I was ever a fighter, so------one fight more,
The best and the last!
—Robert Browning, Prospice
The last Sunday Seminar of the academic session 2009-2010 began on November 29 at CMS Gomtinagar auditorium with 200 students from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS). Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, recorded the attendance of the students while French songs echoed in the auditorium. We have come a long way since the first session of Sunday Seminar on July 12. We have reached the point when our efforts would bear fruit in the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World(ICCJW) scheduled from December 12 to 14.
The conference is an important part of CMS. These sessions would play an important role in the ICCJW because students would be selected for the final interaction with the dignitaries and the Chief Justices visiting CMS for the conference. The sessions would prepare students for the interaction. They would be instructed how they are to conduct themselves during their appeals. Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, began the session by welcoming the students. He gave a detailed schedule of the conference to the students.
Fourteen students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II were the first to get a chance to put forth their appeals. Topics varied from the accumulation of nuclear weapons, increasing terrorist activities, environmental degradation, child labour and need for enforceable world law.
Students from different campuses were given the appeals they had submitted to the World Unity Education Department(WUED). A few changes were made by the WUED staff to suit delivery during the final appeal.
Following the appeal by students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II, sixteen students from CMS Rajajipuram Campus-I, CMS Chowk Campus and CMS Aliganj Campus-I put forth appeals on global warming, deforestation, need for environmental laws, need to consider the evil of illiteracy, need to focus on poverty instead of development of weapons of mass destruction and the need to provide avenues of employment.
CMS Asharfabad, CMS Gomtinagar, and CMS Anand Nagar were given a chance to put forth their appeals. Sixteen students expressed dissonance for deforestation, cutting of grasslands, pollution, water wastage, need to implement Article 51 of the Constitution of India, need for a united world, enforceable world law, world court of justice and the need to reduce expenditure on weapons.
Students from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I and III expressed their concern over the growing threat to the environment, need for nuclear disarmament, growing menace of pollution, need for enforceable world law, over exploitation of natural resources, deforestation and the depletion of ozone layer.
Students from CMS Kanpur Road Campus and CMS RDSO Campus pouted forth their appeals on child labour, pollution, environmental degradation, population explosion, safe disposal of garbage, terrorism, endangered animals, use of harmful chemicals, differences of race, caste, colour, gender present in the society, deforestation, global warming and waste management.
A short film, The Little Terrorist, was shown to the students. The movie was in Hindi used with a bit of Rajasthani accent. The story was of a boy, Jamal, in a town bordering Pakistan in Rajasthan. Jamal is shown running after a ball that crosses the India-Pakistan border. His friends appeal to him to be wary of security personnel deployed along the border. Jamal is chased by security personnel from across the border, he hides behind some rocks, but he is saved by a school master who is passing by. When they reach home, the school master’s daughter reacts strongly when she discovers Jamal’s identity. Security personnel reach the village in search of the refugee, Jamal, but Jamal escapes them because the school master had got his head shaven to disguise him. Moreover, Jamal pretends to be dumb. Jamal thrives on food left over by the family. He runs away secretly, and reaches home.
Sunday Seminar too has reached its destination. We have come a long way since the first session on July 12. The WUED staff bid a farewell to the students hoping to see them again in the next session.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
November 29
I was ever a fighter, so------one fight more,
The best and the last!
—Robert Browning, Prospice
The last Sunday Seminar of the academic session 2009-2010 began on November 29 at CMS Gomtinagar auditorium with 200 students from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS). Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, recorded the attendance of the students while French songs echoed in the auditorium. We have come a long way since the first session of Sunday Seminar on July 12. We have reached the point when our efforts would bear fruit in the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World(ICCJW) scheduled from December 12 to 14.
The conference is an important part of CMS. These sessions would play an important role in the ICCJW because students would be selected for the final interaction with the dignitaries and the Chief Justices visiting CMS for the conference. The sessions would prepare students for the interaction. They would be instructed how they are to conduct themselves during their appeals. Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, began the session by welcoming the students. He gave a detailed schedule of the conference to the students.
Fourteen students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II were the first to get a chance to put forth their appeals. Topics varied from the accumulation of nuclear weapons, increasing terrorist activities, environmental degradation, child labour and need for enforceable world law.
Students from different campuses were given the appeals they had submitted to the World Unity Education Department(WUED). A few changes were made by the WUED staff to suit delivery during the final appeal.
Following the appeal by students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II, sixteen students from CMS Rajajipuram Campus-I, CMS Chowk Campus and CMS Aliganj Campus-I put forth appeals on global warming, deforestation, need for environmental laws, need to consider the evil of illiteracy, need to focus on poverty instead of development of weapons of mass destruction and the need to provide avenues of employment.
CMS Asharfabad, CMS Gomtinagar, and CMS Anand Nagar were given a chance to put forth their appeals. Sixteen students expressed dissonance for deforestation, cutting of grasslands, pollution, water wastage, need to implement Article 51 of the Constitution of India, need for a united world, enforceable world law, world court of justice and the need to reduce expenditure on weapons.
Students from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I and III expressed their concern over the growing threat to the environment, need for nuclear disarmament, growing menace of pollution, need for enforceable world law, over exploitation of natural resources, deforestation and the depletion of ozone layer.
Students from CMS Kanpur Road Campus and CMS RDSO Campus pouted forth their appeals on child labour, pollution, environmental degradation, population explosion, safe disposal of garbage, terrorism, endangered animals, use of harmful chemicals, differences of race, caste, colour, gender present in the society, deforestation, global warming and waste management.
