In June 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which declared 2 October, the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi, the International Day of Non-Violence. The resolution invited United Nation Member States to commemorate the International Day in an appropriate manner and to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.
Ireland actively promotes the message of non-violence on an ongoing basis in its national and international policies. Our commitment to the objectives of Resolution 61271, which we co-sponsored, is clear and profound. Our strong support for the promotion and protection of human rights, our long tradition of participating in UN-mandated peace operations, our leading role internationally in disarmament and non-proliferation issues, our work in the area of conflict resolution and the work of Irish Aid on combating gender-based violence are good examples of areas in which the Government gives practical expression to this commitment. While commemorative steps relating specifically to 2 October require further consideration, the education and public awareness activity which underpins the Government's work in such areas includes powerful and continuous messages about non-violence as the only basis for achieving progress.