United Nations/New Delhi: For the first time, United Nations observed the birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and Dalit rights activist.
An event with focus on combating inequalities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals was organised by Permanent Mission of India to the UN in association with the Kalpana Saroj Foundation and Foundation For Human Horizon last night.
“Enormous enthusiasm as Babasaheb's birth anniversary observed UN for 1st time,” Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, tweeted.
In her Keynote speech, Helen Clark, Chair of UN Development Group and Administrator of UN Development Program said that Ambedkar's work on the empowerment and inclusion of excluded groups, reform of labour laws, and promotion of education for all, made him an icon for marginalized people in India and in other countries.
The event brought together political leaders, senior UN officials, diplomats, academia, civil society and private sector from India, the US and other parts of the world.
The vision of Ambedkar to achieve social justice and equality also finds resonance in the core message of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ambedkar was born on 14 April, 1891. He died in 1956 and was posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1990.
Meanwhile in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tribute to Ambedkar on his 125th birth anniversary.
In a tweet, he said, “Dr. Ambedkar is a Vishwa Manav, who devoted his life in service of the poor and marginalised.
Main function will be held in the lawns of Parliament house complex where political leaders and peoples from different walks of life will pay floral tributes at the statue of Ambedkar. Functions will also be organized all over the country to remember his contribution to nation building specially in drafting the Constitution.
Portraits of Babasaheb will be garlanded at village Panchayats and literature about his life and work will be distributed. Discussions about his teaching and work will also be held. The day is also being observed as Social Harmony Day.
