London Experience January 12, 2012
Posted by British Council India in Young Creative Entrepreneur.Tags: 100% Design, Abhijit Bansod, animation, British Council, British Council India, CII, creative businesses, dance, Design, entertainment, Fashion, film, games and social media platforms, Indian Design council, Interactive, London, London Design Festival, Music, NID, Performing Arts, Publishing, Screen, software, theatre, TV, Young Creative Entrepreneur Awards
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About YCE
The British Council has been pioneering to build a strong community and professional network of creative businesses, through the reward programme Young Creative Entrepreneur Awards. The awards help nurture enterprise across seven categories – design, music, fashion, screen (film, TV and animation), interactive (software, entertainment, games and social media platforms), performing arts (theatre, dance and “live” art) and publishing. It aims to inspire and facilitate the sharing of best practices in building skills and access to resources, professional development, markets, mentoring and resources to increase business opportunities between India, UK and internationally.
YCE 2011 -Designs
YCE 2011 award was very special because unlike other awards it did not end on stage with trophy, but it actually started on the stage. YCE opened a new stage for us and offered an amazing journey , which even if you pay millions you would not get. As a part of YCE winner, British council planned a visit to UK for almost ten days, with events packaged for us with interaction, exposure, fun and learning. I was looking forward to meet other 23 winners from over 19 countries, truely once in a lifetime opportunity.
London
London is awesome for many things but I specially like sweet smell in the air and seasonal day ( there are seasons in a year, but in London you might get all of them in a day ! ). It is fun to walk all around in London, and nothing like exploring the city on bicycle, thanks to awesome support system created for hiring , returning bicycling ..
Truly International
23 winners from 19 countries, I couldn’t even imagine what it will be like to meet and spend time with such a diversed set of talented people. In my wildest dream I wouldn’t have imagined that I would know so much about design and life in Estonia, Poland, Syria Turkey, Vietnam , Mexico and more. Each one of us had a very unique style of work and cultural values, but there was one thing in common; entrepreneurial energy. Everyone was on the same path of exploring their dream but on different stages of evolution and experiences. It was nice to see how each one has his/her own way to manage their own context and create magic with their work. Thanks to British Council for putting all of together, it was decade worth experience condensed in a week.
London Design Festival
London Design Festival and London Fashion Week happens at same time of the year, and i guess , it is not a coincidence, it is planned to pack as many design activities to promote London as creative hub of the world. Other interesting fact, all these events are privately run organizations. In context to Indian scenario, whole lot of us were hoping that Indian Design council, NID, or CII will run such activities, but I am convinced that it is not sustainable. We also need entrepreneurs initiating such activities here, and I think IDC, CII or Govt will happily support.
100% Design
100 % Design is been great platform for designers to showcase their talent in home products, furnishings, and lighting. Visitor ranging from buyers, stores, distributors, and general people make the show very special. it has become launch pad for many upcoming designers to show case their talent.
100% Design is very keen to have India pavilion in 2012 show and we have initiated the discussion amongst IDC and NID to explore this further. I will be personally pleased if we could take part in next edition of 100% Design and share new and notable with rest of the world.
Investing in Indian Creative Industry
One of the key program of YCE award was to connect all designers to investors and see how design could play larger role in creative industry economy. There is great deal of interest from investors in Indian creative industry , especially in Design. This was the really the key outcome of YCE award, and this program includes mentorship to the Indian design firms to make them investor friendly and bring investment and partnerships which will impact the overall economic contribution in big way. It will also open up opportunities for many international collaborations with Indian design firms.
I would like to thank British council for creating such wonderful launch pad for all of us, especially BC teams from India and London for making our experience memorable and enriching . Beyond all the business rewards from the program, there is one more thing I value the most; friendships with people from so many countries, truly a treasure.
Save Tomorrow, Today December 15, 2011
Posted by anu04 in Climate Change.Tags: British Council, British Council India, Climate, COP17, Environment, International Climate Champions
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The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the governing body of the Convention, and advances implementation of the Convention through the decisions it takes at its periodic meetings. The Conference of the Parties has been held in 16 countries with Climate Change being an increasingly important issue across the world. The last two conferences in Copenhagen and Cancun respectively have caused quite a stir among the nations resulting in various heated discussions and some successful policy implementations.
