Absolut Vodka’s rainbow-coloured Outrageous bottle, launched in 2008, celebrating 30 years of marketing to the gay community, won plaudits. Where many brands proclaim themselves queer friendly, the trend peaked. With a substantial amount of Corporate pink-wash likewise, it is difficult to identify the correct intent. All of these concepts merging into “LGBT Marketing” are the new ins.

But marketing is not the frontier. What if I told you that the LGBT theme would emerge as a new brand or category in its own right? Would it surprise you if you saw LGBT as a category along with men, women, and children when shopping through an online app?

The expulsion of Section – 377 and the LGBT movement in India has affected the social system in a positive way. Discrimination, stigma around homosexuality and rejection got a legal boost. But integrating the acceptance of these identities requires a profound change in behavior.

In the midst of social transformation, the movement is gradually mutating into other aspects of our lives as well. Especially areas, which revolve around our ethnicity and culture. Business and society – the two are firmly linked around social exchange. The fit in one would have a chain response in another.

In any case, good to mention that these changes would bring an improvement. As Qantas’ Openly gay CEO Alan Joyce said –

“We have a very diverse environment and a very inclusive culture and these characteristics have gotten us through the tough times. Diversity has generated better strategy, better risk management, better debates and better results.”

Interestingly, here are some sectors that are experiencing gradual changes due to LGBT social acceptance-

· fashion industry – India has notable designers who belong to LGBT. However, previously ridiculed, their fashion sense and taste would emerge as new brands. These brands, ranging from clothing to accessories, would change the way India views fashion from a gender perspective. The terms “Queer Fashion” and “Gender-less Fashion” would find new meaning in the years to come. Such brands are now present in some Western countries Underarmour, Otherwild, Wildfang, Bianca Designs, Peau de Loup, to name a few.

· Education – Unsurprisingly, the LGBT movement, as an extension of gender equality and awareness, would also find a place in school textbooks. It took nearly a decade for CBSE to bring Sex education in the regular school curriculum, after 1994, when India affirmed the SRRs (sexual and reproductive rights) of adolescents and young people in the ICPD five-year review. The fate of LGBT education would find it a bit difficult, however, it would happen.

· Entertainment – Released in 1971, Badnam Basti -India’s first gay film, got less attention and was very obscure. But no one would question the kind of stardom, movies like Straw Daisy (2014), Aligarh (2015), Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) have won. And this list is long.

Likewise, Pragya Pallavi’s album “Queerism” tells us that the music industry is also inclusive. These plays were intended to create awareness and acceptance among viewers. Either way, the future of entertainment has fresh romance, drama, rom-coms, comedy, music videos, albums, and more in its bag.

Beauty and care – American gay celebrity, James Charles Eyeshadow Palette with vivid rainbow shades is a must-have pick for any makeup lover’s vanity. Platforms like Nykaa have chosen LGBT celebrities as role models. A number of LGBT influencers offer unique and original grooming content on social media. Beauty and Grooming is seeing a complete turnaround with these fantastic ideas and products.

marriage industry – With a few names like Bandhan.com, Arranged Gay Marriage, LGBT Matrimony has huge dormant potential. With more and more families accepting these identities, same-sex marriages have grown in popularity. The same could also happen on dating sites, where we have names like Hinge, Bumble, etc.

Five years later, this is what the new Indian market would look like – with a range of businesses, content, ideas, marketing, products and services. And yes, remember, that would make it a better place to live in – an environment that includes all identities and cherishes them with open arms.

Celebrate Pride!

May 6

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4:00 p.m.

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5:00 p.m.

Join us on Friday, May 6, 2022 at 4 p.m. to celebrate the official opening of John R. Lewis College. The event will take place in person, at the Quarry Amphitheater on campus and will feature a line-up of powerhouse speakers and performers.

UC Santa Cruz, with its mission to provide access and opportunity for all, strives to honor the legacy of Representative Lewis through transformatively empowered educational experiences that give our students the tools they need. to change their own lives and the world.

John R. Lewis College is the youngest and one of the most diverse colleges at UC Santa Cruz. Of its approximately 1,500 undergraduate students, more than 60% grew up speaking another language in addition to or instead of English, and more than 30% are first-generation students, the first in their families to attend university. John R. Lewis College is home to a series of robust programs designed to realize its founding themes of social justice and community.

A college in the name of John Lewis is a profound honor and a great responsibility for UC Santa Cruz. Our university community will strive daily to live up to the legacy of Representative Lewis, to answer his call to create a fairer and more equitable society, and to leave the world a better place than we found it. .

