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India Peace Centre (IPC), Nagpur Invites applications for Short Term Internship admin-ncci

India Peace Centre (IPC), Nagpur Invites applications for Short Term Internship

India Peace Centre (IPC), Nagpur Invites applications for Short Term Internship

For Indians

The India Peace Centre (IPC) invites applications for internship for young people (ages 18-30) to work in its Nagpur Program office. The Internship Program provides a unique experience to the youth, so that they may be better equipped to contribute to the society with values of peace and justice.

The interns will work in the following areas:

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Department of Programs and Projects

The intern will assist in the programmatic work of the Department in the area of environment and climate change, gender, Peace Education, interfaith peace relations etc. This will include programmatic and administrative work. 

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Department of Communication and Research

The intern is going to assist the department in identifying, researching, and preparing for publication of new stories, of programs and events, document articles and research on peace education. Photography and videography will be part of the work.

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The India Peace Centre will cover the costs for travel to and from Nagpur and living expenses.

Interested candidates should have a good working knowledge of English, willing to work through interfaith approach and passion to work for promoting peace, harmony and justice, and have completed their basic professional training (college / university degree) may send their CV and motivation letter.

Deadline: 10th June 2023
Commencing from: 1st July 2023

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Contact:
Mr.Helge Laatzen
Department of Communications and Research
Email: ipc@indiapeacecentre.org

“Sustainable Tourism”- a peace education program in Goa Leonie Kuehl

“Sustainable Tourism”- a peace education program in Goa

Goa: blue water, golden beaches and a fresh sea breeze is what most people think about, when India’s most famous state is being mentioned. Some people might also think of beach parties, cheap drinks and good food. All in all: Goa is a place to relax, to let loose from family pressure and give in on one’s desires. 

Sadly, when coming to Goa these days, the harmonious picture has been changed to a frightening one: litter, water shortage and the loss of local culture are threatening the indian paradise. 

As ecology is one of India Peace Centre’s main concerns, is has been decided to organise a peace education program on “responsible tourism” in the capital of Goa, Panjim, that took place from 18th to the 20th of February. With the purpose of gaining a diversified view on the problems Goan’s and the nature are facing, the participants were a group of 5 Indians as well as five Germans: including Leonie Kühl and Leona Moldenhauer, the India Peace Centre volunteers, Paula Haerle and Felicitas Stiegler, two volunteers from the Centre for Sustainable Development Nagpur and Fee Kristin Pottharst.  From the Indian side, Kasta Dip, the director of IPC, Angelious Michael from JELC Orissa, Mona- Lisa Suna, Yugal Rayalu, retired professor of Nagpur university and Samarpita Kar have taken part. 


The aim of the program has been to gain a deep understanding of how the development of tourism effects nature and what the problems are that Goan’s are facing after the tourist boom of the last years. All of this knowledge is going to be retained in a movie in form of a peace curriculum. 

In order to gain an overview, the program started with the presentation of Goa field study by Ranjan Solomon and Anabel da Gama, human rights activists, who have been working on the topic of responsible tourism for a long time. 

Both of them gave an insight on the problems that years of intensifying tourism have transformed Goa from a hippie destination for peace loving people, to a place of 5- star resorts and overcrowded beaches full of rubbish. 

They were also focussing on the problems that one might not see as a direct consequence of mass tourism, such as the falloff of Goans occupied in agriculture, because locals have been shifting to the tourist industry. 


After that, the participants met students of history, anthropology and science at the Parvatibai Chowgule College of Arts and Science in Madgaon. The German students and the Indian students had the possibility to exchange experience and opinions on tourism in Goa. The Indian students told the group, how they see a big problem in the way Goa is being marketed: “It’s boobs and booze. That is what the indian tourist expects from their stay in Goa. Neither the culture nor the relaxed laid back atmosphere is in the centre of attention anymore.”


The second day was well spent in North Goa, as the group had the possibility to meet Dona Sienna Fernandez in Baga, who gave the group an insight on the noise pollution she is facing every day caused by the beach parties. She told the group, that government regulations are not being followed and that loud music is playing the whole night through. She could also describe the change Goa made over the past years, as the tourist cottages were allowed to come closer to the beach every single year, displacing the Goans homes. Dona had been facing threats as well, as she is fighting the misbehaviour of local club owners, who mostly came from out of Goa. 