COP 17 was held at Durban, South Africa this year in the month of November. This place apart from being rich in its bio-diversity is now also looked upon as a country with opportunities for economic development. With on-going climate negotiations all over the world this event is much awaited among environment enthusiasts and policy makers it was an event of huge magnitude and great significance.
The negotiating process on climate change revolved around the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP), which meets every year to review the implementation of the Convention. The COP adopts decisions and resolutions, published in reports of the COP. Successive decisions taken by the COP make up a detailed set of rules for practical and effective implementation of the Convention. There were always moments which demanded absolute attention tracking the policies and changes every country has made or is about to make.
Thousands of participants, including government representatives and observer organizations, have attended previous climate change conferences. The sessions in Durban attracted over 20,000 participants, including some thousands of government officials, and over 10,000 representatives of UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and around 4000 accredited members of the media. The UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun last year had over 11,800 participants.
Participation in COP 17 and CMP 7 was restricted to duly nominated representatives of Parties, observer States, accredited observer organizations and accredited press/media. Those Parties to the Convention that are not Parties to the Protocol may participate as observers in the meeting of the Parties.
All Conferences to date have had a high-level segment attended by anywhere from 70 to 100 ministers and senior officials, usually at the end of the session. The high-level segment normally includes an opening or welcoming event with some head of state participation and is partly attended by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Arriving during the second week of COP had its own advantages and disadvantages. While I missed the numerous discussions and meetings I made it just in time to attend the launch of ‘Momentum for Change’ providing me the opportunity to carefully listen and gain perspective from the plenary chaired by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, President of South Africa Jacob Zuma and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres marking the initiative of the United Nations system. This conference as a whole was a great platform to meet leaders and negotiators from all over the world sometimes playing a huge role in the decisions you make. I also had the opportunity to meet and interact with Mrs.Jayanthi Natrajan, Environment minister of India.
While many sit back and start to think of this conference as ‘just another conference’ which is over hyped , one might want to come take a look at the magnitude of this event and the support of the youth that spreads around like wildfire keeping the momentum at a progressive pace. Yes, there are many setbacks- but out of this imperfection there lies a level of agreement with thousands of youth wanting their voices heard. Being part of an event of such a huge scale only made me want to go back to my own country and provide them with the vision and knowledge I gathered here and share my experience.
In Durban… December 5, 2011
Posted by anu04 in Climate Change.Tags: British Council, British Council India, Climate, COP17, Environment, International Climate Champions
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Nguyet from Veitnam and I conducted a quiz where we divided them into groups name Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide and asked them to draw their sources. The other team then had to guess. Following this, was a short quiz designed to raise awareness about the intricacies of Climate Change. We planted a sapling with them as well!.
Saket Dave, International Climate Champion, India
From India to Durban – Champions head to UN Climate Talks December 1, 2011
Posted by anu04 in Climate Change.Tags: British Council, British Council India, Climate Change, COP17, International Climate Champions
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With Dr. R.K.Pachauri
After an exciting week of reading up and getting ready for the Climate talks being held in Durban, South Africa. I am finally here to a land where Gandhiji began his initial fight for freedom. It gave me some inspiration about the kind of fight, we youth were participating in – to make this world sustainable. Our work reflects “Satyagraha” – or peaceful protest, analysis, advocacy and that is exactly how we work. We have patiently learnt, engaged, and inspired the masses with the nuances of the issue and policy implication of Climate change and climate talks. Another very important reflection I had was of his principle of Swadeshi – which is reflected in our grassroots actions. Seven champions from around the world – Indian, Greece, Vietnam, Italy and South Africa gave a presentation at the Conference of youth (COY) , which is a preparatory three day youth event leading to the climate change talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The climate champions spoke about their respective projects and how to build a grassroot project and integration of our work under the aegis of – British Council. We were a diverse group of people not only in terms of nationality but also in terms of our projects. We conveniently integrated our message under trust, support and unity towards making this world a more beautiful and sustainable.
The President of the Conference of Parties hosted a fantastic welcome reception for the attendants of the negotiations. Five of the champions attended the reception which was filled with good food, drinks and welcoming South African music and dance. Quite a grand welcome! We met, Dr. R.K.Pachauri , who congratulated each of the champions on the fantastic work being done back home and that negotiations were just a political excuse and that we champions and grassroots work were the real “champions” of the Climate and people trying to save the climate.
