Towards building communal harmony

Now it was time for kids to raise their voice against corruption and terrorism and express their love for the motherland.

More than 12,000 school children gathered at Gandhi Darshan near Raj Ghat, carrying patriotic graffiti and posters on the occasion of Pledge Festival that was organised by Build India Group (BIG) in collaboration with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti.

The programme was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter and Gandhi Smriti and Dashan Smriti vice chairperson Tara Gandhi Banerjee. “The pledge festival is celebrated across the country on the third Saturday of January every year when students, members of civil society and people associated with the organisation affirm their love and loyalty to the country by saying a pledge in their respective mother tongues,” BIG president Biraja Mahapatra said.

BIG is a Delhi-based national civil society that organises the Pledge Festival as a means of promoting good citizenry in the country. Over a period of four years, the group has organised events at Hindi Bhawan, Constitution Club, Indian International Centre, Indian Habitat Centre, Mavalankar Auditorium, Russian Cultural Centre and Sathya Sai International Centre in Delhi.

Through Pledge Festival, professionals like lawyers, doctors, teachers, students, members of civil societies and conscious citizens put on badges (tricolours or white ribbons), take a lead in reciting the pledge of allegiance and organise programmes across the country.  Various schools like Apeejay, Sheikh Sarai, P G DAV, Model Town, M B DAV, Yusuf Sarai, Sun Valley International, Vaishali and City Prince Public School, Khichripur participated in the event.

The festival also involved various religious institutions with an aim to create a sense of patriotism and communal harmony through religion. Manisha Tiwari, student, Apeejay School says, “I am delighted to be a part of this programme and I made seven posters for the event. I hope every one liked my posters. I will take part in this programme next year too.”