The Ahimsa Award is an annual award given by the Institute of Jainology in recognition of individuals who embody and promote the principles of ahimsa (nonviolence). It was established in 2006 and has since been awarded at the annual Ahimsa Day event, on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.The event is normally held at the Palace of Westminster—House of Commons of the United Kingdom, in London, where various members of parliament are invited to speak. It is bestowed by the directors of the Institute of Jainology, an international body based in the UK, representing the Jain faith.