Climate Change India 2008 Pune Conference

The climate change India 2008 Conference was held on 22-23 April 2008 at the Le Meridian, Pune city. the objective of the conference was to identify causes and search for solutions towards combatting the challenge of climate change facing India in the 21st century. It was organised by WISE - World Institute of Sustainable Energy
Pune 411006 (India), cpsr.wise@gmail.com, cpsr@wisein.org, URL : www.wisein.org

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONFERENCE were:
Felicitation of the Indian scientists / lead authors who played a key role in the preparation of the IPCC Reports.
Eminent national/international dignitaries and prominent experts in the field were lead speakers.
Highly topical presentations and interactive sessions. Participation of delegates from all over India.
Coming together of researchers, academicians, policy makers, regulators, business leaders, financial and insurance sector professionals, representatives of the sunrise industry of clean energy, social activists and non-government organisations.
Two exclusive sessions on reducing business risks, and identifying opportunities as to how you can make your company carbon-neutral.
Release of special issue of WISE's acclaimed bimonthly 'Green Energy' on Climate Change.
Post-conference publication of the first-ever comprehensive book on 'Impacts of Climate Change on India'.

Delia Maria attended both days of the conference and was a sponsored delegate.

Pune city forms a new political party for sustainable development through people's participation

About 350 people attended a meeting at Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture on 27th April at 11.00 am, the meeting was called to form a olitical parties/initiative in Pune city.

The Agenda taken up was:

1. Formation of a political party named: People's Guardian (JanaRakshak) Party.

The following steps would be taken towards this aim:

a. More than 100 affidavits were needed of people who wanted to be members of this proposed political party. This was quickly oversubscribed. The affidavits will be sent to the Central Election Commission which requires these as a formality in the process of registering the Party Name and registration of the party itself.

b. A team of lawyers and core members is also working on the constitution of the party. This constitution will be accompanied by the above mentioned affidavits in the application sent to the CEC, New Delhi.

c. The experiences of the election in 2003 - when Arun Bhatia won 60,000 votes as an independent candidate, BJP only 5 times more, and Congress 6 times more (respectively 3,00,000 and 3,50,000) inspite of there being a vast (1:1000) difference and mismatch in resources such as money, manpower and preparations.
For example: both the parties had political networking built up over the last 50 years ! The Arun Bhatia campaign team had no experience and worked only 3 months with 50 full time workers and 2000 part time supporters. The two parties have 25000 workers in the city, each.)

d. Speeches were made by all those who wished to comment on the proposal of starting the party. All positive speeches with great enthusiasm. The general theme was - the time has come for such a party. All those who were at the core of the 2003 campaign were present again.

e. Next central committee meeting fixed for 25th May tentatively at NFAI Auditorium, Law college road. Each was asked to bring at least 2 deeply interested friends. Agenda will include forming the sub-committees for laying the foundation of work for coming Lok Sabha Elections in 2009.

f. Anyone can invite Mr Arun Bhatia and a small team of friends to their housing societies for a talk on "How and why to ensure voter registrations in our housing society and in the locality". It is not an invitation for a political talk about elections. It is an invitation to call Mr Bhatia to share his views on Indian Democracy and how it works currently - and what is the change needed in it.

I the next meeting will be held on 25th May at NFAI auditorium.

Reported by Vinod Bodhankar

WORKSHOP on "Buddhism and Human Rights"

A workshop "Buddhism and Human Rights" was conducted by Nalin Swaris, Colombo, Sri Lanka on 16th April 2008, 10.00am to 12.30pm. It was hosted by Manuski Center, Plot No.: 3, Deccan College Road, Yerawada, Pune

Nalin Swaris was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was baptised into the Roman Catholic faith. He was ordained a Redemptorist Priest in 1962. After resigning from the ministry in 1969, he taught Social Philosophy and Methodology of Community Development for seventeen years at the Senior College for Social Work in De Horst, Dreibergen in the Netherlands. Back now in Sri Lanka, he works as a freelance journalist and lecturer. He is a leading critique of orthodoxy, looks at Buddhism an emacipatory tool. He wrote extensively on important doctrines in Buddhism like Karma and Rebirth, Buddhism and Human Rights and on Religions.

For more about Nalini Swaris writings contact: Mr. Anil / anil@jambudvipa.org
The Jambudivpa Trust, Pune.

Pune human rights activists interaction with Pakistani & Bangladeshi women activists

Four women activists from 'Shirkat Gah' (Pakistan) and 10 activists from 'Naripokkho' (Bangaldesh) came to Pune in early April for a programme organised by MASUM. These organisations are well known in their own countries.

Shirkat Gah (Pakistan) is a Women's Resource Center and it was formed in 1975, as a Collective to integrate consciousness raising with a development perspective, and to initiate projects translating advocacy into action. Shirkat Gah means, 'place of participation', and over the last 30 years it has empowered women by increasing their access to information, resources, skills and decision making. In this process Shirkat Gah has brought positive change to policies, laws, and practices. Shirkat Gah has ECOSOC status at the United Nation.

Naripokkho (Bangladesh) is a membership-based, women's activist organisation working for the advancement of women's rights and entitlements and building resistance against violence, discrimination and injustice. Since it's founding in 1983, Naripokkho has met every Tuesday to discuss problems, issues and strategies related to these concerns. These discussions form the basis for Naripokkho's programmes and activities, which include campaigns, cultural events, training, research, lobbying and advocacy, and the maintenance of a regular participatory discussion forum. Occasionally this leads to a specific project, which is carried out with grant funding. However, most of Naripokkho's activities are voluntary and financed through resources that are earned by the membership.

Naripokkho's work is focused on the following five inter-related thematic areas 1) Equality and the Political Empowerment of Women, 2) Violence Against Women and Women's Human Rights, 3) Women's Health and Reproductive Rights, 4) Gender Issues in Environment and Development and 5) Cultural Politics and the Representation of Women.
The activists of these organizations came to Pune for an exposure visit and to share with the para legal community outreach strategies with Pune MASUM's staff. On 11th April, 2008 from 4 to 6 pm, they interacted with like minded human rights activists of Pune city at S.M.Joshi Socialist Foundation Conference hall, Navi peth, Pune 30