Carl Pope Executive Director of Sierra Club USA meets Pune environmentalists

A get-together of progressive minded people to have an interactive session with Carl Pope, Executive Director of Sierra Club – America’s oldest and largest grassroots organization working for the environment was held on the 1st April at Ba ner Pune. The nature of the get-together was ‘Dialogue, Drinks, Dinner and Dance’ making it an event to interact and enjoy with like-minded people.
FOGM was invited to the get-together. Sierra Club USA is planning to work with like-minded environmentalists and activists in India. Sunil Deshmukh of the NRI Maharashtra Foundation had organized the meet.

Gandhiji and Bhagat Singh Lecture

As part of the Prof. D D Kosambi Birth Centenary, a seminar titled Gandhiji and Bhagat, Understanding the National Movement was held by Dr. Meera Kosambi on Thursday13th March 2008 at Patrakar Bhavan Pune. Prof Ram Bapat chaired the session. Prof. Irfan Habib, renowed Historian and formerly of Aligarh Muslim University delivered the lecture. Prof. Habib is known in India and abroad for numerous books and papers that he has written on Indian history.

New Education-New Directions Pune child exhibition for teachers and parents

Gram Mangal, an NGO in Pune, organized a child exhibition on a path-breaking concept 28th Feb – 2nd Mar, ’08 at Ganesh Kala Krida Kendra, Near Swargate, Pune
The exhibition titled ‘New Education – New Directions’ aimed at taking a wholly scientific look at Brain-based Education.
This vision for the emerging trends and the overall direction of Child Education was presented by a group of renowned experimental educational institutions with considerable experience in education under extreme and testing situations. It was unfolded to commemorate the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the inception of Gram Mangal, which has been working in the tribal region of north Thane district.
Over the past 25 years, GM has been working in the field of pre-primary and primary education – especially committed to the children of the tribals. GM has also been working for tribal development projects all this time.
While battling with the challenges thrown up by evolving conditions during this period, GM has worked on innovative ideas and methods in order to provide meaningful education to the deprived children of the tribals. It has made use of several educational aids; it has modified some of them to suit local situation and developed hundreds more. It has created appropriate literature and constructive methods for providing and promoting quality education.
Among some of the other pionnering educational institutes that participated were Akshanandan school in Pune and the Tribal School of the NBA. FOGM also held a poster exhibition at the venue on teachers becoming peace educators.

Seminar on " Global Warming and Climate Change "

Seminar on " Global Warming and Climate Change - Does India have an Effective Roadmap for Adaptation and Mitigation?" was held in Pune on 13 February 2008 at National Film Archives of India (NFAI) Auditorium, Law College Road, Pune.

The Seminar was held by the Indian Maritime Foundation whose address is B-3 La Shanz, Boat Club Road, Pune 411001. Among some of the speakers were:
Commodore R Vir (Retd), President, IMF, Ms Vandana Chavan, former Mayor of Pune
Professor BN Goswami, Director, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Mr Peter Neill, Director, World Ocean Observatory, New York- ‘Ocean and Climate’
Ms Vicki Treadell, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission, Mumbai and Dr Ajay Ojha, Manager, Air Quality Management Cell, Environmental Laboratory, PMC, Pune

Pragati Mahila Mandal's Women Day Programme In Lohegaon

LONG LIVE WOMENS DAY!
You are invited to a get-together of women citizens in Sangamwadi Ward Mohalla Committee on the occasion of International Womens Day 2008
Venue: Moriya Udyan Tingrenagar
Date: 7th March 2008
Time: 4.30 pm-6 pm
Programme: Singing of songs and sharing of work experiences during the last one year
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Yours sisterly,
Ms.Delia Maria
Groups Participating: Pragati Mahila Mandal - Airport Road, Airport Road Mohalla Committee, Tingrenagar Senior Citizens Club, Lohegaon Mohalla Committee-Gurudwara Colony, Burma Shell Zopadpatti Adult Literacy Group, Hanuman Basti SHG and YWCA Tingrenagar.

Womens Day programmes in Pune city-8th March 2008

Rally to highlight atrocities against women by WWC Pune
The rally will begin at 2 PM from Alankar Theater ground and end in Bundgarden with public meeting.
Contact: Sr. Philomina Thomas-020 26684909 between 9 Am to 5 PM

Stree Mukti Andolan Sampark Samiti Pune along with 25 womens groups will host a poster exhibition and public meeting highlighting the history of 100 years of intl.womens day
Venue: Sambhaji Udyan Shivajinagar
Time: 2-5 pm
Language: Marathi, Hindi, English
Everyone invited to bring banners, posters, literature and flags

HONORING KASTURBA GANDHI'S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY 6th MARCH

Sixth March was celebrated by the Gandhi Memorial Society,Pune as "Mother's Day" at Agakhan Palace, Pune to commemorate the birth of Kasturba Gandhi
For Gandhi the virtues of patience, self control, and courage were absolutely essential to defeat the temptation to retaliate and respond with violence. He made it clear that each of these virtues were found most often in women.
Gandhi once said that he wanted to convert the woman's capacity for self-sacrifice and suffering into shakti power. He says of womankind, Has she not great intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater powers of endurance, has she not greater courage?" He also claimed that Ahimsa is embodied in the woman.
Gandhian women from Pune city and Pune district all participated in the day long celebrations