In the auditorium of the Municipal Library of Oeiras, in the context of a commemoration of World Philosophy Day, a Colloquium dedicated to the figure of Gandhi on the 150th anniversary of his birth was held. The event was organized by New Acropolis, and supported by the Oeiras City Council, the National Commission of Unesco and the Hindu Community of Portugal.

The session was opened by Jorge Barreto Xavier, former Secretary of State of Culture and current Municipal Director of the City of Oeiras. A speech by Her Excellency Ambassador of India in Portugal, Nandini Singla, followed. This was followed by the message of the Director-General of Unesco, Audrey Azoulay, read by Fátima Claudino, head of the National Commission of Unesco in Portugal, for the area of Education.

Mr. José Carlos Fernández, writer and director of New Acropolis Portugal, opened the second part of the colloquium with the presentation “Gandhi and self-knowledge”. Next, Helena Marujo, creator and executive coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainable Global Peace at the University of Lisbon, gave her presentation on the topic “Positive peace and collective virtues. The exemplariness of Gandhi”.

The Colloquium ended with a presentation by Paulo Loução, writer and director of New Acropolis in Oeiras-Cascais, about “Gandhi and the wisdom of ancient India”.