After that, the group split and interviewed several people on Baga Beach, Morjim and Ashvem after having recorded the portrait of Dona for the peace curriculum. 

In Morjim and Ashvem, the group was able to observe a lot of Russian tourists all over the place: signs were not written in Hindi or English, but in Kyrill, the Russian script. There was less crowd and there were a lot less indian tourists. 

In the evening, the group went to Calangute beach and was confronted with a massively overcrowded beach. There were mostly Indian tourists. One was barely able to walk on the beachside, because of the massive amount of people. Relaxation- as it would normally be part of a beach holiday- was hardly possible, as there was loud music playing all over the place. 

The next day, the group went to South Goa, as it is popular for the less crowded, pristine beaches of goa. In Cavelossim, the participamns got to meet Serafino Cota, who owns an eco friendly hotel. The group gained a lot of really helpful insight on water recycling, waste- management and a sustainable lifestyle. The whole place had been transformed into a  little ecosystem, as the hotel staff are growing their own food, recycling their own water and reusing all kind of waste, that is being produced by the guests as well as produced by the hotel and it’s staff members. Serafino shared his story and explained to the group, that sustainable tourism is more likely to not be practiced, because it does not get any subventions from the government. Hotels engaged in eco- friendly methods are even more likely to pay more. 


After that, the last stop was Palolem- beach, where the group was supposed to gain knowledge about less crowded beaches. But as soon as they arrived, they had to realize, that the overcrowd already began to start on that particular beach as well. Speedboats, a lot of stalls and of course- a lot of tourists. 

Having analysed the case study of Goa, the participants are now occupied with the peace curriculum. The movie will be shared on India Peace Centre’s social media channels. 

All in all the program was a huge success and gave India Peace Centre the opportunity to gain knowledge on a topic, that had not been addressed before. Therefore there will be the possibility to host such programs at India Peace Centre in the near future. 

Workshop on Gender Justice and Peace Leonie Kuehl

Workshop on Gender Justice and Peace


Women empowerment and gender justice would have remained a concept for a long time if Savitribai Phule had not intervened and challenged patriarchal oppression of girls and women in Indian society.  She reformed the society and championed the cause of gender justice and women empowerment by educating girls and providing shelters to single mothers and widows. As a tribute to her on her 189th birth anniversary India Peace Centre organised a workshop on “Gender Justice and Peace” inviting students and youth from various colleges and universities at Nagpur on 11th January 2020.

The workshop was facilitated by Leona Moldenhauer and Leonie Kuehl from India Peace Centre, who conducted it in various ways, aiming to give the participants knowledge and a critical view on the topic. Opening the workshop Dr. Yugal Rayalu enlightened the participants on the achievements of Savìtrbaii Phule.  As the workshop progressed on, the audience had been animated through educational games, a quiz and critical questioning, in order to build an opinion on the topic and express it. 

Ms Piyali Kanabar highlighted issues focussing on the term Gender Equality itself, expressing it’s meaning, need and the necessity of men stepping up for gender issues influencing their lives too. Throughout the workshop, facilitators emphasized the importance for the participants to come to the conclusion by themselves. 

Towards the end of the program,  Kasta Dip, the Director of India Peace Centre oriented us on how our preamble takes us to peace and gender equality even without the mention of the words “gender” and “peace” in it because peace or equality is not a commodity but a sense , a feeling which happens when justice, liberty, fraternity cumulatively work together. 

All in all, the program was an educative evening spent, a beautiful “take away”, that was carried along and reinforced by reading out the preamble and pledging for a better tomorrow. The presence of more than 60 students, lawyers, psychologists and people from major walks of life made the workshop a humongous success.

Statement of India Peace Centre on Pulwama Terror Attack Leonie Kuehl

Statement of India Peace Centre on Pulwama Terror Attack

[pdf-embedder url=”http://indiapeacecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Pulwama-attack.pdf” title=”Pulwama attack”]

IPC welcomes volunteers from Weltwärts admin-ncci

IPC welcomes volunteers from Weltwärts

On Thursday August 16th the India Peace Centre welcomed the newest addition to their staff. Ronja and Svenja, two volunteers sent by a German partner organization.

