Honolulu Marks 21st Annual Mahatma Gandhi Day with World Peace Celebration

Los Angeles/ Sept 14, 2026
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

The Gandhi International Institute for Peace presents Hawaiʻi’s 21st annual Mahatma Gandhi Day and International Day of Nonviolence celebration on October 2, 2026, bringing together the community along with spiritual and civic leaders for an evening dedicated to shared commitment by all to world peace.

The public event will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Mohandas K. Gandhi statue, next to the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki. This year’s theme is “World Peace.”

Hawaii State Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki will speak, as guest of honor. Ms. Jocelyn Doane, Deputy Director of the Department of Enterprise Services will represent Honolulu Mayor, Rick Blangiardi in this event. The event starts with Hawaiian Blessing Ceremony with Dr. Kahu Kaleo Patterson followed by Indian spiritual invocation with Veda Das, meditation, yoga demonstration and exercise, live music from the Royal Hawaiian Band, Taiko drums, Crystal bowls, Indian cultural dance, Hawaiian Hula, and messages from interfaith and community leaders reflecting on peace and nonviolence.

October 2 is 157th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth; it is recognized worldwide by the United Nations as the International Day of Nonviolence. In Hawaiʻi, the annual gathering is a community tradition honoring Gandhi’s enduring principles of nonviolence, compassion, human dignity and peaceful resolution of conflict. Hawaiʻi was the first U.S. state to formally proclaim October 2 as Mahatma Gandhi Day, following legislation signed as ACT 5 by then-Gov. David Y. Ige on April 9, 2015.

Feeling the challenge of continuing conflict and division around the world, this year’s gathering emphasizes a simple principle at the heart of Gandhi’s legacy: peace is measured by harmony among nations, and it is grounded in harmony of individuals'
hearts, our families, our communities, and people of different cultures and beliefs.

The celebration is presented by the Gandhi International Institute for Peace, a Hawaiʻi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which was founded by Dr. Raj Kumar after the terrorist attack on Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001. The
program is being co-sponsored with the City and County of Honolulu.

The event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.