Education: The foundation of society The recent global turmoil underlines the importance of education and culture, the foundations of society. Charkha, September 2011, embodies some of these thoughts through the activities of the EYSD Division of TERI.
Overview Youth form the most vibrant and dynamic segment of a country's
population. They are a key segment of the society and are an important source
of creativity, enthusiasm, and drive for any action to address such issues.
The time has come to optimally tap their constructive and creative energies
by linking the twin objectives of personality development and nation building,
that is, developing the personality of youth and involving them in various nation-building
activities including environmental conservation. In today's world environmental degradation and pollution have become
an important issue, and it is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
Future generations will inherit a world faced with the problems of changing
climate, polluted, and degraded ecosystems. Youth are the citizens of tomorrow
and the group that will be most impacted by the problems of climate change.
In this scenario it has become imperative and a critical element of any nation's
strategy to engage this next generation of decision makers, the youth, in actions
to address environmental issues. It is important to ensure that they play a
proactive role in addressing key environmental issues that will affect the world
in the coming years. Youth will be the change makers who – through their knowledge, observation,
and action – will combat challenges for a greener today and for an environment
that will nurture the future generations. With a focus on instilling environmental values and sensitizing youth of all
ages and, through them other sections of the society, the YEA (Youth Education
and Action) division of TERI realizes the importance of inculcating among them
a sense of respect and responsibility towards the environment and building awareness
among them. In reaching towards this goal the YEA division in TERI has been carrying out
a number of short- and long-term projects with youth in schools and colleges
all over the country. The YEA division in TERI works across divisions with areas that
are working in youth-related programmes. Some of the ongoing activities are
as follows.
The EEA (Environment Education
and Awareness) area works in projects spread over the country focusing on awareness
building, sensitizing, networking, capacity building through workshops, training
programmes, events, campaigns, websites, resource material, and so on.
The Film and Television Unit develops
and screens films for students in schools and colleges.
Technology Dissemination and Enterprise
Development group regularly conducts educational field trips, ecotourism activities
at TERI facilities in Gual Pahari and Mukteshwar.
TERI press organises outreach activities
such as events and workshops related to their publications (Soldiers of the
Earth).
TERI North East runs DNA clubs
under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, in schools and colleges
in the north-east.
LaBL (Lighting a Billion Lives)
area establishes networks in colleges and universities for youth volunteers
The Green buildings group conducts
workshops and programmes in educational institutions to create awareness on
green architecture.
