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Guterres urged the international community to draw on the “courage, empathy, dignity and shared humanity” that Gandhi represented.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Image Credit: Reuters)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence and dialogue, saying his message has become even more relevant as conflicts, inequality and divisions deepen across the world.
In a message marking the International Day of Non-Violence on October 2, Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Guterres said the Mahatma had shown how lasting change could be achieved while remaining committed to peace.
“On this International Day of Non-Violence, we pay tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi,” Guterres said.
He said Gandhi demonstrated that injustice should not be met by repeating the violence and cruelty behind it, but through dialogue and non-violence that can build understanding, protect dignity and bring lasting change.
Guterres Calls For Dialogue And Empathy
“In this time of rising division, tension and conflict, Gandhi’s lessons speak to us with renewed urgency,” the UN chief said.
Pointing to poverty and inequality, Guterres said people were suffering while key foundations of peace and development, including the UN Charter, human rights, international law and diplomacy, were being ignored.
He urged the international community to draw on the “courage, empathy, dignity and shared humanity” that Gandhi represented.
“Let’s work to heal divisions through genuine dialogue and diplomacy, end suffering, and build a peaceful world through non-violence,” Guterres said.
The remarks came at a special event organised by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, titled ‘Non-violence as a means to Peace and Development’.
India Links Gandhi’s Values To Global Challenges
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said Gandhi’s idea of Sarvodaya offered a vision of inclusive and sustainable development.
He also highlighted Gandhi’s emphasis on self-reliance, environmental responsibility and openness to different cultures, saying these ideas remain relevant amid climate change, conflict, extremism and inequality.
Parvathaneni pointed to Gandhi’s observation that the Earth provides enough to meet everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed, saying the message resonates strongly with today’s climate concerns. He said it underlined the need for sustainable living and responsible stewardship of the planet.
He also noted Gandhi’s advocacy of self-sufficiency and self-reliance, saying these values could help societies cope with a world facing repeated disruptions. His vision of an open society, where the “cultural breezes of all lands” can flow freely without eroding one’s own identity, also offers a way to respect diversity while preserving cultural roots, Parvathaneni said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Ask News18UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence and dialogue has become even more relevant as global conflicts, inequality, and divisions deepen.
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