AhlulBayt News Agency: The event was attended by Indian Ambassador to Iran Vishvesh Negi, prominent Iranian cultural and municipal figures, media representatives, and officials and staff of the Indian Embassy.

The ceremony began with the unveiling of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the premises of the cultural centre. Indian Ambassador Vishvesh Negi and other guests then laid flowers at the statue to pay tribute to Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, and is regarded as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. During India's independence movement, his principles of nonviolence and Satyagraha established peaceful resistance as an effective means of political struggle. His vision extended beyond political independence and emphasised moral values, self-discipline, public service and the empowerment of disadvantaged communities. In recognition of the global significance of his ideas, the United Nations has designated October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Negi highlighted the continuing global relevance of Gandhi's philosophy. He said October 2 is not merely a national occasion for India, but also a reminder to the world of the importance of nonviolence and peaceful struggle.

He said Gandhi had made nonviolence, self-discipline and peaceful popular resistance central to India's struggle for independence, adding that these principles remain relevant in a world facing division and conflict.

The ambassador also spoke about the importance of sacrifice and service, recounting an episode involving a poor woman who gave Gandhi a small copper coin that represented her entire wealth. Although wealthy individuals had donated much larger sums, Gandhi preserved the coin because he valued the sacrifice and sentiment behind it.

Negi said the story demonstrates that the value of a gift or donation should not be measured solely by its financial worth, but by the sacrifice and sincerity of the person giving it. He added that a spirit of service and sacrifice is an important quality of leadership and that building a strong society requires people to focus not only on their rights but also on their responsibilities and duties.

Iranian cultural and municipal figures at the ceremony also paid tribute to Gandhi's global legacy, highlighting his peaceful struggle against oppression and injustice, his philosophy of nonviolence and his contribution to world peace.

Referring to current global circumstances, Negi stressed the importance of peace, dialogue and diplomacy. He cited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's view that “this is not an era of war” and said differences between countries should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic means.

He said peace should be a shared goal for all humanity and that Gandhi's ideas continue to provide important guidance in this regard.

Centuries-Old Cultural Ties Between Iran and India

The Indian ambassador also highlighted the centuries-old cultural and civilisational links between Iran and India.

He said both countries are heirs to ancient civilisations that have remained connected for thousands of years through language, literature, philosophy, art and intellectual exchange.

He noted that the Persian language gained an important place in India, while Indian stories, literary traditions and philosophical ideas also influenced the Persian-speaking world. Over the centuries, the two civilisations developed not only close contact but also sustained intellectual and cultural dialogue across various fields.

Negi said Mahatma Gandhi's name had also become a symbol of the longstanding closeness and friendship between the peoples of Iran and India. Referring to a street, hospital and other places named after Gandhi in Tehran, he said they serve as reminders of the historic and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

Gandhi Statue as a Symbol of Iran-India Friendship

The Indian ambassador said the installation of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Tehran represents a new symbolic link in the longstanding relationship between Iran and India.

He expressed hope that the statue would become a symbol of friendship, mutual respect and continued dialogue between the two ancient civilisations. He added that it could inspire people to envision a world where dialogue takes precedence over confrontation, empathy over hatred, mutual understanding over prejudice and peace over violence.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the statue was permanently installed on the grounds of the Indian Cultural Centre in Tehran.

The event reaffirmed the shared importance of Gandhi's teachings on peace, nonviolence, service and mutual respect as a potential foundation for continued cultural and diplomatic dialogue between Iran and India.

The ceremony also highlighted the countries' historic, civilisational and cultural ties while underscoring a commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations between Iran and India.