United Nations, Oct 2 (PTI) Top United Nations leaders on Monday paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, recalling his messages of peace and unity in diversity.

“This International Day of Non-Violence, we commemorate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi & recall his wise counsel,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a post on X.

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“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization,” Guterres said, quoting Gandhi's message and called on people and nations to “Let us heed his words & re-commit ourselves to this essential purpose.”

President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis quoted Gandhi's message “There is no way to peace, peace is the way”. The words are inscribed on a plaque on the bust of Mahatma Gandhi installed at the North Lawn of the world body's headquarters.

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The Gandhi bust is a gift from India to the UN and was installed in the expansive North Lawn during India's Presidency of the 15-nation UN Security Council in December 2022.

Francis said the International Day of Non-Violence marks the birth anniversary of Gandhi, a beacon of peace & non-violence.

“Let us embrace Gandhi's message and invest in peace; this is an investment in our collective prosperity,” he said in a post on X.

The UN observes the International Day of Non-Violence on October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

According to General Assembly resolution of June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness".

The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence".

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said, "On the International Day of Non-Violence, let us reaffirm our commitment to peace, justice, and equality for all".

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)