Mahatma Gandhi makes special appearance at UN, shares message on education

United Nations: In a first, Mahatma Gandhi made a special appearance at the United Nations, sharing his message on education at the world organisation as it commemorated the International Day of Non-Violence on the occasion of the Indian leader’s birth anniversary.
A special life-size hologram of Gandhi was projected during a panel discussion organised on Friday by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN and UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) at the UN headquarters here to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence.
The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on October 2, the birthday of Gandhi. According to the General Assembly resolution of June 2007, which established the commemoration, the day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”.
The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.
The panel discussion featured India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj; CEO of The King Centre, Atlanta Bernice King; and youth representative and digital education transformation champion Princess Hayu of Indonesia.
The discussion, moderated by UNESCO MGIEP Director Anantha Duraiappah, was focussed on Education for Human Flourishing’.
It was part of the Ahinsa Lecture Series and kickstarted the 10-year celebration of UNESCO MGIEP. It was for the first time at the UN that a life-size hologram of Mahatma Gandhi led the panel discussion, a statement said.
A voice-over accompanying the Gandhi hologram shared the iconic leader’s thoughts on education.
Literacy is not the end of education or even the beginning. By education, I mean an all-around drawing out of the best in the child and the man, body, mind and spirit. By spiritual training, I mean education of the heart, Gandhi said.
Ahead of the panel discussion, a message by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was read out.
In his message, Guterres said Gandhi’s life and example reveal a timeless pathway to a more peaceful and tolerant world, as the UN chief called on the international community to walk this path together, in solidarity, as one human family.
Director of the Mahatma Gandhi Digital Museum in Hyderabad Birad Yajnik told the event’s audience that the hologram was the second edition of the Gandhi hologram in 4k.
—PTI

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.