Gandhi Jayanti celebrated around the United States

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Gandhi Jayanti, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, was celebrated this year at various events in different countries of the world and in the United States, with diplomatic discussions, talks and seminars and cultural events.

In New York, Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters as the International Day of Non-Violence, organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN.

The event began with a short film on important milestones in the life of Gandhi, followed by addresses from the Permanent Representative of India P Harish, of Jamaica Brian Christopher Manley Wallace, of Sri Lanka Mohan Pieris, of Vietnam Hoang Giang Dang, and Vatican Observer Gabriele Caccia.

Representatives spoke about Gandhi’s enduring legacy and commitment to the values of Ahimsa, Satyagraha, Sarvodaya and of Trusteeship of the natural resources of the planet, linking them to the principles laid out in the UN Charter. Gandhi’s international impact was also discussed, with an emphasis on the relevance of adhering to those principles in today’s war and strife ridden world, ending with reaffirmed commitment to the values.

This was followed by a rendition by Sanjukta Sen of Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, of two of Gandhi’s favorite ‘bhajans’ – Vaishnav Jan to Tene re Kahiye and Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.

As every year, India’s Consulate General in New York held a separate event to celebrate Gandhi’s 155^th birthday at Union Square Park in Manhattan where an ebony colored full statue of Gandhi has been installed in 1986.

Attended by community leaders and members who paid floral tributes to the Mahatma, the event attracted a large number of people from the five boroughs of New York City.

Speaking at the event, Consul General Binay S. Pradhan said that Gandhi’s principles of non-violence, truth force, welfare of all, respect and dignity for all, freedom and self-rule had admirers in all parts of the world. He said these principles were relevant even today to build a world of peace, understanding and mutual respect.

The event included lighting of the lamp and singing of the favorite bhajans of Gandhiji, including poet Narsinh Mehta’s Vaishnav Jan to Tene re Kahiye.

The Indian Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, also held a special event to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, 2024 at their premises. The event included speeches and cultural performances.

The Consulate in Seattle held a special celebration to mark Gandhi’s birthday on October 2, and unveiled the first sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi at the Seattle Center which is located next to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.

The Consulate General of India and the City of Seattle had been working together on deciding an appropriate location for the sculpture before deciding on the Center. Seattle Center draws more than 12 million visitors annually and is easily accessible. The Center is also committed to promoting Gandhian values of peace and non-violence.

The special unveiling ceremony was attended by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Congressman Adam Smith, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Commander of the US First Corps in Pacific Northwest Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, and Chair of the Martin Luther King-Gandhi Initiative Eddie Rye.

Present at the ceremony were Consul General of India Prakash Gupta, community leaders and members of Seattle’s Indian American community.

Speakers at the celebratory event spoke about the importance of affirming Gandhi’s core values of Ahimsa, Satyagraha and Sarvodaya in today’s world.

An official proclamation to designate October 2^nd as Mahatma Gandhi Day in the 73 cities of Greater Seattle was issued by the King County. As well, an official proclamation was issued by the Governor of the State of Washington Jay Inslee to acknowledge Gandhi’s statue as a lasting tribute to Gandhi’s teachings and a powerful reminder of the impact of non-violence to enable peaceful change in the world.

This was the first in a series of initiatives undertaken by the Indian Consulate in Seattle established in November 2923.

In San Francisco, Consul General K Srikar Reddy paid floral tribute to the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi and said the statue serves as a reminder of the values of truth, tolerance and compassion.

An important part of San Francisco’s landscape, the bronze sculpture of Gandhi was installed in 1988 in the plaza of the San Francisco Ferry Building. A gift from the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation, the eight feet tall sculpture is created by Slatko Paunov and Steven Lowe and is mounted on a two-step block.

Indian embassies in many countries of the world celebrated Gandhi Jayanti with cultural performances of Gandhi’s favorite prayers and bhajans. In Rome, Italy, Indian ambassador Vanani celebrated Gandhi Jayanti with Diplomatic adviser to the Mayor of Rome Gabriel Anis, and Mayor Yugo Papi and members of the Indian community in Rome. In the city of Adava in Japan, Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated with floral tributes and singing by school children.