A short film, The Little Terrorist, was shown to the students. The movie was in Hindi used with a bit of Rajasthani accent. The story was of a boy, Jamal, in a town bordering Pakistan in Rajasthan. Jamal is shown running after a ball that crosses the India-Pakistan border. His friends appeal to him to be wary of security personnel deployed along the border. Jamal is chased by security personnel from across the border, he hides behind some rocks, but he is saved by a school master who is passing by. When they reach home, the school master’s daughter reacts strongly when she discovers Jamal’s identity. Security personnel reach the village in search of the refugee, Jamal, but Jamal escapes them because the school master had got his head shaven to disguise him. Moreover, Jamal pretends to be dumb. Jamal thrives on food left over by the family. He runs away secretly, and reaches home.
Sunday Seminar too has reached its destination. We have come a long way since the first session on July 12. The WUED staff bid a farewell to the students hoping to see them again in the next session.
The best and the last!
—Robert Browning, Prospice
The last Sunday Seminar of the academic session 2009-2010 began on November 29 at CMS Gomtinagar auditorium with 200 students from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS). Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, recorded the attendance of the students while French songs echoed in the auditorium. We have come a long way since the first session of Sunday Seminar on July 12. We have reached the point when our efforts would bear fruit in the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World(ICCJW) scheduled from December 12 to 14.
The conference is an important part of CMS. These sessions would play an important role in the ICCJW because students would be selected for the final interaction with the dignitaries and the Chief Justices visiting CMS for the conference. The sessions would prepare students for the interaction. They would be instructed how they are to conduct themselves during their appeals. Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, began the session by welcoming the students. He gave a detailed schedule of the conference to the students.
Fourteen students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II were the first to get a chance to put forth their appeals. Topics varied from the accumulation of nuclear weapons, increasing terrorist activities, environmental degradation, child labour and need for enforceable world law.
Students from different campuses were given the appeals they had submitted to the World Unity Education Department(WUED). A few changes were made by the WUED staff to suit delivery during the final appeal.
Following the appeal by students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II, sixteen students from CMS Rajajipuram Campus-I, CMS Chowk Campus and CMS Aliganj Campus-I put forth appeals on global warming, deforestation, need for environmental laws, need to consider the evil of illiteracy, need to focus on poverty instead of development of weapons of mass destruction and the need to provide avenues of employment.
CMS Asharfabad, CMS Gomtinagar, and CMS Anand Nagar were given a chance to put forth their appeals. Sixteen students expressed dissonance for deforestation, cutting of grasslands, pollution, water wastage, need to implement Article 51 of the Constitution of India, need for a united world, enforceable world law, world court of justice and the need to reduce expenditure on weapons.
Students from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I and III expressed their concern over the growing threat to the environment, need for nuclear disarmament, growing menace of pollution, need for enforceable world law, over exploitation of natural resources, deforestation and the depletion of ozone layer.
Students from CMS Kanpur Road Campus and CMS RDSO Campus pouted forth their appeals on child labour, pollution, environmental degradation, population explosion, safe disposal of garbage, terrorism, endangered animals, use of harmful chemicals, differences of race, caste, colour, gender present in the society, deforestation, global warming and waste management.
A short film, The Little Terrorist, was shown to the students. The movie was in Hindi used with a bit of Rajasthani accent. The story was of a boy, Jamal, in a town bordering Pakistan in Rajasthan. Jamal is shown running after a ball that crosses the India-Pakistan border. His friends appeal to him to be wary of security personnel deployed along the border. Jamal is chased by security personnel from across the border, he hides behind some rocks, but he is saved by a school master who is passing by. When they reach home, the school master’s daughter reacts strongly when she discovers Jamal’s identity. Security personnel reach the village in search of the refugee, Jamal, but Jamal escapes them because the school master had got his head shaven to disguise him. Moreover, Jamal pretends to be dumb. Jamal thrives on food left over by the family. He runs away secretly, and reaches home.
Sunday Seminar too has reached its destination. We have come a long way since the first session on July 12. The WUED staff bid a farewell to the students hoping to see them again in the next session.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Nov 22
Dew drops are the gems of morning,
But the tears of mournful eve!
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Youth and Age
The penultimate 12th session of Sunday Seminar kick-started at 10 a.m. when 200 dew drops from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS) gathered at the CMS Convention Centre at CMS Kanpur Road Campus on November 22. Students who were the first to reach the venue were given a dose of French songs while they awaited the arrival of their counterparts from other campuses. They registered their attendance with the help of Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar.
Students were given a feedback form in which they were required to complete the phrase ‘I dream of a world…’ and specify two questions they would like to ask the delegates of the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW). This was to be an important session because now students would be chosen for interaction with the distinguished delegates of the conference between December 11 and 14.
The ICCJW would be a platform for the students of CMS to put forth their appeal for world unity and world peace before the visiting judges. Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, seized the opportunity and clarified the meaning of an appeal. The dictionary defines it as ‘an urgent request’.
The urgent request that students from CMS RDSO Campus would put forth before the distinguished delegates of the ICCJW was rehearsed first. Among other things, students harped on these of the growing menace of war, global warming, terrorism, stockpile of arms and ammunition, and the deterioration of ecology and environment. After a lot of deliberation, 14 students were selected for the final appeal.
Students from CMS Anand Nagar Campus proceeded to put forth their appeal after this. The issues of concern, among other things, were need for enforceable international law, concern over money being squandered in making weapons, the growing menace of radiation and the urgent need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction. In the end, 10 students were selected for the final appeal.
CMS Kanpur Road Campus was the next to put forth its appeal. The topics ranged from concern for growing pollution, amassing of weapons, need for justice, need to eliminate gap between rich and poor and child labour. Five students could make it to the finishing line.
All 29 students selected after these rehearsals were lined up on the stage and instructed on the manners they would be supposed to follow while on the stage before the delegates. Tanya from CMS RDSO Campus was chosen to summarise the groups’ appeal, while Mansi from CMS Indira Nagar Campus was chosen to be the backup. She would supply the summary in case Tanya is not able to register her presence on the day of the appeal.
