"I did not know that India is so much like Pakistan."
"I did not know that Pakistan is so much like India."
"This looks like cream in a bun, but it's a very important dish in Sweden."
"This is a kurta. It's like a long T shirt that is worn with a pyjama or trousers."
"In my country, the New Year Day, when everyone is happy and celebrating, is the biggest festival."
"In my country, we greet each other by saying 'May good things happen to you.' "
I am from Pakistan, and I am going to talk about food in Indonesia.
I stayed up till midnight to check if I had been selected. I was so keen on getting into this program.
The proverb in my land says, "The sun, the moon, and the truth, cannot be concealed for long."
- These were some of the things we heard as the International Cultural Exchange came to an end.
And one of the jury members said,
"I did not get a chance to do this during my childhood. But you have. Cherish these friends from all over the world. If possible, visit them one day. You will love it."
Over 50 children - from Philippines to Argentina, from Nigeria to Sweden, came together to understand each other's cultures through interaction. They shared details about their food, clothes, festivals, proverbs, and other small things that define culture.
The presentations over the last eight weeks were phenomenal, to say the least. But if they'd set a high bar, today's creative presentations raised it even further.
One team took a food item - bread, and presented it as a starter, main course, and dessert in their own cultures. They all made that food item today! Another team dressed up in their traditional finery and after a greeting in their language, they spoke about their traditional dresses, and shared a proverb from their language. A third team made games about fun facts, monuments, food, and festivals of all their countries. The winning team had team members talk about each other's food.
All through this, their mentors - who were masters students themselves, nudged, guided, pushed, and then beamed with pride as team after team completed its stupendous performance.
One cannot describe what happens in a room like that. One can only see the sparkle in those eyes and know that these lives have been touched. That we have created a few citizens of the world. Drop in the ocean, but a ripple that might spread, no?
Only an organisation like Rotary could have pulled off something like this. The way Rotarians from all over the world came together to participate, take the message to children in their countries, become SPOCs for these participants, and ensure that the participants overcome issues like access to computers, school clashes, etc. to participate. Nine Weeks of frenzied activity, and as we picked up the phone one last time to congratulate each other, we were, I think, left with a sense of deep void.
The image I have picked is of a Pakistani girl in her traditional attire. Why did I pick this one?
The motifs on the dress and the jewelry worn by her are both Indian and Pakistani.
Culture, like water, seeps through the cracks of our prejudices.
