Peace walk held to mark Gandhi's departure from S Africa

A five kilometre peace walk was organised here today as part of an event to commemorate the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's departure from the shores of South Africa to India.
The Indian community led by India's High Commissioner to South Africa Virendra Gupta organised the event at the former site of Gandhiji's Tolstoy Farm on the outskirts of Johannesburg. The event is a part of the ongoing 'Festival of India' in South Africa.
The event began with the peace walk by around 300 men, women and children.
Later, people gathered to hear inspirational speeches from noted South Africa freedom struggle activist Maniben Sita, the great granddaughter of Gandhiji and Ndileka Mandela, the granddaughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela, Indian Embassy said in a statement.

The keynote address was delivered by Shobhana Radhakrishnan, noted Gandhian and president of Gandhian Vision and Values, New Delhi.
It was in South Africa where Gandhiji, between 1910 and 1913, developed his Satyagraha philosophy of passive resistance,. Tolstoy Farm was the centre where Gandhi and his followers lived out this philosophy.

The farm was named after Russian novelist and philosopher Leo Tolstoy.
With the active coordination of the High Commission of India, the farm is being revived and a Mahatma Gandhi Garden of Remembrance is being developed at the site.
The project would be managed by a non-profit company with representation from government, civil society, community, Gandhi family, Mandela family etc.