On Friday, October 2, the Sert Hall of the Congress of Deputies hosted a commemoration of the 157th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. This initiative was led by Robert Masih Nahar, a former Spanish senator of Indian origin, and organized by the Spanish Association of Former Parliamentarians, with the collaboration of the Embassy of India in Madrid and the Indian Culture Centre Foundation. The event opened with remarks from the Association’s president, Mr. Juan Van-Halen, its vice-president, Mr. Pedro Bofill, and its secretary-general, Mr. Fernando Sanz, all of whom extolled Gandhi’s universal legacy. They highlighted his stature as a benchmark for ethics in politics and his struggle for social justice, human dignity, and the defense of the most disadvantaged through non-violent civil disobedience.
For his part, the Ambassador of India in Madrid, Mr. Jayant Khobragade, noted that although Mahatma Gandhi never visited Spain, he is deeply admired in the country for his ideals of non-violence (Ahimsa). He emphasized the enduring relevance of Gandhi’s philosophy and the fact that he led India’s independence from the British Empire without resorting to arms, thereby inspiring civil rights movements worldwide. The event, which concluded with all participants making a moving floral offering before Gandhi’s portrait, was attended by the Ambassador of Angola, Ms. Balbina Malheiros Dias Da Silva, as the guest of honor.