Students from CMS Station Road Campus were given a chance to present their appeals after the break that followed. They were concerned about the neglect of human rights in the contemporary society, cutting of trees and illiteracy. At the end of the presentation, two students were selected to lay forth their pleas before the judges.
Students from CMS Gomti Nagar Campus voiced their concern for the deteriorating ecology and the need to unite the world. Two students were selected after the presentation. Students from CMS Aliganj Campus-I & II voiced their concern for child labour, terrorism, poverty, education, and the need for a tree plantation drive.
Students from CMS Ashrafabad Campus were given a chance to voice their appeals after this. Five students were selected from the lot who put forth appeals on deforestation, endangered species, pollution and child exploitation. Five students were selected for the final appeal. Students from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I used the opportunity to put forth appeals on pollution, child labour, international law and need to unite the religions of the world. Eight students were selected from the group.
All the selected students gathered on the stage. Of these, Neha Singh from CMS Aliganj Campus-I was chosen to present a summary of her group’s appeals. Shubham Khurana from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was chosen as the backup.
Students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-I & III presented their appeals. The topics ranged from endangered species, global warming, deteriorating ecology, growing use of pesticides and chemicals, illiteracy and the need for conservation of forests. Students from CMS Chowk Campus harped their concern for illiteracy, global warming, population explosion and greenhouse effect. Nine students were selected from the group for the final appeal. Mantasha Athar, class IX-D, CMS Chowk Campus was chosen to summarise the group’s appeals.
Appeals by students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II would be given an ear to in the next and final session of Sunday Seminar scheduled for November 29 at CMS Gomtinagar Campus.
But the tears of mournful eve!
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Youth and Age
The penultimate 12th session of Sunday Seminar kick-started at 10 a.m. when 200 dew drops from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS) gathered at the CMS Convention Centre at CMS Kanpur Road Campus on November 22. Students who were the first to reach the venue were given a dose of French songs while they awaited the arrival of their counterparts from other campuses. They registered their attendance with the help of Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar.
Students were given a feedback form in which they were required to complete the phrase ‘I dream of a world…’ and specify two questions they would like to ask the delegates of the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW). This was to be an important session because now students would be chosen for interaction with the distinguished delegates of the conference between December 11 and 14.
The ICCJW would be a platform for the students of CMS to put forth their appeal for world unity and world peace before the visiting judges. Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, seized the opportunity and clarified the meaning of an appeal. The dictionary defines it as ‘an urgent request’.
The urgent request that students from CMS RDSO Campus would put forth before the distinguished delegates of the ICCJW was rehearsed first. Among other things, students harped on these of the growing menace of war, global warming, terrorism, stockpile of arms and ammunition, and the deterioration of ecology and environment. After a lot of deliberation, 14 students were selected for the final appeal.
Students from CMS Anand Nagar Campus proceeded to put forth their appeal after this. The issues of concern, among other things, were need for enforceable international law, concern over money being squandered in making weapons, the growing menace of radiation and the urgent need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction. In the end, 10 students were selected for the final appeal.
CMS Kanpur Road Campus was the next to put forth its appeal. The topics ranged from concern for growing pollution, amassing of weapons, need for justice, need to eliminate gap between rich and poor and child labour. Five students could make it to the finishing line.
All 29 students selected after these rehearsals were lined up on the stage and instructed on the manners they would be supposed to follow while on the stage before the delegates. Tanya from CMS RDSO Campus was chosen to summarise the groups’ appeal, while Mansi from CMS Indira Nagar Campus was chosen to be the backup. She would supply the summary in case Tanya is not able to register her presence on the day of the appeal.
Students from CMS Station Road Campus were given a chance to present their appeals after the break that followed. They were concerned about the neglect of human rights in the contemporary society, cutting of trees and illiteracy. At the end of the presentation, two students were selected to lay forth their pleas before the judges.
Students from CMS Gomti Nagar Campus voiced their concern for the deteriorating ecology and the need to unite the world. Two students were selected after the presentation. Students from CMS Aliganj Campus-I & II voiced their concern for child labour, terrorism, poverty, education, and the need for a tree plantation drive.
Students from CMS Ashrafabad Campus were given a chance to voice their appeals after this. Five students were selected from the lot who put forth appeals on deforestation, endangered species, pollution and child exploitation. Five students were selected for the final appeal. Students from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I used the opportunity to put forth appeals on pollution, child labour, international law and need to unite the religions of the world. Eight students were selected from the group.
All the selected students gathered on the stage. Of these, Neha Singh from CMS Aliganj Campus-I was chosen to present a summary of her group’s appeals. Shubham Khurana from CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was chosen as the backup.
Students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-I & III presented their appeals. The topics ranged from endangered species, global warming, deteriorating ecology, growing use of pesticides and chemicals, illiteracy and the need for conservation of forests. Students from CMS Chowk Campus harped their concern for illiteracy, global warming, population explosion and greenhouse effect. Nine students were selected from the group for the final appeal. Mantasha Athar, class IX-D, CMS Chowk Campus was chosen to summarise the group’s appeals.
Appeals by students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-II would be given an ear to in the next and final session of Sunday Seminar scheduled for November 29 at CMS Gomtinagar Campus.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Exigencies of the age
EXIGENCIES OF THE AGE
The greatest divisive factor that has also been the greatest binding factor in the history of mankind has been the development of language. Language serves as the bone of contention between men, but it had its cohesive value too. Language served as the medium binding men into groups and societies, language gave us a medium to recognise our friends and foes.
The biggest foe of mankind has been nature ever since our evolution. The foe served to unite us into a single society. The fear of nature brought us together in groups. There had to be unity between the individual members of the groups because an isolated individual was at a greater threat of attacks from nature. This brought out the need of unity. Unity has always been the greatest need of the hour ever since man took his first step.
