 We will begin the today's program with a group photograph The leaders will now jointly inaugurate the Gandhi solar park at the United Nation headquarters The Gandhi Peace Garden at State University of New York College at Old Westbury We have all my dignitaries here now. Yeah plasma ball has been brought in Your Excellencies Please come up to the Hand of the plasma ball a short video is going to accompany the inauguration Thank You Excellencies may I request you to kindly take your seats Your Excellencies we have placed a special stamp of Mahatma Gandhi That was brought out by the United Nations Postal Administration and they are at your table I would now invite you to watch a short film on Mahatma Gandhi Which has been made specially for this occasion In a world torn apart with strife, he walked a very different path The journey and the destination were one and the same The freedom he sought was inseparable from peace and non-violence Rooted in India's civilizational values Gandhi channelized the timeless philosophy of peace for the realities of the contemporary world For him was both the means and the The desire for truth Satyagraha was the cornerstone of Gandhian politics and philosophy The truth for Gandhi was the threading together of the principle of Sarvodaya Holistic development for all and Antio there Uplift month and dignity for the weakest with this inner truth Gandhi created a mass mobilization Unmatched by anything the world has ever seen picking up a handful of salt as an act of defiance Or creating the political metaphor of the Charkha The humble handloom is symbols for India's freedom embodied not only the deep moral strength of peaceful resistance But also the vision of sustainability of an economy with human dimensions Nothing ever happens in isolation With startling clarity Gandhi saw how the crisis of the modern world affect us all And how the transition from conflict to cooperation needs a global response Guided by a shared sense of humanity His life was his message Walking together on the long road to peace and sustainability Let us be the change we want in this world It is now my honor to invite Dr. S. Jashankar the external affairs of Minister of India for his welcome remarks Mr. Secretary General Distinguished world leaders ladies and gentlemen It's my honor to welcome you all to today's commemorative event Where we are celebrating the life and message of Mahatma Gandhi Today's generation confronts challenges as diverse as climate change and gender justice To terrorism and social development The philosophy and outlook of Mahatma Gandhi Offer powerful tools to discern the path to addressing them Gandhi's advocacy of simple living and high thinking Highlighted living in consonance with the environment reigning in excessive consumerism and exploitation of natural resources He made us think about climate change before that term was even invented In every way Here's the symbol of the sustainable development goals that we today seek to achieve Gandhi's life was also an example of standing up to fear and intimidation His thoughts are a source of courage as we fight Terrorism in all its forms and manifestation His ideals have influenced some of the greatest figures of our age ladies and gentlemen Communities all over the world need inspired leaders to shape a hopeful future Today we have in our midst Those who have led through the values an example Let us hear them. Thank you, Excellency for highlighting the context of this event. Thank you And now ladies and gentlemen, it is now my honor to invite his Excellency Mr. Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India for special remarks on this occasion Secretary Jandra Secretary General Mr. Antonio Gutierrez President Moon President Moon Prime Minister Lee Prime Minister shit actually down Prime Minister shake Hasina Prime Minister and you Highness Prime Minister Andrew Holt他 Mr. Ardon Prime Minister Ardon Prime Minister Lota sharing Prime Minister Lota sharing Excellencies Excellencies friends We have all gathered here today on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 158th birthday anniversary to discuss his relevance in today's world. I extend a warm welcome to all imminent guests. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratefulness to the United Nations for releasing a commemorative stamp on the occasion of Gandhi's 150th birthday anniversary. Gandhi was an Indian but he didn't belong only to India. Today this event is a living example of this. We have never seen this in history before. A person who had not even the remotest connection with the government but who was able with the power of truth and non-violence, not only to shake up a centuries-old empire but also to ignite the yearning for independence among so many countries. Mahatma Gandhi was such a person and though he stayed so far away from the government, he reigns today in the heart. You can imagine that no matter how influential he was in his life, whether he was Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi was the basis of his thoughts. Gandhi was the basis of his thoughts. Friends, today the definition of the word world is that the people choose their own government and work according to the expectations of the government. But Mahatma Gandhi gave power to the real power of the word world. He proved that in which people are not dependent on the government and have become independent. Friends, Mahatma Gandhi was the center of India's freedom struggle. But for a long time, we should also think that if Gandhi was born in a free country, what would he do? He fought for freedom. This is important. But Gandhi's work was not just that. Mahatma Gandhi took up the burden of such a society that is not dependent on the government. Mahatma Gandhi brought change. This is a common tradition. But it would