Each 2 October is celebrated as United Nations (UN) International Day of Non-Violence.

The Thammasat University Library collection includes many books about different aspects of non-violence.

The UN website explains:

Say No to Violence

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion 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 secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.

Introducing the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Anand Sharma, said that the wide and diverse sponsorship of the resolution was a reflection of the universal respect for Mahatma Gandhi and of the enduring relevance of his philosophy. Quoting the late leader’s own words, he said: “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man”.

Background

The life and leadership of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi, who helped lead India to independence, has been the inspiration for non-violent movements for civil rights and social change across the world. Throughout his life, Gandhi remained committed to his belief in non-violence even under oppressive conditions and in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

The theory behind his actions, which included encouraging massive civil disobedience to British law as with the historic Salt March of 1930, was that “just means lead to just ends”; that is, it is irrational to try to use violence to achieve a peaceful society. He believed that Indians must not use violence or hatred in their fight for freedom from colonialism.

Definition of Non-Violence

The principle of non-violence — also known as non-violent resistance — rejects the use of physical violence in order to achieve social or political change. Often described as “the politics of ordinary people”, this form of social struggle has been adopted by mass populations all over the world in campaigns for social justice.

Professor Gene Sharp, a leading scholar on non-violent resistance, uses the following definition in his publication, The Politics of Nonviolent Action:

“Nonviolent action is a technique by which people who reject passivity and submission, and who see struggle as essential, can wage their conflict without violence. Nonviolent action is not an attempt to avoid or ignore conflict. It is one response to the problem of how to act effectively in politics, especially how to wield powers effectively.”

While non-violence is frequently used as a synonym for pacifism, since the mid-twentieth century the term non-violence has been adopted by many movements for social change which do not focus on opposition to war.

One key tenet of the theory of non-violence is that the power of rulers depends on the consent of the population, and non-violence therefore seeks to undermine such power through withdrawal of the consent and cooperation of the populace.

There are three main categories of non-violence action:

• protest and persuasion, including marches and vigils;
• non-cooperation; and
• non-violent intervention, such as blockades and occupations.

The website of UNESCO observes:

Culture of Peace and Non-violence

Establishing a culture of peace and sustainable development are at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate. Training and research in sustainable development are among the priorities, as well as human rights education, skills for peaceful relations, good governance, Holocaust remembrance, the prevention of conflict and peace building.

UNESCO, since 1945, has promoted the right to quality education and the advancement of science and its applications to develop knowledge and capacity for economic and social progress, the basis of peace and sustainable development.

International cooperation is promoted through programmes on the management of transboundary sites such as World Heritage sites, biosphere reserves and geoparks, and of transboundary water resources, as well as Water for Peace programmes such as From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential (PCCP). UNESCO is leading the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation 2013(link is external), to promote deeper cooperation to tackle the rising demand for water access, allocation and services.

Several international projects established under the auspices of UNESCO aim to promote solidarity and peace in the Middle East through scientific cooperation. These include one of the most ambitious research facilities in the Middle East, known as SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), and the Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization (IPSO).

Within the context of its intergovernmental mandate and universal membership, UNESCO has focused its work in science on issues of global concern requiring multinational collaboration such as in the fields of freshwater resource management, ocean health, climate change, renewable energy, natural disaster reduction, biodiversity loss, and capacity building in science, technology and innovation.

Knowledge of rights and freedoms is considered a fundamental tool to guarantee respect for the rights of all. UNESCO’s work in human rights education is guided by the World Programme for Human Rights Education(link is external).

UNESCO is concerned by the rise of racism, xenophobia and intolerance, and considers that education is essential to strengthening the foundations of tolerance, reducing discrimination and violence. Launched on 18 January 2012, the UNESCO-USA-Brazil project “Teaching Respect for All” aims to design a curricular framework to fight racism and promote tolerance, which countries can adapt to their respective contexts and needs.

UNESCO recognizes that teaching the lessons of the Holocaust is fundamental to establishing respect for human rights, basic freedoms and the values of tolerance and mutual respect. UN Member States are encouraged to develop educational programmes to transmit the memory of the Holocaust to future generations so as to prevent genocide from occurring again. UNESCO promotes these learning materials and provides a platform for institutions, teachers, students and interested parties to access resources on Education for Holocaust Remembrance.

Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition.

It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosophy of abstention from violence.

It may be based on moral, religious or spiritual principles, or the reasons for it may be strategic or pragmatic.

Nonviolence has active or activist elements, in that believers generally accept the need for nonviolence as a means to achieve political and social change.

Tolstoyan and Gandhism nonviolence is both a philosophy and strategy for social change that rejects the use of violence, but at the same time it sees nonviolent action (also called civil resistance) as an alternative to passive acceptance of oppression or armed struggle against it.

In general, advocates of an activist philosophy of nonviolence use diverse methods in their campaigns for social change, including critical forms of education and persuasion, mass noncooperation, civil disobedience, nonviolent direct action, constructive program, and social, political, cultural and economic forms of intervention.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)