Message of Ms. Helma Ritscher, Chairwoman,
Indo-German Society Affiliate Remscheid
It
is a great honor for me, to celebrate together with all of you today and with the many invited guests the 50th
anniversary of our Indo-German Society Remscheid here in Varanasi. In Germany,
we will start the celebration in June 2016 in the town hall of Remscheid, where
we will have Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi as our guest of honor.
As Dr. Lenin told me that he decided together with
his wife Shruti and the whole PVCHR team to invite me to India for celebrating
the anniversary of our company here together with all of you, I felt deeply
touched. Moreover, I am even now deeply moved in the moment I stand here before
you, holding this wonderful booklet in my hands. This booklet was a very lovely
idea of PVCHR!
Before I continue, I would like to take this opportunity
once again to express on behalf of our society and personally as
"Helmaji" our whole-hearted gratitude
towards Dr. Lenin and the whole PVCHR- team. Thank you for your generous gifts,
the invitation and the ceremony as well as the successful brochure.
Thank you! This brochure tells the story of the
extraordinary friendship and harmonious cooperation between the PVCHR and our
Indo-German Society Remscheid, since early 2002, when we met each other for the
first time. What has brought us together? I will tell you.
At the time of our first meeting, the PVCHR was at
the beginning of its development to become a
recognized organization for human rights. Our society from Remscheid had
experience since many years: we organized numerous events and projects in which
we wanted to explain and show the diversity of the Indian culture and its
unique traditions, past and present to the German public. We also organized an
exchange between Indian and German schools: thanks to pen pal-friendships and
project work, the students were able to overcome prejudices, create a better
understanding for each other, and develop an appreciation of each other's
culture.
We were convinced, to be good mediators between the
two cultures.
That changed abruptly with the "Global
March1998", which was initiated by Kailash Sartyarthi, as the
International Coordinator. Here I want to add, that Mr. Sartyarthi was
honored for his tireless efforts against the exploitation of children in South
Asia and his fight for the access of all children to education with the Nobel
Peace Prize in October 2014.
The "Global March" brought child laborers
from different parts of the world for the first time to Geneva, Switzerland, to the meeting of the ILO
(International Labour Organization). They should get the opportunity, to talk
for themselves about their rights and against intolerable child labor. They
also came with thousands of thumbprints they had collected on their way to
Geneva, as an evidence of solidarity.
We suddenly became aware of our global
responsibility for the fate of this world's suffering children, particularly
children in India. The examination of "child labor and the lives of the marginalized
and neglected Dalit-Communities” showed us quite plainly, that we also had marginalized
them in the programs of our Indo-German Society Remscheid – until the
"Global March".
The issue of human rights was immediately on the
agenda of our Society. From this moment on, we actively participated in the
"Global March", updated the theme in Remscheid schools through
information material and organized a day of action in the city center. One of
our activities was a charity concert of the esteemed musicians and brothers
Prakash, (who unfortunately died), Subhash and Vikash Maharaj of
Varanasi. We know each other since 1983. Today we share a deep friendship and a
multifaceted cooperation. Vikash Maharaj, founder and vice-president of human
rights organization PVCHR at that time, invited me after the concert to
Varanasi to meet the founder of the PVCHR, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi.
Unfortunately, it took four more years, until I met
Dr. Lenin and the PVCHR for the first time. The Global March had already given
me an insight into the discriminatory situation of the Dalits, but to see the
situation with my own eyes shocked me even more. However, how happy the crowd
of children greeted when I arrived at the villages - the people were so
friendly! From this moment, the cooperation between PVCHR and our Society was
decided: The promotion of Dalit in the struggle for their rights and their
appreciation as equal human beings became the main topic of the affiliate
Remscheid.
Beginning in 2007, the Indo-German Society utilized
public funds of the German Government in North Rhine-Westphalia and sponsors
from Remscheid, to enable the construction of social and educational facilities
in the villages around Varanasi, like Ayer, Baghwanala and Shivrampur. In the
more distant village Raup, a community center was built for and by the Dalit
community, headed by Dr. Lenin and the PVCHR.
