24TH GENERAL COMMITTEE

Start Date:2009-10-23  End Date: 2009-10-26

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24^TH GENERAL COMMITTEE

 

The Student Christian Movement of India held its 24^th General Committee from 23^rd to 26^th October 2009 at Don Bosco Animation Centre, Goa and discussed on the theme “Climate Change and Students’ Response”. There were around 60 participants from all over the country comprising of the students, senior friends and SCMI staff.

 

The meeting started with a documentary show titled “An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore, the former Vice President of USA. In this film, Al Gore talks about the truth on global warming, causes and facts, climate change and human responsibility. This film opened the discussion of the theme for three days. This was followed by a keynote address from His Grace Mar Coorilos, the Bishop of Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church who gave brief details on the pressure on our mother earth that causes climate change. He claimed that climate change has ethical moral issues as it effects the poor the marginalised the most. Climate justice is very much related to social justice.

 

Session like “Climate Change: Scientific Analysis” was led by Dr. Joe D’Souza. He highlighted the natural change of climate at different stages of time and also showed how this change has been accelerated in the last half century. Social impact of Climate Change was led by Fr. Reggie and Sabnis Pravin. They encouraged the participants to walk the talk. Climate Change and the impact on the poor and marginalised was led by K. P. Sasi. He presented the impact of climate change on the marginalised population of India by giving the first hand experience he got by visiting the fisher folk communities in the coastal areas. Our Response to Climate Change was led by Ms. Christina who insisted what everyone can do. All these sessions were followed by group discussions and was shared with all.

 

Bible studies were led by Rev. Dr. Vinita Eusebius and Dr. A. J. Anandan. Dr. Vinita based her study on Water. She brought out all the relevant illustrations to show how there has been a change in the level of water availability for people to drink and use. She used the reference from Genesis 21: 14-16. Dr. Anandan took the bible study from the story of Timothy basing on 1 Tim. 4:11-12. He says that the best book that talks about climate change is the Bible. Climate change was experienced during the great flood in the time of Noah. But God saved the species and the disaster was invited by man through building the tower of Babel. Climate change is also like Titanic, many of the poor people in lower deck sank.

 

Cultural presentation was organised on the evening of second day which saw the colours of India. The meeting also had a business session where the reports of the General Secretary, Study Secretaries and the Programme Secretaries of the biennium were read out. This was followed by the selection of the Executive Committee and the appointment of the new set of Office Bearers for the next biennium was held. The meeting also came out with a statement at the end and followed by the installation service of the new office bearers.

 

Tokato K Yeptho

Study Secretary, Communication Desk