be right to say that he woke up the people's inner power and awakened them to bring change. If Mahatma Gandhi was not responsible for the struggle of freedom, even then, he would take up the basic principles of Swaraj and Swaulamban and make his own life bigger. Today, the vision of Gandhi is becoming a big source of the solution of many challenges. In the last five years, we have given people's participation in the struggle of freedom. Whether it is true India or not, whether it is digital India or not, the people are now conducting their own decisions. Friends, Mahatma Gandhi used to say that his life is his message. Gandhi never tried to create an impact on his life but his life became the reason for his struggle. Today, we are going through the process of how to impress. But the vision of Gandhi is how to inspire. What was the power of the struggle of the people of Gandhi? What is the connection to this? I would like to tell you today. A few years ago, when I met the Queen of Britain, Elizabeth, she showed me a small rumour with a lot of love. This rumour was bigger than Khadi. When Gandhi was married to her, he was sent to Uttar Pradesh. Think about it. The struggle of the people of Gandhi had a lot of connection with the people of Uttar Pradesh. This is what Mahatma Gandhi felt. He also wanted to honor the people of Uttar Pradesh who were fighting for freedom. For the people of Uttar Pradesh, the people of Uttar Pradesh drew the attention of the people of Gandhi who should be aware of everyone. His seven points are still relevant. The future is also relevant. The seven points are wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, business without ethics, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice, politics without principle, whether it is climate change or terrorism. Whether it is a revolution or a social life. To protect the people of Gandhi, the people of Uttar Pradesh work. I am sure that this path of Gandhi will lead to better development of the world. I believe that as long as the people of Gandhi are aware of the people of Uttar Pradesh, then the people of Gandhi and the people of Uttar Pradesh will continue to be among us. Once again, thank you. Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for your insightful remarks and your inspiring leadership. Thank you very much. I would like to now invite his Excellency, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, to address us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed. It is a great pleasure and a great honour to be here to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the giants of the 20th century, a global icon of peace and an advocate for the most vulnerable. And I thank Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Mission for convening this meeting. Gandhi's vision and philosophy are pillars of the work of the United Nations. Part of his genius is his ability to see the interconnectedness and the unity between all things. His political achievements, including leading the movement that ended colonial rule in India, using peace, love and integrity to prevail. But his vision went far beyond politics to encompass human rights and sustainable development. Gandhi promoted nonviolence not just as a philosophy and a political strategy, but as a means to achieve justice and change. Indeed, many of his ideas foreshadowed the holistic thinking behind the 20th-30th agenda for sustainable development. To take just one example, Gandhi understood the importance of advocacy and action around the issue of sanitation and led campaigns for clean drinking water and hygienic facilities when this issue was still deeply taboo. Gandhi's efforts on behalf of the people of lower caste and those considered untouchables, whom he renamed Arijan, or Children of God, should inspire us in our efforts to leave no one behind and to help those farthest behind first. Gandhi looked at the world from the point of view of the lowliest and the most humble, but he's acknowledged as one of the greatest leaders of all time. His values truly transcend borders. We have issued our own United Nations stamp to commemorate this occasion, but we are in the company of more than 100 countries that have issued or are planning to issue stamps to honor this global leader. Gandhi's enduring legacy is his continued relevance to our thinking and action on a broad sweep of issues from protecting the environment to promoting justice, from education to inequality. His teaching remains fresh and thought-provoking, including his emphasis on the importance of facing up to the truth with courage. Perhaps Gandhi's most important legacy was in creating a culture of peace, improving the effectiveness of non-violent, non-cooperation and drawing the world's attention to the gap between what we do and what we are capable of doing. Gandhi's ideas drive the work of United Nations for equality, government and global citizenship every day. I know they also drive the sinking of many global leaders. I commend those who have decided to pay tribute to Gandhi's legacy by marking this anniversary with a project connecting to one of the sustainable development goals, a fitting way to honor this most action-oriented leader. And I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the government of India for supporting the elimination of the United Nations and the installation of solar panels and the green roof on top of the conference building. I wish you all a successful and inspiring meeting and the capacity to fully understand and make living in our hearts the thinking and teaching of Gandhi. Thank you very much, Secretary Guterres. Thank you very much, Secretary General Guterres, for underlining the synergy between Gandhi's values and the objectives of the United Nations. We'd like to inform our audience that Secretary