Centre for Management and SAGE Foundation, as the disseminating partners of UNAOC and GDF sends you the latest update on the United Nations/ BMW Award. Please forward this to deserving individuals or organizations who you think will qualify for this prestigious award.

Press Release
23 September 2011

UN Alliance of Civilizations and BMW Group sign agreement for the Award for Intercultural Innovation

BMW Group to expand its commitment to intercultural understandingThe UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group are pooling their expertise in the area of intercultural understanding in a joint initiative, the ‘Award for Intercultural Innovation’. An agreement will be signed today at the UN’s New York Headquarters as part of the 66th UN General Assembly by President Jorge Sampaio, UN High Representative for the Alliance, and Konstanze Carreras, Senior Official for Corporate Social Responsibility of the BMW Group. The signature will take place in the presence of ministers from over 130 countries and international organizations and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

Munich / New York.

The ‘BMW Group Award for Intercultural Innovation in support of the Alliance of Civilizations under the auspices of the United Nations’ is a unique award in its category, and represents a new kind of partnership between the private sector and the UN system. The partnership will select highly innovative projects that promote exchange and cross-cultural understanding, and hence make a vital contribution to safety and peace in societies around the world. The ten most outstanding projects in the area of intercultural understanding will be recognized for the first time in an award ceremony held during the fourth Annual UNAOC Forum in Doha (Qatar) on December 12th this year.

President Jorge Sampaio, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, recently stated, “To succeed in bridging our world’s growing divides, we need to launch cutting-edge programs that provide shared solutions to our common problems. Through the Award for Intercultural Innovation, both the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group are fostering imagination and creativity to build collaboration among cultures.”

“Together with the UN Alliance of Civilizations, we are now taking our efforts in this field to a new level,” comments Harald Krüger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG and Patron of the Award for Intercultural Innovation. “The cooperation with UNAOC allows us to pool strengths, to reach even more people and to increase the efficiency of our international commitment.”

Through its commitment to social entrepreneurship, with programs such as the BMW Group Award and numerous others, the BMW Group has promoted cooperative dialogue between different cultures for decades.

In addition to the award itself and the prize money that comes with it, the winners will be able to draw on support and consulting services from the ‘World Intercultural Facility for Innovation’ (WIFI), a program initiated by the UNAOC in cooperation with the BMW Group. The WIFI will help award-winning projects become more efficient and expand, as well as enable their transfer to other contexts or settings. The specific support that projects receive will depend on their individual demands.

Deadline for applications: 16 October 2011
Organizations can submit their proposals by 16 October 2011. Application forms are available for download at www.interculturalinnovation.org.

For additional information, please refer to www.interculturalinnovation.org.

For further queries, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Konstanze Carreras, Corporate Social Responsibility
Konstanze.Carreras@bmw.de, phone: +49 89 382-52894

Jean-Christophe Bas, Senior Advisor
Strategic Developments and Partnerships, UNAOC
Phone: +1-212-457-1090, Fax: +1-212-457-4032

The BMW Group
With its brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is one of the world’s most successful premium manufacturers of cars and motorcycles. The international Group operates 25 production and assembly sites in 14 countries as well as a global sales network with offices in more than 140 countries.

Thinking ahead and acting responsibly have always been crucial prerequisites of the BMW Group’s economic success. The company’s strategy includes the full commitment to ecological and social sustainability along the entire value chain, comprehensive product responsibility, and the conservation of resources.

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
The UN Alliance of Civilizations was established in 2005 as an initiative of the UN Secretary General, under the cosponsorship of the President of the Government of Spain and the Prime Minister of Turkey. It emerged out of a conviction that, in order to achieve sustainable peace, long-standing divisions and misperceptions between cultures need to be addressed. In April 2007, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Jorge Sampaio, former President of Portugal, as High Representative for the Alliance. It is supported by a growing Group of Friends of 129 governments and international organizations.

The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Ave | New York, NY 10174 US

                                                 Latest development at the
                                United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Centre for Management has partnered with the UNAOC in order to launch the UNAOC-BMW Award for intercultural Innovation (”The Award”). This annual Award will identify highly innovative initiatives that are advancing cross-cultural understanding among different communities and cultures around the world.

