Across two continents

exchange programme Priyanjali Ghose writes about an interaction programme between Sweden and India

For the first time, the Inter Cultural Dialogue and Exchange (ICDE) is conducting the Sweden World Youth Exchange programme, an educational and development program to “educate the young people to be aware of the world and the need of its inhabitants”,   ICDE said in its statement. The programme began on April 17 and will continue till the end of June. Various non-governmental organisations all over the city working with ICDE are hosting activities like visiting different parts of Karnataka, holding discussions and arranging social projects on which the participants can work upon.
Under the six-month exchange programme, first the Swedish participants will visit India for three months and in the following three months the Indian partakers will visit Sweden.
“Our foci are the day-to-day lifestyles, dress codes, behaviour patterns of both rural and urban India,” said Robinson Doss, Chairman of ICDE. “The aim is to create an unbiased opinion of the Indian culture.”

Rural social workers

He added that Indian participants are social workers within the age of 18 to 26 from economically weaker backgrounds from all over southern India. They have previously been part of various social projects undertaken by ICDE, which is a registered society recognised and approved by the Ministry of External Affairs, Home affairs and Youth Affairs and Sports. It  conducts inter-cultural learning programs all across the globe.
Those taking part in the Swedish exchange programme do not need any particular educational qualification except a “little” knowledge of English to fill up the forms. ICDE sponsors the participants with the aid of all other NGOs and even private firms who have been associated with ICDE for a long time.

Building confidence

“What the students bring back to the project percolates in their village, society as they share this information,” said Doss. “Many people get over their inferiority complex, become responsible and influence others’ lives.”
The participants will spend three months each in India and Sweden. After the orientation programme the participants, according to their preferences, are divided into teams each having one Swedish and one Indian member. The partners are supposed to stay together and participate in all the events together.
“Through such programs people will be exposed to different cultures and they will feel a sense of togetherness,” said Doss. He added that each team has to spend  weekends with an Indian family to get a “feel of the life of an Indian urban family”.
Every Friday, as a part of “conflict resolution” each team has to speak on a particular topic related to various social and cultural issues nutrition, child health, and primary education. They have to arrange speakers for the event and address the gathering. At the end of the week the team has to present a report on the topic they have chosen.
Ravinder Singh, the Executive Director and the National Correspondent of ICDE said that the coordinators are especially trained for moderating cultural exchange programmes and have been a part of ICDE for the last 20 to 30 years. The coordinators will also address various issues like cultural shocks and homesickness that the foreign participants are likely to face. He added that such programmes enhance the youth cultural points of view and teach them the importance of their own country.

Increases love for India

“Programmes like this are extremely necessary to teach the importance of Indian values and realise that life abroad is not a bed of roses,” said Singh.
Shashikala Mariswami, a coordinator of the Swedish program who had participated in an exchange program conducted by ICDE in Italy in January 2008 echoed the same thought.
“The participant’s knowledge of India and other counties has improved,” said Shashikala. “After such programs they see different cultures with a difference and it helps them to communicate better.”