The first steps gradually became a great leap as men were thus forced to come together in groups, and eventually into communities. Disunity transformed itself into unity with the passage of time. The transformation in the dominant mentality came into being when they were threatened by nature and its forces. Man realised that there lies strength in a group. It is not easy to harm a group, although isolated individuals are always prone to attacks and threats. Mother Nature has taught this lesson to us in its own particular fashion, the exigencies of all ages have taught us the important lesson of unity in a typical manner. The incumbent state of affairs have demanded a speedy solution of the problems, and all problems have been solved by virtue of unity. They forced us to unite to counter the incumbent problems. Mother Nature has shown us that it can be kind and beneficent to us, but it has also shown us that it can get ugly at specific occasions.
These specific occasions were what brought these groups together. As unity among groups manifested itself into a community, the need of unity was brought to the fore. Unity was all the more required now. Communities are quite competent to counter the adversities of nature, or any other threat, in whatever form it may be delivered. Eventually, they realised that unity fosters peace, a luxury that has been treasured by us ever since we learnt to use language. They had to counter any forces fostering disunity and conflict because a conflict would have meant a disruption in their peaceful lives. The greatest urgency for unity was created when we realised the merits of a peaceful life, and the requirement of unity for peace.
Peace could be the most desirous entity of our lives. Peace could work miracles in our lives. Since there could be no peace without unity, unity emerges as the greatest need of all times. The most amazing factor is that unity has to prevail amidst the apparent differences. Communities have to live in unity. All communities have to live in unity and harmony despite the differences they harbour. All communities must embrace the principles of unity despite these differences.
Differences tend to foster conflict and disunity, while unity gives rise to peace and happiness. We must givve priority to unity in our lives if we want peace and happiness. We must recognise unity despite the differences among us.
The prevalence of differences is not such a serious threat if it is viewed in a positive manner. A smooth functioning of the society requires a division of labour, this means that different groups in the society are assigned different tasks. All of us performing different tasks have to coordinate with each other for a peaceful coexistence: there still has to be unity among us. Division of labour does not imply difference of opinion or difference of views because this could lead to conflict. There should be mutual cooperation and respect for each other. Therefore, unity in the world implies cooperation among the nations and mutual respect for each other. Unity emerges as something that could change the flow of time, it could even rewrite the books of destiny. Unity seems to be the entity that is capable of rotating the globe around its axis. The earth seems to derive its beauty from the virtues of unity.
Unity has always been the greatest need of the hour in all ages and times. The quest for unity always leads to peace, so if we want peace, this means that we want unity, this means that we must have unity among us. A peaceful coexistence demands a sense of unity because peace entails from unity. We have to recognise unity despite the differences among us.
The differences among us did not begin to manifest themselves before we realised the need of unity. There have always been differences among us. There were differences between individuals. As the individual evolved into diverse communities, even more differences gave rise to more disunity. Differences grew as communities evolved into cities. These manifested themselves in the form of differences of colour, race and gender. The differences eventually became so pronounced that it urgently requires a solution.
A solution is being sought to the problem. Immediate attention has to be paid to the differences and the ways in which these could be dissolved. These differences divided the individuals that formed the group, they divided the community and they divided the cities and our societies. A society provides its members warmth and comfort, so the sense of being a social being continued to be the binding force: only society could provide the sense of safety and security all of us yearn for. Differences only serve to rob the society of its basic aim and objective. A society cannot provide its members with warmth and comfort if its members are divided by differences.
Greater differences gradually entered the society in the form of cast, religion and sect. Entropy has been increasing consistently, so much so that it has become the greatest problem of the contemporary age. It has been a problem plaguing mankind ever since, and it will remain the problem it is unless immediate steps are taken to redress the issue.
The issue assumes graver proportions as several different individual cities are recognised as states. Different states, as in India, have boundaries demarcating them. These boundaries do more than just separate individuals living on either side of the border. They initiate friction between states. Individual states contend for supremacy and attention from the Centre. States in India are divided on the basis of language. The boundaries of the individual states are carved out on the basis of linguistic differences. They are virtually linguistic regions that use different languages. Differences in language have even initiated the partition of undivided India into sovereign nations of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The problem of disunity has thus migrated to nations.
The problem of disunity is not confined to the Indian subcontinent alone. All the nations of the world face the same problem in the modern world. Disunity is like the termite that eats into the furniture in our drawing-rooms. Disunity could eat into our lives unless we took immediate steps for its disposal from the world. The world would emerge as the biggest loser if disunity were allowed to grow. The world could certainly emerge as a better place to live in if only unity were given a chance to flourish. The world could be a beautiful place to live in if only there were unity among all the nations of the world.
All the nations of the world need to realise that the only solution to the problems they face is unity. Unity could be the solution to most of the problems faced by almost all the nations of the world. All the nations of the world face more or less the same problems of poverty, hunger and disease. Individuals living in different cities and societies all over the world face the same problem all over the world. Hunger and poverty could be wiped out from the earth if all the countries came to a single platform.
The single platform could be the world parliament. The world parliament could be the stage conceptualized by William Shakespeare when he said 'All the world is a stage, and all men and women merely players'. All the different nations of the world could be the men and women that Shakespeare talks of performing their roles on the stage. There should be a common stage on which the nations should enact their parts.
The parts make up the whole. The whole is more important than the parts. All the nations of the world make up the whole World Parliament. This could be the stage that could unite the nations of the world. All the individual nations would have to execute their roles in a responsible manner. Before everything they would have to dissolve all the differences and unite under a World Government. A World Government would ensure peace and happiness all over the world. Bows and arrows that gave way to nuclear weapons would finally metamorphose into peace and unity.
The greatest divisive factor that has also been the greatest binding factor in the history of mankind has been the development of language. Language serves as the bone of contention between men, but it had its cohesive value too. Language served as the medium binding men into groups and societies, language gave us a medium to recognise our friends and foes.
