Mahatma Gandhi Birthday commemoration and exhibition

May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.  

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the afternoon (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: Your Excellency, Mr Kadakath Pathrose Ernest, High Commissioner of India to New Zealand; Dr Rod Alley and Alyn Ware, Chair and Director respectively of the Peace Foundation's Wellington Office; Ian McKinnon; Deputy Mayor of Wellington; Sue Kedgley, member of Parliament; Your Worship Jenny Brash, Mayor of Porirua; Dr Kate Dewes, member of the Secretary-General of the United Nations' Advisory Board on Disarmament and Director of the Peace Foundation's Christchurch Office; Te Miringa Hohaia, from Parihaka; Mana Cracknell, from the Chatman Islands; Distinguished Guests otherwise; ladies and gentlemen.  May I then add, in the context of this evening, the greetings: Kam Cho, Namaste, Namashkar, Sat Sri Akaal and Salaam Walaikum.

Thank you for inviting me to be present at today's commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday at this exhibition of photographs here at the Michael Fowler Centre.

I would like to take an opportunity to speak briefly of Gandhi's values and their continuing relevance to the world today, and particularly in New Zealand. 

Since being appointed Governor-General in August 2006, this is not the only time I have had the privilege of acknowledging Mahatma Gandhi.  For example, year ago, I had the pleasure, with the Mayor of Wellington, Her Worship Kerry Prendergast, to unveil a statute of the Mahatma that stands proudly outside the Wellington Railway Station.

And last month, Susan and I had the honour to lay a wreath at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat, in Delhi, as a part of the first State Visit to India by a New Zealand Governor-General.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on this day 139 years ago Porbandar in Gujurat in north-western India.  Seventy-nine years later on January 30 1948, less than six months after India's independence—for which he had devoted more than 30 years of his life—he was shot dead by a Hindu extremist.

Through his philosophy of non-violent protest against oppression and injustice, formed during his early years as a lawyer in South Africa, and brought to full force in India, he saw the Indian sub-continent freed of colonial rule.

He opposed the partition and, when India and Pakistan celebrated independence in August 1947, he was alone in Calcutta mourning the split, which resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions more.   Despite the bloodshed, he continued to work for peace between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs until his death.

After his death, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation on radio and in a famous passage said: "Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader the father of the nation, is no more ... We will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country."

But while the light had gone out and his counsel could no longer be sought, the spirit of his teachings—his legacy—has lived on.

Gandhi promoted the search for truth, Satya, and the use of non-violence, non-resistance and non-co-operation to achieve self-determination and an end to injustice.  He also promoted simplicity in life, spiritual and physical purity, and a respect and tolerance for other religions.

His words ring out as a beacon of hope to oppressed peoples everywhere.  As Gandhi said:  "When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall —think of it, always."

While a highly devout Hindu, he could see the inner truth of all faiths and was quick to criticise anyone who hypocritically used religion for unjust ends. As he said: "All the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth."

Gandhi's teachings of peace have a particular resonance in this country as they were similar to those followed by the Moriori people of the Chatham Islands and by Te Whiti o Rongomai at Parihaka in the 1870s.  It is therefore fitting that representatives from both of those New Zealand communities are here today.

Those teachings are particularly relevant to our country as it becomes increasingly diverse, culturally, religiously, ethnically and in our personal and family relationships.

As a New Zealander of Fiji-Indian descent, and as a Catholic, I believe that this diversity has the ability to enrich our society, culture and economy. 

But I also realise that it poses challenges.

New Zealanders have long been known for being tolerant people, with a live-and-let-live attitude to life and to others.  In other words, so long as others do not intrude on our space, we have been happy to let people get on with their lives.

There is some merit to this approach but it hides a danger because tolerance is largely passive in nature.  If there is little active engagement and communication, the opportunity for real understanding rarely occurs and preconceptions and stereotypes can often go unchallenged.

When times are relatively peaceful this has not been a great issue.  But it bears notice that when contentious issues related to religious or cultural custom have been aired in the New Zealand media, the often less than informed comment contributed on talkback radio, in blogs and in letters-to-the-editor has indicated a deeper underlying lack of understanding.

Real understanding requires interaction—meeting, talking and socialising with others who are different from us.  It also means getting to know people as individuals in their own right, and not as automatons whose behaviour may be dictated by cultural or religious imperatives.  The values that Gandhi espoused are those that should guide us.

These photographs of Gandhi, of the places he visited and of the colleagues he interacted with, are a living reminder of the man and of the values he lived by and promoted.  We owe a debt of gratitude to D R D Wadia, who took them in Mumbai in the 1940s, to his daughter Zarine Malik who brought the negatives to New Zealand and in turn to her son, Dr Aditya Malik, of the University of Canterbury, who developed them into his exhibition.

In conclusion, as one of the Foundation's Patrons, I wish to thank the Foundation and the Wellington City Council for hosting this exhibition and for organising this commemoration.

It seems appropriate to close with some words from Gandhi himself, although it is often difficult to choose given the veritable riches he both wrote and spoke.  Despite the misery he had seen in his life, Gandhi remained optimistic about life.  He once said: "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

And on that heartening note, I will close in our country's first language Maori, by offering greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.