General Guterres has to leave for another meeting, so huge round of applause for Secretary General Antonio Guterres. It is now my privilege to invite his Excellency, Mr. Moon Jain, President of the Republic of Korea to address this August gathering. Hello, people. President, we are glad to be here today. My name is President Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea. I am pleased to introduce Mr. Jeon Yoon-hee, President of the Republic of Korea. He is the president of the United Nations and the president of the Republic of Korea. He was born for the world peace and the independence I am very proud of that. There is no way to go to peace. There is no way to go to peace. The teaching of Gandhi is the spirit of the UN. It has become the lower class of peace. To the Koreans who are opening up the era of Korean peace, Gandhi is a great teacher who gives wisdom and courage. In the year of the 150th anniversary of Gandhi's birth, it is the year of the 3rd independence movement of Korea. On March 1, 1919, the independence movement of Korea was attended by 2 million people, 10 percent of the population. People who did not even know the name of the country became the power of the independence movement. The spirit of the 3rd independence movement was the foundation of the Republic of Korea. A hundred years ago, Koreans shared their hope with the people of the same era and the Indians. To Gandhi, who led India to India, they gave respect and blessing, and they gave hope to the people of India who are going towards independence. In February of 1923, Korean people received news of Gandhi's British-backed military exercise through a press conference. In the summer of 1923, the Korean military exercise was also set up in Jeollju. Gandhi criticized the Japanese, who went to the office of the government for non-partisan students, and in January of 1927, he said that he would like to be a leader of the Korean War, and that he would like to be the leader of the Korean War. The Korean newspaper reported that on March of 1930, Gandhi's military exercise was held every day for 23 days. The Koreans sympathized deeply with the violence and violence of the Indians led by Gandhi, and they loved Nairu, who sent a message to the people of the same era and the people of the same era. Narendra Modi, and the people of the same era. The Indians and Koreans who went through the crisis of the Civil War were the companions of the Liberation Army, who gave each other inspiration and courage. Now, the Indians and Koreans are developing a special strategic companion relationship with the people of the same era and the people of the same era. The world is getting better and better with Gandhi's spirit. Nelson Mandela, who overcome apartheid hate with the help of Coyon and the truth. In 1955, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, who led the Black People's Movement, and Martin Luther King, who started his V-Quote in Mongolia, in 1974, the women of the Himalayas of the Chikko movement, who sang and sang the song. The violence to protect themselves and their communities, as well as nature and the dignity of life, or the descendants of the great soldiers, guaranteed the ordinary people's right to determine their own destinies and that of their people. And that is what constitutes the very starting point of democracy. Gandhi said that we have nothing without hope. We can be happy only when we cherish and nurture hope in our daily lives. I hope that today's event and now I have the pleasure of inviting his Excellency Mr. Lee Sien Long, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore for his remarks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am very honoured to be invited by Prime Minister Modi to attend this commemoration of the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi's ideas had influenced far beyond India's shores. His philosophy of non-violent resistance distinguished India from other independence movements of that era. He championed non-violence to the core of his being. Even more remarkably, he could persuade his countrymen to desist from violence even when they had been persecuted and severely provoked. As he said, this was sage advice then and remain so now. We live in a world that is not only more diverse but also more interconnected. Differences are more easily amplified and people more readily take offence. Tensions and conflicts are prevalent not just between countries, races and religions, but also within them. But if we take Gandhi's message and say but if we take Gandhi's message to heart, then we must try our best to resolve differences calmly and peacefully, appreciating the views of the other side and without inflaming passions or hardening attitudes. In so doing, we will build mutual understanding, tolerance and respect for one another. Gandhi also firmly believed in the intrinsic equality of every person and this value resonates with Singapore because our nation was founded on the same principle. We became independent in 1965 because we wanted to be a country where everyone was treated equally regardless of their race, language or religion and we continue to uphold that fundamental ideal. We worked very hard to strengthen our social cohesion and a common space shared by the different races and religious groups in Singapore. We also strive to make a modest contribution to global efforts to promote mutual understanding and respect. For example, this year Singapore hosted an international conference on cohesive societies and there we had good exchanges with scholars and practitioners from other countries, they also took away something useful. After Gandhi died and was cremated, Singapore had the honour of receiving part of his ashes. The ashes were immersed at sea in accordance with Hindu custom two miles from the southern tip of