Towards a Better Tomorrow

Ok, i know all of you have been wondering what i was upto in NYC. well here's the gist of it. for those who are wondering why the formal speech, it's because this was an article for a news paper and i havnt had the time to write up a new one. My blog looked pretty morose since i havn't been paying attention to it, so i had to give in under its accusing stare......
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“Man himself has caused the degradation of the royal lineage of his own personality. The result has been the deterioration of a humanity that has lost his way. In general terms, this is the situation that the human being suffers in the society that he, himself, has constructed. Your mission, under the Universal Parliament, united in your intention, desire, and actions, is to restore the highest values, which have been torn away from the human being by the human being himself.” -Fernando Rielo Pardal,Founder Idente Youth
That was the vision of Fernando Rielo, the founder of the World Youth Parliament(WYP). He saw in the youth, what most others never saw, hope for a better future, a new civilization built of their own hopes and dreams, not on the ruins of an older civilization.
When I first signed up for the WYP I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The experience I’ve brought back with me is something I wouldn’t exchange for anything in the world.
But first, a brief history. The World Youth Parliament was born in 1981, following a lecture given by Fernando Rielo (1923-2004) in the United Nations Headquarters, New York. On that occasion, he spoke of the WYP as the “United Nations of Youth”. He dreamed that the voice of young people, free from prejudices and interests, could be heard around the world and make a decisive contribution on fundamental questions of social and spiritual life.
It was this dream that inspired youth from all over the world to take up the project of drafting a Magna Carta of Values for a New Civilization. This was a chance for us, as youth, to prove that we aren’t the self-obsessed, materialistic generation that people have labelled us. All of us, have at some point of time, heard our elders bemoaning that the current generation has lost all sense of morals and has absolutely no values. Young people have always been labelled as restless and impetuous. Most of the world tried convincing us that restlessness is evil. What they never realised, is that it is this very restlessness that can bring about change.
Fernando Rielo realised this, which is why he created the WYP as a forum for young people to come together. He believed that young people haven’t been “paralyzed” by educational, social and cultural prejudices which haunt the older generations. The lack of prejudice, coupled with an inherent goodness that is present in every one of us, can steer us to developing a world without economic, social or educational boundaries. A world where each person’s dignity is respected.
Critics and cynics might say that such lofty ideals aren’t practical. That these are only dreams, that we are still too young to understand what the world is; but the WYP has strengthened my belief that such a world is possible.
The entire experience at the WYP is too incredible to put into words. It gave me a platform to interact with youth from all over the world. And somewhere in the midst of all the cultural exchanges, I realised that all of us, no matter from which part of the world we were, wanted a world where all can live in harmony, irrespective of nationality, religion or creed.


