Indian Bikers in an unusual style participated in Motorcycles Rally spreading his Message of Peace to commensurate his 94th Birthday. 150 in numbers, they rode from South African High Commission to Raj Ghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. This was organized by Free Soul Riders  group and  South African High Commission
“We all came voluntarily. Although we belong to FSR, the rally was open to anybody who had a motorbike and believed in Mandela and his principles,” a participant told IANS.
“It was not a coincidence that we chose Raj Ghat as our place of gathering today. I always say, if Mandela is our father, Gandhi was our grandfather,” South African High Commissioner Harris Majeke said in his address.
Drawing a parallel between Gandhi and Mandela’s philosophies, Majeke said the South African drew inspiration from Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement of 1906 and India’s struggle for freedom.
He added that after his release from prison, India was the first country that Mandela wanted to visit.
Also present on the occasion, Gandhi’s grandson and noted author Rajmohan Gandhi recalled Mandela’s visit to India in 1990 and said that he would like “Indians to embrace Mandela and his ideology and make him a hero,” just like his grandfather is a hero for South Africans.
“Gandhi and Mandela, both were passionate fighters for freedom, justice and reconciliation,” he added.
Chief guest and Delhi’s Minister for Labour, Industry and Elections, Ramakant Goswamy lauded Mandela’s leadership in South African struggle against racial discrimination and said that “Mandela put his country on the road to democracy and freedom.”
He added that India and South Africa shared a common value system and the “special bond” shared by them makes both the countries stand firmly on the principles of Gandhi and Mandela.
Philanthropist Vikramjit Sahney of NGO Sun Foundation announced the launch of a campaign against AIDS in India and dedicated an old age home in South Africa to Mandela to commemorate his birthday.
“This event aims to spread the message of Madela that we should strive to uplift disadvantaged people, promote tolerance and peace across the globe,” Sahney said.
Later, students from Springdale school presented a dance themed on the Gandhian principles of non-violence and passive resistance.