Pranab presides over round-table meet on Gandhism

United Nations, Oct 3 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has presided over a round-table meeting, which focused on the contemporary relevance of the Gandhian method of non-violence in global context.

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma was also present at the meeting held here yesterday.

The participants included UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha Rose Migiro and several heads of delegations to the UN General Assembly.

The panelists included intellectuals, thinkers and Gandhians such as Dr Ahmed Kathrada, Prof Amartya Sen, Dr Ela Gandhi, Dr Gene Sharp, the Rev Jesse L Jackson, Prof Johan Galtung, Prof John Nash and Dr Lia Diskin. The panel discussion was moderated by Mr Dileep Padgaonkar.

At the end of the panel discussion, Congress Chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, joined the panelists and others for lunch.

Mr Mukherjee was present when Ms Gandhi inaugurated a photographic exhibition on Mahatma.

Separately, a documentary film titled 'Mahatma: The Great Soul' was screened at the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium within the UN building.

A special stamp was issued by the UN postal administration to mark the International Day of Non-violence. This will be used by the UN throughout October 2007.

The Minister also met his counterparts from Iran and Barbados.

Their talks focused on bilateral cooperation in various fields.

UNI