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On Gandhi Jayanthi, leaders re-commit UN to embodying nonviolence
By Arul Louis
United Nations, Oct 2 (IANS) Meeting under the grim shadow of the overnight Las Vegas massacre, the leadership of the global organisation on Monday renewed its commitment to embodying Mahatma Gandhi’s belief in the power of nonviolence.
Gandhi’s principle of nonviolence was the core principle of the UN, said General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak speaking at the observance of Gandhi Jayanti as the International Day of Nonviolence here.
“The UN is the greatest promoter of nonviolence,” he declared. “Everyday, the UN is using non-violent means to strive for peace and decent life for all on a sustainable planet.”
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Chef de Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti recalled that Gndhi declared nonviolence the “greatest weapon” and said: “We are committed to translate this belief into action.”
Nonviolence underpins the unity of the UN in its quest for a peaceful world amid a rising tide of messages of hatred against minorities and refugees, and xenophobia, she said.
India’s Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said that violent incidents were on the rise with civilians as the main victims in recent times compared to a century ago when 90 percent of those killed in conflicts were non-civilians.
Military spending was also on the rise as was violence being done to the environment, he said.
Gandhi’s messages had the answers for the world to find solutions to these problems, he said.
“We are not in the world that Gandhi dreamed of,” Lajcak said. But as the global leader for nonviolence, the UN should promote peaceful methods of conflict resolution like mediation, he said.
Prevention, he said, would be at the core of the activities current session of the General Assembly over which he has been elected to preside.
While the UN peacekeeping missions are deployed to prevent conflicts or try to end them, the Security Council that mandates them has come under criticism by India and several countries for not giving adequate importance in the first place to prevention of conflicts through political and other means.
Another element in the mission for prevention of violence, Lajcak said, is spreading the message of nonviolence with community and religious leaders, and especially the youth.
For each message of violence, there should be two messages of peace, he said.
On Sunday night in Las Vegas, a gunman killed more than 50 people and injured over 200 people at a concert in the worst shooting incident in modern US history.
(Arul Louis can be reached at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.