peace workshop report p… · peace workshop report ‘peace across borders – through writings of...
TRANSCRIPT
Peace Workshop Report
‘Peace across borders – through writings of Tagore and Faiz’ Celebrating the birth of 150 years of Tagore and 100 years of Faiz
30 July to 2 August 2011
At Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi, India
Organised by
Nivesh and Himalayan Hub for Art, Culture and Heritage (HHACH)
In partnership with
UNESCO New Delhi Office, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, National Gallery for Modern Art
Peace Workshop Poster
Introduction
A group of thirty four students participated in the international workshop on ‘Peace across borders – through writings of Tagore and Faiz’ which was held from 30th July to 2nd August, 2011 at Nehru Memorial Museum in New Delhi, organised by Nivesh and HHACH. Out of which 7 students were from Pakistan, two students each from Assam, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, one student from Bangladesh, and the rest from Delhi took part in recently concluded work shop. (Annex2. Participants list)
The workshop came in the wake of the UNESCO celebrations of 150 years of the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore being organised all over the world. This is an effort to ensure interaction and dialogue among the next generation to preserve peace and understanding in the sub‐region. The peace workshop brings together students in the age group of 15 to 18 years to meet, share and discuss. The workshop uses the writings of Tagore and Faiz as a base to understand the meaning of peace, nationality, shared history and culture.
The workshop was organized as part of the Ghummakkad Narain – Travelling Literature Festival organized by Nivesh and Himalayan Hub for Art and Cultural Heritage (HHACH) with support from the UNESCO New Delhi Office, the Nehru Memorial and Library (NMML), the National Foundation for Communal harmony and National Gallery of Modern Art.
Artists, educationists, and scholars also participated and led some courses of workshop. They were all mesmerized by the student’s active performances and the students were encouraged by them. The Workshop included lectures, discussions, singing, sharing experiential stories, visiting museums, theatre play and painting. Since the program of the workshop was built and based on the workshops that are delivered by the participants who desire peace, student participated actively and everyone was a workshop facilitator.
The workshop was a good training of students in Peace Education and Conflict Resolution. It helped students to cope up with the current situation in Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam where the most affected areas are. The participants thanked the organizers for this tremendous opportunity, and they look forward to participating if they could join next time.
(Fig. 1 Inauguration in Auditorium, Minnallah) (Fig2. Students on poster presentation, Minnallah)
Participants arrived on 29th July 2011 from various cities and countries in the morning, therefore in the afternoon a visit to the Craft museum and Humayun’s tomb was organised In the afternoon a visit to the Craft museum and Humayun’s tomb was organied. During the tour of the crafts museum the students found cultural similarities between the three countries through the handicrafts. In the evening a welcome session was orgnaised for the participants with interactive an interactive session of ice‐breakers, do's and dont's and intorduction to the workshop. A welcome dinner was also organised with Delhi school children and their parents and teachers. A nature walk was organised with Mr Ajay Mahajan in the gardens of the Museum.
(Fig 3. Crafts Museum, Minnallah) (Fig 4. Humayun’s tomb, Minnallah)
Day 1 – 30 July 2011
The first day started with the tour of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. Museum Tour helped students to break ice and warmed up for 4 days long workshop.
(Fig 5. Students at Nehru Memorial Museum, Minnallah)
Inauguration
The opening ceremony was chaired by politician Shashi Tharoor who is a Member of Parliament (MP) who spoke at length on the relevance of Tagore and his work. Talks were also given by UNESCO Project officer, Nivesh President and the former director of Nehru Memorial Museum Dr. Mridula Mukherjee. After the opening speeches, Mr. Madan Gopal Singh performed and sang some Faiz’s poem. He was accompanied by Pakistani and Bengali students on the stage. Dr Madan Gopal Singh an exponent of Sufi gave a lecture demonstration on the work of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Tagore.
(Fig 6. Shashi Tharoor’s speech, Minnallah) (Fig 7. Madan Gopal Singh’s performance, Roh)
Presentation
Presentations were given by the participants about themselves and their respective country and state, based on what they have experienced. The students from Assam narrated their painful story of their father’s death.
