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FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOP OF MAHILA SHANTI SENA MAYURBHANJ, ORISSA
29.11.2005
ORGANISED BY : UNNAYAN, HIG-55, KANAN VIHAR, PHASE-1, PATIA, BHUBANESWAR-751031,ORISSA,INDIA
PHONE:0674 – 2741198/2741112
E-MAIL: [email protected]
A BRIEF REPORT:
Introduction:
A follow-up workshop of the process of Mahila Shanti Sena was held at Unnayan’s field office located at Kakbandh village in Rasgovindpur block of Mayurbhanj district on 29th November 2005. Noteworthy that the process of Mahila Shanti Sena was initiated in this area in the month of August 2005 and a three-day training programme was conducted from 27.08.2005 to 29.08.2005 in this context. Report of this training programme has already been circulated among all the persons and institutions associated with the process. As per the action plan made at the end of the training, this follow-up workshop was held to review the progress of MSS process in the area and providing basic orientation to the new members who had been motivated by the participants of the training programme held in August’05. About 350 women including the old members of MSS who were imparted training earlier attended this programme.
Participation of students from McMasterUniversity:
Two fellow students named as Ashley and Kaya from Mc Master university, Canada, who had been to India since 9th November 2005 on a two-months’ study of Mahila Shanti Sena, arrived in our field on 28th November. They were accompanied by Sri Uma shankar Chaturbedy and Sri Sneh Kumar of Shram Bharati, Bihar. Shram Bharati planned their tour to our field so that it could coincide with the follow-up workshop.
Group Meeting on 28.11.2005:
A meeting of MSS leaders was organized for the students from McMasterUniversity in the evening of 28th November. 12 selected women leaders from the community who had undergone MSS training, Unnayan’s chairperson, secretary and staff members participated in this meeting. After a formal round of introduction, the students discussed with the women on the issues confronted by them in the locality, the motivation behind MSS, their personal and community life, success and failure stories of MSS, the various components of the training held in August, women’s participation in the decision making process etc. The meeting was meant to give the students an overview of the process of Mahila Shanti Sena in the area. Smt. Nivedita Scudder, Smt. Rashmi Mohanty and Sri Bhanu Prasad Panigrahi helped in interpretation and facilitating dialogues between the students and community leaders.
Workshop on 29.11.2005
Smt. Nivedita Scudder inaugurated the workshop by kindling the lamp. An awareness song in chorus followed it. Rashmi Mohanty, Secretary of Unnayan, gave introductory address. In her address Smt. Rashmi Mohanty deliberated on the motivation of Unnayan in initiating the MSS process, its relevance in the contemporary society and basic objectives of the workshop. Then Sri Uma Shankar Chaturbedy of Shram Bharati spoke about the origin and growth of Mahila Shanti Sena. Giving instances of the subjugated status of women and putting forward the need and role of women to work as agents in bringing about societal change, he motivated the participating women towards the process of MSS. He examined the cause and effect of the various problems confronted by the society in general and women in particular. He then explained about the various components of MSS. Noteworthy that all the women who attended this programme were already motivated by the old trainees and thus they had basic information about the process. The deliberations of the workshop strengthened their commitment and motivation towards the process. Then all the women who were committed and convicted to this process were invited for oath taking. Smt. Rashmi Mohanty of Unnayan gave oath to the members, old and new alike, by reading out the printed version in Oriya. Knotting the saffron insignia around the necks of the new members, which was done by the chairperson of Unnayan and the old members of MSS, followed this. With this the meeting came to an end with a formal vote of thanks.
Personal Interview:
The students from McMasterUniversity conducted personal interview with six selected MSS members. The questions ranged from their personal and family lives, other members of family, their community life, participation in solving local problems, status in family and community, motivation towards MSS and future perspective.
