Written by: Rtr. Buthma Menali

“Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

It was one of those summer-storied afternoons in 1947 when Mahatma Gandhi stood out on the streets in Delhi to plead for peace during the struggle for independence in India. Little did he know that his philosophy of non-violence would inspire millions someday, and today we celebrate that legacy on International Day of Non-Violence.

So, let’s start off with an interesting fact which you may or may not know. The United Nations declared the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi, October 2nd, as the International Day of Non-Violence. As Gandhi taught, it was a philosophy of living that commanded love, tolerance, and compassion towards all living things. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela are two real leaders who shared his philosophy of non-violence.

Nonviolence, in simple words, is a principle that denies the use of physical violence as an instrument for social or political change. The 2024 theme, “The Politics of Ordinary People” ,reminds us that much power for change does not come from above but from within each one of us. It calls for the strength of unity, moral courage, and civil disobedience in challenging oppression and injustice.

But, alas, these days it has spread to every nook and corner of this earth. Small differences in opinion amongst people have changed into big fights, hurting others and causing destruction in many ways. If anything may range from global conflicts to the rise of social injustices, the world often appears on the brink of tumbling into violence. From our day of birth, there has been a war on one or the other side of the earth. Yet, the talk of the town in Sri Lanka is how the “LTTE attacked us” and the recent Easter attack. And not only that, millions of animals and people are wounded and dying even at this moment due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War which started in 2014!

This is not the better future that we prayed and hoped for. Every living being should live in peace without any harm. So, for that, the keys are mainly non-violence. Non-violence is not only a strategy that should be practiced on a large scale within social or political movements; it has to begin with ourselves: how we resolve conflicts with others in our relationships, at work, or in our communities. We each have the power to further create a world in greater harmony by choosing to respond in an empathetic way, listening actively, and pursuing peaceful resolutions to disputes.

Further, there has to be non-violence to oneself. With self-compassion and mindfulness, one conducts peace within that may flow outside and influence how they affect others.

As we celebrate the International Day of Non-Violence, it overhauls us into the remembrance that peace begins with our utmost selves. We are supposed to change the world for the betterment of all of us. We have to admit here that no true change is coerced. If we learn how to better handle our emotional states at moments of joy, sorrow, and even anger, then violence finds no room amongst us!

While Mahatma Gandhi took millions along with him to freedom through non-violence, Nelson Mandela made forgiveness bring a nation together. We can be assured that this is something all of us can welcome into our lives and communities. Let us emulate them-pledge ourselves to the power of dialogue, understanding, and non-violent resistance. Only then can we aspire to create a future where peace will triumph over conflict.

Graphic Design by: Rtr. Sandali Mendis