WHEN SIR Richard Attenborough read the words of Mahatma Gandhi in 1962, "It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow human beings", he vowed then to make a film about Mahatma Gandhi. The movie, Gandhi, premiered 20 years later in November 1982 in New Delhi.

October 2, 2009 marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of Gandhi. This humble Indian leader not only changed the direction of his country, but also transformed the entire world with his message of love, peace and non-violence and was fittingly selected by TIME magazine in 2000 as one of the greatest persons in the previous 1,000 years.

Changeless significance

Gandhi's words, though spoken in reference to a time in his country's history when Indians were forced to walk in the gutter so whites could pass unimpeded along the sidewalk, has a changeless significance in the world today. When will we be able to embrace the ideals of love, justice, and compassion? When will we realise that we cannot go on forever building empires of wealth, but to understand that our time is finite, and we will only be remembered by the rich and fulfilling lives we live in the service of humanity? That the only empires worth creating are those that emerge from the passion of our hearts and souls.

Gandhi reminded us "that there is enough in life for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed".

Unshakeable will

As we celebrate the spirit of The Mahatma, let us reflect on his unshakeable will for a better world. He was invincible and unstoppable in life as in death.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr, whose life was deeply impacted by the teachings of Gandhi, said, "Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk."

I am, etc.,

CEDRIC MCDONALD

28-48 Barbados Avenue

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