Why in news? The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on October 2, on  every year.

Highlights:

Why this day – birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

History

• Iranian Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi proposed the idea for the day in 2004.
• Then minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma introduced the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in a resolution adopted on June 15, 2007

Significance – To commemoration as an occasion to spread the message of non-violence through education and public awareness.