The WYP session lasted from the 10th to the 13th of August 2010. On the first day, we were briefed about the draft of the Magna Carta which had been prepared at the previous session in Rome, 2009. During the course of the past year, this draft was studied by youth from all over the world and various amendments were proposed. These amendments were put forward for approval at the WYP 2010. The sessions of the WYP were held at the St. John’s University, Queens, NY. This is where we first met up with all the delegates. There were delegates from 20 countries present including Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ecuador, Mexico, Germany, etc.
“The Magna Carta of Values for a New Civilization”, as the name implies are a set of values that have been drawn up by the youth, for the youth. This is our way of saying that we haven’t forgotten how to be human, that we will work for a better world. The uniqueness of this Carta is that it isn’t something that was thrown at us. We weren’t told to follow it. It is OUR decision to apply these values in our lives. The Carta is divided into ten sections, dealing with values relating to the person open to transcendence, family, interpersonal relationships, politics, society, work, economic relations, educational relations, communication networks and the environment.
On the second day, we were divided into various committees, one for each section to debate on the amendments proposed and to approve of the ones which needed a change. I was in the committee for economic relations. We had a pretty intense debate between us about what defines economic relations and which direction we need to follow. There were various opinions regarding the excesses of consumerism and how to reduce inequality among countries and people. The second session that day was the Parliament. All the delegates assembled in a common venue to vote on the amendments proposed. A two-thirds majority led to the approval of the amendments. There were quite a few exciting moments where people had different opinions about the amendments. After a long session that lasted over 3 hours, the final draft of the Magna Carta was completed. It was then up to the scientific committee who worked overnight to prepare the final version according to the format.
August 13th 2010 is a Red letter day for everyone who attended the conference. It was on this day that we made our way to United Nations Headquarters in New York to present our Magna Carta to the world. It was in the UN that the WYP was born, and nearly 30 years later, the dream finally bore fruit. In the exact place where Fernando Rielo gave his speech, the Magna Carta was presented to the world. All the delegates could barely control their excitement and happiness. The dream of so many had finally become a reality. It was a very happy bunch of delegates who returned back to the university, later that evening. To actually participate in a session at the UN is not something everyone can claim to have done, but we can.
The Magna Carta of values for a New Civilization has finally been completed. But for us, our work is just beginning. The preamble of the charter states,
“After two years of intense work on the topic, "Towards a Magna Carta of Values for a New
Civilization," we, youth from 20 countries who constitute the World Youth Parliament, present our
findings by means of this document to make our voice heard, as well as to make known our personal
commitment to living out these values that we consider to be fundamental for building a new civilization, a
new civilization which responds to our highest aspirations and which reflects in its every structure the
great dignity of human beings, as well as their potential for creating and restoring reality.”
The real work is just beginning and we know that it has to start with us. We cannot expect the rest of the world to embrace these values until we first live it ourselves. It was with the resolution to begin the change with ourselves that all of us returned back to our respective countries.
The WYP gave me an opportunity to take part in something much bigger than myself. I’ve noticed around me a lot of young people who wish to give back to society, who desire to make a change. We all believe that India has a lot of potential; its diversity is its biggest asset. It should make us stronger as a country and that is what we should work for. The dream, first of a better India and then of a better World.
Parting from all the new friends I made in New York wasn’t easy but we all knew that we shared a dream that will bind us together. Everyone keeps in touch through the internet where we discuss method to spread the world.
One man’s belief has given the youth a direction. Let’s hope that it spreads all over the world.

Unitedly Diverse

Congrats David Cameron!! And Nick Clegg for making it happen. Time for some changes in good ol' Britain. I didn’t really follow the elections much, but thanks to twitter and a few political maniacs I follow, I pretty much got the gist. But this post isn’t about the British elections. No, it’s about a muddled up country which is known as the largest democracy in the world.
The recent elections in the UK and the US elections last year got me thinking on the system in India. Most countries have a two party system with third parties coming in to tip the balance. India used to have two major parties, right now new parties keep forming every day. With no clear majority, most govts in recent years are coalitions and even after forming the govt, allegiances keep shifting due to differing opinions. The adage “too many cooks spoil the broth” truly applies to India. The “cooks” have only succeeded in creating a hotchpotch, nothing else. No wonder we’re in such a mess.
Kids in school have always been taught that India is living proof of “unity in diversity”. But reality speaks otherwise. Look closely and you’ll see that the truth is the opposite; we are actually “diverse in our unity”. The very diversity that we flout is what makes it impossible for us to be united. The average Indian is a very confused soul. He is told that his first loyalty is to his country, but the poor guy lives in a community, which is in a state which is in the country. Add to that his religion and caste, and he’s stuck. He interacts more with the people of his community than with those who run the country. If he tries to stay out of it saying he’s an Indian first, people around will call him a coward (and trust me, nothing riles an Indian more than when someone calls him gutless, we’re a highly emotional & violent lot). Consequently, he gets dragged into narrow confines of caste, religion or state. Is this the unity we crave?
India united is, for me at least, an unrealistic vision. Why? Because we aren’t ready to let go of those notions that have been drilled into our psyche. Which leads to an even more interesting question, can India exist as a single country? We’ve been steadily disintegrating into states. It began with India and Pakistan, thanks to religion. Then we had Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, courtesy of a difference in class. In the past few years we have the demands for Gorkhaland and Telangana. India, like the USA aimed to be a single entity comprising of a confederation of states. In case of the US, they’re at least “united”. Can’t really say that for India now can we?
In a lighter vein,here's something special about us Indians, Indians hate Indians. The people from the south find north Indians too loud and brash, the "northies" think every south Indian is from madras and loves eating idlis,northies are always picking a fight, southies think they are way too smart just because their brains work faster than a calculator. we call the indians from the north west "chinkis" and then we say we're not racial!! And thanks to fairness creams (for both men and women) the southerners want to be as fair as those up north, just to balance the equation and prove we aren't Africans.
I’m sure there’s a bunch of us out there who really wish Indians would rise above those narrow walls confining us, but then let’s face it, I don't see it happening. It’s not impossible, but it requires a lot of patience and that none of us have. We’ll just have to while away time lamenting.

