed by the United Nations in 2007.
- According to the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 15 June 2007, this day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”.
- The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.
Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Non-Violence
- Gandhi understood non-violence from its Sanskrit root “Ahimsa” (means “’not to injure” or “compassion”).
- It implies total nonviolence, including no physical violence and no passive violence, in order to achieve social or political change.
- For Gandhi, nonviolence was not merely a political tool but a way of life, grounded in the belief that peace could only be achieved through peaceful means.
- Gandhi’s principles of non-violence are important in our current world, which faces many challenges Issues terrorism, conflict, climate change, and growing inequality which require an urgent need for peaceful solutions.
Other famous leaders inspired by his philosophy:
- Martin Luther King Jr.: Used a non-violence philosophy in the civil movement in the United States.
- Nelson Mandela: Used a non-violence philosophy in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Honouring Gandhi’s Legacy
- The Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 campaign, marking the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission, with its theme of ‘Swabhaav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata’, was held from 17th September to 1st October.
- On September 11, 2024, the Union Ministry of Culture and Tourism, inaugurated a special Railway Coach dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, Delhi.
- G20 Summit 2023 was held in India where world leaders paid homage (demonstration of respect) to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.