UN holds up Gandhi’s
non-violence as path to peace, development
 |
| UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Delhi, India, on October 2, 2018.- ANSA |
The UN General Assembly in 2007 established the
International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
By Robin Gomes
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called
on the world to follow the “enduring vision and wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi” whose
non-violent methods, he said, are a path to peace and development.
Non-violence
In a message for the International Day of Non-Violence on
Tuesday, marking the birthday of the charismatic leader of the Indian
independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of
non-violence, the UN chief said that “at a time of protracted conflicts and
complex challenges, Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence remains an
inspiration.”
“At the United Nations,” Guterres said, “a world free of
violence - and the resolution of differences through non-violent means - is at
the core of our work.”
Guterres has timed an official visit to India, October 1-4,
to participate in several events to mark the 150thanniversary of
Gandhi. On Tuesday, he visited the Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat in Delhi,
where he laid a floral wreath in his honour.
Social justice
Guterres recalled Gandhi’s commitment to social justice.
with inequality on the rise. He said it was important for a fairer
globalization process to take root, based on human dignity, at a time when the
world is “striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, ensure gender
equality and leave no one behind.”
Peace and development
The Charter of the United Nations, said the
Secretary-General, with its call in Chapter VI for the use, “first of all”, of
negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement and other peaceful
ways to address threats to peace, echoes the spirit of Gandhi’s
statement that “non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.”
Noting that Gandhi proved that non-violence can change
history, Guterres called on the world to be inspired by Gandhi’s “courage and
conviction as we continue our work to advance peace, sustainable
development and human rights for all of the peoples
of the world.”
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét