Press Release by Ministry of External Affairs

15 June 2007

On the adoption of the resolution on ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ at the UN General Assembly

The United Nations General Assembly has today unanimously adopted a resolution on ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ piloted by India with the co-sponsorship of 142 countries to annually observe and celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, as the International Day of Non-Violence. Addressing at the UN General Assembly [UNGA] Plenary, Hon’ble Shri Anand Sharma, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, thanked all the UN Member States for their support to the resolution. This important decision, he said, reflected the respect that Mahatma Gandhi commanded universally and the enduring relevance of his humane philosophy. The adoption of the resolution, he added, highlights the holistic nature and the continued relevance of the Mahatma’s message for our times, indeed for all times to come. The Minister also pointed out that it encompassed the rejection of violence against oneself, against others, against other groups, against other societies and against nature.

The idea of promoting such a resolution originated from the Declaration adopted at the international conference on "Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment – Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century" convened in New Delhi in January this year to commemorate the centenary of the Satyagraha Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa. Attended by 91 countries and 122 organisations besides many eminent personalities, including philosophers and Nobel laureates, the participants in that Conference solemnly vowed to nurture the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and articulated the collective yearning for a new way forward to address the problems of hunger and dehumanising poverty, which continue to plague humanity, to build a just and equitable world where people live with dignity and in peace and harmony with each other in diverse and pluralistic societies.

Through this resolution, all Member States, the UN system, regional and non-governmental organisations have been invited to commemorate this day in an appropriate manner and disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness. It also requests the UN Secretary-General to recommend ways to assist Member States in organising activities to commemorate the Day, to take necessary measures to observe the Day by the UN system and to keep the 63rd session of the UNGA informed about the implementation within the UN system of the present resolution as regards the observance of the International Day of Non-Violence.

New York