Webinar on Diaspora Engagement in Sustainable Development
Chandigarh August 17, 2021
Panjab University Alumni Association in collaboration with Department of Sociology organized an International webinar on Diaspora Engagement in Sustainable Development.
The key speakers Mr Suthan Kethees, Management, consultant at Q_PERIOR AG, Deutschland, Germany, Ms Hamsha Padmanathan, Wild life biologist at Government of North West territories, Canada and Dr Prabhu Nadaraj, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, all co-founders of Comdu.it, a global network of diaspora volunteers committed to use diaspora technical skills and knowledge for sustainable development, emphasized on the need to empower local communities without creating dependency for community development based on mutual trust and knowledge economics. They highlighted the practical approach which they had followed in green innovation through organic farming, waste management and generation of renewable energy in different regions of Sri Lanka. They also mentioned about food innovation i.e. food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods which are based on local food system. They focused on having capacity building programmes which follow the principles of health, ecology ,fairness and care for growth of environmental sustainability across nations.
Prof. V R Sinha, Dean University Instructions, gave the presidential remarks in which he clearly defined through wonderful illustrations the change in the attitude of people regarding safeguarding the environment during the tough pandemic times.
Earlier, Prof. Anupama Sharma, Dean, Alumni Association, PU in her welcome address highlighted the role of diaspora in bringing a positive change for the environment and how diaspora involvement can produce effective results in creating awareness regarding conserving and preserving the environment.
Prof Rani Mehta, Chairperson, Department of Sociology, earlier introduced the theme of the webinar by focusing on the significance of sustainable development especially for developing nations which are worst affected due to unlimited economic growth and lack of sufficient knowledge about clean technology to take care of their environmental hazards such as global warming, desertification, deforestation, species extinction etc. Thus, sustainable development efforts are essential and need to be dynamic as well as should involve a basic change in the way we think, produce, consume and the way in which we behave towards each other.
The Vote of Thanks was given by Professor Anupama Sharma and the webinar was well attended by scholars from the region and outside it.
