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The International Academy of Ethics (IAE) celebrated its Foundation Day with a star-studded function featuring literary figures to discuss the moral decline and counter it for the betterment of society, reports Dr Molly – for Different Truths, a media partner of the IAE.
The International Academy of Ethics celebrated its Foundation Day on 4th June 2023. The inaugural function was attended by 60 international scholars from 20 countries, including stalwarts of world literature from across the globe like Dr Maja Herman Sekulic, Vice-President, Dr Basudeb Chakraborti, Dr Harish Narang, Dr Rawle James [Canada], Himmat Singh, IPS, Chief Advisor, Dr Swaraj Raj, Dr Kulbhushan Razdan, Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal, Arindam Roy, Bhagirath Choudhary, Raj Babu Gandham and Dr Lalit Mohan Sharma, Vinod Khanna, and Balachandran Nair. The literary luminaries discussed various issues of moral decline and grappled with ideas on how it can be countered and a healthy society could be brought into being.
Prof Randhir Gautam, the coordinator, initiated the proceedings. Dr Parneet Jaggi, the convener, welcomed the global audience, followed by a detailed workout by Dr Molly Joseph, the chief coordinator. She highlighted how we grow ‘soulful’ as writers, leaders, and movers by our right interventions to check our civilisational crisis, and she instilled hope saying humanity has been able to surmount it every time with our resilience.
Dr Jernail S. Anand … called upon the authors, poets, and scholars to come out of intellectual hibernation…
Dr Jernail S. Anand, the Founder and President of the Academy, called upon the authors, poets, and scholars to come out of intellectual hibernation and initiate ‘Operation E for Ethics’ so that the monsterisation of society could be effectively checked.
Vice President Maja Herman discussed how the new world Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses challenges to creativity and needs to be harnessed sensibly on ethical grounds, how children fall easy prey to wrong notions of hero building through the influence of the internet and media, which goads them to activities of violence and criminality. The zest of a genuine humanist was palpable in her speech, and she inspired all to share her dream with Dr Anand in prospects of floating Ethical Universities in brick and mortar in different countries around the globe.
The keynote speech by Rawle James, a humble human being as he calls himself, now spearheading Inspired Poetry Corner from Canada, was a real trailblazer. Presenting his powerful poem as a starter, he spoke from heart to heart, stressing how ethics emanate from inside, how we need to 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 onto practical planes of execution. He spoke of hitting upon a balanced approach between the confronting realities telling apt stories that turned right food for thought.
Dr Swaraj Raj… juxtaposed the ground realities in the academic and writing fields.
Dr Swaraj Raj, a spirited scholar from northern India, juxtaposed the ground realities in the academic and writing fields. How unethically the content and style of writing precipitate a decadent culture built on sex and sensation, and how resistance is treated derisively. The speech well exposed the problems of literature and ethics. Dr Swaraj raised pertinent questions to the audience to seek out answers.
Dr Basudev Chakraborti, with his erudition well, traced the trajectory of ethics through the ages in history to highlight how ethical notions change with 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 known for her exactitude and precision of words and thought.
She brought father figures of world literature to the podium, like Dr Harish Narang, whose short takes will be remembered for their forthright honesty. He talked about the increasing demoralisation of society. He lamented the oblivion of all the old systems of ethicalisation of human behaviour, which started with family and school and has taken its wing now.
Arindam Roy… dwelt on the ethical issues concerning the media in these testing times and influenced mindsets.
Arindam Roy, a seasoned media personality, dwelt on the ethical issues concerning the media in these testing times and influenced mindsets. His paper on Ethics and Media is an invaluable asset to the Academy, available in its blog. Many seasoned academics like Dr Lalit Mohan Sharma spoke from firsthand experiences, his anguish in recruiting capable teachers as exponents of need-based ethical emissaries. He said how our average young teacher who comes for recruitment needs to gain even essential awareness of history and contemporaneity. They turn into automatons of a consumerist culture. Dr Nizar Sartawi from Jordan pitched in, emphasising that poetry and literature can fight the bulging evil of immorality in the upcoming world.
Dr Claudia Piccino from Italy and Dr Gianluigui Segalerba from Genoa was followed by Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal, India, who discussed how ethics should become a part of a teacher’s 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 the family as the sheet-anchor of ethical values followed by US-based poet and scholar Sh. Tariq Muhammad. Prof. Mandakini Bhattacherya ably anchored the second part of the programme.
More than 60 scholars from India and countries like China, Singapore, Serbia, the UK, Italy, Canada, the US, Argentina, Greece, Egypt, etc., were at the Zoom meeting…
More than 60 scholars from India and countries like China, Singapore, Serbia, the UK, Italy, Canada, the US, Argentina, Greece, Egypt, etc., were at the Zoom meeting, which lasted for three and a half hours. The inaugural function also threw many challenges to the authors and society. A letter to schools and Universities was also released by the Academy authorities, which appealed to the teachers and administrators to participate enormously in ‘Operation E for Ethics’, giving a new ethical alphabet for growing up students.
Prof (Dr) Parneet Jaggi, convener and host, proposed a vote of thanks. Talking about the programme’s success, Dr Anand thanked the tremendous literary stalwarts whose presence and views made the event a bulwark of emotional transformation that our society sorely needs.
Visuals by IAE