John R. Lewis College will seek new avenues to impact social justice while building on a strong foundation. The college curriculum and programs have been designed from the outset to provide learning opportunities, inside and outside the classroom, that enable students to acquire skills, knowledge and a perspective essential to building a more just and equitable world.

The Tosha Brown

We are honored to welcome LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, Black Voters Matter Fund and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute. Resonating strongly with the values ​​and work of John R. Lewis, LaTosha works tirelessly to catalyze voter registration, voter turnout, and political power in often marginalized Black communities. She is an award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, political strategist and jazz singer.

LaTosha has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropy sectors, which she uses to inspire action that promotes political empowerment, social justice, economic development, leadership development and civil rights. She is a nationally recognized voice who speaks truth to power, raises awareness and leads “a deep love for humanity, democracy and justice”.

Terisa Siagatonu

We are thrilled to welcome Terisa Siagatonu, award-winning poet, teaching artist, mental health educator and community leader born and rooted in the Bay Area. Her presence in the poetry world as a queer Samoan woman and activist has given her the ability to perform and speak at venues ranging from the White House (during the Obama administration) to the United Nations Conference on climate change in Paris, France. The most memorable moment of her career was receiving President Obama’s Champion of Change Award in 2012 for her activism as a spoken word poet/organizer in her Pacific Island community. Terisa is an alumnus of John R. Lewis College and wrote her first poem in her dorm at House 6/Angela Davis.

Wisdom Cole

We are delighted to have Wisdom Cole, UCSC alumnus and civil rights advocate and national organizer, who will also speak at the grand opening of John R. Lewis College. As National Director of the NAACP’s Youth and College Division, he strives to train and mobilize youth across the nation in effective local, state, and national organizing tactics and tools to build political power. . Considered one of The complex life 32 Young Activists Changing the World,” Wisdom has been featured on NPR, VICE, NBC Washington News, The Brooking Institute, and The Economist as an advocate for youth electoral participation through the organization of issue-based campaigns.

As a result of the pandemic, many American institutions have been forced to rethink how education is administered online.

At Arizona State University, online learning has coexisted with traditional learning models for nearly 10 years, and at Global Launch, ASU’s English language learning and academic preparation unit, students have been learning online since 2015.

Global launch English teacher Nick Velde interacts with students online.
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In September, Global Launch’s Teach English Now! TESOL Certification Courses surpassed 100,000 online learners for the first time.

“We are honored to see so many people gaining access to our certificate program,” said Dianna Lippincott, Deputy Chief Innovation Officer of Global Launch. “Some learners are starting a new career, while others are already teachers and improving their craft to impact the future of their students. We continually hear remarks that learners thought online learning would be difficult at the beginning, but we find that they enjoy learning in this modality and the community that is built in the courses and supported by social media.

Shane Dixon, lead instructor at Teach English Now!, credits collaborative teaching efforts and engaging content to the success of TEN!

“We had more than a dozen TESOL professionals who were ready to not only teach, but also stage visual stories illustrating the major principles of English as a Second Language (ESL),” Dixon said. “For example, attendees will watch our educators teach reading and writing through the setting of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, as they watch Dorothy, played by global educator Jessica Cinco, encounter different reading obstacles and famous characters. along the way. Similarly, participants learn to listen and speak in technology through the theme of the film “The Matrix”. The storytelling aspects of these courses not only help participants enjoy our courses, but give learners strong metaphorical connections that enhance memory recall of important principles.

Based on a survey of Teach English Now! participants, 49% of learners started a new career, 50% reported a tangible professional benefit, and 25% reported actual salary increases or promotions after completing the online course and earning their 150-hour TESOL certificate.

According to learner Patricia T., “I taught for decades and learned principles I had never heard of before. Teach English now! was my first online course, but I was able to easily follow and retain the information and visualize how I will apply some of the new techniques I learned. The peer assignments were thought-provoking and it was beneficial to see what my peers in the class had to say. I really enjoyed this course.

For more information on the Teach English Now! 150 Hour Online TESOL Certification or for more information on online English programs at ASU, contact Global Launch at [email protected].

A two-day conclave at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras saw businesses, government officials, industry groups and investment bodies collaborate with the institute on research, entrepreneurship, innovation and technology.