The British Council climate booth in the Workshop area is also attracting a lot of people interested in knowing about our work and the message British Council gives. The postcards from around the world, giving a message of sustainability is particularly giving a colorful aura to the booth.
The champions also went to schools in Durban and gave various workshops on climate change, ideas for projects and a small preview of policy talks. The children were very excited and wanted to know more about how they could participate in greening the world. Thus the journey of educating and engaging began.
Talking of journey, another incredible initiative by the South African government which was supported by British Council in South Africa was the Climate Train which passed the entire length of the country through its rural areas, promoting awareness of climate change and also initiated tree plantation and waste management projects. The champions welcomed the train to the Durban station which was attended by the Mayor of Durban, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC and other dignitaries.
It’s been a busy first few days of the Durban talks and journey as climate ambassadors and when people ask about what we do, we say “ Inspire, Engage, Educate” indeed.
This is the message from us champions to the people and the UN climate talks!
Priti is a young environmental policy and negotiation enthusiast from India with a plethora of experience in climate adaptation in Bangladesh, climate finance, Flexible mechanisms and low carbon transportation modelling. In her spare time she likes to make funny faces in fogged mirrors.
Register now! Seminar on Investing in India’s Creative Entrepreneurs November 29, 2011
Posted by rwituja in Young Creative Entrepreneur.Tags: creative, economic, ecosystem, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, India, industries, investment, investors, UK
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The British Council has been pioneering to build a strong community and professional network of creative businesses, through the reward programme Young Creative Entrepreneur Awards. The YCE programme aims to reward innovative work by individuals and nurture emerging enterprises across seven categories – design, music, fashion, screen (film, TV and animation), interactive (software, entertainment, games and social media platforms), performing arts (theatre, dance and “live” art) and publishing.
To build an eco-system to support entrepreneurship with the creative sectors, a half day seminar on Investing in India’s Creative Entrepreneurs is being organised on Friday 9 December from 9.30 am – 2 p.m. at the British Council, New Delhi
The seminar will include the following panel discussions between India and the UK aimed to address and debate the two major issues facing the growth of India’s creative industries. To register email yce.india@in.britishcouncil.org
Does India need an umbrella policy for supporting entrepreneurship within the creative industries?
The session will explore the current parameters of existing policies and governmental interventions and examine the different ways in which policy-making can support the development of the creative industries thereby leading to their recognition as key economic sectors.
What India needs to bridge the gap between creative entrepreneurs and investment opportunities?
Discussion will focus on developing a suitable financial infrastructure for the creative sectors and understanding different models that facilitate creative businesses’ access to capital, why it is considered inherently risky to invest in creative industries (or what makes them uniquely different), explore how different creative businesses are more suited to different types of financial investment and support.
The speakers include:
John Newbigin is a freelance strategist and cultural entrepreneur. He is Chairman of Creative England, a publicly funded agency to support creative businesses, particularly digital media, across England. Other positions he’s held include being Head of Corporate Relations at Channel 4 Television, Special Adviser at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Executive Assistant to David Puttnam, erstwhile Chairman of Enigma Productions Limited. Currently John is the Chairman of Culture24, one of the UK’s leading cultural web publishers and on the board of various arts and educational bodies.
Adarsh Kumar is the founder and CEO of Livelihoods Equity Connect (LEC), an advisory group that seeks to invest in the Indian agricultural sector and promote models connecting small farmers to mainstream markets. Prior to LEC, Adarsh helped establish the All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association, a membership-based policy research and advocacy body that brings together the private sector, civil society and the government to find innovative solutions to bridging the divide between poor rural producers and mainstream markets. At AIACA, Adarsh served on various Planning Commission working groups to look at ways in which creative and cultural industries can provide more employment to the poor. He holds a bachelors degree in Business Management from GeorgetownUniversity and a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Adarsh has also been awarded the Echoing Green and Ashoka fellowships for social entrepreneurship.
