INAUGURAL SESSION GRAND FORMAL LAUNCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ETHICS
The International Academy of Ethics celebrated its Foundation Day on 4th June, 2023.
The inaugural function was attended by stalwarts of the world literature from across the globe like Dr. Maja Herman Sekulic, Vice-President, Dr. Basudeb Chakraborti, Dr. Harish Narang, Dr Rawle James [Canada] , Sh. Himmat Singh, IPS, Chief Advisor, Dr. Swaraj Raj, Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal, Sh. Bhagirath Choudhary, Raj Babu Gandham and Dr. Lalit Mohan Sharma.
The literary luminaries discussed various issues of moral decline, and grappled with the ideas how it can be countered and a healthy society could be brought into being.
Prof. Randhir Gautam, Co-ordinator, initiated the proceedings. Dr. Parneet Jaggi, Convener, welcomed the global audience, followed by a detailed workout by Dr. Molly Joseph, Chief Coordinator. She highlighted how we grow ‘soulful’ as writers, leaders and movers by our right interventions to check our civilizational crisis and she instilled hope saying mankind has been able to surmount it every time with our resilience.
Dr. Jernail S. Anand, the Founder President of the Academy, called upon the authors, poets, scholars, to come out of intellectual hibernation and initiate Operation E for Ethics, so that the monsterization of society could be checked.
The Vice President Maja Herman discussed how the new World Artificial Intelligence poses challenges to creativity, and need be harnessed sensibly on ethical grounds, how children fall easy prey to wrong notions of hero building through influence of internet and media which goads them to activities of violence and criminality. The zest a of a genuine humanist was palpable in her speech and she inspired all sharing her dream along with Dr Jernail Singh’s, in future prospects of floating Ethical Universities in Brick and Mortar in different countries of the Globe.
The key note speech by Rawle James, the humble, human being as he calls himself, now spearheading Inspired Poetry Corner from Canada, was a real trail blazer. Presenting his powerful poem as a starter, he spoke from the heart to heart, stressing how ethics emanates from inside, how we need be inclusive, not dogmatic looking at the flip side of things, trying to understand tolerate, giving space. That sense is to be instilled galvanising our Academy’s efforts on to practical planes of execution. He spoke of hitting up on a balanced approach between the confronting realities telling apt stories that turned right food for thought.
Dr Swaraj Raj, a spirited scholar from northern India, juxtaposed the ground realities, in academic field, in the field of writing. How unethically the content, style of writing just precipitate a decadent culture built on sex and sensation, how resistance is treated derisively. The speech well exposed the problematics of literature and ethics. Dr. Swaraj raised pertinent questions to the audience to seek out answers.
Dr. Badudev Chakraborti, with his erudition well traced the trajectory of Ethics through ages in history to highlight how ethical notions change with the time. Hence the need to warp out something in consonance with the times.
The second lap of the event was hosted by Dr Mandakini Bhattacherya, a Kolkata based scholar who is known for her exactitude and precision of words and thought.
She brought to the podium father-figures of world literature like Dr. Harish Narang, whose short takes will be remembered for their forthright honesty. He talked about the increasing demoralization of society and lamented the going into oblivion of all the old systems of ethicalization of human behaviour which started with the family and the school and which has taken wing now.
Arindam Roy, a seasoned media personality, dwelt on the ethical issues concerning the media in these testing times, which influences mindsets. His paper on Ethics and Media is a valuable asset of the Academy available in its blog. Many seasoned academics like Dr. Lalit Mohan Sharma spoke from personal experiences, his anguish in recruiting capable teachers as exponents of need based ethical emissaries. He spoke how our average young teacher who comes for recruitment lacks even basic awareness of history, and the contemporaneity. They just turn automatons of a consumerist culture. Dr. Nizar Sartawi from Jordan pitched in with his emphasis that poetry and literature can fight the bulging evil of immorality in the upcoming world.
Dr. Claudia Piccino from Italy, Dr. Gianluigui Segalerba from Genoa, were followed by Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal, India, who dwelt at length how ethics should become a part of a teachers life. He asserted that it is all because the teacher has lost his missionary zeal that so much corruption has crept into the system. Sh. Vinod Khanna, from Chandigarh, also talked of family as the sheet-anchor of ethical values followed by US based poet and scholar, Sh. Tariq Muhammad. The second part of the programme was ably anchored by Prof. Mandakini Bhattacherya
More than 60 scholars from India and countries, like China, Singapore, Serbia, UK, Italy, Canada, US, Argentina, Greece, Egypt, etc. were present at the zoom meeting, which lasted for three and a half hours. The inaugural function threw many challenges to the authors and to the society as well. A letter to schools and Universities was also released by the Academy authorities, which appealed to the teachers and administrators to participate enormously in the OPERATION E FOR ETHICS, giving a new ETHICAL ALPHABET for the growing up students.
Vote of thanks was proposed by Professor Dr. Parneet Jaggi, Convener and host. Dr. Anand, talking about the success of the programme, thanked the great literary stalwarts whose presence and views made the event a bulwark of emotional transformation which our society sorely needs at this juncture.
Dr. Molly Joseph Chief Coordinator