For future recipients of the Award, alongside a monetary prize, winning will mean receiving direct support from the UNAOC and its powerful network composed of civil society, corporate, government, media and foundation partners in order to scale up and replicate them in various settings.

By encouraging new intercultural methods and approaches, the Award is unique in its category and offers very promising and inspiring results. The call for applications is being disseminated among our network of civil society organizations, private and public sector undertakings as well as individuals who have achieved measurable results. The 2011 Application Guidelines are attached or can be found by simply visiting the websites: www.unaoc.org/unaoc-bmwgroup-award/ and http://in.news.yahoo.com/aoc-partner-bmw-award-intercultural-innovation-033827826.html.

 

PRESS RELEASE

BMW Group and UN Alliance of Civilizations Launch Award to Foster Innovation in Cross-cultural Dialogue

Application forms now available online

 

Munich – New York, August 22, 2011. In an unprecedented partnership with the private sector, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is joining hands with the BMW Group to launch an Award for Intercultural Innovation. The name of the award is BMW Group Award for Intercultural Innovation in support of the Alliance of Civilizations, under the auspices of the United Nations.

 

The annual award will identify highly innovative initiatives that are advancing cross-cultural understanding between different communities and cultures.  For future recipients of the award, alongside a monetary prize, winning will mean receiving support from the UNAOC and its powerful network of civil society, corporate, government, media and foundation partners. The specific assistance provided will depend on the individual needs of each project.

 

By providing support to emerging intercultural initiatives, the UNAOC and the BMW Group aim to encourage innovation in the field while helping winners expand their projects, make them more impactful, and replicate them in other settings where they might be useful.

Both BMW Group and the UNAOC come with a track-record of having supported intercultural projects around the world for many new years.  The new award builds on such previous efforts.

The ten most innovative initiatives in the area of intercultural understanding will be distinguished for the first time at an award ceremony that will take place during the Fourth Annual UNAOC Forum in Doha, Qatar in December 2011. Application forms can be downloaded from http://www.unaoc.org/unaoc-bmwgroup-award/ and must be submitted by October 16, 2011.

 

Intercultural understanding has a long tradition in the BMW Group

As an international company with a multinational workforce, the BMW Group has recognized the importance of mutual cooperation between different cultural groups for decades. Through the BMW Group Award for Intercultural Learning/Commitment the

company has recognized innovative projects and personalities around the world for 14 years, for their support to sustainable and open relationships between international communities. Hundreds of projects and documents have been received in which people express their ideas for intercultural cooperation either within their own neighbourhoods or at trans-regional level. Over the long history of this award, more than 40 projects and academic papers have been awarded. Current awardees are supported for a whole year by employees of the company.

 

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is an initiative of the UN Secretary-General which aims to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions.  It also helps to counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism. The UNAOC was established in 2005, at the initiative of Spain and Turkey, under the auspices of the United Nations and under the leadership of Jorge Sampaio, former President of Portugal, as High Representative for the UNAOC.

 

For further information please visit http://www.unaoc.org/unaoc-bmwgroup-award/ or contact:

 

Konstanze Carreras,

BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs

Corporate Social Responsibility

Phone: +49-89-382-52894, Fax: + 49-89-382-28017

 

Jean-Christophe Bas, Senior Advisor

Strategic Developments and Partnerships, UNAOC

Phone: +1-212-457-1090, Fax: +1-212-457-4032

   

 

 

 

 

 

Unity in Diversity Lecture : Doing Business in a Multicultural World

Posted 3 August 2011

The Inaugural Lecture of the UNAOC Series was held by our Centre for Management in Mumbai,a Management Institute which realizes that cross-cultural training for managers is vital.

To emphasise the importance of promoting multiculturalism in businesses, Centre for Management invited two awesome guests for the inaugural lecture, entitled “Doing Business in a Multicultural Environment”, under the auspices of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and in partnership with Global Dialogue Foundation.

