Tag Archive | "BVIEER"

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Protecting our Environment – A Global Challenge

Posted on 29 März 2009 by GymLi

Day 3 (29.3.2009)

Today we undertook a fieldtrip to Mulshi, one of the ecological resorts of India and learned more about the importance of biodiversity for the survival of our planet.

Although the amount of waste that is scattered everywhere along the streets and settlements is relatively high compared to Germany, we were impressed by the  growing awareness for ecological issues like biodiversity and sustainable lifestyle.

In a role play the students were confronted with the problem of a large hotel company wanting to build a hotel in a remote village of the Mulshi area. The students had to discuss the problem from different perspectives and in the end take a decision on the question whether the hotel should be built or not.

It is with activities like these that the staff of our partner university institute BVIEER spread and enhance ecological awareness in schools and classrooms all across India.

Yet we also understood that protecting our environment cannot be successful on a national level, but only if if we cooperate on a globally.

S.T.

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Two days feel like two weeks

Posted on 28 März 2009 by GymLi

We have been in India for just two days and already it feels like we have been here for two weeks since everybody is really trying to make us feel at home and we have been welcomed by true friends.

After a 15 hour- flight with Turkish Airlines, a stopover in Mumbai, a 4-hour- train journey from Mumbai to Pune and another hour on the bus within Pune, a city of 3 million (!) inhabitants, we were indeed quite tired when arriving in Pune at last.

Yet we recovered surprisingly soon and have also adjusted well to the hot climate which is about 35 degree during the day, so quite the opposite of Lindlar. Here are our first two days in short:

Day 1: Meeting the Indian Hosts and Sightseeing in Pune (27.3.2009)

– Visiting a student’s house and talking to the family about the Hindi New Year Festival (gudibadwa) which was celebrated here yesterday; tasting some traditional Indian food for that special occasion. Lina“s family gave us a really friendly welcome !!!

– Visit to Shaniwar Wada Palace from 1730

–  Visit to one of Pune’s beautiful temples (Casaba Gampati Temple) and learning more about the Hindu Religion

– Visit to AgaKhan Palace  where Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned from 1942-44

– Visit to the Empress Botanical Garden Pune

– Indian Dinner with the new Friends

Day 2: The Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research (BVIEER) (28.3.2009)

– Formal Inauguration and Welcome with the Erach Barucha, Head of the BVIEER (=partner University Institute) and the Head of Kanyala Prashala (= partner school), Ruby and Kranti, both from BVIEER

– Highlight of the day: Mr Staehle’s speech in English 🙂

– Icebreaker session: Getting to know each other  better: partner interviews

– A guided tour of the BVIEER environment-friendly building of BVIEER

– Powerpoint slide show and lecture on Pune by Kranti

– Indian Lunch at the BVIEER with Indian and German students

– lecture and slideshow on biodiversity in India by Vaishali

                                                                                            S. Thonemann

FIND OUT MORE about GYMLI MEETS INDIA from the articles of the students!!!

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