The biggest foe of mankind has been nature ever since our evolution. The foe served to unite us into a single society. The fear of nature brought us together in groups. There had to be unity between the individual members of the groups because an isolated individual was at a greater threat of attacks from nature. This brought out the need of unity. Unity has always been the greatest need of the hour ever since man took his first step.
The first steps gradually became a great leap as men were thus forced to come together in groups, and eventually into communities. Disunity transformed itself into unity with the passage of time. The transformation in the dominant mentality came into being when they were threatened by nature and its forces. Man realised that there lies strength in a group. It is not easy to harm a group, although isolated individuals are always prone to attacks and threats. Mother Nature has taught this lesson to us in its own particular fashion, the exigencies of all ages have taught us the important lesson of unity in a typical manner. The incumbent state of affairs have demanded a speedy solution of the problems, and all problems have been solved by virtue of unity. They forced us to unite to counter the incumbent problems. Mother Nature has shown us that it can be kind and beneficent to us, but it has also shown us that it can get ugly at specific occasions.
These specific occasions were what brought these groups together. As unity among groups manifested itself into a community, the need of unity was brought to the fore. Unity was all the more required now. Communities are quite competent to counter the adversities of nature, or any other threat, in whatever form it may be delivered. Eventually, they realised that unity fosters peace, a luxury that has been treasured by us ever since we learnt to use language. They had to counter any forces fostering disunity and conflict because a conflict would have meant a disruption in their peaceful lives. The greatest urgency for unity was created when we realised the merits of a peaceful life, and the requirement of unity for peace.
Peace could be the most desirous entity of our lives. Peace could work miracles in our lives. Since there could be no peace without unity, unity emerges as the greatest need of all times. The most amazing factor is that unity has to prevail amidst the apparent differences. Communities have to live in unity. All communities have to live in unity and harmony despite the differences they harbour. All communities must embrace the principles of unity despite these differences.
Differences tend to foster conflict and disunity, while unity gives rise to peace and happiness. We must givve priority to unity in our lives if we want peace and happiness. We must recognise unity despite the differences among us.
The prevalence of differences is not such a serious threat if it is viewed in a positive manner. A smooth functioning of the society requires a division of labour, this means that different groups in the society are assigned different tasks. All of us performing different tasks have to coordinate with each other for a peaceful coexistence: there still has to be unity among us. Division of labour does not imply difference of opinion or difference of views because this could lead to conflict. There should be mutual cooperation and respect for each other. Therefore, unity in the world implies cooperation among the nations and mutual respect for each other. Unity emerges as something that could change the flow of time, it could even rewrite the books of destiny. Unity seems to be the entity that is capable of rotating the globe around its axis. The earth seems to derive its beauty from the virtues of unity.
Unity has always been the greatest need of the hour in all ages and times. The quest for unity always leads to peace, so if we want peace, this means that we want unity, this means that we must have unity among us. A peaceful coexistence demands a sense of unity because peace entails from unity. We have to recognise unity despite the differences among us.
The differences among us did not begin to manifest themselves before we realised the need of unity. There have always been differences among us. There were differences between individuals. As the individual evolved into diverse communities, even more differences gave rise to more disunity. Differences grew as communities evolved into cities. These manifested themselves in the form of differences of colour, race and gender. The differences eventually became so pronounced that it urgently requires a solution.
A solution is being sought to the problem. Immediate attention has to be paid to the differences and the ways in which these could be dissolved. These differences divided the individuals that formed the group, they divided the community and they divided the cities and our societies. A society provides its members warmth and comfort, so the sense of being a social being continued to be the binding force: only society could provide the sense of safety and security all of us yearn for. Differences only serve to rob the society of its basic aim and objective. A society cannot provide its members with warmth and comfort if its members are divided by differences.
Greater differences gradually entered the society in the form of cast, religion and sect. Entropy has been increasing consistently, so much so that it has become the greatest problem of the contemporary age. It has been a problem plaguing mankind ever since, and it will remain the problem it is unless immediate steps are taken to redress the issue.
The issue assumes graver proportions as several different individual cities are recognised as states. Different states, as in India, have boundaries demarcating them. These boundaries do more than just separate individuals living on either side of the border. They initiate friction between states. Individual states contend for supremacy and attention from the Centre. States in India are divided on the basis of language. The boundaries of the individual states are carved out on the basis of linguistic differences. They are virtually linguistic regions that use different languages. Differences in language have even initiated the partition of undivided India into sovereign nations of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The problem of disunity has thus migrated to nations.
The problem of disunity is not confined to the Indian subcontinent alone. All the nations of the world face the same problem in the modern world. Disunity is like the termite that eats into the furniture in our drawing-rooms. Disunity could eat into our lives unless we took immediate steps for its disposal from the world. The world would emerge as the biggest loser if disunity were allowed to grow. The world could certainly emerge as a better place to live in if only unity were given a chance to flourish. The world could be a beautiful place to live in if only there were unity among all the nations of the world.
All the nations of the world need to realise that the only solution to the problems they face is unity. Unity could be the solution to most of the problems faced by almost all the nations of the world. All the nations of the world face more or less the same problems of poverty, hunger and disease. Individuals living in different cities and societies all over the world face the same problem all over the world. Hunger and poverty could be wiped out from the earth if all the countries came to a single platform.
The single platform could be the world parliament. The world parliament could be the stage conceptualized by William Shakespeare when he said 'All the world is a stage, and all men and women merely players'. All the different nations of the world could be the men and women that Shakespeare talks of performing their roles on the stage. There should be a common stage on which the nations should enact their parts.
