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The
Chairman the Socialist International and PASOK Mr. George Papandreou
travelled on the 29th January 2007 to New Delhi in order
to honour with his participation one of the greatest personalities of
the 20th century and the historical leader of India,
Mahatma Gandhi. The visit took place during the International
Conference on Mahatma Gandhi's vision and values in the 21st
Century organized by the ruling National Congress Party on the
occasion of the completion of 100 years since its foundation.
 During
his visit,
Mr.
Papandreou met
with the President of the Congress Party Mrs.
Sonia Gandhi
and the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, who had as his
teacher Andreas Papandreou in Berkley and one of his niece are
studying in Athens.
In the meeting with
Mrs. Gandhi present were
the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and many
members
of the Cabinet of the Indian Government, since the President of PASOK
was given the honours of a Prime Minister. He also met with 2006 Nobel
peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Bangladesh-based
Grameen micro-lending concept.
The result of the discussions, as noted by Mr. Papandreou,
was the upgrading of the National Congress Party’s participation in
the Socialist International, something which as he stressed, will give
a wider voice to India, but, will at the same time strengthen the
voice of the International. This way, added Mr Papandreou, the role of
the Socialist International is elevated in the world discussion
concerning the big issues that occupy the planet.
Also discussed were regional issues, such as the growth of
Asia, something that, as he noted, interests Greece, since it is a
dynamic continent.
Addressing Congress delegates and international dignitaries,
Papandreou, Greece's former foreign minister, emphasized that Gandhi's
life was in itself an example towards others. He linked his
principles, beliefs and struggle in today's globalized society and
presented a policy revolving around the triptych of "peace,
development and education", all in tandem with the implementation of
the values related to social justice.
He added that the international democratic and progressive movement
owes a great deal to Mahatma Gandhi, whose philosophy is almost
identified with the principles of the modern socialist movement, as
expressed by the Socialist International.
Regarding Gandhi's renowned promotion of "non-violence" as a lever for
social and political change, Papandreou said the latter was definitely
not a "weakness" of the Indian statesman's philosophy but a "powerful
practice".
He referred to his own initiative regarding an "Olympic Truce" for the
2004 Games, a policy that led the marching of South and North Korea
athletes under one banner at the Athens Games. He also said the policy
of "non-violence" led to tangible results in Greek-Turkish relations,
when he and the late Ismail Cem inaugurated a policy of rapprochement
following the 1999 earthquakes in the two countries.
Papandreou called on delegates, and through them the international
peace movement, to struggle for the elimination of three walls in the
world today, which are ?none other that the walls of Nicosia,
Palestine and Mexico".
Among others, he said the SI is committed to peace efforts in the
Balkans, the Caucasus, Latin America, Asia and Africa, whereas he made
particular reference to strife-plagued Nepal, the focus of a SI-sponsored
peace initiative in 10 days.
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