Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unwavering commitment to Mahatma Gandhi ji’s teachings transcends India’s borders.
This reverence for Gandhi ji extends beyond domestic initiatives, finding expression in PM Modi’s diplomatic engagements worldwide. To date, there have been numerous occasions where the Prime Minister has paid tribute to the Mahatma on international soil, a testament to his effort to keep Gandhi ji’s legacy alive and relevant on the global stage.
In the visit to Guyana, PM Modi will pay tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. This will be the 21st such instance when PM Modi has paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on foreign soil.
One recent moment stands out vividly—on August 23, 2024, as PM Modi began his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, he chose to pay tribute at Gandhi ji’s statue, a poignant gesture underscoring peace amidst conflict. Another memorable instance occurred on June 21, 2023, during International Yoga Day, when PM Modi honoured Gandhi ji at the North Lawn of the UN Headquarters in the USA, linking India’s cultural roots to global peace initiatives.
In May 2023, PM Modi unveiled a bust of Gandhi ji in Hiroshima, Japan, a city that knows the true value of peace, turning a historical tragedy into a reminder of resilience. Prior to that, on October 29, 2021, in Rome, Italy, PM Modi’s floral tribute reinforced Gandhi ji’s universal message of harmony and unity.
His dedication to spreading Gandhi ji’s ideals has been long standing. In 2019, during a visit to Abu Dhabi, PM Modi, alongside His Highness Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, released a commemorative stamp that celebrated Gandhi ji’s message of peace. That same year in Seoul, South Korea, he unveiled Gandhi ji’s bust, affirming India’s timeless ties with the world.
To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, PM Modi hosted a high-level event on the sidelines of the 74th UNGA on 25 September 2019 in the ECOSOC Chamber of the UN Headquarters. In the event, he inaugurated Gandhi Solar Park at the UN Headquarters, the Gandhi Peace Garden at State University of New York College at Old Westbury and unveiled the special commemorative edition of the Gandhi@150 Postage Stamps brought out by the UN Postal Administration.
In 2018, he unveiled a plaque marking the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi’s Ashes, at Clifford Pier, in Singapore.
In 2017, PM Modi paid tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Lisbon, Portugal.
Earlier, in 2016, PM Modi inaugurated a special exhibition on Gandhi ji in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Gandhi ji’s philosophy took shape. The next day in Durban, he visited the Phoenix Settlement, a place ingrained with Gandhi ji’s legacy, and paid floral tribute to the Mahatma. On July 11, 2016, his visit to the University of Nairobi, Kenya, also featured a tribute to Gandhi ji, bridging the past and present with a shared vision of equality.
On 12 July 2015, PM unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
On 16 May 2015, PM delivered an address at the launch of the Centre for Gandhian and Indian Studies, at Fudan University, in Shanghai, China.
Other such key moments include honouring Gandhi ji outside the UK Parliament on November 12, 2015; unveiling a bust in Hannover, Germany in April 2015; paying respects in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in July 2015; on March 12, 2015 in Mauritius he honoured Gandhi ji’s statue; tribute at the Roma Street Parklands in Brisbane, Australiaon November 16, 2014 and during visit to Washington, DC on September 30, 2014.