By IANS
New York : In a historic affirmation of the universal appeal of Mahatma Gandhi's "humane philosophy" of passive resistance and truth-seeking, the UN Friday declared his birthday on Oct 2 as the 'International Day of Non-Violence'.
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution piloted by India with the co-sponsorship of 142 countries to annually observe and celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday as the 'International Day of Non-Violence.'
Introducing the resolution in UN General Assembly [UNGA] plenary, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said the "wide and diverse co-sponsorship of this draft resolution reflects the universal respect that Mahatma Gandhi commands 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.
"It encompasses the rejection of violence against oneself, against others, against other groups, against other societies and against nature," Sharma said while thanking all the UN member states for their support to the resolution.
"Tabled under the agenda item 'Culture of Peace', it reaffirms in its preambular paragraphs the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence and seeks to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence," Sharma said.
The resolution calls upon all member states, the UN system, regional and non-governmental organisations to commemorate Oct 2 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 'International Day of Non-Violence.'
The unanimous adoption of the resolution was also a triumph of India's diplomacy as New Delhi launched a spirited campaign to mobilize support of member states after the Satyagraha Conference, titled 'Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment', early this year.
The conference, held to commemorate the centenary of the satyagraha movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa, was organised by the Congress party in January this year. Speaking at the conference attended by 91 countries and 122 organisations, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had called for steps to get the Mahatma's birthday marked as the International Day of Non-Violence.