Skip to main content

Embracing Diversity and Dialogue: Insights from the XI Indian Social Work Congress 2023 Student Forum

Connecting with the Congress theme, "Leave No One Behind," Mr. Vatsyayan creatively engaged the students by prompting them to turn around their chairs, symbolizing inclusivity and reaching out to every participant, even the 'back-benchers.'

Aligned with the congress theme, "Leave No One Behind," the XI Indian Social Work Congress 2023, hosted by Maulana Azad National Urdu University in collaboration with the National Association of Professional Social Workers in India and UNFPA, provided a dynamic platform for engaging discussions. As part of this congress, a Student Forum facilitated by Suneel Vatsyayan, Chairperson, Nada India Foundation and Prof. Keshav Walke sparked a vibrant dialogue among students and esteemed panelists.

Setting the Scene:
Against the historic backdrop of Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University, the venue, "Pathar Dil", served as a metaphor for enduring challenges. The rocky landscape, formed over 2.5 billion years ago, symbolized the resilience required in the field of social work.
The Student Forum: Suneel Vatsyayan orchestrated a lively Student Forum amid the rocks landscape from 9:30 pm to 11 pm. This forum aimed to provide opportunities for social work students, fostering dialogue and shared experiences.
Notable Participants: 
Distinguished panelists included Prof. Keshav Walke, Dr Neera Agnimitra is a professor and former Head at the Department of Social WorkUniversity of DelhiProf. Neena Pandey, Prof. Neelam Sukhramani, and Prof. Anoop Kumar Bhartiya. The session began with formal announcements and a warm welcome by Prof. Abu, the organizer from Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

Quotable Quotes and Shared Experiences:
Mr. Vatsyayan initiated the session by encouraging students to introduce themselves, creating an atmosphere of openness and connection. The forum explored dimensions of gender and socialization, with Prof. Neena Pandey and Prof. Neera addressing queries raised by students, making the conversation insightful.

Highlighting the Gender Perspective:
The dialogue delved into gender dynamics, addressing a thought-provoking question about achieving equality. The response emphasized treating individuals as human beings, acknowledging differences between gender and assigned sex at birth. A student, Sambhavi Walke from TISS, Tuljapur Campus, eloquently expressed the need to treat everyone as human beings and not as objects or property.
Exploring Diversity and Inclusivity: Mr. Vatsyayan shared an anecdote about meeting a student volunteer aspiring to explore social work after completing his Madrasa education. Emphasizing the importance of knowing what one does not know, he encouraged the student to embrace the process of exploration.

Inclusivity and Engagement: In alignment with the congress theme, "Leave No One Behind," Mr. Vatsyayan creatively engaged students by encouraging them to turn around their chairs. This unconventional approach symbolized reaching out to all students, challenging conventional norms, and fostering inclusivity.

The Student Forum concluded with a heartfelt poem by a student from Jammu and a closing remark by Dr. Anup from Lucknow. The interactive and entertaining session left a lasting impact, emphasizing the need to empower and value the voices of young professionals in the field of social work. As we reflect on the theme of leaving no one behind, let this forum be a catalyst for change and inclusivity in the social work community.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ban alcohol advertising and products: NGOs

India News By IANS, New Delhi: A new report by a group of NGOs Tuesday highlighted the ill-effects of advertising and marketing of alcohol on young people, and proposed a comprehensive ban on all kinds of marketing strategies that seek to portray drinking as normal. "To reduce alcohol consumption, it is very important that the governments enforce a comprehensive ban on all kinds of advertising of alcohol brands and products. "A separate government agency should be formed to monitor this ban," said the report titled "Alcohol Marketing and Regulatory Policy Environment in India" released here. The report was developed by the Public Health Foundation of India in collaboration with Delhi-based NGO Hriday and Swedish National Institute of Public Health. Monika Arora, director of the health promotions unit of Public Health Foundation of India blamed advertising for promoting the use of alcohol among youth. "It has been seen that children wh...

Bollywood Actor Challenges Liquor Legislation

Bollywood Actor Challenges Liquor Legislation NTDTV In an effort to discourage youngsters from consuming alcohol, the provincial government of India 's western Maharashtra state this June increased the legal age limit from 21 to 25. Khan calls this act of state government an infringement of individual ... < http://english.ntdtv.com/ntd t v_en/news_asia/2011-09-15/bol l ywood-actor-challenges-liquor - legislation.html >

Family is exposed to second-hand smoke that adds to their indoor pollution, a risk factor for NCDs says Suneel

Suneel Vatsyayan says " In our society, tobacco is comparatively more acceptable, affordable, and available"   Vinnie, Nada Health Advocate   Vinnie Choudhry is a student of management, pursuing her MBA from IIM Bangalore. She graduated in Economics from the University of Delhi. She has been associated with Nada India Foundation since her school days where she participated in a Pehchaan Radio club Show which waconducted to raise drug awareness amongst young people.  The following interview was conducted on phone with  Mr. Suneel Vatsyayan, founder of Nada India Foundation, which has been working for prevention of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs and non-communicable diseases for 20 years now. The organisation has been instrumental in rehabilitating the lives of several families whose members were caught in the web of addiction. Vinnie - Sir, Thanks for getting on call with us. Can you tell us about how you decided about setting up Nada India Founda...