Paul Dunn an Australian, and Masami Sato a Japanese, by their very presence, underlined the fact that embracing multiculturalism has helped their business. By coming together they created an enormously successful company called Buy1 Give 1 which has helped hundreds of cultures across the world just by the sheer act of GIVING. Its their love and compassion that has brought people together irrespective of their color or creed.

Paul and Masami have travelled around the world, speaking, mentoring and inspiring hundreds of thousands of business people from different cultures and backgrounds. Paul’s audio and video programmes are in use by over 156,000 businesses around the world.

The first lecture series on Multiculturalism in the Business world was a huge success due to the topicality and immediate need of such an environment in today’s fast changing world.

The world is changing like never before. With businesses going global, accompanied by unprecedented levels of international travel and social networking, the rapidly changing scenario has created enormous challenges and opportunities.

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) recognizes this and is working very closely with Global Dialogue Foundation at grass root levels to create a Unity within this great Diversity.

One way of doing this is to have an ongoing lecture series to create an awareness of the changing dynamics in a multicultural environment. The UNAOC aims through this lecture series, to give impetus to the idea of supporting cross-cultural understanding, inspire other businesses to scale up efforts, and provide the foundation for new activities.

Business has become a critical force in support of cultural understanding - building bridges between cultures and people by offering the prospect of economic opportunity. Culturally diverse workforces can indeed be a key factor in overall business success.

Bridging divides helps keep the peace. It also gives the economy a boost by making societies more stable for investors. That is why the Alliance is working with the UN Global Compact to help corporations foster tolerance. Businesses know that in today’s globalized world, they have to be able to compete in multicultural environments.

                           Secretary General of the United Nations Mr Ban Ki-Moon

The United Nations Global Compact is the largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative in the world and has more than 6000 participants from over 130 countries, all aspiring to embrace universal values while respecting cultural diversity.

Developing a new generation of leaders with global perspective and understanding is identified by the Centre as one of the leading challenges of corporate learning. This increasing global interconnectedness has several implications for business.

Keeping this in perspective, Centre for Management is affiliated with 74 Universities globally and recognized in 120 countries through the Association of Business Executives. It has made intercultural understanding a core theme of its programmes and has as its in-house CSR wing, the SAGE Foundation, which is focused on helping communities at grass-root levels. 

In the middle of the monsoon, a fine morning is very unusual

For the rains to hold off for almost a whole day, just about unheard of.  But last week on the 28th, a group of very important visitors came to Malavali to visit the children at Shikshan Gram.  And the rain held off.

This was a day of bringing together the links that have been formed many years ago – as friends came together to join forces.  Maya and Akhil Shahani and 30 sudents and faculty from their  Centre for Management brought Paul Dunn and Masami Sato from Singapore to visit.  Paul and Masami are the creators of a wonderful concept and organisation called Buy1Give1 which supports and helps thousands of underprivileged people throughout the world.

And the Rain Gods smiled and took a break to allow them all to go up to the new site to see the construction and to have a great demonstration by the Shaolin Volunteers.

 

 

The project was explained in depth to the visitors and then Maya,  Paul,  Masami and Akhil planted a tree .. to show that under the shade of this tree, the project would grow and flourish.

 

As Nandini recounted when Paul and Masami visited the children at the current premises:

“The kids were in their element. The degree of excitement,love and happiness cannot be explained or written about.
It moved Paul to tears!!!!!! He had 60 of the kids vying for his attention and affection. It was hard to say good bye! I hope you will be back soon, as we await your next visit impatiently!!!!!

A very big Thank You to Paul  and Masami for making this visit possible and loads of blessings from the little ones to all of you who are trying so hard to make a difference to their lives!”

UNITY IN DIVERSITY FORUM, KERALA

The second session of the “Unity in Diversity” Forum, an initiative of Global Dialogue Foundation, and convened under the auspices of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), was held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala India from 6-8 February 2011.

