UN observes Gandhi Jayanti as International Day of Non-

The UN today observed the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as the International Non-Violence Day with Indian-Americans remembering the apostle of peace across the US.
UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak, at an event at the UN headquarters in New York, said that people are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamt of.
The birth anniversary of Gandhi is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence by the world body.
"Unfortunately, we are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamt of. Many actors still use violence as their tool of choice. Every day there is new evidence of the destruction and human suffering, which result from this choice," Lajcak said.

Observing that intolerance and hate speech are features of the world, he rued that international human rights and humanitarian law are constantly violated.
Conflicts, violent extremism and terrorism do not show any signs of decreasing, he said.

"Even the planet is suffering from a violence of sorts, due to the harmful impact of human activities. The message of non-violence is therefore needed more today than ever," Lajcak told the audience inside the UN headquarters in New York.
As a global leader in non-violence, the UN needs to do more to promote this principle and to inspire others to do so too, said the president of the UN General Assembly.

This will mean stepping up its efforts in conflict prevention, he said.
Gandhi's birth anniversary was celebrated across the country including New York, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and San Francisco.
In Washington DC, Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna offered floral tributes to the statue of Gandhi located in front of the Embassy premises.
A cultural programme consisting of patriotic songs was also organised. The ceremony was attended by around 200 prominent members of the community.