Singapore. Last year, Prime Minister Modi visited Singapore and unveiled a plaque to mark this spot. There are other places in Singapore that honour Gandhi's legacy such as the memorial which is home to our Hindi society and also a Mahatma Gandhi centre for universal values that is in one of our schools. But beyond these physical traces, Gandhi's ideas and ideals have resonated and endured. Gandhi's birthday, the 2nd of October falls next week. The UN General Assembly has declared it the International Day of Non-Violence. So it is therefore it is fitting that we gather today to celebrate the legacy of a remarkable man and may Gandhi's memory continue to inspire and to bring out the best in all of us. Thank you very much. Thank you Prime Minister for your enlightening views. And now it is my privilege to invite her Excellency Ms. Sheikh Hasina the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to address this august gathering. Ms. Blaine Ramonarain Honourable Prime Minister Srinayan Ramodi distinguished distinguished friends and leaders from different countries ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies As-Salaam-Alaikum and a very good evening to you all. I feel honoured to join you today as we celebrate the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in this commemorative event. Leadership matters relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the contemporary world. Gandhi ji a true patriot a statesman and a saint dedicated his life for humankind he was a beacon of hope a light in darkness and a saviour in despair. His brilliant and mesmerising leadership showed the world that an individual could bring earth-shaking social and political change in a non-violent way. Let me cite a famous quote of Mahatma Gandhi I quote you must be the change you wish to see in the world. Gandhi ji believed in people's power which rests in individuals who are their own masters his selfless love and affection for people regardless of social standing, caste colour, creed or religion earned him the title Mahatma. His principles of tolerance, non-violence and harmonious coexistence would continue to guide us as we seek to build nations. In fact his ideals of diversity are cherished and celebrated all over the globe wherever democracy is practiced. We are proud to have Gandhi and have trust in Bangladesh since 1946. It follows the Gandhian philosophy and rural development peace and social harmony and works for the rural poor with particular focus on women. Dear friends as I pay my tribute to Gandhi ji I fondly recall the father and father of the nation who took inspiration from him during his formative stage of leadership we are now preparing to celebrate the birth centre of Bangladesh beginning in March 2020. Gandhi's love for common people and ideals of non-violence contributed to shaping the vision of struggle, non-cooperation, peaceful movement against oppression and tyranny by the Pakistani rulers against the peace loving Bengalis. In the face of provocations he remained unmoved and committed to the principles of non-violence. He however declared the independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of 26th March 1971 and called for armed struggle against the Pakistani military dictator the Pakistan occupation military dictator when they unleashed an unprecedented genocide against the unarmed civilians in Bangladesh. Whenever I look at Bangabandu Sheikh Mujeeb's charismatic leadership he sacrificed and struggled for people I find a great degree of similarity with Mathma Gandhi and both of them were assassinated. Excellencies you are well aware that we are currently hosting almost 1.1 million Rohingyas who fled violence and atrocities in Myanmar despite resource constraint and other serious challenges our decision to shelter such a huge number of Rohingyas emanated from our conscience driven by love for humanity a virtue we see in Bangabandu Sheikh Mujeeb and Mathma Gandhi. In the world we go to leading to terrorism and violent extremism are dividing the humankind more than ever before. Gandhi's philosophy of life and his unwavering support for all peoples can unite us today to meaningfully and effectively address formidable challenges of global concerns like hunger poverty and impacts of climate change. On this special day may I wish that Gandhi's humanitarian ideals and principles would turn over all divisiveness and stability and equitable world for us and our coming generations. Thank you Prime Minister Sena for your valuable insights. I would like to now invite his Excellency Mr. Andrew Holnes, Prime Minister of Jamaica for his remarks. Prime Minister Modi distinguished leaders Excellencies I am honored to offer personal reflections on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gandhi. It is fitting that we should be doing so at the headquarters of the United Nations the epicenter of collective efforts to create a world in which all peoples can enjoy peace, safety prosperity regardless of race gender, religion or creed. As a consummate leader devoted to the welfare of others and to sacrifice in pursuit of the greater good Mahatma Gandhi the great soul remains an inspiration and constant source of motivation is astute leadership and unflinching determination bare testimony to his vision of a kinder and loving world and to his singular focus on righting wrongs and addressing injustices. Our mission should be clear we must build on Gandhi's legacy we must be advocates for the poor and the weak we must be catalysts for positive change this is best achieved through greater common understanding tolerance and mutual respect it is not beyond our reach Gandhi's doctrine of non-violence and sacrifice together with his vision for a more equitable world is a source of personal inspiration to my own leadership and I know that his