(L-R: Adv. K.K. Sarachandra Bose- Chairman Unity in Diversity & Global Dialogue Foundation, Mrs. Maya Shahani-Vice Chairperson Unity in Diversity & Global Dialogue Foundation, Chairperson SAGE Foundation, Mr. Jean-Christophe Bas- Senior Adviser-Strategic Development and Partnerships, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, The Hon’ble T. Balakrishnan- IAS Additional Chief Secretary Government of Kerala, His Highness Shri Padmanabhadasa Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja, His Excellency Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan)

The event witnessed participants of several nationalities in the Asia Pacific region, such as, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Thailand, India and Australia. The delegates represented widely varying backgrounds and professions including social entrepreneurs, policy makers, teachers, students, representatives of NGO’s and foundations, corporate, senior government officials and spiritual and religious leaders. Such a prolific diversity contributed greatly towards the aims of the Forum by giving fresh insights and perspectives to the issues raised.

A Forum of this nature was a first of its kind to be held in India. The state of Kerala was an appropriate choice to host this forum, given its status among all the states in India with respect to its religious diversity and literacy rate. Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the Minister for Home, Vigilance and Tourism, graced the Forum with his presence. He conveyed his satisfaction at Kerala being host to this Forum, and described the importance of achieving harmony through cross cultural dialogue.

His Highness Shri Padmanabhadasa Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja, also addressed the Forum, and spoke about the urgent need for unity among nations, and the crucial role for such as this one played in bringing about a positive change. The United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations and former President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio addressed the Forum by video message and emphasized the crucial role played by civil society organizations working together with governments to promote understanding and cooperation among peoples and cultures.

The Forum celebrated the World Interfaith Harmony Week, observed by the United Nations from 1-7 February 2011, addressed by faith leaders and with multicultural dance presentations.

The two roundtable discussions held addressed the South Asian view point on multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue focusing on attainment of peace among individuals through adoption of certain values; the need for building public-private partnerships to retain cultural plurality and to attain intercultural understanding. “Our aim is to bring Unity among different cultures throughout the world and also to resolve dispute through dialogue”, stated the Forum Chairman KK Bose.

In his keynote address, Jean-Christophe Bas, senior advisor UN Alliance of Civilizations said that “building inclusive societies is indispensable to achieve peace and economic and social development; it represents one of the greatest challenges of our time and requires the participation of all”.

Another feature of this Forum was the introduction of five concurrent workshops on the following topics: the media’s role in challenging stereotypes, the maintenance of cultural identity in today’s society, education for intercultural citizenship, India’s cultural relations with its neighbors and role of religion for propagating peace. There were several practical solutions discussed in these workshops.

At the closing of the Forum, a concrete action plan was discussed. Some of the solutions suggested were engagement of the media for a positive coverage of cultural harmony, development and introduction of vocational training programmes in mainstream education, a close tie up of different individuals and organizations to achieve the effective interfaith dialogue, to create Unity in Diversity cities throughout India and the rest of the world.

For more details click on the link : http://www.unaoc.org 

UNITY IN DIVERSITY FORUM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridging Cultures: Building Peace & Development
KERALA, INDIA
6-8 FEBRUARY 2011

 http://www.globaldialoguefoundation.org/india2011.html

The Global Dialogue Foundation principal purpose is to:

Initiate and promote dialogue and collaboration for increased understanding among cultures and civilizations.

Maintain the identity of original traditions; fostering their impact on the development of mainstream society.

Strengthen the voice of the Asia Pacific Region in the debate on dialogue and understanding among peoples and cultures.

Contribute significantly in supporting the work of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in the Region.

As ordinary citizens from beautiful planet Earth, we will try in an ordinary manner to articulate what we think is important for humankind in general, as well for our planet as a unique living entity in it’s own way, and with appropriate friendly actions, try to help others with dialogue.

On behalf of Global Dialogue Foundation, we believe that;

Dialogue is and should be the way of developing this world towards a brighter future
Without dialogue, we cannot be understood and helped as we deserve at the right time and place.

We will not know about the needs of others or express our own needs to others, therefore cannot solve issues timely, correctly and friendly, unfortunately leading to complications inter-connected with humankind and society.

The increasing diversity of our societies - be it ethnic, linguistic, religious or cultural - is indeed generating anxiety among populations, driving communities apart and putting peace, development and democracy under mounting pressure.