The Power of the Idiot Box

I’d turned on the telly a few days ago to watch the news and what do I see? “BREAKING NEWS: Anandi in critical condition!!” now quite obviously, I began wondering who’s Anandi. I watch the news everyday so I should have been aware of a person named thus but I hadn’t the slightest clue. So who is Anandi? Anandi is the protagonist in the daily soap Balika Vadhu.
So there you go, a fictional character in a soap about child marriage in the present day merits a place in the headlines. Not only that there are shots of the general public offering pujas for the speedy recovery and constant updates on public sentiment. That made me wonder, just how much has Indian television affected the public??
Television has been around in India since the 70s, but telly soaps started around 1984-85 with Hum Log. When Hum Log was aired for the first time, people sat glued to their televisions sharing the life of the characters. Hum Log was the first serial which discussed issues like family planning and the role of women in society. This was followed by Buniyaad which was based on the Partition. Both these soaps dealt with issues relevant to their times and I certainly recommend them to people who haven’t heard about them. This was followed by the mythological series of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and that’s where the craziness begins. I’m not talking about the series but its affect on the people. Such was the psychological impact on the Indian public that people would hurry up with their chores to land in front of the telly on time. Not only that, they’d also keep the aarti thalis and flowers ready because, according to them, they weren’t just watching a serial, they truly believed that their God was paying them a “Darshan”. Such was the gullibility of the Indian public. The actors in the serials were considered gods and treated as such by the public.
Fast forward to more recent times, to the advent of the K-serials and those of its ilk. A population of 400 million viewers were then offered a seemingly incessant list of formula tested soaps of holier-than-thou women with huge red bindis, vermilion smeared heads, the ever present mangalsutras and the entire get up. On the other hand we have the vamps, characterised with the typical over the top make up and a perpetual evil gleam in their eyes. Don't you ever wonder?? We can make out at one glance that she’s a vamp but can the protagonist??? Oh no! She’s a naive, innocent bahu who would trust every Tom, Dick and Harry.
The makers of such soaps know very well how to play with the mind of the Indian public. Don't you ever wonder, the women dress up as if for a wedding just to go cook breakfast in the kitchen in spite of all the servants around. Who dress up to slog in a kitchen???? It’s irrational!!!
Oh and just for the record, according to Indian television, Indian medical science is sooo advanced that it leaves the rest of the world behind. Seriously, no kidding. People come out of comas at just the right time to save the day for the innocent victim, incurable diseases can be cured and who can forget the plastic surgery. The marvels of Indian medicine, not only do people get a new face, they also get a new height, weight and build, in short, the entire package. And last but not the least, yes people can come back from the dead.
The effect of the soaps is clearly seen by the example of “Tulsi” of Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. If you take a look at the martimonials in the news papers, everybody wants a bahu like Tulsi. In short what we’re told id that everyone wants a daughter in law who’s totally traditional and will uphold the family “izzat”. Someone who will patiently bear all suffering and never speak out.
But moving on to a more serious issue, I feel Indian soaps are actually pushing us down the social ladder instead of up. They encourage the image of an aadarsh bahu and pativrata patni who believes her biggest purpose in life is to serve her family. I don't say it’s wrong but the image of the modern Indian woman is seriously tarnished because the modern woman is shown as someone who puts her career before her family and is thus in the wrong. The patriarchal society still seems to have an upper hand. So while soaps are all about women power, it still seems unable to accept the modern tag.
Unfortunately, Indian soaps are created to cater to the larger audience, so until they evolve, I think I’ll stick to American television [yea, yea I know what you’re thinking, ruddy NRI]

