1 / 5   The United Nations' International Day of Non-violence takes place on October 2 of every year. It is also the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the great leader of Indian independence movement and a pioneer of non-violence activities. /VCG Photo

2 / 5   Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 and is remembered for his contribution to the Indian freedom movement. He called on Indians to boycott British-made clothes and produce their own. /VCG Photo

3 / 5   He led a large-scale Non-Cooperation Movement against the British rule during the summer of 1920 by nonviolence means. He encouraged people to produce cotton cloth using local traditional spinning wheels and looms even if at a small scale, and called for citizens to refuse to buy British goods among other ways to protest the British rule. /VCG Photo

4 / 5   Through Gandhi's efforts, India finally achieved freedom on August 15, 1947. Unfortunately, Gandhi was assassinated the following year. In 2007, the UN established the International Day of Non-Violence on Gandhi's birthday to commemorate him and his theory of "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence." /VCG Photo

5 / 5   Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated around the world as the International Day of Non-Violence, with slogans such as "We put ourselves in the other's shoes" marking the occasion year after year. /VCG Photo