Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day of Non-Violence, observed on 2 October:
On this International Day of Non-Violence, we pay tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.
Throughout his life, Gandhi set an inspiring example of how to create deep, lasting change while holding fast to the principles of peace.
He showed that the best way to counter injustice is not to mirror the cruelty and violence of systemic discrimination and oppression but to employ instead the tools of dialogue and non-violence to build bridges of understanding, deliver dignity and create lasting change.
In this time of rising division, tension and conflict, Gandhi’s lessons speak to us with renewed urgency.
People are suffering. Poverty and inequality are driving a wedge between the haves and have-nots. And the very foundations of peace and development — the UN Charter, human rights, international law and diplomacy and dialogue — are being ignored and flouted with impunity.
In these highly charged times, let’s summon the courage, empathy, dignity and shared humanity that Gandhi exemplified throughout his life.
Let’s work to heal divisions through genuine dialogue and diplomacy, end suffering and build a peaceful world through non-violence.