Taste of Diversity – the future of INDIA

A public dialogue and culinary evening organised by the Club of Amsterdam.

Taste of Diversity is about creating greater awareness of cultural diversity and strengthening, promoting and sharing of cultural wealth. The idea of "intercultural dialogue" takes as its starting point the recognition of difference and multiplicity of the world in which we live. This year's focus is the future of INDIA.

Ram L. Lakhina, Founder and Executive President of the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT)
India's Unity in Diversity: Relevance for The Netherlands

Dramatic improvements in the means of transportation and communications
have transformed the world into a global village. The process of globalization has greatly accelerated the movement of capital, products and persons around the world. This is resulting in enormous increase in cultural, demographic and social diversity in many parts of the world. In the absence of corresponding harmonization of global social norms and core values, cultural & social conflicts, tensions and instability are increasing rapidly.

During the last sixty years the demographic composition of The Netherlands has changed greatly due to substantial emigration of native population to North America and Australia and vast immigration of necessary workers from many countries, particularly Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia and Surinam This has led to dramatic increase in diversity of cultures, religions and social norms along with the concomitant social conflicts and tensions. These trends are likely to accelerate further during the years to come.

India is a multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual, multiracial and multi-religious society. It is the oldest living civilization in the world. During its history of more than 3500 years it has absorbed numerous waves of invaders and immigrants along with their ethnic, racial, lingual, cultural and social diversity. To manage this vast diversity, to ensure stability, to live in harmony and to progress further, India has developed the concept of "unity in diversity". Indians from different parts of India may have different racial features, may be speaking different languages, may be following different religions and may be eating different kinds of food but they have common core values. This concept of unity in diversity is a distinguishing feature of the Indian society and it has great relevance for the increasing diversity in The Netherlands and Europe.

Rajindre Tewari, Managing Director, Cordares Capital (APG Group)
Can the Indian Elephant Dance? Highlights and Opportunities of the Indian Economy

Economical Highlights & Roots of concern
The New capitalist society
Opportunities ahead

V. Subramanian, Professor, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
Senior central government advisor on technology development and assessment
Water, Environment, Technology and Development

India faces challenge in all these three fronts. It may appear we have plenty of water but the extreme nature of spread and distribution make it uneven in terms of availability and accessibility. In addition, more than 70% of al health related issues in India are water borne. Hence delivery of right quantity of right type of water is the utmost priority in any developmental activity. Due to pressure on land and natural resources, the external environment faces rather various degree of endanger related to air, water and soil. Urbanisation is growing fast and development of civic facility needs equally a fast action. While the general feeling of sustainability of development keeping in mind the totality of environment has been a governmental and social policy, there are several instances of mismatch leading to conflict - social, legal as well as political. The latest thinking on development is not just sustainability but that aspects and approach that will leave a very low carbon footprint. Responsible industrial investment will need to recognize this aspect while taking decisions so that only what is locally sustainable in the long run at the same time leave negligible carbon foot print should be attempted. While globalization has brought the world closer almost like borderless Western Europe this has also thrown open responsibility on each one to keep the environment clean for future generations as well. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, we have enough for everyone's needs but not for everybody's greed!

 

 

Taste of Diversity
the future of INDIA

Thursday, July 3, 2008
Registration: 18:30-19:00, Conference: 19:00-21:15, Buffet: 21:15-23:30

Tickets also include Indian dishes and some drinks!
Where: Cultuurhuis Diamantslijperij, Tolstraat 129, 1074 VJ Amsterdam
former Royal Asscher Diamond Factory
The conference language is English.
http://www.clubofamsterdam.com/event.asp?contentid=767

Supported by
Qualit Datamatics and
Embassy of India, Global Food Funatics, The Netherlands-India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT), Evalueserve, Sichuan Foods, Innergy Creations, Kadarka and India Tourism Amsterdam

The Club of Amsterdam provides free PRESS ACCREDITATION.
If you want to apply, please get in touch with us: [email protected]