International Day of Non Violence, recognised by the United Nations and observed on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, is celebrated on which date every year?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 2 October

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
International Day of Non Violence is a global observance that honours the philosophy and life of Mahatma Gandhi. It was adopted by the United Nations to promote non violence as a powerful tool for social and political change. For competitive exams, this day is especially important because it links Indian history with international recognition. Questions frequently ask on which date this day is observed, since it also coincides with Gandhis birth anniversary, a key event in Indian history and civics.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The question specifies that the day is recognised by the United Nations.
  • It is observed on Mahatma Gandhis birthday.
  • Four options are provided: 11 December, 29 November, 2 October, and the second Wednesday of October.
  • We assume a fixed calendar date, not a shifting weekday based observance.


Concept / Approach:
The concept here is the association between Gandhi Jayanti and the UN International Day of Non Violence. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869, and this date is already a national holiday in India. The United Nations passed a resolution to observe this same date as the International Day of Non Violence to spread Gandhis principles worldwide. The approach in solving the question is simply to recall Gandhis birth date and recognise that the UN day uses exactly the same date each year.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October.Step 2: Note that the UN decided to commemorate International Day of Non Violence on Gandhis birth date.Step 3: Look at the options: 11 December, 29 November, 2 October, and the second Wednesday of October.Step 4: Identify 2 October as the only option that directly matches Gandhis known birthday.Step 5: Select 2 October as the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling that in India, 2 October is a national holiday called Gandhi Jayanti, and news reports often mention that this date is also observed globally as the International Day of Non Violence. Another check is to remember that most UN international days fall on fixed calendar dates and not on variable weekdays like the second Wednesday of a month. This supports the selection of 2 October as the correct fixed date.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
11 December and 29 November are unrelated to Gandhis birth date and therefore cannot mark the International Day of Non Violence linked specifically to him. The option mentioning the second Wednesday of October describes a movable weekday pattern that does not apply in this case, since the observance is tied to a fixed date. Thus none of these alternatives match the historical and official date of Gandhi Jayanti and the associated UN observance.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse different UN days, since many are linked to peace, human rights, and development. Another pitfall is to think that international days work like some festivals which follow a weekday rule instead of a fixed date. In this case, connecting the observance directly with Mahatma Gandhis birthday prevents such confusion. Keeping a short list of UN days that are closely associated with Indian leaders or events is a useful memory strategy.


Final Answer:
International Day of Non Violence is observed every year on 2 October.

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