Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus leaves for Delhi tomorrow to attend a two-day conference in observance of the centenary of Satyagraha movement at the invitation of Sonia Gandhi, president of All India Congress Committee.

The conference will begin on January 29 in New Delhi, where the theme is "Peace, Non-violence and Empowerment: Gandhian

Philosophy in the 21st Century."

A hundred years ago, Mahatma Gandhi launched the historic Satyagraha movement in South Africa to fight racism and colonial oppression in that country.

Later, he used the same principles of non-violence and mass civil disobedience in India, which eventually paved the way for the country's independence.

To acknowledge the historic contribution made by Gandhi and the values espoused by him, the Indian National Congress will commemorate the centenary in a befitting manner. Eminent world leaders, Nobel laureates, representatives from the major political parties from all regions of the world, and leading civil society organisations working for peace and human rights are likely to attend the conference.

The eminent personalities who will attend the conference include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, Hernando De Soto and Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The conference will discuss the subjects of conflict resolution and peace building, Gandhian philosophy for poverty eradication, education and people's empowerment, dialogue among peoples and cultures, and a nuclear weapons-free and non-violent world order.

The conference will conclude with a Satyagraha centenary declaration.

Besides attending the conference, Prof Yunus will deliver a speech in the auditorium of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on January 30.