Both of them will stay with the India Peace Centre for 11 months and take part in our programs, seminars and the planning process. They are part of the volunteer program “weltwärts” which is initiated and supported by the German government. The “Nordkirche – Centre for Global Ministries and Ecumenical Relations in Northern Germany”, one of our German partners, selected Ronja and Svenja for this intercultural experience. The aim of the “weltwärts” program is to engage young people in a global dialog and help them understand the work of the partners and NGOs like the IPC.

Here is a short introduction that Ronja and Svenja wrote about themselves:

Hi, I am Ronja, and I am 19 Years old. I am from a small village in the North of Germany, near Hamburg. This summer I finished High school after 13 years of school with my A-Levels. I have always been really interested in the Indian culture, the beautiful landscape and the amount of different religions here.  Therefore, I am looking forward to learn and to see a lot of new things in India. I’m excited to cooperate with the India Peace Centre in numerous interesting projects and to meet some new friends in the next 11 months.

 

Hello, my name is Svenja, I’m 18 years old and until about one week ago I lived in a small town near Hannover in Germany. Now I’m very happy to call Nagpur my home for the upcoming 11 months. Since spending my tenth grade of High School in the USA I’ve been interested in experiencing new cultures that differ from the culture I’ve grown up in. From my time here I expect an insight into the work of the IPC and its partners, education in the field of peace building and an introduction into the Indian culture with its rich history and tradition.

Call upon the International Community 150 150 admin-ncci

Call upon the International Community

With shock and consternation India Peace Centre is following the new outrage in the Syrian war taking place in East Ghouta. Without any doubt, the happenings can only be described as brutal and reckless murders of civilians living in the region close to Damascus.

Within only one week more than 500 civilians, including 150 children, lost their lives, 2500 people have been injured by bombs randomly falling from the sky. Despite the lack or rather absence of necessary items as water, food and medicine, hospitals as well as schools and residential houses have been targeted. The happenings in East Ghouta can be seen as a new climax of violence in a war that is outstanding in its human rights violations as well as war crimes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that is a monitoring group based in the UK, called the first two days of the offensive (20.-21.02.2018) the most deadliest 48 hours since the chemical attack that took place in Ghouta at the 21st September 2013.

India Peace Centre is highly concerned about the new developments in the Syrian conflict. As Unicef stated earlier before, there are no words left to explain the suffering of the children. The least appropriate explanation is military operation. Current reports about the use of chemical weapons in the region just add to the list of multiple violations of human rights and war crimes.

From the perspective of India Peace Centre, these atrocities give proof to the fact, that a solution based on military intervention of any side will in no case bring a sustainable solution for the country in the way of ensuring peace and stability. Therefore, India Peace Centre calls upon all international leaders of external forces being involved in this conflict to withdraw from the war ground. This will be the only way to find a solution in Syria. The Geneva talks facilitated by the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr de Mistura have to be carried on and enlarged. Only in that way the confronting parties of the civil war can come to an agreement and first steps to a new Syrian Government can be realized. Based on consent and the principles of non-violence, the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces can be the only external party to ensure the safety of civilians.

Furthermore, until that is being achieved, the international community must work together to end the war and stop the unnecessary suffering and dying of civilians. Ceasefires and humanitarian corridors need to be implemented and finally followed by everybody, to ensure a minimum of safety for people living in the areas of war ground. Military targeting of schools, hospitals and residential complexes has to stop immediately. Medication, food, water and further daily needs supplies have to be available at any time and independent, international observers must be granted access without restriction. The atrocities happening in Syria are an affront to all the principles of the United Nations. Instead of dividing and wasting time with useless accusations, we must evoke the spirit of freedom and unity in everybody.

The inter-religious India Peace Centre has always been a place of weaving peace under the principles of promoting dialogue and mutuality with a spirit of ever widening understanding. Therefore, we want to remind the international leaders of their responsibility towards their own people, and also for all people living on this one planet. We as a people should focus on what unites us and work together to ensure freedom, peace and equality for each and every one of us.

India Peace Centre expresses its solidarity with every peace activist active in the fight to stop the unnecessary killing and want to express its deepest respect for every attempt that has been done.