"How Mahatma Gandhi's Philosophy Inspired Nelson Mandela and His Lifelong Commitment to Justice and Reconciliation"●

●Distinguished representatives of the Church of Scientology Netherlands, respected speakers, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

●It is a great honour and privilege to be with you today as we celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day.

●I sincerely thank the Church of Scientology Netherlands for inviting me to speak on a subject that is deeply relevant to humanity today—how Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy inspired Nelson Mandela and his lifelong commitment to justice, human dignity and reconciliation.

●I bring you warm greetings from Gandhi Global Family, an international movement inspired by the life and message of Mahatma Gandhi and guided for over three decades by one of Gandhi's closest spiritual successors, Vinoba Bhave and Bhave's spiritual daughter the late Nirmala Deshpande.

●Today we honour not merely a political leader, but one of the greatest moral giants of the twentieth century—Nelson  Mandela, affectionately known as Madiba. After spending 27 years in prison, he emerged not with hatred, but with forgiveness; not with revenge, but with reconciliation. That remarkable transformation continues to inspire the world.

●But where did Mandela find such extraordinary moral strength?

One of the greatest sources of his inspiration was Mahatma Gandhi, whose own journey toward truth and non-violence began in South Africa nearly a century earlier.

●Gandhi arrived in South Africa in 1893 as a young lawyer. One cold night at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station, despite holding a valid first-class ticket, he was thrown off a train because of the colour of his skin. That humiliation changed his life. Gandhi later wrote: "My active non-violence began from that date."

Instead of responding with anger or violence, he discovered the power of Satyagraha—the force of Truth, Love and Non-violence. During the next twenty-one years in South Africa, he transformed this moral philosophy into one of history's most powerful instruments for social change.

●Many decades later, Nelson Mandela acknowledged that Gandhi's struggle had laid the moral foundation for South Africa's own freedom movement.

●Mandela famously said: "India gave us Mohandas Gandhi; we returned him to you as Mahatma Gandhi."

With this beautiful statement, Mandela recognised that although Gandhi was born in India, it was South Africa that transformed him into the Mahatma whose ideas inspired the entire world.

●Mandela also said:

 "Gandhi rejected the approach of subjugation and violence, and sought to achieve justice through peaceful resistance."

He understood that Gandhi had shown oppressed people a revolutionary truth—that moral courage can be stronger than military power.

●Some critics have questioned Gandhi's early attitudes toward Africans during his first years in South Africa. Mandela addressed this issue with remarkable fairness. He wrote: "Gandhi must be forgiven those prejudices and judged in the context of the time and the circumstances. We are looking here at the young Gandhi, still to become Mahatma."

These words demonstrate Mandela's generosity, historical understanding and commitment to truth rather than prejudice.

●Although the African National Congress later adopted armed resistance after peaceful avenues had been brutally closed by the apartheid regime, Mandela never abandoned Gandhi's deeper values of justice, human dignity, forgiveness and reconciliation.

When apartheid finally collapsed, Mandela had every reason to seek revenge. Instead, he astonished the world by choosing reconciliation.

●He wisely observed: "Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."

And he reminded humanity: "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion."

These words echo Gandhi's conviction that hatred can never overcome hatred.

●Gandhi had taught: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

And he also reminded us: "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind."

●Both Gandhi and Mandela proved through their lives that forgiveness is not weakness. Forgiveness requires greater courage than revenge.

●Friends,

Nelson Mandela shared a deep and special relationship with India.

Soon after his release from prison in 1990, he visited India, and in recognition of his lifelong struggle against apartheid and racial discrimination, the Government of India conferred upon him the country's highest civilian honour—the Bharat Ratna. It was a proud moment for every Indian.

Mandela visited India on several occasions after his release and paid homage at Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. These visits symbolised his profound respect for the man whom he regarded as one of his greatest inspirations.

  In 2001, Nelson Mandela was also honoured with the International Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to peace, reconciliation, human rights and the promotion of Gandhian values across the world. This honour symbolised the moral and spiritual bond between Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, and recognised Mandela as one of the greatest torchbearers of Gandhi's legacy in the modern era.

It is therefore no surprise that Mandela once observed:

●He once said: "The Gandhian influence dominated freedom movements throughout the world and became a guiding light for all oppressed people."

●Friends,

It is especially meaningful that today's programme is organised by the Church of Scientology.

●The founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, repeatedly emphasised that lasting peace begins with the individual. He believed that human beings are basically good, and that a better civilisation can be created through ethical living, mutual respect, compassion and personal responsibility. These ideals resonate strongly with Gandhi's belief that real social transformation begins with self-transformation and with respect for the dignity of every human being.

Although Gandhi, Mandela and L. Ron Hubbard belonged to different traditions, they shared a common conviction: humanity can overcome conflict not through hatred, but through higher moral values.

●Today our world is witnessing wars, terrorism, religious intolerance, racial discrimination, environmental destruction, drug abuse and growing mental distress.

More than ever before, humanity needs Gandhi's Truth, Mandela's Reconciliation and the universal values of compassion, responsibility and human dignity.

Gandhi beautifully said:

 "My life is my message."

Mandela carried that message forward in his own unique way. If Gandhi taught the world how to resist injustice without hatred, Mandela taught the world how to forgive without surrendering justice.

●Together they remind us that peace is not passive. Peace demands courage. Justice requires compassion. Reconciliation is the highest form of victory.

●As General Secretary of the Gandhi Global Family, I believe that organisations like the Church of Scientology and Gandhi Global Family can work together to promote peace, human rights, interfaith harmony, non-violence and the dignity of every human being.

Let us honour Nelson Mandela not only by remembering his birthday, but by living his values.

Let us honour Mahatma Gandhi not only by quoting him, but by practising Truth and Non-violence.

And let us work together to build a world where future generations inherit not hatred, but hope; not conflict, but compassion; not division, but human unity.

I conclude with the immortal words of Nelson Mandela:

 "It always seems impossible until it's done."

●And with Mahatma Gandhi's timeless reminder: 

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

●May we all dedicate ourselves to that noble service.

Thank you very much. Peace be with you all.

Ram Mohan Rai, 

General Secretary, 

Gandhi Global Family. 

18.07.2026