Rohit Prasad is an Associate Professor of Economics and Chairperson of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the Management Development Institute Gurgaon. He has a Ph.D. in Economic Theory from SUNY Stony Brook, USA where he had an opportunity to study Game Theory under the Nobel Laureate Professor Robert Aumann. His thesis provides a framework to address questions related to the optimal fiscal and monetary policy choices of a government in a free market. He has worked in the software industry in USA and India in senior management positions before joining MDI Gurgaon. His research interests include the theory of taxation, spectrum policy, ICT for development, and special economic zones. His papers have been published at leading international journals including Telecommunications Policy. He has delivered seminars and talks at Harvard University, the Centre for Game Theory at Stony Brook, India Telecom 2009, Future Com, Brazil 2010, and The Next Billion, Indonesia, 2010. His articles appear regularly in The Economic Times and the Economic and Political Weekly. He recently served on a high powered Committee of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India to make recommendations on spectrum allocation and pricing in India, and on two Expert Panels for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to study the value of 2G spectrum.
Aruna Vasudeva, noted journalist was the editor-in-chief of Cinemaya, an influential film magazine established in 1988 devoted exclusively to coverage of Asian Films. It aimed to promote Asian filmmaking internationally and to help Asian national cinemas gain wider international recognition. As an active member of the Indo-French Initiative Forum she contributed to building cooperation between the two countries in the field of cinema and was conferred France’s top cultural award, the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres. She went on to become the director of the annual festival of Asian Cinema, ‘Cinefan’ – that has evoked popular and critical acclaim. In 2006, she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 8th Cinemanila Film Festival at Manila, Philippines and honoured with the Kalpana Chawla Excellence Award for women in 2007.
Sanmit Ahuja is the Chief Editor of TI Corridors and the Chief Executive of ETI Dynamics Ltd. His key areas of interests include to Emerging markets, globalisation, international trade and investment flows. He holds an Executive MBA degree from London Business School.
Anurag Batra is an entrepreneur, media observer and a journalist rolled into one. He completed his B. Tech in Computer Sciences before joining Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon. He is the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media group which includes exchange4media.com, PITCH, IMPACT, Realty Plus and Franchise Plus. In 2006 he was awarded the “Most Distinguished Alumni of the Decade Award” by MDI, Gurgaon. He is a member of the Sales & Marketing committee of the Delhi Management Association, President of the Franchising Association of India, Northern chapter, on the Executive Committee of the Association of Indian Magazines (AIM) and the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Futuristic Media Communication Centre, a leading Media and Communication School in India.
Global Book Deal Is Write Move For Students October 20, 2011
Posted by rwituja in Young Creative Entrepreneur.Tags: book, creative, deal, entrepreneur, Film and media, Indo-British, jason lee, marketing, Publishing, roman books, suman chakraborty, university of derby
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An international project will see budding authors from the University of Derby write a book published through a top overseas publishing house and distributed throughout the world.
A literary fiction by third-year BA (Hons) Creative Writing degree course student will be published for sale in UK and USA.
India-based ROMAN Books – which supplies works of fiction and literary criticism to major booksellers in America and the UK, such as Amazon, Waterstones and Barnes & Noble – will work with writers to develop their book for commercial sale.
The unusual arts deal has been developed by the publishing house’s founder Suman Chakraborty and Prof. Jason Lee, Head of Film and Media with Creative Writing and Professional Writing at the University of Derby. The project is supported by the British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) programme, which aims to promote a professional network between creative entrepreneurs in India, UK and internationally to inspire and facilitate the sharing of best practices, skills, provides access to resources and market and offers professional development opportunities.
Once the book is ready for publication Mr Chakraborty will visit the University of Derby to give a guest lecture to aspiring authors, on how publishing houses can encourage new writing talent.
Profits from the venture will be used as capital for next year in order to make this Indo-British project a regular event for University of Derby students.
Aanchal Sodhani, the Project Manager of British Council India’s Cultural & Creative Economy Unit, added: “We were happy to support this project through the Young Creative Entrepreneur grant as we found the skills development aspect of the project particularly interesting – that is, to develop the skills of new writers to understand market requirements, audience needs, marketing and promotional aspects, selling of rights and thereby becoming ready to be published internationally.”