The parts make up the whole. The whole is more important than the parts. All the nations of the world make up the whole World Parliament. This could be the stage that could unite the nations of the world. All the individual nations would have to execute their roles in a responsible manner. Before everything they would have to dissolve all the differences and unite under a World Government. A World Government would ensure peace and happiness all over the world. Bows and arrows that gave way to nuclear weapons would finally metamorphose into peace and unity.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
November 15
Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me; now no more
—William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2
Sunday Seminar wants to be immortalized before they end on November 29, their essence has to be preserved till they are revived in 2010. A hundred and two students from 15 campuses of the City Montessori School (CMS) did their best to make the 11th session of Sunday Seminar organized at CMS Gomti Nagar auditorium by the World Unity Education Department(WUED) on November 15 a memorable one. Russian songs echoed around the auditorium while Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar recorded the attendance of the attendees.
The session began in earnest at 9.20 am when Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, extended a warm welcome to everyone over the mike. He offered the reports of earlier sessions to the students; there was a mad rush among the students for the reports. The session began moving on its wheels as the attendees prepared themselves for the most important part of Sunday Seminar, children’s appeal before the judges attending the 11th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW) next month. It is important for the participating children to speak eloquently before the judges. The judges would be here from all over the world to give an ear to children from CMS. Students would be expected to make the most of the opportunity.
The appeal has to be delivered with proper body language to communicate the proper message to the judges. The head of the appellant should not be static during the appeal. The mike should be held close to the mouth of the appellant, the speaker should be slow in delivering the appeal to ensure that the message is delivered clearly.
The audience got a pleasant dose of what would follow during the conference when students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-I,II and III lined up on the stage to practice what they had prepared. Yashwardhan, Class XI-C, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II set the ball rolling. The students were reminded that there should not be a lot of content in their appeals, the important points should be delivered in an eloquent manner to leave an impact on the delegates of ICCJW. Some of the presentations were merely statement of facts with the appeal missing in them.
Students from CMS Station Road and CMS Aliganj Campus-I & II lined up on the stage to deliver their appeals. Prankur Shukla, class VII-A, CMS Aliganj Campus-II was the first from the group that gave appeals on subjects ranging from illiteracy to hunger.
The refreshment break followed this. Ayush Kumar Yadav, class IX-A, CMS Mahanagar Campus-III took charge of the camera to click photographs of the remaining duration of the Sunday Seminar after this. Students from CMS Indranagar Campus, CMS RDSO Campus, and CMS Chowk Campus were given a chance to present their appeals. Jyoti Prakash, class VIII-B, CMS RDSO Campus took the lead when his contemporaries spelt out their appeals on deforestation, poaching, global warming, etc. they were reminded that the appeal that they would be presenting would be on behalf of the world’s two billion children and generations-yet-to-be-born. Children all over the world face almost the same problems of exploitation, hunger and poverty. Solutions to these problems merit a similar solution.
Problems such as illiteracy, population explosion, need for enforceable international law, threat of nuclear weapons being used formed the focus when the group of students from CMS Anand nagar Campus and CMS Rajajipuram Campus presented their appeals. The first in the group was Pranjali Das, class VI-A,CMS Anand Nagar Campus. The group of students from CMS Kanpur Road Campus and CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was led by Abhay Singh Yadav, class VIII-C, CMS Kanpur Road Campus. Among other things, students elaborated on problems like pollution and amassing of nuclear weapons. The last group was from CMS Ashrafabad Campus which was initiated by Mohammad Umair, class ?, CMS Ashrafabad Campus. Students gave elaborate appeals on problems like deforestation and global warming.
A few students were selected from these groups on the basis of their performance. They were asked to line up on the stage for essential instructions regarding the appeal. Students would now meet the staff of the WUED when they assemble at CMS Kanpur Road Campus for the next Sunday Seminar on November 22.
Immortal longings in me; now no more
—William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2
Sunday Seminar wants to be immortalized before they end on November 29, their essence has to be preserved till they are revived in 2010. A hundred and two students from 15 campuses of the City Montessori School (CMS) did their best to make the 11th session of Sunday Seminar organized at CMS Gomti Nagar auditorium by the World Unity Education Department(WUED) on November 15 a memorable one. Russian songs echoed around the auditorium while Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar recorded the attendance of the attendees.
The session began in earnest at 9.20 am when Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, extended a warm welcome to everyone over the mike. He offered the reports of earlier sessions to the students; there was a mad rush among the students for the reports. The session began moving on its wheels as the attendees prepared themselves for the most important part of Sunday Seminar, children’s appeal before the judges attending the 11th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW) next month. It is important for the participating children to speak eloquently before the judges. The judges would be here from all over the world to give an ear to children from CMS. Students would be expected to make the most of the opportunity.
The appeal has to be delivered with proper body language to communicate the proper message to the judges. The head of the appellant should not be static during the appeal. The mike should be held close to the mouth of the appellant, the speaker should be slow in delivering the appeal to ensure that the message is delivered clearly.
The audience got a pleasant dose of what would follow during the conference when students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-I,II and III lined up on the stage to practice what they had prepared. Yashwardhan, Class XI-C, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II set the ball rolling. The students were reminded that there should not be a lot of content in their appeals, the important points should be delivered in an eloquent manner to leave an impact on the delegates of ICCJW. Some of the presentations were merely statement of facts with the appeal missing in them.
Students from CMS Station Road and CMS Aliganj Campus-I & II lined up on the stage to deliver their appeals. Prankur Shukla, class VII-A, CMS Aliganj Campus-II was the first from the group that gave appeals on subjects ranging from illiteracy to hunger.
The refreshment break followed this. Ayush Kumar Yadav, class IX-A, CMS Mahanagar Campus-III took charge of the camera to click photographs of the remaining duration of the Sunday Seminar after this. Students from CMS Indranagar Campus, CMS RDSO Campus, and CMS Chowk Campus were given a chance to present their appeals. Jyoti Prakash, class VIII-B, CMS RDSO Campus took the lead when his contemporaries spelt out their appeals on deforestation, poaching, global warming, etc. they were reminded that the appeal that they would be presenting would be on behalf of the world’s two billion children and generations-yet-to-be-born. Children all over the world face almost the same problems of exploitation, hunger and poverty. Solutions to these problems merit a similar solution.