Workshop on
Culture of Peace And Women
Date: 04-05 February 2006
Venue: Utkal Nava Jeevan Mandal Campus, Angul, Orissa
Organised by: UNNAYAN, Bhubaneswar (Phone: 0674 – 2741198 / 2741112), 9437024198/ 9437284838 (Mobile)
BAJI RAUT CHHATRAVAS, Angul (Phone: 06764 – 236533 / 236862), 9937025319 / 9437075929 (Mobile)
UTKAL NAVA JEEVAN MANDAL, Angul (Phone: 06764 – 236310)
PROGRAMME
Time
Programme
Duration
09—10.25
Registration
1.25 hrs
10.30—1.15
Inaugural Session
2.45 Hrs.
Chair-person: (Prof. B.B. Mohanty, Baji Raut Chhatravas)
• Arrival of guests
5 mts
• Garlanding of Gandhiji’s portrait by guests
5 mts.
• Guests taking seats
5 mts.
• Welcoming guests (Garlanding or bouquets by Mahila Shanti Sainiks )
•Welcome speech and Aims of Workshop
( Rashmi Mohanty – Unnayan)
10 mts.
• Auspicious song (by students of Baji Raut Chhatravas))
5 mts.
• Lighting of the lamp by representatives of different states and beginning the workshop with recital of hymn “Sam wa chhadhvam” by students of Baji Raut Chhatravas.
5 mts.
Introducing the subject (Acharya Ramamurti)
1 hr.
--Dr. Rama Shankar Singh
(McMaster University, Canada)
45 mts.
Presidential Address- Summing up & vote of thanks
(Prof. B.B.Mohanty)
25 mts.
1.15—2.30
LUNCH BREAK
2.30—5.00
Second Session
2 hrs. 30 mts
Mahila Shanti Sena Session
Chairperson: Ms. Tana Ania
Chief Speaker: Ila Bhatt
-- Report from states & experience of the MSS
-- Arunachal Pradesh
10 mts
-- Assam
10 mts
-- Manipur
10 mts
-- Bihar
10 mts
-- Orissa
10 mts
Mahila Shanti Sena office
-- Report of the Mahila Shanti Sena
10 mts
Conceptual Frame work
-- Ila Bhatt
1 hr.
Peace and technology
-- Ravindra Bhai
25 mts
Vote of Thanks (Golak Bhai- Utkal Nava Jeevan Mandal))
5 mts.
5.00—6.00
Tea and leisure
6.00—8.00
Group discussion
2 hrs.
Subject: Strategy and action plan for expansion and stability of Mahila Shanti Sena (Participants to disperse in 4 groups)
Group-1
Guide: Nivedita Scudder
Rapporteur: To be decided by the group
Group-2
Guide: Ravindra Bhai
Rapporteur: To be decided by the group
Group-3
Guide: Dr. Shubha Rao
Rapporteur: To be decided by the group
Group-4
Guide: KrishnaKumar
Rapporteur: To be decided by the group
Time
Programme
Duration
9.00—10.10
Chairperson: Dr. Savita Singh
Presentation of Reports (Group Discussion)
60 mts
Presidential remarks
10 mts
10.10-10.30
BREAK
10.30—2.00
Concluding Session
Chief Speaker: Acharya Ramamurti
Tentative allocation of time for open session which will include 3 / 4 eminent speakers/ activists from Orissa and other states depending on confirmation from invitees.
50 mts
1.40 hrs.
Action Plan (Open session)
30 mts.
Chairperson: Dr. Savita Singh
20 mts
Thanks giving
10 mts
Chorus: We shall over come
(In Hindi )
WE ARE SOLDIERS OF PEACE
(Translated from the original Oriya written by Sri Sunil Sasmal)
We are soldiers of peace
Travellers on the road to peace.
Our venture is on the path of peace
Entwining our lives let us walk together
Let us hold high this symbol of peace
Let us establish peace.
Sharing in each other’s sorrows
In togetherness
And arm in arm
Let us wipe away all pain and suffering
Together, let us boldly march forward.
Let us overcome all obstacles
Without fear, without fear, without fear
We have taken the oath of peace
We shall overcome, overcome, overcome.