The date commemorates the birth of Mahatma Gandhi and the timeless values he championed, the UN chief added in a message issued here.

Guterres recalled today’s grave challenges, with growing inequalities, tensions, conflicts, and worsening climate chaos while divisions within countries deepen, with democracy under threat and hate speech and intolerance on the march.

“We can overcome these afflictions and chart a course toward a brighter, more peaceful future. If we understand -as Gandhi did- that the magnificent diversity of our human family is a treasure, not a threat,” he added.

In this sense, Guterres called to invest in social cohesion to reach agreements and the determination to cooperate and unite around our common humanity.

The International Day of Non-Violence was established in 2007 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 ensure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding, and non-violence.

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