INTERNATIONAL DAYGENERAL

International Day of Non-Violence

Every year on October 2, the world pauses to honor Mahatma Gandhi's birthday by recommitting to the power of non-violence. This United Nations observance calls on people everywhere to build a culture of peace, tolerance, and understanding.

OCT2

Friday, October 2Every year on October 2

days to go

Roots: Established by United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 on June 15, 2007, introduced by India with more than 140 co-sponsors.
Also on Oct 2: World No Alcohol Day · Body Language Day · Custodial Worker’s Recognition Day
Hashtag: #InternationalDayOfNonViolence

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3 ways to celebrate

AT HOME

A quiet reflection

Light a candle, read a passage from Gandhi's writings, and spend a few minutes in stillness with family.

WITH FRIENDS

A conversation about peace

Gather a few people to talk about what non-violence looks like in everyday choices and disagreements.

AT WORK OR SCHOOL

An educational moment

Share the story of the day with colleagues or students, and discuss how respect and dialogue can resolve conflict.

Fast facts

Observed each year by all UN member states on October 2, Gandhi's birth anniversary.

The resolution calls for spreading the message of non-violence through education and public awareness.

The story

Mahatma Gandhi, born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1869, led India's independence movement with a philosophy of non-violent resistance called satyagraha. His belief that lasting change comes through peaceful means inspired leaders around the world, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

Read the full story

The idea for this observance took shape at an international conference on Gandhian philosophy held in New Delhi in January 2007 to mark the centenary of the satyagraha movement. Months later, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, choosing Gandhi's birthday as the date to anchor the day in his legacy.

Today the International Day of Non-Violence is marked in communities across the globe with educational programs, public discussions, and quiet acts of compassion. It is not a public holiday, but a shared invitation to reflect on how each person can answer conflict with courage and kindness.