VOL 2 / NO 3 January 2004 www.worldbank.org.in News & Views Quarterly
the World Bank in India
Young artists draw a caring world for their future
ive young people a blank canvas and chances are, the vision that emerges will be pretty close to Gthe World Bank’s own development vision of a better world for all.
Almost 4,000 young school students in India came together in Kaleidoscope 2003, a painting competition sponsored by one of India’s largest English-language newspapers and the World Bank.
They were asked to express themselves under one of a few titles – Nature and I; A Dialogue in Color; The India of my Dreams; A Postcard from India; and, Knowledge is Freedom. Their colorful world reflects the honesty, hope
CONTENTS 1 Young artists 3 India Development Marketplace 4 Events and Launches 6 Fostering Dialogue on Development 8 Forthcoming Events 8 Recent Project Approvals 9 New Additions to the Public Information Center 16 Contact Information the 2 World Bank in India News & Views Quarterly
and yearning ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ One young scholar, Bhoomika Gupta of of young Vidyashram School, Jaipur, painted a message on hearts. The his work, loud and clear: “Let’s take a pledge to best of these put off this fire of corruption through the water will be of knowledge”. Others let the colors do the captured in talking. And that’s indeed what they did with a the 2004 India wide display of creativity. And of insight and
Painting by Sonal Gupta of class VII B, World Bank passion as Carter said. You don’t have to be a City Montessory School, Indira Nagar Calendar. development specialist to care about the social ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ evils of illiteracy, of deforestation, increasing The painting event itself, in three state capitals, population, pollution, poverty, dowry and the was a celebration. More than 1200 students from young artists tackled these and more. Some schools all over Delhi gathered on the India Gate visualized India’s future in sleek high rise buildings lawns to participate in this annual competition and flyovers. Others acknowledged recent peace organized by the Hindustan Times Schools’ efforts between India and Pakistan in their Program - Partnership for Action in Education and paintings. held this year in association with the World Bank. The Bank leapt at the opportunity of this In their own words, to quote a few young voices: partnership as a moment to engage the youth of “I think that there is a dire need for all of us to India, the leaders of tomorrow, and to encourage contribute towards the country’s development by them to think about the future of their country in getting rid of evils like poverty, poor supply of their own hands. electricity, and bad roads. Through my postcard, I’ve tried to portray the unity in diversity of our The bright sunny winter morning at India Gate country,” said Garima Jaju, age 11, Class 6, Birla with fanfare, speeches, bands and balloons was Vidya Niketan School. an inspiration to the students. The monument itself, built in 1931 in memory of 90,000 Indian “I love my country and I’ve made use of the soldiers killed during the First World War and religious symbols to portray the communal commemorating the deaths in the North-West harmony in my painting,” said Gaurav Goswami , Frontier and the third Afghan War, has become a age 13, Class 9, Tagore Public School, New Delhi. memorial to the unknown soldier and events organized on its lawns draw considerable public “I have touched upon the progressive aspects of attention. my country and how it is improving by the day. I have tried to set is as a role model for the whole “This event has served as a perfect platform for world to follow, a nation that the rest of the students to pause for a moment, reflect and then countries can look up to,” said Rajiv Bhati, age express their feelings on important issues,” said 14, Class 9, Maharishi Dayanand School, New Michael Carter, World Bank Country Director for Delhi. India. “It is just incredible to see how thoughtful and insightful their view can be.” A selection of the winning entries were exhibited at the World Bank New Delhi office to coincide Similar competitions were held in the capitals of with the prize giving ceremony on December 11, Punjab (Chandigarh), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) 2003. and Rajasthan (Jaipur). Around 50 schools and 1000 students from Chandigarh and surrounding The artists in action at India Gate, New Delhi. towns gathered in the picturesque surroundings of the Rock Garden to apply their talent. In Lucknow, more than 600 students gathered at the St. Francis College – with a panel of eminent judges consisting of the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, a former principal of Arts College, Lucknow and an artist and teacher in applied arts. The Principal of St. Francis’ College, Vincent Nazareth, felt that this was a wonderful opportunity for the children to reflect on their vision of the future India. the 3 World Bank in India News & Views Quarterly
World Bank India hosts Country-level Development Marketplace
he New Delhi office of the World Bank, in partnership with DFID and FICCI and with support from ASSOCHAM, will be Thosting, for the first time in the country, an India Country-level Development Marketplace (IDM) on April 15, 2004. The Theme for the event is: Improve Rural Services - Access and Quality.
“Governments and citizens can work together to ensure that key services do not fail people – in access, in quantity and in quality. The main difference between success and failure is the degree to which people themselves are involved in determining the quality and the quantity of the services which they receive. Through this competition we hope that we will see the most innovative ideas on how the people of India feel they can improve the access and quality of rural services in the country,” said Michael Carter, Country Director India, World Bank.
The Country-level Development Marketplace is an innovative program being sponsored by the World Bank to support non-governmental actors in the development world in finding creative approaches to address development issues. The Country-level Development Marketplace concept evolved from the Global Development Marketplace, a World Bank initiative to promote innovative development ideas through a competitive process for seed funding (IDM 2003 had 8 winning enteries from India). IDM is the first such country specific initiative in India.
The main objective of the IDM is to bring together social innovators from all over the country to compete for funding and to share their knowledge and experience on how to improve the delivery of services in rural areas, particularly, the delivery of essential rural services such as rural water supply and sanitation, rural roads, rural education, rural health, rural electricity, and rural finance. The India Development Marketplace has two main components: an Innovation Competition and a Knowledge Forum. The Competition will be held in the World Bank Office, New Delhi on April 15, 2004 and the Knowledge Forum will be held at FICCI on April 14, 2004.
The IDM competition is open to: NGOs, community-based organizations, foundations, academic institutions, civic organizations and the private sector in partnership with registered NGOs, foundations, associations and other development organizations. Those interested in participating need to submit their proposals, based on the theme, on a prescribed format. Proposal outline forms are available in English on the World Bank website at www.worldbank.org.in and on the three local language websites as well. For further details, please contact Geetanjali Chopra ([email protected]). the 4 World Bank in India News & Views Quarterly
Events and Launches