World Literacy Canada
401 Richmond Street West, Studio 236 Toronto, Ontario M5V 3A8
www.worldlit.ca  Tel: 416 977 0008 Fax: 416 977 1112 info@worldlit.ca
CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND MESSAGE OF MAHATMA GANDHI ON OCTOBER 2
HOW WELL DO YOUR STUDENTS KNOW GANDHI?
Have them answer these multiple choice questions, individually or in groups, to help
them build their knowledge of Mahatma Gandhi.
1. Gandhi is:
a) An international symbol of peace, who fought for Indian self-government,
economic independence, solutions to widespread poverty, eradication of the caste
system, and other human rights issues
b) The inventor of the telephone
c) The current President of the United States
2. Gandhi was born:
a) In the U.S., on July 4, 1776
b) In India, on October 2, 1869
c) In South Africa, on October 2, 1947
3. Gandhi’s real name was:
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Mohandas Karmachand Gandhi
4. Gandhi fought for civil liberties using his influential
philosophy of:
a) Revolutionary wars
b) Non-violent resistance
c) Name-calling
5. Gandhi’s teachings have inspired non-violent movements elsewhere, notably:
a) In the U.S. civil rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
b) In the South African anti-apartheid movement, led by Nelson Mandela
c) Both a) and b)
6. Gandhi died:
a) Of old age
b) Of starvation while he was undertaking a fast to bring about peace in India
c) When he was assassinated by a fanatic on January 30, 1948, not long after India
gained independence in 1947.
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND APPLICATIONS OF GANDHI’S MESSAGE
“As countries around the world move into an era of global integration, citizenship
can no longer be defined by national borders. For this reason, it is more and more
important that we learn to see ourselves —and that we educate our children to see
themselves—as responsible global citizens.”
- The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
At World Literacy of Canada, we are passionate about
following Gandhi’s example and applying his message
in all aspects of the work that we do. You, too, can
follow Gandhi’s message and become a global citizen!
WHAT DID GANDHI DO?
Worked to secure India’s place in the
world as an independent country.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Think about ourselves in the broader
context of the world at large
Used actions like fasting and marching to
effect change in the world.
Stood up against all kinds of injustices
and inspired others to do the same.
Think about how our actions in Canada
affect people around the world
Examine issues and injustices that we
face in our own lives and what we can do
to change them
Understand what human rights are and
what we can do to prevent them from
being violated.
Devoted his life to protecting people’s
basic human rights.
Served as the inspiration for countless
non-profit and charitable organizations.
Get involved with organizations whose
work we feel strongly about
Said, “You must be the change you wish
to see in the world.”
Gathered—and continues to gather—
millions of followers and supporters
around the world.
Set an example by “being the change.”
Recognize strength in numbers, and
team up with others who share your
beliefs and values in order to effect
change in the world.
HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE GANDHI DAY AT YOUR SCHOOL
IDEA #1: COMMUNITY ROLE MODELS: Find a global citizenship-oriented
individual in your community and ask him or her to be a guest speaker at your
school. It could be an artist, musician, or journalist—anyone who is working to bring
about change and can talk to your students about world issues and global
citizenship.
IDEA #2: THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: Teach your students about
the power of writing by starting a letter-writing campaign. Introduce the idea of
letter-writing as a form of non-violent protest, and brainstorm a list of issues which
students think need to be addressed by the country’s leaders. Ask students to pick
an issue that is important to them and write a letter to Prime Minister Stephen
Harper outlining their concerns and providing positive suggestions for change.
IDEA #3: NON-VIOLENCE MEANS NO BULLYING: Draw the connection between
non-violence and anti-bullying by introducing an anti-bullying campaign in your
classroom. Individually or in groups, students can create posters and slogans to
support an anti-bullying ad campaign. Be sure to emphasize anti-bullying as a
practical application of Gandhi’s message of non-violence.
IDEA #4: MARCH FOR PEACE: Let your students experience the transformative
power of marching for a cause. First, have each student create a placard with a
picture expressing what non-violence means to them on one side, and a slogan on
the other. The slogan can either be one of Gandhi’s (e.g. “You must be the change you
wish to see in the world,” “Poverty is the worst form of violence,” “An eye
for an eye makes the world go blind,” etc.), or students can make up their own
slogans using Gandhi’s as examples. Plan out a route of key places in your
community, and take your students on a peace march during which they exhibit
their placards.
IDEA #5: MAKE UP YOUR OWN IDEA! Any program that gets your students
thinking about Gandhi’s message, global citizenship, or social justice would make a
great way to celebrate Gandhi’s birthday and honour his life and message.
GANDHI DAY FEEDBACK
Tell us about the Gandhi Day program that you ran at your school! Whether you ran
a program based on one of our suggestion, or came up with an idea of your own, we
want to hear about how you celebrated Gandhi’s life and message and helped to
foster global citizenship among your students. Thank you!