life's work will continue to inspire new generations to come leaders who are committed to the well-being and advancement of all our peoples for Gandhi democracy was the vehicle through which the vision of a more equitable, inclusive and peaceful world could be achieved democratic governance represented an age of awakening for the poorest of the poor which he said gives the weak the same chance as the strong Gandhi understood and personified that we can struggle against injustice without violence and that we can achieve revolutionary change without bloodshed as members of this most important global body we must continue to hold fast to Gandhi's principle of peace and the rejection of violence as a means of settling our differences when Charter is aligned with the principles and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi it states the only true basis of enduring peace is the willing corporation of free peoples in a world in which relieved of the menace of aggression all may enjoy economic and social security confronted as we are by violence, terrorism and extremist ideology we must ensure that Gandhi's legacy is remembered and celebrated as a beacon of hope for us to pursue as Gandhi powerfully demonstrated non-violence is a weapon of the strong Mahatma Gandhi the epitome of selfless and dedicated commitment to protecting the downtrodden and the outcast continues to resonate with all of us he remains as relevant today as he did over a century ago he has left us a profound legacy and an example for this and succeeding generations to follow as we strive for peace social justice and sustainable economic development I thank you Thank you Prime Minister for your words of wisdom It is now my honour to invite her Excellency Miss Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand to address this distinguished gathering Inna mana Inna reo Inna rangatirama Inna koutou Inna koutou Inna namaste I'd like to begin by acknowledging the host of this event Prime Minister Modi and I want to thank you for the invitation to speak here today our presence here I hope is a reflection of the close ties between New Zealand and India but also the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi which was felt in the furthest corners of the globe and where I learnt of Mahatma Gandhi as a schoolgirl I would also like to acknowledge my fellow speakers as political leaders there is much that we can learn from Gandhi as we search for common ground to address the world's pressing problems For me there are three aspects of Gandhi's message that carry particular weight tolerance equality and the sanctity of non-violence and peace these are values that we should always keep in the forefront of our minds but not just in good times but especially when faced with difficult choices New Zealand we have recently witnessed the tragic consequences of intolerance and violence an act of terrorism that sought to divide us that took the lives of 51 innocent worshippers yet in the face of this act of hatred and violence the New Zealand Muslim community opened their doors for all New Zealanders and the world to grieve with them their act of peace was a powerful and empowering message in opening their doors they sowed the seeds of diversity, humanity, forgiveness in what we call in New Zealand, Aroha or Love they broke a potential cycle of violence at a time when religion could have been used to divide us we saw the unifying power of interfaith and intercultural understanding we witnessed as Gandhi himself understood the inner truth of all faiths the commonalities of dignity of humanity and compassion that bind all people and indeed all religions the 15 mount to tax are a tragedy that we will not forget and that require us to reflect on what we need to do and be if we're to create the society that we desire but we also have to be reminded of the power of holding true to the values that should be universal as Gandhi himself said the very first step in non-violence is that we cultivate in our daily life as between ourselves truthfulness humility, tolerance and loving kindness we must build societies that are inclusive of all religions races, genders and that solve disputes without recourse to violence new thinking is also required to address the inequality that continues to blight the existence of many these are challenges for my country in New Zealand just as they are for many others but like Gandhi we should not be afraid to stand up and transform our societies for the better Gandhi also mollied the expression of political dissent through non-violent opposition Gandhi's peaceful march across Western India to protest against attacks on salt created a path for countless other non-violent political movements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries we continue to see this power today as our young people march to effect change across the globe creating a safe space for the expression of different ideas for political debate and dialogue whether it be on the streets or online remains an essential part of our democratic and pluralistic societies it is critical in resolving solutions in a peaceful manner I believe that Gandhi's legacy is as relevant today as it ever was it calls on us to reject bigotry and embrace kindness and truth it calls on us to strive for equality no matter difficult and entrenched systems are and it demands recognize the lasting value of peace let us all recommit to those principles knowledge 150 years of an enormous legacy. Thank you Prime Minister for your insightful remarks. This brings us to the close of this event. On behalf of the delegation of India, I take this opportunity to thank the world leaders, dignitaries and distinguished guests present this afternoon. I would like to request the audience to kindly remain seated as we wait for our leaders to leave.