Youth Programs Inspire Service and Innovation in India

Naomi MacMurdie
October 19, 2023
Youth group in white shirts standing in a room.

International Youth Day celebrations in India.

Global Peace Foundation (GPF) India’s ongoing programs empower youth to lead peacebuilding efforts in their communities across the country.

In August, GPF India partnered with DAVIET to commemorate International Youth Day with a workshop on “Peace, food security, and sustainable agriculture.” More than 200 people joined the event, where inspirational speakers like Mathew Mattam and Poojita Goswami highlighted the pivotal role of young minds in the peacebuilding process.

GPF India also conducts ongoing programs that educate young leaders and equip them with the knowledge and tools to make a difference in their communities.

A man is inspiring youth through service by handing out food to a group of people in India.

GPF India WASH program educates children in sanitation and hygiene.

Young volunteers are trained through GPF India leadership workshops to become mentors for transformative projects like WASH, a water, sanitation, and hygiene education program that teaches children essential sanitation techniques.

The young leaders who attend GPF India training programs and Moral and Innovative Leadership workshops often go on to participate in other imperative projects like SMILE. Launched by GPF India in 2018, the project aims to empower the children and families of underprivileged areas of India with the opportunity to equal education and provide skill-based training. Through the program, volunteers and mentors introduce children to various games, activities, music, and dance, as well as food, not only to promote a healthy lifestyle but also to direct the energy of the youth in a productive direction.

On September 28, volunteers with a recent SMILE project distributed stationary to underprivileged children at the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Learning Centre in Karawal Nagar.

A man is giving a hand to a group of children in India's youth programs.

GPF India WASH program educates children in sanitation and hygiene.

GPF India also facilitates peacebuilding workshops for youth, like the recent Peacebuilding and Leadership Training at Peace Public School, Kottakkal, Kerala, held in September. The sessions encouraged students to have the motivation to live for the greater good, dream big, take ownership, and utilize teamwork for global peace. They had the opportunity to discuss leadership topics, the significance of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in contemporary times, and the vision of one global family.

Youth Programs inspire a group of children sitting on a rug in front of a brick wall.

Volunteer with SMILE program engaging with underpriviledged children in India.

A group of youth posing for a picture in front of a building.

Group of participants in GPF India’s leadership workshop on gender equality.

In October, GPF India also hosted a training program for students at the Government College of Art & Craft, Basistha, Assam. The theme of the forum was “Cultivating Peace Through Art.” Organizers said, “Delving into the profound connection between art and peace, we painted a brighter future with our collective creativity.”

Learn more about peacebuilding projects in India and support creative peacebuilding efforts like these by donating today.

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