Problems such as illiteracy, population explosion, need for enforceable international law, threat of nuclear weapons being used formed the focus when the group of students from CMS Anand nagar Campus and CMS Rajajipuram Campus presented their appeals. The first in the group was Pranjali Das, class VI-A,CMS Anand Nagar Campus. The group of students from CMS Kanpur Road Campus and CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was led by Abhay Singh Yadav, class VIII-C, CMS Kanpur Road Campus. Among other things, students elaborated on problems like pollution and amassing of nuclear weapons. The last group was from CMS Ashrafabad Campus which was initiated by Mohammad Umair, class ?, CMS Ashrafabad Campus. Students gave elaborate appeals on problems like deforestation and global warming.
A few students were selected from these groups on the basis of their performance. They were asked to line up on the stage for essential instructions regarding the appeal. Students would now meet the staff of the WUED when they assemble at CMS Kanpur Road Campus for the next Sunday Seminar on November 22.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
November 8
When I was young?----Ah, woeful when!
Ah! for the change ‘twixt Now and Then!
—Youth and Age, Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Sunday Seminars are getting old, they are nearing the end of their journey, but 160 students from 15 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS) did their best to negate the difference between the first time on July 12 and the 10th Sunday Seminar on November 8 at CMS Gomtinagar Auditorium. The weather has changed a lot since we began, it has become a bit cool, and so has the tenor of the sessions, but it was another Sunday as the delegates of the seminar registered their attendance with the help of Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar. The reduction in the number of attendees could be attributed to ongoing event, Geofest-09, and to the National Talent Search Competition exams. Spanish super hit songs echoed in the auditorium while all this was on.
The tenth session of Sunday Seminar began at 9.30 a.m. when Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, rose to the occasion and welcomed the students. Like the last time, one of the students, Ayushi Kapoor, class XI-F, CMS Aliganj Campus-I, was given the privilege to take the photographs of the session. The students were reminded that the sessions were meant to prepare the students for the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World between December 11 and 14, later this year. The students would be supposed to present an appeal before the delegates attending the conference. The theme of the conference would be safeguarding the future of the world’s two billion children and generations yet-to-be-born. An appeal by the students of CMS in the five appeal sessions during the conference on behalf of their counterparts in other parts of the world including India is bound to leave a lasting effect on the judges attending the conference. The students were reminded that this would not be a stage to test their knowledge of English, but they are to make an appeal.
Sajjal Singh, class IX-D, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus was called on to explain the qualitie of a good appelant /ortor. A good orator, should put forth a good question before the judges with a lot of confidence, he said. Shivangi Chakravorty, class X-C, CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was of the opinion that the appellant should put forth a relevant question before the judges in a confident manner and in the proper tenor. Reports of earlier sessions of Sunday Seminar that the students had missed were distributed to them.
A short presentation called This I remember followed this. Students were given a minute to think of two things they had been appreciated for by their elders. Appereceation is something all of us yearn for. Thinking of this gives us strength and courage to struggle when we are feeling low. Among others,Aman Bhargava, class VII-B, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II pointed out the occasion when he had been appreciated for his skills at playing football, besides being praised for his oratory skills. Vaishnavi Gautam, class , CMS Anand Nagar Campus, cherished memories of the time when she had been praised for her good behaviour. Ayush, class VII, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II could think of being praised for being a good student besides being a good painter. Krishna Kumar, class VII-A, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus could think of being praised for being good at drawing and sketching besides being good at initiating others for positive thinking. The presentation ended with everyone posing for a group photograph.
This was followed by an exhaustive quiz on the conference to be organized in December. Sajjal singh, class IX-D, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus said that a conference of the presidents of the nations of the world would be more fruitful in produncing world unity and world peace.
The refreshments break that followed this was punctuated with superhit Spanish and Arbic songs.
Students were shown a clipping of last year’s appeal to familiarize them with the protocol. They were shown the gait htat they were required to maintain while walking and also the tenor they would be required to have for it. A certificate of appreciation and a CD with their appeal would be given to the students as the incentive.
A number of students from different campuses lined up on the stage for a rehearsal of the appeal. The topics of the appeals ranged from child labour, pollution, deforestation, child exploitation, and global warming. Those regularly attending the Sunday Seminar sessions were given the task of preparing three questions that they would like to ask the judges. The day ended with the vote of thanks when the students were given back their appeals after a bit of editing.
Ah! for the change ‘twixt Now and Then!
—Youth and Age, Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Sunday Seminars are getting old, they are nearing the end of their journey, but 160 students from 15 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS) did their best to negate the difference between the first time on July 12 and the 10th Sunday Seminar on November 8 at CMS Gomtinagar Auditorium. The weather has changed a lot since we began, it has become a bit cool, and so has the tenor of the sessions, but it was another Sunday as the delegates of the seminar registered their attendance with the help of Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar. The reduction in the number of attendees could be attributed to ongoing event, Geofest-09, and to the National Talent Search Competition exams. Spanish super hit songs echoed in the auditorium while all this was on.
The tenth session of Sunday Seminar began at 9.30 a.m. when Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, rose to the occasion and welcomed the students. Like the last time, one of the students, Ayushi Kapoor, class XI-F, CMS Aliganj Campus-I, was given the privilege to take the photographs of the session. The students were reminded that the sessions were meant to prepare the students for the 10th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World between December 11 and 14, later this year. The students would be supposed to present an appeal before the delegates attending the conference. The theme of the conference would be safeguarding the future of the world’s two billion children and generations yet-to-be-born. An appeal by the students of CMS in the five appeal sessions during the conference on behalf of their counterparts in other parts of the world including India is bound to leave a lasting effect on the judges attending the conference. The students were reminded that this would not be a stage to test their knowledge of English, but they are to make an appeal.
