October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti and globally as the International Day of Non-Violence, as declared by the United Nations – a dual tribute that reflects both national pride and global respect for the Mahatma.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in June 2007 affirming non-violence as a universal principle and promoting a global culture of peace and tolerance.

The spirit of Gandhi Jayanti and the International Day of Non-Violence is kept alive globally, with commemorations held in countries such as Belgium, USA, Spain, Serbia, Switzerland, Thailand, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands.

On October 2, the world honours the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. In India, the day is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, while across the globe it is observed as the International Day of Non-Violence, following a 2007 United Nations resolution that received support from over 140 countries. This dual observance gives the day a unique significance that is rooted in India’s national memory yet shared as a universal message for humanity.

At the UN, the day is observed with statements from the Secretary-General and events that connect Gandhi’s philosophy to today’s realities. In recent years these messages have pointed to the conflicts across the globe and have reminded nations that Gandhi’s belief in truth and non-violence is “more powerful than any weapon.”

In India, the observance takes the form of tributes at Raj Ghat, cultural and educational programmes, and public campaigns that highlight Gandhi’s ideals. Over the years, these commemorations have gone beyond ceremonial gestures to inspire national missions — from the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan that promotes cleanliness, to the revival of Khadi and rural industries symbolising self-reliance. 

The International Day of Non-Violence thus stands as both a national homage and a global call to action. It reminds us that Gandhi’s message is not confined to the past but continues to light the way towards a world where peace triumphs over conflict, dialogue over division, and compassion over fear.

The Birth of Satyagraha
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, an attorney by profession, was in South Africa in 1893 to attend to a legal matter. He was on a Pretoria-bound first-class coach and asleep in his berth when a fellow passenger noticed his appearance and, seeing that he was a ‘coloured’ man, reacted with prejudice.

Gandhi was ordered to move from the first-class compartment to the van compartment, a directive he firmly refused. As a result, he was forced to spend the bitterly cold night at Pietermaritzburg station. The following morning, he took the next available train to Pretoria.

"The hardship to which I was subjected was superficial — only a symptom of the deep disease of colour prejudice. I should try, if possible, to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process," Gandhi wrote about the incident in his autobiography "The Story of My Experiments with Truth" published in 1926.

The following day, while traveling by stagecoach from Charlestown to Johannesburg, Gandhi was denied a seat inside with the white passengers and was instead forced to sit on the coachbox next to the driver. Later, he was ordered to sit on a dirty sackcloth on the footboard. When Gandhi refused to comply, he was brutally assaulted.

Gandhi heard similar tales from other Indians living in apartheid South Africa. Outraged by the discriminatory treatment of Indians and other people of colour under South Africa’s colonial administration, Gandhi mobilised fellow social workers and led a series of protests against the oppressive regime, even getting arrested in the process. It was during this period that Gandhi coined the word “satyagraha” — derived from "satya" (truth) and "agraha" (insistence), which also included his political philosophy of non-violent resistance.

“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,” Gandhi wrote in Young India in 1920

Whether during the Dandi March of 1930, when thousands walked to the sea to break the salt law, or in the Quit India Movement of 1942, when an entire nation rose in unison, Mahatma Gandhi showed that moral force could stir millions without a single weapon raised.

And his message travelled far beyond India’s shores. Inspired by the Mahatma, Martin Luther King Jr. in America and Nelson Mandela in South Africa found the strength to challenge racism and apartheid. Across cultures and generations, his philosophy has endured, reminding humanity that non-violence is not a weakness but the most revolutionary power of all.

Gandhi at the UN: The Fifth Ahinsa Lecture
The Fifth Ahimsa Lecture, part of an ongoing series of lectures focused on non-violence, was last organised in September 2022 at the United Nations by UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in partnership with India’s Permanent Mission. It brought Gandhi’s philosophy vividly to life. Centred on the theme “Education for Human Flourishing”, the event stressed that true learning must nurture the body, mind, and spirit, and cultivate empathy and moral imagination alongside knowledge. A highlight was the use of a life-size hologram of Mahatma Gandhi, which conveyed his reflections on education and non-violence — a blend of tradition and technology that left a striking impact.

The lecture drew participation from India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, global eminent voices like Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.), youth representatives, and education experts who emphasised that Gandhi’s ideals remain a vital source of guidance for building peaceful, compassionate, and inclusive societies, especially at a time when education is being redefined as a tool for human flourishing rather than mere economic advancement.

Conclusion
The International Day of Non-Violence commemorates Gandhi's transcendental vision and philosophies of non-violence, truth and social justice, which remain as relevant today as they were during his lifetime and are now internationally recognised as pivotal to the holistic and inclusive progress of humankind. The Government of India as well as the world continue to be inspired by his political and social vision to ensure that societies globally are peaceful, just, and compassionate – today and in the future.