Ms. Ruo Hua,
Colleagues,
Children,
ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you very much for gathering here in this panoramic Chaoyang park today to pay homage to one of the greatest thinkers of human history and to spend sometime to reflect on Gandhiji's ideals of 'truth' and ''non- violence'. Gandhi Jayanti is a unique occasion to reflect not only on our deeds but also our thoughts, not only on the results that we achieved but also the means that we adopted.

Truth and non-violence are not mere theoretical concepts. They are tools for external control of one's action and internal cleansing of one's thought. They are the bases of our claimed moral and religious existence. According to Gandhiji, one 'cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent and claim to have God' on one's side.

Human history is replete with turmoils; turmoils within oneself and turmoils in the world outside. Therefore, all of us are in a constant state of internal struggle to maintain external equilibrium, and in this state of flux, what makes our existence simpler is our 'motives'. As Gandhiji says, "The moment there is suspicion about a person's motives, everything he does becomes tainted" and tainted action galvanizes a spiral of immoral actions triggering existential complications.

Gandhiji's ideals have liberated not only a nation, but also millions of minds; and I am sure, they will continue to guide human thought and action for a fair, just and humane existence of all mankind.

Thank you.