Below is a short report on the workshop. Longer detailed report available on request.
---- The four-day State-Level Workshop on Combating Communalism organised by the Citizens' Initiatives for Communal Harmony came to a successful conclusion on 15th August 2006, with the 80 participants stressing their renewed commitment to combat communalism and resolving that this Workshop was only the start of a long process whereby communal forces in Goa would have to be confronted and defeated. The day began with the hoisting of the national flag by Ms. Joan Rebello from Margao. Speaking at the commencement of the day's proceedings, Com. Christopher Fonseca of AITUC appreciated the Workshop and stressed the need to combat the virus of communalism which is ripping apart our social fabric. Thereafter the participants worked out concrete strategies to combat communal forces in Goa. This process was guided by Dr. Biju Matthew, trade union activist and management consultant. A galaxy of eminent speakers addressed a whole gamut of issues related to communalism during the workshop. A panel presentation on the situation in Goa was made by a panel comprising Adv. Amrut Kansar (ex-MP), Frederick Noronha, Adv. Albertina Almeida and Mr. Ramesh Gauns. Mr. Rakesh Sharma, Mr. Frederick Noronha and Ms. Shabnam Hashmi facilitated an interactive session wherein participants shared their understanding of secularism and worked towards developing clarity on the whole issue. Mr. Sohail Hashmi made a presentation on "Formation of Indian Identity", which stressed that Indian civilisation has evolved as a plural entity incorporating influences from various sources, and that the very idea of India as a nation is bound up with the preservation of this syncretic culture. On the second day, Prof. K.N. Pannikar (ex-Vice Chancellor, Kerala Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya) made a presentation on globalisation and communalism, which showed how the process of globalisation is furthering the spread of communalism in India, and stressed the need to evolve modes of cultural resistance to the process. He later also made a presentation on "Communalisation of Education" in which he detailed how education was systematically communalised during the NDA regime, and how the process of detoxification of the new syllabi introduced during that time needs to be continued and strengthened if education is to retain its secular character. Prof. Ram Puniyani spoke about various myths regarding different communities and history and showed how these myths are used to further communal agendas. This lively interactive session focused on the need to critically understand the facts if we are to maintain and strengthen the secular fabric of the nation. On the third day, Mr. Sujay Gupta, Editor, Gomantak Times, spoke on the communalisation of the media. Giving various instances from contemporary Goa, including the recent Sanvordem communal violence, he underlined the need for the media to play a more proactive role and take a courageous stand against communalism. Ms. Bina Srinivasan, a women's activist and researcher and Adv. Albertina Almeida facilitated an interactive session on Gender and Communalism, which sought to bring out the stereotypes about women and more particularly about minority women, and showed how women become the first targets of communalism. Finally, Gauhar Raza, film-maker and poet, spoke on the subject of "Myths, Belief and Scientific Temper". Three films were screened during the workshop: 'Final Solution' by Rakesh Sharma, 'Men in the Tree' by Lalit Vacchani and 'In Dark Times' by Gauhar Raza. These films were followed by animated discussions on the various issues raised by them. Simultaneously with the workshop, three screenings of 'Final Solution' were organised in Panjim, Margao and Mapusa, and Prof. K.N. Pannikar addressed a gathering at the Xavier Centre of Historical Research on the subject "Cultural Resistance in the Era of Globalisation". Ramesh Gauns Albertina Almeida Co-Convenors, Citizens’ Initiatives for Communal Harmony -- Question everything -- Karl Marx _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