Rumour Has It...

this was my entry for a short story competition a couple of weeks ago. if you ask me i'd say it was just an experiment gone awry. so i'll let you judge, i'll give you a warning though, its not much of a story. so please be honest with your comments coz i really cant figure out why this story won the second place, i was just having some fun. the topic was 'rumour has it'. now what sort of a story can you come up with other than a high school story of gossip????


“Rumour has it that all dogs are cats, and all cats are dogs”, said Nosy Parker. Nosy and I had just settled down on the couch for a cup of tea, a routine event in our ‘mundane’ lives. Nosy’s statement might seem a little odd to the rest of the world, but if you live in Quipsville, it doesn’t seem odd at all.
Nosy works at the local rumour mill. The job’s a bore, so the lads at the mill try to liven things up by exchanging tit-bits about the town. Truth be told, the lads at the mill are the only reliable source of information as far as this town is concerned. So if Nosy says all dogs are cats and all cats dogs, there must be some truth in it. I find those little chats with Nosy a nice way to unwind at the end of the day. I work at Barney’s vineyard, and maintaining that grapevine isn’t a piece of cake.
Getting back to cats and dogs, Nosy said that he’d gone to attend the First Annual Canine-Feline Convention a couple of days ago. Apparently the growing disregard for pets by humans has forced dogs and cats to join hands and make a united stand. Both parties agreed that it was high time they stopped bickering amongst themselves. In the words of Nosy, “There will soon be a day when the cat barks and the dog mews, and together they’ll raise a cacophony that will burst the eardrums of every evil human.”
That’s Quipsville for you. This isn’t an ordinary town for sure. There’s a certain quaint charm that’s unique to it. I happened to first pass through this town eight years ago. I was on a trip across the country. I didn’t intend on staying here long, but Quipsville grows on you. I never left.
As Nosy goes on with his stories, I stare out of the window. Little Joey is still patiently waiting for the molehill to turn into a mountain.
Like I said, in Quipsville, everything is possible......

Life Goes On....