New technology and new media are connecting people around the world in ways we could not imagine just a decade ago. The ongoing development of information and communication technologies is raising our awareness that we are all part of a global community. At the same time, they make it easier to learn about the social and economic disparities that are widening within and between countries.

People are often unprepared to cope with changes that are now occurring in an increasingly complex and interdependent world.The global development agenda cannot be achieved by only focusing on economic and social indicators or factoring in the impact of climate change.

The true potential for economic and social development cannot be achieved without the peaceful coexistence of cultures. Good governance, therefore, involves respecting diversity and finding ways to incorporate intercultural dialogue into the governmental policies and strategies that aim to play a role in achieving peace and development.

  

 

We believe that not only the Buddhist, but also the Atheist, the Muslim, the Orthodox, the Catholic, the Jew and the Protestant and so on aim to live a comfortable safe, peaceful life, to enjoy themselves and be happy with their families, relatives, their inheritance, and that they all feel love and sorrow, joy and grief equally. Even our anatomic structure is the same, although our outer appearance differs in details, which is a drop in the ocean in comparison to what unites us.

Only with this kind of well balanced material and spiritual level society, and only along this kind of well balanced spiritual/material path, and with dialogue, humankind can finally start to build its own future with past negative experiences as the driving force for creating a better, brighter sustainable environment and a safer World as a masterpiece of all, as ordinary citizens from beautiful planet Earth.

If you would like to participate or submit a project for review, please write to the Board of Directors via email; info@globaldialoguefoundation.org.

For more details click on the link given:- www.unaoc.org / www.globaldialoguefoundation.org

SAGE JOURNEY TO INDIA

making a difference – voluntourism at its most rewarding

It’s not often you get an opportunity to step up and make a real difference while experiencing travel and adventure in a land of paradox. This is exactly what we are inviting you to do when you join us on this incredible journey of the heart in India.

You will experience India like you have never dreamed before on the most unique, inspiring and soul fulfilling travel adventure.

SAGE Journey to India is no glossy travel itinerary. Come with us to experience India at the grass roots level. This journey will be one of the most profound of your life and stay with you forever. Simply by being on this tour you will save lives and give people hope for perhaps the first time ever. We will combine social responsibility with the adventure of the real India, far from the India seen from a luxury coach.

Day One: Saturday 5th March

Your adventure starts in Mumbai - which is the thriving hub and gateway to India. Gifted by Portugal to Charles II of England as a dowry when he married Catherine of Braganza, Mumbai is a cultural melting pot and bustling urban metropolis combined with incredible poverty. A city of over 13 million people and without the infrastructure to support its growth its surprising anything can be achieved here, but it is and its absolutely thriving.

Mumbai derives its name from the temple of Kali Goddess Mumba or Maha Amba. Aai in Marathi means mother.

You will be collected from the airport and driven to the Godwin Hotel (a comfortable 3 star hotel in South Mumbai). It is likely different members of the group will arrive at different times and it may be in the middle of the night however please ensure you are ready to join us by midday on the 5th- if you are arriving the day before we can arrange accommodation at the same hotel for you. This morning you can relax – walk on the nearby sea front – explore the local streets or simply sit on the rooftop of the hotel and take in the view of the sea and surrounding area.

We will provide you with an easy to read small map of the area to make sure you can find your way back to the hotel if you go walking. Breakfast will be supplied at the hotel.

At 12.30 we will meet on the rooftop for a cold drink, small snack and a brief orientation and introducing ourselves. We will then head off for an Indian style “thali” lunch at the Golden Star Thali. They serve cuisine that comes from the cradles of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It brings to you the spirits, sights and sounds of the people who do India proud with their vibrant colours, their haunting aura, exquisite food and flavours, their dance and their undisputed beauty.

It will be a selection of different regional dishes, served in small bowls on a round tray usually made of steel. Dishes include rice, dhal, assortment of snacks and vegetables, chapati, papad, curd (yoghurt), small amounts of chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off. Don’t be concerned if you are sensitive to spicy foods - we can arrange for mild dishes for you.

