The UN created the International Day of Non-Violence to reaffirm “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and “foster a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”. The first International Day of Non-Violence was celebrated at the UN on October 2, 2007.
This day is symbolically set on the anniversary of the birth of Mohandas GANDHI, the thinker and politician who developed and applied the philosophy and strategy of non-violence as early as 1906. It is a direct continuation of the UN’s ongoing action for peace and non-violence:
- International Day of Peace, September 21 each year (since 2001)
- International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010)
- Action program for a culture of peace, September 13, 1999
NGOs involved in peace and non-violence have been supporting the UN’s efforts since 2007-2008, with local and national events in various countries.
In Switzerland, the first actions took place in the German-speaking part of the country on October 2, 2007, followed in French-speaking Switzerland by a series of events around October 2, 2008, involving some twenty associations committed to a better world where violence will be replaced by peace reflexes and respect for fundamental human rights. A Collectif Paix et non-violence (Peace and Non-Violence Collective) was founded for the occasion, the fruit of collaboration between 4 NGO co-founders: CENAC, Eirene, Peace Watch and Graines de Paix. It has continued with other associations since…