London: A statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been installed at the 'Parc de L'Etoile' in the City of Strasbourg in France.
The statue, gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the city of Strasbourg, stands on a pedestal prepared by the city - in which are embedded four urns containing soil brought from Porbandar, Rajkot, Pieter Maritzburg in South Africa and Sabarmati, venues associated with important events in Gandhiji's life and struggle.
The Gandhi Statue, made by the famous New Delhi-based sculptor, Ram Sutar, was unveiled by Ambassador Rakesh Sood and the Mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Sood recalled Gandhi's doctrine of active non-violence and underlined its relevance even today. He highlighted the excellent relations that exist between India and France in the fields of culture, trade, science and technology, space, defence and nuclear energy.
On his part, the Mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries said that Strasbourg is the European capital for Human Rights and democracy. He stressed the significance of the location of the statue in the 'Parc de l'Etoile' a peace and human rights park.
Strasbourg which is at the border with Germany and also home to the European Parliament, has an important significance in the history of French-German reconciliation.
The Mayor recalled that Strasbourg was the city where the idea of a peaceful Europe was born.
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