The inaugural session of the 53rd Knit India of Universal Solidarity Movement (USM) Indore started on 28th December with a clarion call by the keynote speaker Mrs. Lavina D’Souza to respect all faiths. “As USM members, let us never forget the most important religion which is the religion of humanity. The beauty of USM is we welcome everyone and we respect everyone’s faith. Let us not forget to practice human religion”, she appealed to the participants of Knit India 2020. Mrs. Lavina D’Souza spoke from the USA on the zoom. She has been associated with USM for the last 21 years.
While addressing more than 370 participants (students, teachers and principals from different parts of India and friends of USM), she shared with them how USM transformed her to become a person of integrity, compassion and respect for all. In her half an hour address, she shared with the participants the core values she learned from USM and how she has been practising them during the last 21 years. “I learned that every religion taught good things. Every religion teaches us to be better human beings and live a life of discipline, character and honesty”, she told the participants.
Based on her experience she told the young people to avoid shortcuts in life and adopt hard work and emphasized that hard work with honesty and integrity is the sure means to success. “Integrity is what you do when no one is watching you; the most important thing is what our actions are when no one is watching us”, she said.
Rotarian Pradeep Wagh, the chief guest of the inaugural session, in his address said that the leadership training in USM is helping the students to develop their co-relation skill, intellectual capacity, communication and thinking skills. He concluded his speech asking the participants to maximize the God within them or maximizing the soul strength.
Journalist Sylvester Lobo from Bombay shared with the participants his experience of amazing hospitality in USM, especially the whole USM team at the gate for welcoming the guests and saying goodbye when the guests leave USM. He said that he could see and experience in USM what Fr. Varghese has written in his latest book, “Spirituality of Hospitality”.
Knit India is an annual event organized by the Indore based USM from December 28 to 31. Students, teachers, principals from different schools of India participate in the four day live together and experience the beauty and richness of unity in diversity. The four- day event consists of motivational talks by persons who have made a difference, sharing by students, teachers and alumni of different schools how USM and its values influenced their lives and cultural programmes by the students of different schools.
Because of Covid 19, Knit India 2020 is organized virtually on the zoom. Students, teachers and principals from 21 schools from different states of India are participating in Knit India 2020. Every day there will be two sessions: 10 am to 12.30 pm and 5.00 to 7. 30 pm. On 30th December, 9 students from 9 schools will be honoured with the honesty award by Honesty Foundation Goa in collaboration with USM. Knit India 2020 will be concluded on 31st December with the presentation of a comprehensive report and distribution certificates to the participants: Report prepared by Bincy George.
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