Introduction to Tagore and Faiz
Pakistani students gave a power point presentation reciting Tagore and Faiz’s poem and his works were shown in slides and videos. The background music and their voice tone were perfectly matched and helped people to focus on their presentation. Throughout the course, participants shared and explored the ideas on peace through writings of Tagore and Faiz.
Special lectures were organized on Tagore and Faiz were organized to give the participants an introduction to the two noted personalities. Dr Doorba introduced Rabindranath Tagore’s life and works through and interactive discussion. Mr Sumit Pandey gave a talk on Faiz Ahmed Faz and his relevance in today’s time in the sub region.
At the end of the day a nature walk was conducted by Dr Ranjit Lal in the gardens of the Nehru Memorial.
(Fig 8. Ms. Shaguna Gahilote leading the presentation, Roh) (Fig 9. Introduction to Tagore, Minnallah)
Day 2 – 31 July 2011
In the first half of the day Day 1’s activities and learning’s were recalled. It was followed by the Ashoka Tour of Delhi monuments – Afsana‐e‐Ashok. The participants were taken to the Ashokan edict in East of Kailash, followed by Ashokan pillar at Ferozshah Kotla and at the Bara Hindu Rao. Through the tour the story of Ashoka was told and his ultimate renunciation of war. Through the tour discussions about current situations in the three countries were discussed, the collective history of the three nations, the troubles with war and peace and the need to create peace in the sub region. Post lunch the workshop continued with warm up exercises and quick reactions about the morning tour. A session on Peace and conflict across cultures was conducted by Shaguna Gahilote, UNESCO. Time was given for individual reflections on ‘Peace for me’ and the concept of Transformation with reference to the morning tour. Group session on singing together was also organised. Day 2 ended with Group Work of Daily wall newspaper and peace charter on the idea of peace for the community and student’s own country with emphasis on transformation.
Peace and conflict across cultures
(Fig 10. Peace and conflict across cultures led by Shaguna Gahilote, Minnallah)
Day 3 – 1 August 2011
Creating murals for peace by Minnallah and Calligraphy of Tagore and Faiz’s work by Hamar Daggar
The interesting session for 3rd day was creating murals for peace by Fauzia Minnallah and Calligraphy of Tagore and Faiz’s work by Qamar Daggar. Fauzia Minnallah from Pakistan, founder of Funkor Childart Centre, artist, author, political cartoonist and peace activist discussed how she has been encouraging children to have awareness of peace. She brought a half done painting so that the participants can finish it. And the participants finished the painting in the afternoon session. Students painted together in a harmony and tried to express peaceful living on their painting. Indian calligrapher Qamar Daggar showed her calligraphy of Tagore and Faiz’s work. She also gave a lesson on calligraphy to the students.
(Fig 11. Mrs.Minnallah showing half done painting, Roh) (Fig 12. Mrs. Daggar showing her calligraphy, Minnallah)
(Fig 13, 14, 15. Students painting together to complete combined painting, looking at the calligraphy, Roh)
Discovering Tagore and Faiz’s work through movement and theatre
Students were tired after lunch from morning session but they were given another interesting stir up through movement and theatre followed by free expression on Tagore’s and Faiz’s work. Ms Jaya Iyer led the session on movement where the participants discovered the ideas of free expression freedom to express their views, etc through theatre.
(Fig 16, 17. Movement and theatre followed by free expression led y Jaya Iyer, Roh)
Day 3 ended with the group work of the daily wall newspaper and Peace Charter on the Idea of peace for the neighbours and the world. With emphasis on what would one like to change around you/across borders? This was followed by a screening of the film Kabira – Had Anhad. Day 4 – 2 August 2011 Discovering the poetry and music of Tagore The fourth day started with the topic on ‘’Discovering the poetry and music of Tagore’’ by Dr. Sharbari Banerjee. She led the singing session on the lawns at the backyard of the Museum. The participants were introduced to the music, poetry and the belief of Tagore especially about learning in free nature. The participants were also taught a song of Tagore, ‘Ekla chalo re’. After the poetry and music session, the participants went to the National Gallery for Modern Art to view the exhibition, ‘The three Tagores’ and had a guided tour by the director of the gallery Dr Lochan and resource person Mrs Ella Dutta. A talk was given on the work of Tagore and his nephews followed by a movie on the same.