I always find it fascinating that if you let your mind wander off on its own for a while, it comes up with some pretty interesting thoughts. Like the other day in class, just to keep us busy, the lecturer asked us to suggest ideas for table topics. I wasn’t really paying attention to what was going on but then I heard one of my friends suggesting, “The Best Teacher You Ever Had”, and that set me thinking. Now that I’m almost at the end of my college life, who was my best teacher ever????
I could say the first one I ever had back in Kindergarten. She was a darling (well she is now, she frightened me back then). Or maybe the English teacher back in sixth grade, or the physics lecturer in the ninth, they were all really good but no, not them. They were all great teachers, and while they all imparted knowledge, I realised that none of them could pass on wisdom. Relax, I’m not talking about the wisdom of the ancients, just the really important things, like how to make everyday more meaningful. That’s when I realised that Life is the best teacher I’ve ever had, no kidding. Sure I’ve bickered about how my life sucks, I’m just human, but when I look at the bigger picture, I can’t quite find the words to explain it.
Every second of the last 20 or so years has taught me something (okay the first 5 years are kind of sketchy but I wouldn’t have gotten thus for if I hadn’t learnt right?). Like those times when mum and dad used to scold me and I hated them for it, now I realise it was just to teach me right from wrong. Life’s a harsh teacher, I guess she knows we aren’t going to listen if she says it sweetly so she just skips the niceties and makes us learn the hard way. I haven’t been around that long yet so my education’s far from complete, but I’ve learnt some pretty important stuff so far...
I’ve learnt not to regret any decision I’ve made. I’ll only be losing precious time in self pity and it’s not worth it. I know it sounds clichéd but it’s true. You can’t change the past but you can learn from it. I’ve learnt that the people who matter to me won’t always be around. People keep walking in and out of our lives; only their footprints remain, reminding us of the moments we shared, making us smile when we are down. I’ve learnt that no matter how much the world tries to crush me down, I lose only when I give up on myself. And no matter how tired I am, if I search my soul deep enough, I’ll always find a reason to go on. You know how sometimes it seems like you can’t live without someone? Not true, you can. Sure it hurts worse than hell, and the memories can torment you for a really long time, but once you accept it and stop trying to run away from it, you begin to notice what you’ve missed. To quote another cliché, “Don't cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”.
And for those who keep telling you that time is the best healer, well I doubt those guys ever had to experience anything that they think “time” can heal, because if you asked me, I’d say time doesn’t heal, it just kind of numbs the pain so that its more bearable, just enough so that we can learn to move on.
According to me, the most important lesson that life’s taught me is that every moment should be savoured, the good ones and the bad. You never know what going to be thrown your way, that’s why I’ve learnt to cherish those moments spent with the people in my life, because I’ll never know when I get to see them again. Some people might think I’m paranoid, but I really don't care, I want to make the best of what I’ve got. And to all those friends of mine from school, I don't know if I’ll ever see them again but I know I’m not going to forget them. I keep shifting cities every few years and saying goodbye to the people I know isn’t easy, I’ve done it thrice so far and I haven’t gotten used to it, don't think I ever will. But though it’s always hard initially, I’ve learnt that life moves on and teaches us to move along with her. That’s the beauty of it, she doesn’t leave anyone behind, it’s just that sometimes we’re too stubborn to listen. Good thing she doesn’t give up on us though. She’ll just keep prodding and gently coaxing us until we move on. Well, she isn’t gentle always, she does seem like Cruella sometimes ;-)
I guess that’s what makes her such a good teacher, and that might just be the reason that life’s beautiful..............................................
“There are two ways to live your life; one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
P.S: for those of you who are wondering why I’ve referred to life as a ‘she’ well, not that I’m a hardcore feminist but women are the ones who bear life right? ;-)

Religion-a must?????

Lets be frank, many of you will be wondering what prompted ME to write on such a topic. O don't worry, I’m not going through a crisis of faith or anything of that sort. Nor am i looking for divine intervention to show me the way. This piece is purely out of scholarly interest as i had to speak on this topic at a debate. Psst, don't tell the nuns, for all i know they might make me sit for cathechism remedials after class ;-)
It is often claimed by many people, that man cannot do without some kind of religion, because he is too weak to survive on his own. This, perhaps, is the reason that many religious theists find it incredulous that a person can not only live, but actually enjoy his life without religion. Lets call these guys Orthodox Religious or OR for short. So if you are an indian who’s decided to become an atheist or an agnostic, you need to watch out for the ORs.
First things first. Religion, for a majority of us starts at birth. You are taught the scriptures and rules of the religion your parents follow. And then you spend the rest of your life following it.
WHY??
Is it because you actually believe what is taught or are you just cozy in your comfort zone? Hmm, its usually the latter isn’t it? Let sleeping lions lie. But why stop those who wish to take a different path?
Some of the arguments put forward by the ORs are:
1. Religion is necessary for life to have meaning: Not true. For life to have meaning, you need to have something worth valuing. How much you value a person or a relationship depends on the choices you make. Nothing can teach you the value of a person.
2. Morals can only be taught by religion: Really?? In that case, Hitler, Bin Laden and Khomeni should be saints don't you think? As kids we’re all taught to differentiate right from wrong. Its our decision after that. For all you know, religion can give quite a warped sense of right and wrong.
The list of arguements is endless. But no one can deny the fact that religion is a bone of contention the world over. More so in a ‘secular’ country like India. How can you justify religion when it drives people to draw blood? And yet the truth is that most people are unaware of the basic essence of the faith they follow. All religions condemn killing, so holy wars and crusades don't get you to heaven. Every religion seems convinced that it is the original word of god and all other religions are only fit to be exterminated. i’m surprised this hasn’t caused a full scale war yet.
So, finally, do we need Religion? If you ask me, i’d say its a matter of personal choice. Just because a person decides s/he doesn’t need religion, it doesn’t mean that the person is evil and his/her soul is condemned to eternal damnation. Whats more important? That a person has a religion to fill into a government form? Or is it more important that he/she is a decent human being?
For me, thats what matters most, that you are a good human being. Everything else is secondary. I dont care if you're a christian, a hindu or a muslim. As long as you know how to treat a fellow human, i'd be proud to call you my friend. And a line from Tagore rings loud in my ears, maybe because its been drilled in over the ears as a daily prayer. Most people just recite the words without meaning it, but just take a minute and it'll make sense.
'where the world has not been broken up;
into fragmenby narrow domestic walls;
into that heaven of freedom my father,
let my country awake.'

