PUNE: UDAYAN CARE, a 29-year-old organization dedicated to the holistic development and empowerment of underprivileged children and girls in India, successfully hosted the Celebrating Change Summit 2023 at FLAME University, Pune from June 22nd to 24th.
Renowned Bollywood actor Neha Dhupia graced the event as Chief Guest, joined by esteemed actor and psychiatrist Dr. Mohan Agashe as Guest of Honour. Packed with diverse activities, the summit aimed to engage, educate, and empower the participants.
Under the ‘Udayan Shalini Fellowship’ program that focuses on academic excellence and leadership development for deserving and underprivileged girls at risk of dropping out of formal education, particularly after 10th grade. The flagship event, ‘Celebrating Change,’ takes place every alternate year and gathers selected girls from each chapter for workshops, panel discussions, capacity building, and team activities.
Reflecting on the successful summit, Dr. Kiran Modi, Founder & Managing Trustee of Udayan Care, stated, “The Celebrating Change Summit 2023 has been a remarkable journey of empowerment and inspiration for the underprivileged girls. Witnessing their enthusiasm and dedication to embracing equity and driving positive change fills our hearts with immense pride. We are grateful to all participants, speakers, partners, and volunteers who made this event a resounding success.“
The grand finale of the summit witnessed the girls being divided into 10 groups, with each group assigned a specific topic. Their task was to collaborate and create short plays based on these topics, which were derived from the panel discussions and speaker sessions held over the previous three days. The Shalinis were given a timeframe of 24 hours to prepare these brief 10-minute performances. This activity served a dual purpose: to reinforce the knowledge acquired during the summit and to provide an enjoyable experience for all participants.
Over the past 20 years, the Udayan Shalini Fellowship Program has made a significant impact, starting from supporting only 72 girls in Delhi in 2002 to impacting the lives of nearly 13000 girls, today. The program has expanded to encompass 32 chapters across 13 states of India. This year’s summit united around 200 Shalinis from different chapters across India. The theme of the event was “Embrace Equity & Evolve”.
Day 1 commenced with an inaugural session and an icebreaker activity fostering camaraderie. An art session and learning theatre workshop empowered participants to convey their ideas effectively. A panel discussion on technology’s role in enabling equity offered insights into inclusivity.
Day 2 began with a sports activity, breaking gender stereotypes. A panel discussion on gender sensitization challenged norms, followed by a thought-provoking fireside chat on equity’s significance and the day concluded with a drum circle fostering unity.
Day 3 included a meditation session for well-being and a mental health session on resilience. A speaker session on decision-making skills and a case study on values in decision-making provided practical insights. A session on liberal education empowered participants as change agents.
The Celebrating Change Summit 2023 empowered participants and inspired a more equitable society. UDAYAN CARE extends appreciation to all participants, speakers, partners, and volunteers.