After lunch it’s time to walk some of that food off! We will start our afternoon adventure – which will take us around two hours, from the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple where we will be shown a short video on Indian history, culture and religion.

We will then go to Mani Bhavan (Gandhi’s residence) a place which will give you a real sense of the power
of one man’s stance for freedom.

After this memorable visit, we will drive past August Kranti Maidan where Gandhi flagged off his Quit India Movement. A monument commemorating this historical event is currently located in a garden inside the Maidan. The locality surrounding this ground is known as Gowalia Tank. The name “Gowalia Tank” refers to the olden days when there was a water tank situated here where shepherds (”Gowalia” in Gujarati) used to bring their cows and sheep for water. And on via the Babulnath Mandir (Shiva Temple), ascending Malabar Hill, with a view over Chowpatty Beach to the Hanging Gardens, then down to BanGanga. 

See more in Activities……..

MELBOURNE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS THE POWER OF DIVERSITY

From 10-12 October, political leaders, civil society activists, private sector and media representatives came together from Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region for the inaugural ‘Unity in Diversity-10.10.10 Global Dialogue Forum’ in Melbourne.

Hosted by the Global Dialogue Foundation (GDF) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the event highlighted successful examples of collaboration across cultures and provided a unique platform for new partnerships aimed at building cross cultural understanding in the region.

Participants heard the views of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle; the High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, President Jorge Sampaio; as well as Human Rights Commissioners, Members of Parliament, SBS news representatives, RMIT and Swinburne and Deakin Universities.

Participants representing the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, local councils, corporate-business, community leaders, policy makers, students and media outlets expressed a common desire for finding new solutions and upscaling currently successful programmes in the field of cross-cultural understanding.

A key feature of the forum was the Marketplace of Ideas, which showcased innovative and groundbreaking civil society initiatives designed to develop intercultural understanding and dialogue in the Asia Pacific region. These projects were presented to an audience of potential partners - among them, representatives of international organizations, foundations and academia.Among the organizations that participated in the Marketplace of Ideas were: The Western Bulldogs, Essendon Football Club, Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre, Victorian Arab Social Services, Y-Gap, the Centre for Multicultural Youth, Brahma Kumaris, The Art of Living and New Australia Media.

Other highlights included “Me and the Others”, a presentation of primary school children’s artworks organized by the UNESCO Observatory of the University of Melbourne [link].

Global Dialogue Foundation’s Hon. Chairperson KK Bose highlighted the significance of this event: “With fifty percent of Australians having a parent who was born overseas, this country has an invaluable role in setting an example to the rest of the world for promoting greater tolerance, understanding and co- operation of people from various cultural backgrounds.”

“This Forum illustrates how the issue of cultural diversity, central to multicultural societies around the world, plays out differently in different regions of the world. It also confirms the relevant role of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in globalizing the cultural diversity agenda, ensuring that it becomes a priority for decision-makers worldwide and helping to connect government policies with the groundswell of innovative practices created at grassroots level” said Jean-Christophe Bas, Senior Advisor, Strategic Development and Partnerships at the UNAOC.

The event has greatly contributed to the visibility of the UNAOC in Australia and in the region. A development plan involving several key stakeholders is beginning to take shape, with clear objectives for building the capacity of civil society in terms of preserving cultural identity and heritage and building cohesive communities.

      

 

 Mumbai - Dreamcatchers Bollywood Launch

We just finished the Mumbai launch of the movie. The biggest so far. Around 1500+ people engaged two sessions at the rustic theatre Sophia Bhabha Hall. There were dignitaries, like the chief of police (which helped for crowd control), senior government officials and Bollywood movie stars and the icons of Industry. When local star of Dreamcatchers ‘Maya Shahani‘ graced the screen with her amazing presence the whole audience erupted in applause, which led to a standing ovation.

