OCTOBER 2 - GANDHI'S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY AND INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NON VIOLENCE

Mahatma Gandhi

United Nations' International Day of Non-Violence is observed all around the world every year, on  October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

The UN resolution for International Day of Non Violence reaffirms the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence and the desire to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.

For Gandhi, non-violence was the expression of the deepest love for all humans that included not only a lack of physical harm to them, but also a lack of hatred or ill-will towards them. He believed in the need to convince opponents of their injustice without resorting to violence.

"Nonviolent refusal to cooperate with injustice is the way to defeat it.” - Mahatma Gandhi

A sculpture by Karl Fredrik Reutersward depicting "Non-Violence", outside UN Headquarters in New York. (UN Photo)