Gandhi Jayanti: Netherlands celebrates 2 October with 6 events in four cities to honour Mahatma Gandhi

The Hague: Six events in the Netherlands’ four cities will mark the launch of the two-year long celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy The Hague Monday. Gandhi statues in the four cities of The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Zoetermeer will be garlanded and the public invited to place flowers at the feet of the statues as a mark of respect. [caption id=“attachment_4101321” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Mahatma Gandhi. Getty images[/caption] Speeches, singing of Gandhi’s favourite songs and cultural programmes on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Gandhi and the International Day of Non-Violence, will also mark the occasion, it said. An LED projection on the “Relevance of Bapu’s message in the contemporary world” is being organised at a special function in honour of Gandhi within the Peace Palace as well as at the public places such as the railway stations of these four large cities, the statement said. Special commemorative stamps marking the 150th birth anniversary issued by the Indian postal department will be presented by India’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony to former Foreign Minister and Chairman of Carnegie Foundation R Bernard Bot and Director General Erik de Baedts at a function in front of the iconic Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The foundation is the owner and manager of the Peace palace. The Indian embassy along with community organisations will conduct an outreach programme “Follow the Mahatma” during from 1 to 5 October under which over 100 volunteers will spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life of Gandhi. Books on Gandhi in Dutch will be presented to the schools, the embassy said. A social media campaign with hashtag #FollowTheMahatma is also being conducted, inviting people to post messages reiterating their commitment to the principle of non-violence.