Under the patronage of HRH Princess Rym Ali, the Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II School of International Studies represented by the Political Science Department in collaboration with the Indian Embassy and the Jordan India Friendship Society, organized a celebration on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.

The event was attended by UJ President Dr. Abdel-Karim Al-Qudah, Vice President Prof. Ahmad Majdoubeh, Indian Ambassador to Jordan Shubhdarshini Tripathi, Dean of the School Prof. Mohammed Al-Katatsheh, and President of the Society Dr. Faisal Al-Rfouh.

The celebration included the display of a song on Ghandi sung by Jordanian singer Hind Hamed, the release of commemorative stamps on Ghandi, and the announcement of the launch of an online quiz on the Embassy's social media pages.  

HRH Princess Rym delivered a speech in which she said that "Ghandi was a hero who had the courage to go against the current of his time and say no to violence even if it meant sacrificing his life".

"In his view, there always another way and non-violence, although more challenging, tiresome and lengthy, that can bring about better and more solid results to achieve independence and long-term peace," she added.

Moreover, she pointed out that "non-violence thinking has gained momentum more recently, with the realization that non-violence is far from being synonymous with negativity or weakness".

In his welcoming remarks, President Al-Qudah congratulated the Indian people on this occasion and expressed happiness on hosting this event on UJ's campus.

He also pointed out that "Jordan, under the wise Hashemite leadership, has been pushing hard for an agenda of peace and justice through dialogue and the non-violence approach".

For her part, Ambassador Tripathi thanked Princess Rym for patronizing the ceremony and commended UJ for hosting the event, adding that it is an occasion celebrated annually by the Indian mission all around the world. She also stressed that Gandhi's teachings and ideas are still valid at this time and are subject of research and study.

Dr. Faisal Al-Rfouh in his remarks praised the role of the two countries and the strength of their relationship, pointing to Gandhi's status as the Indian spiritual leader who promoted a non-violence approach towards freedom and independence.