The first stage of the baton of the five-lateral social and cultural program “BRICS People Choosing Life” ends in India
From December 12th to 21st the Indian phase of the baton of the social and cultural program “BRICS People Choosing Life” was held in India. The program will be implemented in the BRICS countries from 2022 to 2025 under the motto “From the ecology of soul and body to the ecology of the world”.
12 events of the humanitarian and business tracks of the Program were organized in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune, with about 2000 Indian people and Indian organizations participating.
The Indian Program was organized by the Regional public organization “BRICS. World of Traditions”, Russia, Northern Administrative District of Moscow, and the International Youth-Edu Skills Foundation, India, Noida.
The program was launched at the expanded press conference at the Indian International Centre, New Delhi, on December 12th, with the participation of DCM of the Embassy of Russia in India Roman Babushkin, the Trade Commissioner of Russia in India Alexander Rybas, the Head of the Russian House in New Delhi Oleg Osipov, Vice-Principal of Delhi Public School, Dwarka, Ms. Priya Narayanan, and Chairman of the Confederation of Young Leaders Mr. Himadrish Suwan, India.
The meeting began with lighting up the traditional Indian lamp and the video address of the Ambassador-at-large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Russian sous-sherpa to BRICS Pavel Knyazev. According to the diplomat, “The Indian phase of the Program “BRICS People Choosing Life” involves various spheres of humanitarian cooperation, such as culture, art, and education. I am convinced that such civil society initiatives contribute greatly to strengthening the BRICS strategic partnership, as well as increase interest and awareness of people about the innovative multilateral cooperation between “the five”.
As Roman Babushkin put further in his address “The Program “BRICS People Choosing Life” is a unique humanitarian project combining developing interpersonal ties, support and settling twin-city ties between our countries, as well as promoting business relations”. “It is especially important that this huge initiative coming from underneath has instantly received support from the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture”, - the diplomat added.
The program has become an enlightening platform asserting the positive role and significance of moral and physical support to people. In accordance with the President of RPO “BRICS. World of Traditions”, Manager of the Program Lyudmila Sekacheva, “our Program of Life in India contributes to the cause of bringing together people, thus preaching such moral concepts as kindness, love, trust and personal accord, since, as the famous academic Dmitry Likhachev wrote, “Spirituality is the most powerful uniting force”.
The meeting also included the presentation of the business track of the Program delivered by the Union “Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Samara Region”. The Vice-President of the Chamber Alexey Popov presented the region, as well as regional exporting enterprises interested in cooperation with Indian counterparts, to the participants of the event.
The awarding ceremony of Indian winners and laureates of the International online competition of video reels “Reviving Hospitality Traditions of BRICS People” was held with great emotional uplift. Moreover, active participants of the Program were bestowed Certificates of Honor from the part of the top-level diplomat Roman Babushkin.
More than 20 Russian and Indian media took part in the press conference, including ITAR TASS, RIA-Novosti, Sputnik, ANI, News 18, Janhit Times, ANB News, SS Media, D.D.News.
The next major event of the Program was the meeting at Delhi Public School, Dwarka, on December 13th, on the occasion of signing the Treaty of cooperation between the Indian school and State budgetary educational institution of Moscow “School № 1409” for the project to create the Russian-Indian cultural and educational centre of Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi on the premises of School, Dwarka.
The meeting was opened by the chairperson of Delhi public school, Dwarka, Kiran Datar who emphasized that “in the world of today crammed with aggression and violence it is essential to teach children the lesson of “one person, one world, one humanity, one peace”.
In her address Yulia Aryaeva informed the guests about the Embassy’s support to the initiative to create the Centre of Tolstoy and Gandhi which will mark an important step on the way of developing bilateral Russian-Indian relations in culture and education.
During their speeches Sunita Tanwar, Principal of School, Dwarka and Lyudmila Sekacheva, President of the RPO “BRICS. World of Traditions” and Manager of the Program, agreed that “the principal aim of the program is saving and popularizing moral heritage and the philosophy of non-violence preached by two of its apologists Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy”.
