Global Learning Festival 2012 - Community Life Competence
A perspective from Aniruddhan Vasudevan
“I am new here. Your energy is contagious. With this kind of energy and support, we can go from strength to strength. These days, we are all in close touch, from the Government, with organizations on the government side.”
—Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society
“I am very emotional. To make these five days happen, we have had to work for one year and three months. Nothing ends here. There is no end. But we all have to leave now. I cannot believe five days have passed so quickly. But we have gleaned a lot of pearls of wisdom. There are all here on the walls for all to see. We can pick these pearls and string them together as a garland. We are sitting here in a large circle, which looks like garland made of pearls. When you dig the earth, you find a lot of roots, big and small ones tangled together. But what you find are a web of roots interconnected, working with one another, nourishing each other, depending on each other. That is how we are. We are all intertwined. As Rituu and Marlou said, please continue learning and keep your work going.”
—Indumathi Ravishankar, SIAAP
Everything has been said. What more can I add? I thank Indu. Before I came, I was wondering how it would be. What am I going to learn in India? I already know that our love for our communities is the most fundamental thing.To be in collaboration with the Constellation is like having a love affair. Machines have to be powered off and on. They can be recharged. But what about humans? But when I came to India, I saw that it is all about being with people. He thanks Indu and the whole team for….It is like candles have been lit, when they don’t only shed more light, they also (not clear)….. all this through the pearls of wisdom we gathered.
—Eric Uwintwaza
“This is also the time for us to remember to thank those people who worked behind the screen. People who catered our food; hotel staff; drivers, everyone. Also, special thanks to all the communities we work with. If we didn’t have them, we won’t be here.”
—Swaminathan, SIAAP