The Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a statement that a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at the Seattle Centre.
In a unique addition to the city of Seattle landscape, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled today at the iconic Seattle Centre, just below the base of the Space Needle and adjacent to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. The unveiling marks the first installation of Gandhi's bust in a city known for its vibrant cultural landscape, the statement said.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable dignitaries, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Congressman Adam Smith, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commander of the US First Corps in Pacific Northwest, and Eddie Rye, Chair of the Martin Luther King-Gandhi Initiative, along with the Consul General of India, Prakash Gupta. It was also attended by eminent members of the Indian American community who offered their respects on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the statement added.
October 2, which is Gandhi's birthday, is also recognised as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations, the statement said. All dignitaries who spoke at the Gandhi Jayanti ceremony underscored the values of Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Satyagraha (truth force), and Sarvodaya (welfare for all) as being the defining need in contemporary times.
The Consulate General of India and the City of Seattle had worked in partnership to identify an appropriate venue for locating the bust of Mahatma Gandhi, and the iconic location of Seattle Centre, which draws more than 12 million visitors each year, was considered appropriate, given its location, accessibility, and commitment to promoting the values of peace and non-violence.
To mark the occasion, Governor of the State of Washington, Jay Inslee, issued an official proclamation acknowledging the Gandhi ji Bust as a lasting tribute to Gandhi's teachings and a powerful reminder of the impact of non-violence in driving change. Another special proclamation was also issued by the King County designating 2nd October as Mahatma Gandhi Day across all 73 cities of the Greater Seattle area, the statement said.
It may be recalled that the first Indian Consulate in Seattle commenced its operations in November 2023 with a consular jurisdiction in the US Pacific Northwest, covering the nine states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Alaska. The installation of the Mahatma Gandhi ji bust in Seattle (Washington) is one in a series of such initiatives that is gradually being implemented across its consular jurisdiction, as per the statement.
(ANI)