Professor Jason Lee said: “Every writer has the dream of seeing their work published. Having the opportunity of working closely with writers, editors, and a publisher backed by the British Council, is a fantastic opportunity for Derby University students. Internationally, it also reveals how the University is further establishing its global presence in the cultural and creative industries, through the work of its own students and academics.”
Mr Chakraborty added: “We work primarily in the overseas market—mainly in UK and USA. We have a team of sales representatives working in the UK where we work with the market leaders of the book industry. Our titles are regularly featured in the largest British book-industry magazine, The Bookseller. This collaboration with University of Derby strengthens our bond with the United Kingdom—thanks to the British Council YCE initiative which has always remained an extremely encouraging part of my career as a creative entrepreneur.”
Five essentials investors look for in Creative Businesses October 3, 2011
Posted by rwituja in Young Creative Entrepreneur.Tags: ambassadors, brand, business, investment, investor, market share, private equity, scaling up, VC
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Following are the five essentials that creative entrepreneurs should focus on when approaching investors as highlighted during a recent pitching session with UK investors
1. Clarity of thought: Clearly articulate the core business idea focussing on what it aims to achieve. During the organic growth of the business, there is a tendency for the idea to expand and diversify which the entrepreneur feels compelled to cater to. However, it is essential to regularly re-focus to develop a growth strategy that is clearly in line with what the business had essentially set out to achieve.
2. Market knowledge: Clear understanding of the target customer and size of market the business is catering to. Does the market already exist or are you creating a market for your product or service? Is it a niche or mass market? If it exists, concentrate on one or two markets at a time while expanding your business. Know your competition well and their market share. The organic growth of your business can be the most sustainable option.
3. Team: Investors are always sceptical about one-man / woman businesses which are how most creative businesses are structured in the initial years. Build a team based on individual competencies which match with role requirements within the organisation’s structure. Clarity about roles and responsibilities, one’s ability to delegate is essential for smooth operation especially when you’re thinking about scaling up.
4. Building your brand & positioning it: Identify the core strength of your business and continuously reinstate that amongst your customers. Your existing customer base is crucial to your growth as word of mouth promotion is the most basic way to build your brand. Be clear about where you are now and where you would want your brand to be going forward. Collaborate with bigger brands to position yourself amongst the bigger players. Network and nurture relationships with those who will be your natural brand ambassadors.
5. Valuation of your business: Move away from only focussing on the qualitative analysis and success of your business. Focus on numbers and financials instead. This is essential as it will determine how much money you can ask for. Conversely it will portray the strength of your ability to get high enough return on investment for the investor.
For creative businesses, VC and private equity should not always be seen as the only source of investment as the rate of return is the highest when dealing with them. Please understand that they are business people who but naturally want to make the most of their investment. Government grants & schemes, banks, philanthropic institutions and foundations, corporate houses, family run businesses, and the quintessential ‘family, friends & fools’ are suitable options too. In each case, you will need to define a ‘hook’ and pitch your idea differently. If you’re profitable, plough that money back into your business and you may not need to look for outside investment. If you’re still keen to work with a VC, it might help to get them to mentor you instead. It is a good way for making them understand your business and see its growth. Their understanding of your capabilities & strength as an entrepreneur also helps to build a level of confidence & trust that is mutual. In future the same mentor can become your potential investor!
Publishing Next: Day One, Session 1 September 16, 2011
Posted by dcfrombc in English for Progress, General, Young Creative Entrepreneur.add a comment
The conference kicked off with a stimulating panel on “Where Are Digital Books Headed?”, chaired by Jaya Bhattacharji Rose and Radhika Menon (Tulika Books), Pratibha Sastry (JiniBooks and JiniLabs), James Birdle (Bookkake, London Lit Plus) and Kailash Balani (Aditya Books, Balani Infotech).
Radhika Menon shared a fascinating presentation on how Tulika has colloborated with several partners to create content and provide techn0logy solutions to bring books closer to children in a socially meaningful way. “Just clickability is not enough”, she said. Was really taken by the multilingual dimension of Tulika’s work.
Pratibha spoke about her own varied experience in the entertainment industry and mentioned the runaway success of Amanda Hopkins in retailing her own e-books. Kailash Balani mentioned MHRD’s plan to provide e-books to over 20,000 colleges in India, while James Bridle compared the UK and US e-book markets through the contrasting rise to fortune of Amazon’s Kindle in the UK and Barnes and Noble’s Nook in the US.
