New Delhi: Connecting Dreams Foundation, in association with Ashoka Innovators for the Public, organised a five-day National Meet for Rural Youth Changemakers 2023. Over 120 young changemakers from 55 villages, from 29 districts, spread across 11 States of India, participated in this unique meet where they discussed the initiatives aimed at enhancing various aspects of improving the quality of life at their respective villages. The National Meet was held at Gandhi Darshan, New Delhi.
The National Meet brought together the young changemakers aged 13-20 years, to address the issues that their respective villages are facing and deliberate on solutions that can be implemented in the villages, with guidance from the experiences of sector experts, rural activists, and their peers. This can create rural transformation in the nation while preserving Mahatma Gandhi’s Swarajya Philosophy. The meet provided a platform for the changemakers to showcase their learnings, meet new people and incorporate the skills and knowledge for their initiatives in their villages.
The event was attended by the noted Gandhian – Dr. Ratnam Chitturi, Founder of North South Foundation, and Swayamkrishi Endowment, and by Shri. Yashveer Singh, Co-founder and Global Director of Ashoka Young Changemakers. This event was also graced by the presence of Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).
National Meet for Rural Youth Changemakers 2023 also saw the presence of other dignitaries like Hemant Sharma – Digantar, Jaipur, Rajasthan, Uday Shankar – CEO, Vishwa Yuvak Kendra New Delhi, Sujata Chaturvedi (IAS), Secretary, Sports Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt of India, Pankaj Mall, Astittva Welfare Foundation, New Delhi, Anand Kumar- Vishwa Yuvak Kendra New Delhi, Himanshu Patel – Sarpanch, Punsari, Ahmedabad, Ritesh Tiwari – Tinka Samajik Sanstha, Harda, Madhya Pradesh, Vikas Jha – Founder, Sehgal Foundation attended the event and encouraged our young changemakers to be the change for the society.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Ratnam Chitturi emphasised the importance of making villages self-sustainable and self-sufficient. He complimented the participants on their energy and enthusiastic participation at the event. He urged the young changemakers to channel their enthusiasm and energy toward doing good for the country because they are the custodians of the future.
Thanking the participants and the dignitaries at the National Meet, Dr. Amit Tuteja, Founder, Connecting Dreams Foundation, said, “It is great to see these youngsters coming here and attending the meet for the welfare of their respective villages. If our rural part of the country is developed, so is our nation, and these youngsters stepping forward and taking the step to develop their society is appreciable. We develop changemakers through a systematic entrepreneurial model who in turn, with the assistance of domain experts, address community-based SDG challenges through long-term solutions. I thank all our dignitaries who attended the meet and encouraged our youngsters in this good deed. Also, I thank these amazing youngsters who took part in this national meet to discuss the issues that their villages are facing and coming up with solutions for the same.”
Connecting Dreams Foundation was supported by Civil 20 India and Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini in organising the National Meet.
