President Kovind unveils statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Switzerland

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi here in the presence of Mayor and President of Canton Vaud and other dignitaries.

Speaking on the occasion, Kovind said, "Mahatma Gandhi's life teaches us many things. He built his first hermitage in India on the banks of River Sabarmati. Today, we have brought him to the banks of Lake Geneva."

He continued: "It is a fitting tribute to a man who loved nature and cared so much for it. His legacy shall inspire us as we work together to tackle climate change and to conserve our ecology."

Adding that Mahatma Gandhi believed in the oneness of humanity and embraced all cultures and all peoples, the President said, "As two democracies with a deep respect for diversity, Mahatma Gandhi shall continue to guide us in our shared journey to bring peace and joy for one and all."

On Friday, Kovind led the delegation-level talks along with his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer and witnessed the signing and exchange of MOUs/agreements between two countries.

Kovind is currently on a three-nation visit to Iceland, Switzerland, and Slovenia since September 9. He arrived in Switzerland on Thursday following the successful completion of his bilateral engagements in Iceland.

He will leave for Slovenia --the final leg of his state visit to three nations-- tomorrow.