Shillong will host a Youth Camp mid-September to commemorate the sesquicentennial birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, says Rajiv Roy
COME SEPTEMBER 17 and Shillong will host a five-day Youth Camp titled One. The camp is expected to attract scholars and students from across India and several Asian countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The event is envisaged as the start of an effort to train, inspire and galvanize youth energy for development of the region in sync with India’s Look East Policy. The idea is to invoke the message of Vivekananda – the camp coincides with his 150th birth anniversary – and all the great masters of other spiritual traditions and cultures, highlighting the common thread that binds all peoples.
The camp is an initiative of Shillong’s new cultural address – Asian Confluence, which is promoting better understanding of the north-eastern region of India. It is collaborating with Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Nehru Yuva Kendra for the event on the campus of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture. The North East Zone Cultural Centre is sourcing artistes like noted classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj, Odissi dancer Geeta Mahalik and filmmaker Sadhna Shrivastava. The North Eastern Council besides several banking institutions, corporate houses is offering help to make this youth camp achieve its objectives and goals.
Sabyasachi Dutta, director, Asian Confluence said the event was the outcome of exploring a ‘third space’ of regional cooperation besides socio-political and economical. This third space is a civil society driven network of community based co-operation and exchange across the borders of the region for evolving win-win solutions that ensure overall balanced economic growth while addressing the concerns of security and stability.
“This is an opportunity to educate the youth with Vivekananda’s inspiring message which is only more relevant today. The goal of the camp is to urge upon the youth irrespective of caste, creed and religion to rediscover their heritage, to reinvent themselves and build their future on the foundation of the rich and enduring legacy, which beckons them to celebrate life by celebrating diversity as a many-splendour phenomenon,” Dutta said.
The camp will be inaugurated by Meghalaya governor KK Paul while chief minister Mukul Sangma will address the campers on the concluding day.
The camp will start every morning with physical exercises, yoga and breathing. It will then concentrate on various mental parameters like art of listening, regulating thought process, recognizing the mind, ability to balance emotions, ability to take decisions, ability to face adversity and frustration, drugs, drinking degeneration and death. An intellectual session will throw light on knowing ones history and past, understanding the ancient linkages that bound the region, the impact of World War II and Partition of India, sharing a common geography, understanding migration, understanding natural resources: mineral, water and forest, nature, purity and human being, appreciating commonalities and celebrating diversities in culture, legends and folklore, poetry and instrumental music.
Campers will also benefit from various issues that shape our lives today like environmental issues and adapting to climate change, managing conflict, family and social responsibilities, increasing ability to earn, media and perception, role of technology, TVs, mobiles, gadgets: where are we heading to, alternate energy sources etc. and capturing a vision for the future.
The resource persons will be from among those identified as nation builders. Dialogues and panel discussions will embrace different fields of human activity with particular focus on growth and development, art and culture, dance and music, history and philosophy. “The capsule of training programs has been designed in the pattern of a foundation course so that the participants go back with a clear vision and determination to transform life and the society they live in. The aim is to create a group of youth leaders who will build on the foundation of our rich and enduring past with the strengths of the present and the vision of the future,” said N Munish Singh, regional officer, ICCR.
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