International Day of Non-Violence - [October 2] This Day in History

In 2007, the United Nations passed a resolution to observe Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) as the International Day of Non-Violence every year. The objective is to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”. In this article, you can know more about the International Day of Non-Violence 2021 for the UPSC exam.

International Day of Non-Violence

The resolution to observe Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary as the International Day of Non-Violence was proposed by the then Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Anand Sharma on behalf of 140 co-sponsors. During the proposal, Mr. Sharma quoted Gandhi and said, “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man”.

• Mahatma Gandhi is not only the ‘Father of the Nation’ for India, but also a world figure because of his ideals of ahimsa and non-violence.
• He led the freedom struggle by propounding the idea of peaceful resistance against British rule and injustices.
• He urged the people not to give in to violence and always stay true to the ideal of non-violence even at grave risks to one’s life.
• He was an apostle of peace and a human rights advocate who gave India and the world the tool of Satyagraha to achieve legitimate political aspirations.
• It is in recognition of Gandhi’s universalist principles of peace, tolerance and non-violence that the UN accepted the proposal to observe the Day.

For a list of important international days, check the linked article.

International Day of Non-Violence 2021

The year 2021 marks the 152nd birth anniversary of Gandhi. The theme for this year’s International Day of Non-Violence is ‘Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world’. 

The International Day of Non-Violence honours how Gandhi’s practice and legacy have influenced global, non-violent protests.

October 2 is also the birth anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister and freedom fighter Lal Bahadur Shastri. Know more about him in This Day in History dated Jan 11.

We give you some of Gandhi’s quotes.

1. An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
2. You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
3. Hate the sin, love the sinner.
4. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.
5. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
6. The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
7. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
8. Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.