Keekli Reporter, 18-21 June, 2019, Shimla
“Seeds of Hope” – a three-day exhibition being showcased in Gaiety Hall, Shimla, stresses upon our interconnectedness with the rest of the community, while it focuses on the need to broaden our sphere of compassion and concern. It also encourages the public at large to overcome their feelings of powerlessness and highlights the fact that a single individual can initiate positive change. We often talk about change and sustainable development, but as an individual how many of us actually take steps to bring about change. Here are umpteen examples showcased through this exhibition that one person can effect change. All you need is “hope”.
Organized by Bharat Soka Gakkai, an Indian affiliate of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), the exhibition was inaugurated by Hon’ble Governor Acharya Dev Vrat on 17th June and Dr Ashwini Kumar graced the occasion as the guest of honour. This exhibition is a successor of the International award winning exhibition “Seeds of Change” – which has won the third prize out of 600 entries at the world summit on ‘sustainable development’ in Johannesburg in 2002.
The message is loud and clear – It starts with ‘one’. The one being ‘you’. The exhibition further uses the formula – learn, reflect, empower – as outlined by the president SGI. The “Seeds of Hope” exhibition contains 24 panels on various ideas and themes – interconnectedness; communication; nature; being more, not having more; critical moment; starts with one; persistence; peace; discrimination; building a community; empowering youth; water harvesting; reconciliation; making a change; reaching out – to name a few. Among them, the 25th panel was left blank with a simple tree design for the viewers to share their own statement about how they could contribute towards sustainability.
So far more that 30 plus city schools, spanning more than 2800 students have already viewed the exhibition, plus city people and tourists alike. Each panel was manned by a volunteer who earnestly explained the idea or the theme thus encouraging all to adoption sustainable means for a better future. The need of the hour.