The event also included a cultural program prepared by the students of Delhi school, Dwarka. In turn, students of the Russian Embassy school performed with a song in two languages and a brilliant dance. The exhibition illustrating life, work and ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy was exhibited at school, as well as a colorful exposition of paintings from Moscow school No. 1409 was shown, with paintings being donated to orphan houses in New Delhi.
The event culminated in the ceremony of signing the Agreement of cooperation between the Indian school and Moscow School No. 1409. The treaty was signed by the Delhi School, Dwarka, Principal, Ms. Sunita Tanwar while the Principal of the Moscow School Irina Ilyicheva attended the event online. The ceremony of the Russian party’s signing the Agreement will be held at the official unveiling of the exhibition “Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: a Unique Heritage” at the premises of School No. 1409 with the participation of the representative of the Indian Embassy to Russia.
The same day a business mission was held at the Russian House in New Delhi with assistance and participation of the Trade Representation of Russia in India and about 30 Indian businesses. The business mission included the presentation of high-quality goods and products manufactured by the enterprises of Samara.
The program in the state of Maharashtra began on December 14th at the Russian House in Mumbai with the presentation of the Program and the Charity action “From Children to Children” featuring the exposition of 30 wonderful pictures by students of School No. 1409 of Moscow. Finalizing the meeting, the paintings were granted to the Charity Foundation for the Protection of Children from Slums “Indian Room”.
The Consul General of Russia to Mumbai Alexey Surovtsev, the Deputy Consul General Sergey Mescheryakov, the Head of Russian House in Mumbai Elena Remizova, as well as students of Mumbai University leaded by the Dean of Faculty of Civics and Politics Deepak Pawar, and Russian compatriots attended the meeting.
As part of the Program, the trailer of the documentary film “Seligerye” was presented. The movie by Anastasia Shkitina is about Lake Seliger in Tver Region, and the film is made with the support from the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives. The landscapes of the unique Russian reservoir, its isles and stories of local people attracted the attention of the Head of the Russian House in Mumbai Elena Remizova who expressed the determination to support the premier of the documentary in Mumbai and other cities of Maharashtra state to promote and popularize the natural sites and traditions of Russia in India.
Within the framework of the educational track, the baton of the International cultural and research project “Great BRICS Teachers” presentation was held from December 15 to 20 at the premises of seven educational institutions: Bhavan College, Mumbai, Mumbai University, Pune University Snevardhan Research Institute, Pune, and Pune Colleges, PDEA’s Prof. Ramkrishna More College and P. Jog College of Science and Commerce. The meetings with students, professors and academics featured fruitful discussions and students’ quizzes on the issue of Great philosophers Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy and their union for non-violence.
The business track included business missions of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Samara region on December 13 at the Russian House in New Delhi, and December 14-15 at the grounds of “JW Marriott Hotel”, Mumbai, and Russian Export Centre (REC) representation office in India.
The Program ended at Prof. Ramkrishna More College on December 20. Students and members of the delegation joyfully launched colorful balloons with Russian and Indian state flags tricolors in honor of finalizing the Program “BRICS People Choosing Life” and for the good of two great people’s friendship.
On last day of staying in India, December 21, the members of the Russian-Indian delegation and organizers of the Program paid a courtesy visit to the Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov expressing huge gratitude to the Embassy for the invaluable organizational and information assistance in organizing and implementing the events of the Indian phase of the Program and participation of the Embassy’s officials.
The Ambassador thanked the organizers of the Program for the work they have done and wished to continue working on the creation of the Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi Center and other projects of the Indian Program.
Evaluating the Indian stage of the Program, Lyudmila Sekacheva emphasized that "the Program implemented in India, aimed at supporting the spiritual, moral and physical condition of people, preserving their love of life, humanity and resilience, has truly become a Program of Life that will contribute to the development of healthy five-lateral relations between the peoples of the BRICS countries".