Honouring Gandhi's Global Legacy - UNSW Marks Mahatma's 151th Birth Anniversary

In its 10th Edition, the campus is bustling with celebrations

Talk show by Prof. Kama Maclean, Literary competitions & Panel Discussions on Values & Teachings of Gandhi

In keeping with its decade-long tradition, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), will celebrate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at its Sydney campus this year with a series of activities. The University is one of the few global institutes which celebrate and honor Gandhian philosophies and teachings and is home to one of only two bronze sculptures of Gandhi in Australia. A remembrance ceremony will be organized at the Gandhi bust on the Library lawn, followed by the lighting of a ceremonial lamp, the singing of hymns and floral tributes at the Gandhi memorial.

During the day, a series of events have been planned including a talk by Professor Kama Maclean, Fellow, National Library of Australia on Mahatma Gandhi and the Australian connection. Professor Kama Mclean will be sharing valuable insights on late Australian conservative politician and Governer of Bengal (1944-1946) Richard Casey's efforts to ameliorate the effects of the Bengal famine back in 1944, which included working with Mahatma Gandhi, and Australian civil society organizations who lobbied to raise funds for combatting it. The talk will illustrate how the incident had been instrumental in establishing a strong repertoire between Australia and India, and how UNSW Sydney continues to fortify the same through such initiatives, reinforcing the university's commitment to providing a safe environment for all international students.

An essay competition has also been organized for students in collaboration with the Indian Consulate in Sydney followed by a panel discussion on Gandhiji's values and teachings. The Indian Consul General will also be gifting a set of books on Mahatma Gandhi to the UNSW library.

UNSW has always taken pride in its strong relationship with India and commemorates those ties by paying a tribute to the father of the nation. Every year, the faculty of UNSW Sydney and a number of students partake in the remembrance ceremony and re-enact famous scenes from the Mahatma's life, like the 'Dandi March'.

Commenting on UNSW's Gandhi Jayanti celebrations, Amit Dasgupta, Inaugural India Country Director, University of New South Wales said, "The celebration of the Gandhi Jayanti reflects not only UNSW's commitment to cultural diversity but to the values and the ideals that Mahatma Gandhi epitomizes even to this day. The fundamental issues addressed by Gandhi almost a century ago like poverty, violence, war, and injustice, still remain predominant as the world grapples with the rise of globalization, marginalization of minorities and divisive populist politics. In keeping with our vision to build and skill the world of tomorrow, the University is committed to continuing Gandhi's vision for dismantling injustice, and championing human rights for all by bridging geographic and cultural divides through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and student exchange."

UNSW's tribute to Gandhiji last year included illumination of the Library tower in Indian colours and the digital display of Gandhi's silhouette.