One year before, in 2006, our affiliate and the
PVCHR had started an educational initiative between a student team of a
Remscheid Gymnasium and Dalit students. The Remscheid-students have campaigned
on public actions to promote the struggle of their Dalit friends for equal
rights. Today the German students are grown up but still engaged on sustainable
projects. One of them, Henrik Sadlowski, will come in March for the third time
to Varanasi – to be with the PVCHR and his Dalit friends.
Over the years, an indestructible bridge of
friendship has been created. This bridge brought Dr. Lenin also to Remscheid,
where the Lord Mayor in the town hall received him. Moreover, on behalf of our
Indo-German Society, I have been here in India for many times. In all the
years, I attended some inaugurations of important buildings, like the "Savitri
Bai Puhle Women Centre" in 2012.
After this opening ceremony in Baghwanala, the
"Helma Ritscher Education Scholarship Fund" was initiated by
PVCHR as recognition for the work of our Society and our commitment to
education for all children. The scholarship, as a long-term and sustainable
initiative, offers underprivileged boys and girls the opportunity to receive
continuing education. Deeply impressed and moved by the idea I accepted this
honor.
Tomorrow I will share happiness with all the young
people who have successfully graduated with the help of the "Helma
Ritscher Education Scholarship Fund". It will be a great honor to me,
to hand over the “Certificate of the Indo-German Society Remscheid” to
the young Dalit graduates.
A certificate as a symbol of recognition and as a
sign, that they are equal, emancipated and well educated Indian citizens, with
rights and dignity.
We truly celebrate this occasion today and tomorrow
here in Varanasi:
The unique friendship and sustainable cooperation
between PVCHR and the Indo-German Society Remscheid – on special occasion of
the 50 anniversary of the Indo-German Society Affiliate Remscheid.
But, why a German celebration in Varanasi?
Because Germany and India, Remscheid and Varanasi, Indo-German Society and PVCHR
live in our hearts – today and in future!
Because Germany and India, Remscheid and Varanasi, Indo-German Society and PVCHR
live in our hearts – today and in future!
In
deep attachment,
Helma
Ritscher,
Chairwoman
Indo-German
Society
Affiliate
Remscheid
Banaras Declaration on the celebration of the 5o
years Anniversary of Indo – German Society, Affiliate Remscheid.
On February 12-13, 2016 at Varanasi, Peoples’
Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Malaviya Center for peace
Research, Banaras Hindu University organized peoples’ celebration of 50th
Anniversary of Indo-German Society Affiliate Remscheid.
1.
Endorse and support Banaras Declaration[i]
on 9th August, 2014 at Kabeer Mulgadi Math, Varanasi. We urge UNESCO world
heritage committee to declare plural and inclusive history of Varanasi as a
living heritage of the pluralism and inclusive culture.
2.
Let’s continue to promote the mutual understanding between our people in
general and youths in particulars. Only then our societies can withhold the
influences of intolerance.
3.
Explore and highlight the potentials of multi-culture, diversity, pluralism
and, in particular religious diversity as a resource for peace rather than a
barrier.
4.
Desiring that Governments of world embodies the aspirations of the People, aver
the need for greater efforts for promoting the sovereignty of the People and
violence free world through democratic values and structures.
5.
We are concerned by the increase in human trafficking (including children,
women and marginalized communities) in the region and call for receiving
countries to take on responsibility for repatriation and compensation of the
victims.
6.
We affirm that discrimination based on gender, caste, creed, ethnicity and
differently-abled is a major obstacle to meaningful participation of People.
7. We
believe a child's right to survival and health is of paramount importance to
the progress of the society, and maintain that the child's right to development
be upheld through free and compulsory education, including vocational training,
and recreation without discrimination for all and in a child-friendly
environment.
Lenin Raghuvanshi, Founder and CEO, Peoples
Vigilance Committee on Human Rights, India
Helma Ritscher, Chairwoman, Indo – German Society
Affiliate Remscheid, Germany
Marius Kurtz, Founder and CEO, Plurismo e.V. and
Sukria UG (haftungsbeschraenkt), Germany
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1121321537892815.1073742012.573878862637088&type=3
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