(Fig 18. Singing with Dr. Banerjee, Roh) (Fig 19. Interaction at the NGMA, Gahilote)
(Fig 20. Interaction with the director of gallery, Minnallah)
Consolidate the learning’s so far and develop action plans
In the poster presentation session, participants were grouped into a mixed group of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi. The presentation was based on daily wall newspaper and peace charter prepared earlier by the participants to consolidate the idea of peace for themselves, the community and country, the neighbours and the world. It was a review for the past four days’ activities. Participants reviewed cross cultural aspects of peace, human security, living in conflict society, knowledge of peace, peace and conflict resolution, and sustainability. The ideas were incorporating with valuable inputs from students from three different countries. Further they were divided into country wise groups to develop action plans refining their ideas through discussion. The participants chalked out their own action plans for their follow‐up activities on how to keep peace in their region.
(Fig 21. Discussion for action plan, Roh) (Fig 22. Presentation to open audience, Roh)
After the presentation to open audience including parents and teachers of Delhi students, participants received certificates from the Chief Guest of the day, Mr Bharat Lal, resident Commissioner of Gujarat. The participants presented the activities and action plans which they would engage in their own schools and communities after the workshop to promote peace through action, research and policy changes.
(Fig 23. Receiving a Certificate from Mr Bharat Lal, Minnallah) (Fig 24. Farewell with the combined painting, Minnallah)
Workshop Review
The workshop brought together students from conflict area to promote peace building activities through Tagore and Faiz’s work and other hands‐on activities. As there is widespread perception of peace in people’s mind, participants were asked to make a conversation so that students could approach to peace which could be described more tangibly with some examples in their life rather than knowing theory and concepts.
The Workshop was tremendous meeting grounds for dialogue, debate and visioning with cooperation and mutual learning from one another. The Workshop raised current issues on peace and acquired for organizers new insights into the profound peace education developments in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and around the world. Furthermore, the Workshop provided an excellent opportunity to build connections across borders. Besides, Participants formalized a network and they would like to have their future meeting. The students who were from three different countries became good friends through their lively and refreshing discussions both during sessions and breaks.
The organizers marveled at how passionate and motivated participants are and they would be to effect peace in their school, homes and work in the future. It is needed to continue to support the Peace Education Program and additional content development, respectively.
Way Forward
The organizers and the participants found this workshop extremely useful to build peace among the youth in the sub‐region and hope to continue the workshop as an annual event. Next year they wish to return with the theme of Neruda with students from more countries.
Contacts:
UNESCO: [email protected] Nivesh: [email protected]
List of Participants
No. Name School
1 Dawar Aziz (P) Khaldunia High School
2 Anmar Khan (P) Khaldunia High School
3 Warda Jadran (P) Khaldunia High School
4 Aischa Aimon (P) Khaldunia High School
5 Khadija Javeed (P) Khaldunia High School
6 Khadija Saleem (P) Khaldunia High School
7 Waleed Alam (P) Khaldunia High School
9 Najia Nikhat (P) Teacher
10 Hajla Ahmed (P) Teacher
11 Fauzia Minillah (P) Funkor Childart Center
8 Shemonty Monjari (B) Salvation International School
13 Srinita Majumdar (D) St.Mary’s School
14 Garima Bajay (D) Amity International of Education
15 Apoorva Dimri (D) Pinacle School
16 Sejal Gandhi (D) Apeejay School
17 Shivangi Sharma (D) Amity Institute of Education
18 Bhavya Dhawan (D) Amity International School
19 Deepak Singhal (D) D.A.V Public School
20 Hrituparina Das Tagore International School
21 Nerram Basmatary Cotton College
22 Yoshita Malhotra The pinnacle School
23 Priyanka Gupta Jayou International School
24 Shniti Singh St.Mary’s School
25 Anumeha Mathur Amity International School Noida
26 Ishan Shama Apeejay school, Pitankura
27 Zarmina Khan The Pinnacle School
28 Bagutan Shahid Crescent School
29 Ragini Kothari Vasant Valley School
30 Saniya Mohapatra DPS International Saket
31 Aman Gupta DPS International, Saket
32 Pia Chatterjee Vasant Valley School
33 Compal Jain Amity International School
34 Puja Bhuyan(A) Shri Ram Academy International, Guwahati
33 Sajad (J K) Degree College Banhal
34 Shivani