Luke Addison reflects on the School for Change makers 2018 sponsored trip to the Asia Plateau 50th anniversary celebrations.

Le Département de la Poste d’Inde a commémoré le cinquantième anniversaire d’Asia Plateau, le centre de conférences d’I&C dans l’Inde occidental, avec la publication d’une enveloppe spéciale en vente dans les bureaux de poste.

India’s Department of Post has commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of Asia Plateau, the IofC conference centre in Western India, with the publication of a First Day Cover envelope, on sale in post offices.

Les membres du Dialogue entre Agriculteurs - DEA ont une grande admiration pour le travail effectué par Grampari à Asia Plateau. En 1966, lors de la venue de certains d’entre nous à Panchgani, c’était un site montagneux totalement dénudé: c’est maintenant une vraie forêt avec une flore et une faune sauvage en expansion. En 2001, certains de nos collègues du DEA sont venus d’Afrique de l’Est à Asia Plateau pour participer à une rencontre internationale d’agriculteurs suivie de visites sur le terrain. Ce qu’ils ont vu et entendu les a tellement inspirés qu’ils ont décidé de travailler ensemble pour organiser de tels évènements chez eux. Ce programme s’est depuis développé, il mobilise la Tanzanie, le Kenya, le Rwanda, la République Démocratique du Congo, Mayotte et il démarre maintenant au Sud Soudan et au Burundi, sans parler des nombreux autres contacts dans d’autres parties du monde.

When some of our team first visited Asia Plateau in 1966 it was a bare hillside which is now covered in trees and a source of much wildlife. Later, in 2002, some of our colleagues from East Africa came to Asia Plateau to attend an International Farmers’ Dialogue followed by visits to Indian farms, and they were so inspired by what they had seen and heard that they decided to work together to hold similar events in their countries. This programme has since then expanded to involve Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, Mayotte and is reaching out to Southern Sudan and Burundi.

Asia Plateau, the Initiatives of Change (IofC) international conference centre in Panchgani, India will be 50 years on 20 January 2018. Fifty people are invited to give ‘a year of selfless service’ to reach out in five intergenerational teams, to many corners of India - and beyond. Teams of convinced, and convincing people who help 5000 people put at least one thing right in 2018 to serve society better!

Victor Nyanhete, IofC/MRA Zimbabwe youth programme coordinator completed an internship at Asia Plateau, IofC India’s centre in 2015. Just down the hill from the conference buildings in Panchgani is Grampari, the rural and ecological centre. As part of his training at Grampari, Victor was introduced to the Tippy Tap. Grampari promote this simple device, along with a cheerful hand-washing song, in schools around the area, as part of their health and hygiene programme. Victor knew this was an idea that was needed in his home country, Zimbabwe.

Caux Scholars Program-Asia Plateau (CSP-AP) is a three-week program held in one of our IofC centers in Panchgani, India. It invites youth leaders, community organizers, and scholars from different countries and cultural backgrounds to learn and experience the integration of sustainable development and peacebuilding.