Sajjal Singh, class IX-D, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus was called on to explain the qualitie of a good appelant /ortor. A good orator, should put forth a good question before the judges with a lot of confidence, he said. Shivangi Chakravorty, class X-C, CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus-I was of the opinion that the appellant should put forth a relevant question before the judges in a confident manner and in the proper tenor. Reports of earlier sessions of Sunday Seminar that the students had missed were distributed to them.
A short presentation called This I remember followed this. Students were given a minute to think of two things they had been appreciated for by their elders. Appereceation is something all of us yearn for. Thinking of this gives us strength and courage to struggle when we are feeling low. Among others,Aman Bhargava, class VII-B, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II pointed out the occasion when he had been appreciated for his skills at playing football, besides being praised for his oratory skills. Vaishnavi Gautam, class , CMS Anand Nagar Campus, cherished memories of the time when she had been praised for her good behaviour. Ayush, class VII, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II could think of being praised for being a good student besides being a good painter. Krishna Kumar, class VII-A, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus could think of being praised for being good at drawing and sketching besides being good at initiating others for positive thinking. The presentation ended with everyone posing for a group photograph.
This was followed by an exhaustive quiz on the conference to be organized in December. Sajjal singh, class IX-D, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus said that a conference of the presidents of the nations of the world would be more fruitful in produncing world unity and world peace.
The refreshments break that followed this was punctuated with superhit Spanish and Arbic songs.
Students were shown a clipping of last year’s appeal to familiarize them with the protocol. They were shown the gait htat they were required to maintain while walking and also the tenor they would be required to have for it. A certificate of appreciation and a CD with their appeal would be given to the students as the incentive.
A number of students from different campuses lined up on the stage for a rehearsal of the appeal. The topics of the appeals ranged from child labour, pollution, deforestation, child exploitation, and global warming. Those regularly attending the Sunday Seminar sessions were given the task of preparing three questions that they would like to ask the judges. The day ended with the vote of thanks when the students were given back their appeals after a bit of editing.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
November 1
The pleasures of life are evanescent, but 138 students from 12 campuses of the City Montessori School(CMS) did their best to make the 9th Sunday Seminar organized at CMS Gomtinagar Auditorium on November 1, 2009 a memorable one. The day began with Mrs Sangeeta Negi, Assistant Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, recording the attendance of the students who had come to the venue. Spanish super hit songs reverberated across the auditorium while all this was underway.
Mr Raza Hasnain Naqvi, Chief Coordinator, Sunday Seminar, took up the mike and reminded the students of the three key words of the Sunday Seminar: mind, voice and lead. These sessions opens the minds of the students to novel ideas and concepts, these sessions give them a chance to voice their opinions, they also give the students a chance to lead others to a successful life. He also reminded the students of the three words that his best friend, the mike likes: close, slow and clear.
The quest for good photographers yielded three names from among the students: Shipra Shukla, class IX A1, CMS Chowk Campus, Ayush Kumar Yadav, CMS Mahanagar Campus-III, Anuj Srivastava, CMS Anand Nagar Campus. Shipra Shukla was handed the camera for the first half to click snaps of the session.
A battle of words followed this when a debate was organized between some of the students. The topic was: is asking why really important?
The first group included Kshitij Jaiswal, class IX A, CMS Kanpur Road Campus, Sajjal Singh, class IX, CMS Gomtinagar Campus, Saumya Srivastava, and Anushree Mishra, class IX B, CMS Mahanagar Campus-I, Mariyam Zaidi, class IX B, CMS Chowk Campus, Unnati Kala, class VII A, Mahanagar Campus-II, Piyush Singh, class VII B, and Sonali Gupta, class VII A, CMS Anand Nagar.
The topic for the second group was: is world unity possible? The participants included: Arpit Kanu, Nikhil Sharma, Ayush Kumar, Siddhant Kandpal, class IX A, CMS Mahanagar Campus-III, Krishna Kumar, class XI D, CMS Gomtinagar Campus, Ayush Priyansh, class VII A, CMS Mahanagar Campus, Satuam Pratah Shahi, class VII A, CMS Mahanagar Campus-II, Varun Kandhari, class VI A, CMS Anand Nagar Campus.
A rehearsal of the children’s appeal followed all this drama. Students from CMS Mahanagar Campus-I, II and III lined up on the stage to voice the appeal that they had prepared. Issues as global warming, recycling of waste, pollution, deforestation, nuclear weapons, etc dominated the agenda.
Super hit Spanish songs echoed across the auditorium during the break. Anuj Yadav clicked snaps with the camera following this. Saumya Srivastava, class IX B, CMS Mahanagar Campus-I, introduced the newcomers from CMS Indira Nagar Campus to the French expressions that they had learnt in their earlier interaction. Mr Raza gave the Spanish equivalents of these expressions: hi/hello in English would translate as Hola in Spanish, Good Morning as Buenos dias, How are you? As Como esta usted? Fine, and you? A Bien y usted? Very well, thankyou as Muy bien, Gracias, What is your name? as Como Se ilama usted? My name is…as me ilamo, nice to meet you as Mucho gusto, excuse me as Con permiso, Do you speak English? As Habla usted ingles? Yes as Si, No as no, Thankyou as Gracias, you are welcome as De nada, Sir as Senor, madam as Senora, Miss as Senorita, please as por favor, I am sorry as Lo siento, Goodbye as Adios.
Students from CMS Aliganj Campus, CMS Rajendra Nagar Campus, and CMS Chowk Campus gathered on the stage for a rehearsal of the children’s appeal. The topics included illiteracy, global warming, child exploitation, law and order, pollution, CNG, etc. all the students interested in participating in the student’s appeal were instructed to memorise their appeal before coming for the next session of Sunday Seminar on November 8.
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