Murmu unveils Gandhi bust in Skopje, calls it symbol of India ties

Skopje,UPDATED: Jul 22, 2026 16:22 IST

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Skopje Museum in North Macedonia and said it would stand as a lasting symbol of friendship between the two countries and their shared commitment to peace, tolerance and humanity.

Murmu said Gandhi's message remains relevant at a time when the world is facing conflict, intolerance and division. She also expressed confidence that cultural and people-to-people ties between India and North Macedonia would continue to deepen.

Unveiling the bust with North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Murmu said, "Mahatma Gandhi belonged to India, but his message belongs to all humanity." She said his life showed that truth and non-violence are not signs of weakness, but powerful instruments for securing justice, dignity and freedom. "At a time when the world faces conflict, intolerance and division, Gandhiji's faith in dialogue, compassion and peaceful coexistence remains profoundly relevant," she said.

According to a post by Rashtrapati Bhavan on X, the President said she was confident that the bust would stand as a lasting symbol of friendship between India and North Macedonia and of the common commitment of both countries to peace, tolerance and humanity. "I am confident that our cultural and people-to-people ties will continue to deepen in the years ahead," Murmu said.

The President said visitors to the museum, especially young people, would pause before the bust and reflect on Gandhiji's message. "May it inspire them to reject hatred, resolve differences peacefully and serve society with courage and empathy," she said. She also expressed the hope that "this moment strengthen the bonds of understanding and cooperation among our peoples and keep alive the ideals that Mahatma Gandhi cherished".

Murmu is on a two-day historic visit to North Macedonia beginning Tuesday, the first by any Indian head of state. Earlier in the day, she visited the Memorial of Mother Teresa in Skopje, where the Nobel laureate was born on August 26, 1910, and lived until 1928 before leaving to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland and later moving to India.

The unveiling of Gandhi's bust and Murmu's visit to sites linked to Mother Teresa marked key moments in her visit, underlining the focus on shared values, cultural links and closer ties between India and North Macedonia.

With PTI Inputs

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