An Vien TV: Why was 2nd October chosen as the International Day of Non-violence?
Ambassador : The International Day of Non-Violence is observed every year on October 2nd, which is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, who led India’s freedom movement with his philosophy of truth and non-violence.
The International Day of Non-violence was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2007 to disseminate the message of non-violence. 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.
The wide support with which the resolution was adopted reflected the universal respect for Mahatma Gandhi and the enduring relevance of his philosophy.
An Vien TV: The life and movements of Mahatma Gandhi have always been referred to as a fine example of non-violent resistance. Could you elaborate?
Ambassador : Mahatma Gandhi was an apostle of non-violence. His belief in non-violence was influenced by India’s age-old civilizational values of peace and co-existence and the philosophy of Lord Buddha’s “Ahimsa”.
For Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence was not a mere theoretical concept; he embodied it. He adopted non-violence as his life’s fundamental philosophy that permeated all his actions and thoughts. It gave him the courage of conviction and a moral power to overcome the most serious adversities and challenge a formidable colonial power.
Mahatma Gandhi stressed that resorting to non-violence was not about being weak and helpless, but rather being strong and courageous. His philosophy of Satyagraha, or peaceful resistance, blended truth and non-violence as a moral force and transformed these concepts into a national movement that eventually won India her freedom from an oppressive colonial rule.
An Vien TV: Since the International Day of Non-violence was established, what kind of positive impact it has made on India and the world?
Ambassador : The commemoration of International Day of Non-violence reaffirms the values of peace, non-violence, tolerance and understanding and highlights their profound relevance in dealing with the current global challenges such as terrorism. As a country long inflicted by the problem of cross-border terrorism, the International Day of Non-violence is a strong affirmation of India’s long-standing belief that no cause can justify acts of violence and that humanism shall always prevail.
