Ban Ki-Moon writes: Gandhi embodied principles of UN Charter well before they were framed

I started enactment arsenic the UN Secretary General connected January 1, 2007. Five months later, the UN General Assembly adopted a solution to observe the day of Mahatma Gandhi arsenic the “International Day of Non-Violence”. This important solution called upon the planetary assemblage to commemorate this time annually to “disseminate the connection of non-violence, including done acquisition and nationalist awareness.” Gandhi embodied and lived the principles of the UN Charter good earlier our organisation was founded.

I archetypal visited Raj Ghat successful 1972 arsenic a young diplomat successful the embassy of the Republic of Korea successful New Delhi. And successful 2015, erstwhile I visited Sabarmati Ashram successful Gujarat arsenic the UN Secretary-General, I was greatly moved by its ascetic simplicity and pervasive purity.

In my code connected the occasion, I said: “… Gandhi’s compassion embraces each people… I myself person been putting successful my champion efforts and asking each leaders, acold and wide, to unrecorded by his teachings”.

Gandhi lived by the condemnation that lone peaceful tactics could usher successful a peaceful future. For him, means and ends were one. Non-violence confounds those who look it — and that is wherefore it works. I callback the illustration of King Ashoka who renounced violence, embraced Buddhism and devoted his beingness to peace. Gandhi carried connected this large Indian practice.

What are the large challenges and problems that we, arsenic humanity, are presently facing successful the 21st century? What are the main lessons we tin larn from the past, and what are the main opportunities successful the contiguous which tin assistance america flooded those challenges truthful we tin make a brighter satellite for our aboriginal generations?
I would similar to stock my reflections connected 3 cardinal challenges successful the 21st century.

First, the astir pressing situation – the clime crisis. If the satellite fails to scope the targets and timelines of the historical Paris Climate Change Agreement, the consequences volition beryllium simply devastating for the wellness and well-being of each of humanity, arsenic good arsenic our planet.

Climate alteration is besides a menace multiplier that tin disrupt ecosystems and economies alike, causing biology displacement connected an uncontrollable scale. It tin besides trigger tensions — related to food, water, resources, and much — some wrong and betwixt countries. Governments, civilian nine organisations, and businesses astir the satellite person recognised the inherent dangers of clime alteration and the large urgency of coming unneurotic successful practice and concern to holistically code it.

When India deposited its instrumentality of ratification to the Paris Climate Change Agreement with the UN connected the auspicious time of October 2, 2016, I said then, “What amended mode to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi and his bequest for radical and planet.” I telephone connected the Indian authorities to show its elevated clime enactment by making further efforts to execute Net Zero emissions by 2050.

The 2nd situation I would similar to item is intimately interlinked to the imperative of protecting the satellite and its radical done sustainable development. During my clip arsenic the UN Secretary-General, the UN General Assembly adopted the historical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) successful 2015.

SDGs usher america arsenic we strive to extremity hunger, empower women, trim wealthiness disparities wrong and betwixt nations, summation entree to education, and physique effectual institutions that service the people. These goals use to each countries — adjacent the richest person not afloat achieved each the goals for each of their citizens. It is simply a substance of heavy interest that the satellite is inactive acold distant from gathering the fast-approaching deadline of 2030 to execute the SDGs. Today, immoderate 1 cardinal radical inactive unrecorded successful utmost poorness successful antithetic parts of the world, and much than 800 cardinal radical endure hunger and malnutrition.

There were countries successful Asia that not agelong agone were struggling with poorness and hunger. They person made singular advancement successful lifting countless radical retired of abject poverty. India has besides made sizeable progress. I instrumentality this accidental to commend India for its notable efforts. Our task successful this respect volition go easier if we are guided by Gandhi’s omniscient mantra: “Earth provides capable to fulfill everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.”

Third, the 21st period has witnessed unprecedented advancement successful technological and technological cognition that promotes worldly prosperity. Yet, I often wonder, with sadness and anxiety, wherefore we person go poorer successful spiritual knowledge, which is simply a requisite for peace, harmony, and happiness successful our neighbourhoods, communities, countries, and world.

Indeed, determination is large spot successful diversity, and countries that observe diversity, support democracy, guarantee state of faith, and clasp each idiosyncratic are the ones that tin usher the operation of a amended aboriginal for all. This is possibly the astir cardinal acquisition that we each should larn from Mahatma Gandhi’s exemplary life.

Everyone has a motivation work to enactment wherever they whitethorn beryllium and a portion to play successful addressing the biggest challenges we look now. Let’s grow our corporate efforts to beforehand peace, sustainability, prosperity, and dignity.

The writer was Secretary General of the United Nations betwixt 2007 and 2016. This nonfiction is based connected his code astatine an planetary seminar successful Bengaluru successful August to people the 75th day of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi