International Day of Non-Violence

Today is the International Day of Non-Violence, celebrated since 2007 on October 2nd on the occasion of the birthday of Mahatma Ghandi. This pioneer of the strategy of non-violence said that this philosophy “is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” Recognizing the many wars being fought around our world, this message is imperative in order to move towards a “culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.”

This year’s celebration seeks to place a special emphasis on sustainability and the environment. Ghandi once said that the “Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” The Paris Agreement on Climate Change seeks to take steps towards solving this problem; however it has still not been ratified by all States. Today, serves as a reminder that it is imperative for all states to cooperate in order to achieve a more harmonious reality that will benefit every human on the planet.