                                                                                                             

 Back to Mumbai. The reaction was…out of this world. I have literally hundreds of people coming to me telling me the movie was wonderful, even Bollywood stars and directors (who of course make major blockbusters). They loved it. India definetly got ‘the movie’. They said it was what they knew to be the truth, what the Veda’s had said and so many asked me to make a movie about India and its spirituality. Got me thinking…but no..I will take a break from movie making just at the moment. Yash Birla was one of the wonderful people I met in Mumbai who adored the movie. As the chairperson of the Yash Birla group he is the world’s 3rd largest cotton manufacturer and that is just one thing he does. A 30Billion dollar company, the traffic was so bad that he walked a couple of miles with his wife because he wanted so much to see the movie.

 Maya Shahani commented to me this morning that she was amazed people wanted to touch her feet after the movie. I laughed of course. In India you touch a guru’s feet to become blessed and pay homage. Maya is truly a guru of course. We had a fabulous dinner in typical Bollywood style on the lawns outside the theatre, where we dined with stars, socialites, dignitries and the ordinary people. I really enjoyed the pageantry of the occasion. Whilst everyone was amazing in their feedback and good wishes, for the most part I was relieved for Maya, that they loved her. She must have been so nervous, as many of her family and friends were in the audience.

                                                                                                                                                                                                

Tickets 1 -800 for Dreamcatchers. 801 - 1600 is opposite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can be the change to make Mumbai environment friendly.

SAGE and PATT are organizing a tree plantation project on 22nd of May, 2010 on land owned by INS Trata (Defence establishment). This land is a stone’s throw away from Bandra-Worli sea link (Worli entrance). At present the site is barren, rough and rocky. After the plantation it will be a beautiful site and will add to the greenery of Mumbai. This is in line with the objective of SAGE and PATT to beautify Mumbai and bring about a change in society.
Volunteers are needed to assist with this plantation project. To assist the volunteers pits have already been dug and red soil provided on site. The pits are 1 metre deep and 1 metre wide to ensure the saplings penetrate down easily and the survival rate increases. High quality saplings have been already sourced for the project to ensure a survival rate of above 90%. Manure is available on site and kept near the pits. The tree selected for the project is the Coconut tree. Coconut trees survive better than most other trees near the sea side and in similar salty terrain.
To help volunteers in the process, there will be people explaining the right way to complete the plantation. At least 10 saplings have already been planted as examples for people who love to watch and proceed on their own. Tools will be provided on the day to assist people. The dress code for the day would be anything comfortable like T-shirts, Bermuda’s and Three-fourth’s. Anything tight or fancy should be avoided.
SAGE and PATT have successfully organized similar projects financed by various brands like Standard Chartered, HDFC, Barclays, AEGIS, etc. Noted projects in the pipe line are funded by UTI, Birla Sunlife and Nerolac. By being a part of a tree plantation project, people will gain more insights in to plantation, importance and they in turn can confidently spread the word in the city to increase afforestation and reforestation. Volunteering for the project is an excuse to do something different from the regular city business and tree planting is also a proven way of mind relaxation.
We need volunteers who like to contribute and people who like to get their hands dirty for a cause. We will always have more projects for those who can regularly participate in similar tree plantations. This is your time to bring about a change in Mumbai. Come, be a part of the change to preach what you practice.
Contacts:
SAGE: Maya Shahani (022 23682488/ 022 23683033)
http://www.thesagefoundation.com/
PATT: Vashitwa Mishra (9702210203/8898080203)
http://www.pattfoundation.org/index.php

Venue and Directions:
INS Trata ground,
Opposite Coast Guard building
Next to Bandra-Worli Sealink (Worli side),
Worli, Mumbai
While coming to Worli from the Bandra- Worli sealink please take a left when you reach Worli on the Khan Abdul Gafar Khan Marg. Keep driving and in seconds you will come across a turnabout. Take left again from the turnabout on a small connecting road that will lead you to Coast Guard Gates. One of our guys will be present at the gates to guide you further to the site.

Google map link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?

q=19.015597,72.816664&num=1&t=h&sll=19.01584,72.818273&sspn=0.005173,0.009645&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=19.0151,72.817372&spn=0.005173,0.009645&z=17

Date and Time:
22nd May 2010 (Saturday) at 9:00 AM.