When it comes to demonstrating the power of diversity,
South Africa is no shining light.
We talk about Ubuntu
but limit its application to our in-group!
Surely there is more to be learned at a place like Auroville in Southern
India. Founder Mirra Alfassa: “Auroville wants to be a universal town where
men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive
harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of
Auroville is to realize human unity”.
Only when we welcome and let the ‘other’ in as an equal
neighbour who belongs as much as we do will we harness the richness of
diversity. Hans Christian Andersen’s Ugly Duckling,
referred to by Clarissa Pinkola Estés as “a psychological and spiritual root story ... one that contains a
truth so fundamental to human development that without integration of this
fact, further progression is shaky ...” speaks to this power
of belonging.
In our programmes we use the power of conversation to connect,
explore, discover, understand, build bridges instead of walls, bond, and build
community. To go beyond diversity. To allow belonging to come about.
During the process people discover who they are and who the
‘other’ is. They learn to see from a number of “viewing points”, and to see not the flaws and frailties but the
potential and beauty in the ‘other’. As
7-year old Anna explains: “The diffrense from a person and an angel is easy. Most of an angel
is in the inside and most of a person is on the utside”. When, like Mister God, you measure from the inside of
you, you see that ’Arry (who was Jewish) and Ali (Sikh) are as much loved as
all those who go to church. (Fynn, Mister God this is Anna)
Contact: centserv@iafrica.com
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