Genius Murdered....

Now that exam season is over, it’s time for results. Suddenly every parent whose child is in the 10th or 12th is having anxiety attacks and insomnia. For all those poor souls who have just completed their 10th, you have my sympathies. No really, all you poor devils are in a total quandary aren’t you? I’m yet to meet a tenth grader who has made up his/her mind on which stream they want to pursue. Add to that the age old Indian concept, “science is what you should take!!, commerce is for average students!! Arts???? That’s for losers who just want a degree, not smart kids like you!!”
If I ever manage to find the Einstein who came up with that theory, I’d love to siphon their brains through their nostrils, fry it till its burnt( yeah, actual bheja-fry) and blast it off to space!!! No, don't worry, I’m not a deranged psychopath, just another frustrated kid.
I admit I’m lucky my parents don't follow that ancient ideology but I still have friends and family who’ve been bound in the chains of yore. And it isn’t really fair is it?
Unfortunately, the education system in our country is such that intelligence is measured by the amount of facts you can cram into a bundle of nerve cells that rest a foot above your body. Every parent wants their kid to be the first in everything. But you’re not going to have a first unless there are people behind right? Ok that’s not what I meant. What I’m actually trying to say is, why not appreciate a kid for what he/she is? Why is art or sport or dance just a hobby? Someone who aces in sports may be average in class but so what? Isn’t the fact that he’s better at something other than studies count? Why is it so difficult for an Indian parent to accept musical genius over intellectual prowess? And I’m talking about Indians only because, face it, we have a major problem here and I’m sure all of us have seen this happen at some time or the other.
The burden of expectations that parents place on their kids has led to a generation that doesn’t know how to accept defeat gracefully. The fear of losing has led to two types of kids, the aggressive ones who can’t take defeat and those who give up with just one failure. Parental pressure forces many kids to take up careers that hold absolutely no charm for them. In the end, they either drop out, give lack lustre performances or in extreme cases (which have become quite regular these days) end their lives. Those who get through with it aren’t happy either.
For those who’ve been through it, you can’t change the past. But what you can do is make sure that you don't commit the same crime your parents did in the future. I know “crime” is a strong word. In the end our parents just want what’s best for us. But if suppressing a kid's natural ability isn’t a crime, then I don't know what is.
It’s high time we woke up to the fact that genius doesn’t have to be just intellectual. We always say each child is special, well, it’s time we believed it too. There was a time when being left handed was considered unnatural, now we know that a left hander is just as good as a right hander, sometimes better. If we could get past that, then this shouldn’t be that difficult should it?
Its common knowledge that Einstein and Edison were duds in school. They dropped out of school and yet, today we’re studying facts that the drop outs found out. We try to learn from others mistakes, so why are we missing the point here? Wake up people, can’t you hear the siren??