Care for Our Earth   Interactions for Understanding Sustainable Development    22nd December 2006 Stephen Hawking, the famous astrophysicist asked a question "What can be done to keep life going on earth for more than a hundred years?"  This question received more than 25,000 responses on Yahoo Answers. According to Hawking if humans can avoid killing themselves in the next 100 years, they should have space settlements that can continue without support from Earth.   The Concern Global warming, toxins in the environment, depletion of natural resources, freak weather phenomena are some of the glaring issues which concerns all of us and they have to be addressed. We are not talking of idiosyncratic dooms-day predictions neither can we condone people who feel that the human mind can always find a way out. The need of the hour is to rethink and reassess.   Going beyond examinations Academic learning, as we know it, creates a split between theory and practice. Children study about healthy eating and yet don't think it is necessary to practice it. Children study about the environment, yet don't feel that they have a role in preserving it, in however small a way.   Children need to learn not only what the syllabus demands - but go beyond. They need to be aware of issues concerning the survival of life, on Planet Earth - our only home.   Children are intrinsically more sensitive than many adults. We find that children have an amazing keenness to search, research, write and be creative in action. When exposed to some of the bare facts about the damage being done to the earth, they move from being passive consumerists to active change agents.   What we can do All of us deal with varying degrees of confusion about development, which has given us many tangible comforts as well as mind boggling problems.  Despite the fact that the issue is complex, there are no ready answers. We believe that children need to be in touch with real issues to understand the irreversible damage that indiscriminate development can lead to.   We conserve only what we love. We can truly love only what we experience.  To experience we need to be free.... And let ourselves explore......   .......We invite you to explore There is so much that needs to be done  We need to understand problems afflicting Earth.  We need to look at ways in which individuals and organizations can become aware of these realities; and  We need to invoke commitment to do our bit    Since the task at hand is not just book learning about the environment, we feel we can do our bit by getting children and teachers together on a regular basis and evolve ways of working to care for our earth, actively.   Learning Partnerships The issue at hand is complex and requires whole world participation. Perhaps the first thing we need to do is to network with each other and organizations which are focusing on sustainable development. Hence we are inviting the following organizations to participate in this programme:   "Centre for Environment Education "World Wildlife Fund "TERI "Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS)   We have invited Mr. Romulus Whittaker to interact with children, parents and teachers. We are sure that conservationists like him and many others will be happy to play an inspirational role in endeavours of schools to create consciousness of sustainable development.   Please Participate We invite children and teachers to come and participate in our "Care for the Earth" Interactions. All those who are fired by the topic and wish to participate are welcome. Kindly go through our Programme schedule and let us know the names of children and teachers who would be participating. Kindly fill in the enclosed form and send it to us by 15th of December, 2006.   Programme Schedule and Registration The Programme Schedule and a downloadable Registration Form is attached to enable children and teachers to participate. It can be used for 3-6 students. If there are more students please make additional copies of the registration form. Completed Registration forms can be sent by e-mail to events@prakriyaschool.org.   Transportation to Prakriya Campus We would be providing bus facility from Jayanagar, Koramangala and Indiranagar to help participants reach our school campus. For further information contact A.Santhi Lakshmy on 98803-12181.   We look forward to interacting with students and teachers from your school.