Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize announced by Portuguese PM Antonio Costa | Current Affairs 2019
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The second meeting of the “National Committee for the Commemoration Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniversary” was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
The committee was chaired by the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovin.
Portuguese PM Antonio Costa announced the setting up of a “Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize” inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and quotes –
The only foreign PM to be a part of the committee.
Purpose of Gandhi citizenship education Prize
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The prize was announced with an intention to promote Gandhi’s ideals to the public.
The first edition of prize will be dedicated to animal welfare. The concept of animal welfare was selected from the words of Gandhi; “the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. Antonio Costa is also known as the ‘Gandhi of Lisbon’ for his work along Gandhian principles. Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal.
“National Committee has a total of 125 members including 116 from India
President of India,
Vice-President,
Prime Minister,
Chief Minister of various States,
Senior MPs and political leaders from across the party lines,
Eminent Gandhians,
Social thinkers and activists representing a cross-section of Indian society and regional diversity.
The Committee also has nine international members, including two former Secretaries-General of the United Nations – Mr Kofi Annan and Mr Ban Ki-Moon. Along with Antonio Costa, Tulsi Gabbard, Desmond Tutu, Bernie Meyer (known as American Gandhi), Yoshiro Mori (Former Japanese Prime Minister) etc.
The PM Modi reiterated his earlier message from the Red Fort for all citizens to ‘buy local’. This basic philosophy of Gandhi ji for upliftment has the potential to help India develop and progress. He urged all citizens to popularise this as a movement so that it becomes widespread by 2022, when the country celebrates 75 years of Independence and even thereafter as a way of life.
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