South Asia Peace Conference in Bengaluru
The South Asia International Peace Conference, on the theme Healthier World, Greener Tomorrow, was held in Bengaluru in March. The event was hosted by RID 3192 led by DG N S Mahadev Prasad, and supported by RID 3191 and other districts of India. Shankar Shrinivas was the conference chairman.
The event focused on five core areas essential for achieving sustainable global peace: environmental sustainability to address climate resilience and conservation efforts; public health awareness to expand access to healthcare and preventive well-being strategies; community-based solutions to foster social and economic transformation at the grassroots level; regional cooperation to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties among South Asian nations; and integration of traditional and modern practices to harness indigenous wisdom and modern innovations for a sustainable future. Delegates from India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal participated.
Brian Rusch, a member of RI’s Joint Advisory Council on DEI and RI President’s Representative, said the key to peace is to help others achieve peace. “The journey to peace is solo and to each one his own. Together let us build respect, harmony and tolerance.”
DGN Ravishankar Dakoju, speaking on ‘Peace through ecological sustainability and the Rotary perspective,’ stated that according to World Bank estimate, over 40 million people in Asia will be affected by climate change and global warming by 2050. He highlighted some of the great initiatives of Rotary towards environmental sustainability, and urged delegates to focus on afforestation drives.
Music, as a universal language, can be a vital force for environment advocacy and global harmony, said Ricky Kej, a three-time Grammy Award-winning music composer and an ardent environmentalist. Educationist Aishwarya D K S Hegde underlined education as a catalyst for societal change, and stressed that values built in our homes, classrooms and workplaces can pave the way for a better world. Foundational conditioning is vital early on, not just to follow but to lead the desired change, she said.
A panel discussion on ‘Environmental solutions for peacebuilding,’ led by the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), saw the participation of Biodiversity Conservation Projects chair Meenakshi Venkataraman, Community Development specialist Arun Vaddi, RAG’s Council chair and COP 23 Program manager Christopher Puttock and COP 28 Planning Committee chair Yasar Atacik.
DEI Awards were presented to individuals and organisations for their contributions to social transformation. Policy recommendations, bilateral and multilateral partnerships for regional cooperation, community-driven environmental and public health projects were some of the outcomes of the peace conference.
RI District 3192 signed a 10-year MoU with the IIT-Madras Pravartak, an entity of IIT-Madras, to provide digital training in English, Math and Science to 1.8 lakh students studying in Classes 6–9 in KREIS schools (residential schools for the less privileged in Karnataka). The agreement includes providing simulated science labs in 821 such schools in the state.