Was really struck by James’ passion for the idea of the book and the parallel he drew between the identity and wonership issues about e-books and real books.
Posted by Debanjan Chakrabarti.
Real pity
It’s always good (and green) in Goa: PublishingNext Conference September 16, 2011
Posted by dcfrombc in English for Progress, Young Creative Entrepreneur.add a comment
You have got to give it to Goa. This is my first trip to this slender slice of heaven-on-earth in the monsoons. With Goa, one expects a lot of green and blue all the year round. But it really is difficult to imagine how incredibly lush and green Goa is during the rains. I am here to attend the PublishingNext conference organised by Leonard Fernandes of Cinnamon Teal, the winner of British Council’s IYCE award for publishing last year.
The genial Leonard and his team were there to meet and greet every delegate and speaker at Dabolim airport as we arrived in dribs and drabs yesterday. As some of us made our way to our hotel in Goa’s capital city, Panjim, we watched in awe the various vibrant shades of green loom in and zoom past our speeding bus on either sides of the grey road. And the sea sparkled and shimmered not too far away.
My colleague Rwituja and I ambled around our hotel in the evening. There is an inexplicable mix of the old and the new in the capital, best reflected perhaps in its architecture – elegant old colonial buildings crumbling away, gradually being replaced by a style that can only be described as hideous modernism.
Am here to learn more about what the future holds for publishing in the brave old digital world. I am particularly keen to explore what avenues British Council might explore with our English Interface work that looks at (among other things) commissioning and disseminating action research on ELT from across the globe.
The conference aims to address the following:
- Where are Digital Books headed?
- The Impact of Alternate Publishing
- Book Marketing in the Age of Social Media
- Publishing Houses of the Future
- Copyright Issues and IP
- Managing the Translation Market
The programme for the day looks exciting. More anon.
PS: And it’s good to be in Goa in any season for one other reason. A bottle of Tuborg beer costs Rs 25, a bottle of water Rs 20. What do you suppose I am having to slake my thirst?
Posted by Debanjan Chakrabarti, Head English Interface, British Council India
I’m now a thoroughly converted Active Citizen September 8, 2011
Posted by shonaliganguli in General.add a comment
Prashant Singh of Ulfah Arts, Birmingham, one of our participants at the Active Citizens Workshop held recently in Mumbai writes:
Some say that variety is the spice of life and I couldn’t agree more after attending the five-day Active Citizens Facilitators Training held at Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, India, from 23rd July to 29th July 2011. I have been active in the international development scene for quiet a while now and I was expecting another useful but bog standard training event which will not only give me skills in becoming a better workshop facilitator, but will also help me become a part of the world-wide Active citizens community. I couldn’t have been far from the truth! The five days i spent at TISS helped me to not only formulate a better way of working in the third sector but it also gave my belief in the importance of social work a new lease of life. The people, the stories and the real-life examples of social empowerment were only the tip of the iceberg, and before i knew I was surrounded by pioneers of south Asian social sector, rich conversations developing real projects, strong opinions challenging anything which went against the benefit of the masses, and real people who don’t just do social work, they live it!
Actors, Directors, literacy workers, respected academics, forum theatre practitioners – almost everyone in the group had a unique skill set which complimented the needs of the group and i can only credit that to the amazing work by a well organised British Council team. Each and everyone invited by BC absolutely deserved to be there and as if like cogs of a wheel each one of us was important to the five day training in some way or the other! The two facilitators – Mike and Dan did an amazing job at bringing the group together as one cohesive force and seek real solutions to the social problems around us. It was their exercises; energizers and team activities, which really help us, nurture hive thinking. By the end of the training almost everyone had a full idea of what they want to do with the training and how the relationships we had formed during the five days in Mumbai could help each other achieve development goals .
I’m now a thoroughly converted Active citizen and I’m looking forward to training a further 30 in Birmingham, UK. It was a really good experience, one people might call ‘life affirming’ and I look forward to developing social empowerment projects in India, Pakistan,BangladeshandSri Lankawith the help of my new-found NGO family!
Well done to the entire BC team behind the Active citizens project, you guys are accumulating some decent karma, keep it up! “
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British Council India
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