The conclave, held over the weekend, was part of the ongoing month-long research festival and aims to bridge the gap between industry and academia. It has also offered a platform for students and researchers at the institute to get a perspective of industry needs in addition to facilitating collaboration with industries for research projects, social responsibility initiatives and start-ups. ups.

A virtual space was dedicated to the exhibition of research projects, start-ups and projects from the Institute’s Innovation Center. Kaviraj Nair, Managing Director of Institutional Advancement, IIT-Madras, said the main focus of the institute is science and technology. “High-impact research leading to social transformation inspires our stakeholders and donors to invest in such projects,” he said. The institute held industry-tailored competitions for its students.

Gulshan Rai, director of information at the Prime Minister’s Office, who participated virtually, said collaborations between academia, industry and government have played an important role in solving the weak infrastructure of digital frames. He called for short courses, a dedicated cybersecurity program to keep pace with rapid digitization to address the problem of unmanaged infrastructure.

A live-streamed international conference on Socially Engaged Buddhism will be held on December 17, titled “Japanese Engaged Buddhism: From Caring for the Individual to Transforming Society.” Drawing on Japan’s long history of active involvement of Buddhist priests and lay practitioners in a wide variety of social issues, the one-day event will examine various dimensions and manifestations of contemporary engaged Buddhism in Japan, with lectures by prominent Japanese practitioners and with guest appearances. prominent committed Buddhists from elsewhere in Asia.

“Over the past 15 years, with the emergence of a variety of social problems, especially caused by deteriorating economic conditions, Japanese Buddhists have developed a wide variety of new socially engaged Buddhist activities, such as rescue and care for victims of natural disasters, support for those who suffer from social discrimination and poverty, psycho-spiritual care for the depressed and suicidal, and engagement in nuclear and environmental issues,” said the organizers of the conference “These activities are increasingly linked to the work of like-minded socially engaged Buddhists in Asia and other parts of the world. This one-day conference will be the first attempt to bring together and present this variety of new socially engaged Buddhist activities in Japan.

From 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time via Zoom, the conference will be hosted by the Center for Research on Global Buddhist Cultures, Ryukoku University and co-hosted by the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), the Japan Network of Engaged Buddhists (JNEB), the International Buddhist Exchange Center (IBEC), and the Ryukoku University Center for South Asian Studies (RINDAS), with support from Ryukoku University’s Department of Religious Studies.

“This event was originally planned as an extensive five-day international conference, as part of the INEB’s annual board meeting, and was to include study tours and a large public symposium in Kyoto. . Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, everything has been canceled,” said Jonathan S. Watts, researcher at the Kodosan International Buddhist Exchange Center (Yokohama), JNEB coordinator and INEB board member. .

The Host Research Center for World Buddhist Cultures studies the solution to pressing problems facing the modern world, conducts interdisciplinary scholarly research on Buddhism and related spiritual traditions in each country, and provides platforms for intellectual exchange international.

Given the pandemic, speakers and conference attendees have been limited to those already in attendance in the Kansai region of Japan. Domestic and international Zoom links will be available for other participants in Japan and around the world, with simultaneous translation of the proceedings into English.

“From a long-term perspective, we wanted to organize a sort of engaged national Buddhist conference in Japan, which had never been done before,” Watts told Buddhistdoor Global. “The growth of socially engaged Buddhist activities in Japan has been marked over the past 15 years and JNEB is assembling a fairly large but still very informal network of these committed Buddhists.”

The conference will be opened by keynote speakers, INEB Board Member Prof. Mitsuya Dake of the Center for Research on Global Buddhist Cultures, Ryukoku University, and Prof. Sulak Sivaraksa, Founder of the International Network of committed Buddhists.

The morning session will examine topics under the theme “Buddhist Activities for Coping with Individual Suffering,” including suicide prevention; elderly and end-of-life care; counseling for victims of natural disasters; and Buddhism and human resource development; and will be followed by a round table on confronting individual suffering.

The afternoon session of the conference, under the theme “Buddhist Activities to Address Social and Structural Suffering,” will focus on gender, LGBTQ and discrimination; poverty and urban alienation; reviving communities through alternative lifestyles based on Buddhism; and clean energy and new financing mechanisms for regional development. The session will end with a panel discussion entitled “Buddhist Vision for the Future of Japan”.

Closing remarks will be heard by INEB Honorary Professor Professor Hisashi Nakamura, Professor Emeritus at Ryukoku University, and INEB President Harsha Navaratne.

“This Zoom conference is not only a way to compensate for the cancellation of the INEB board meeting, but also to initiate a process in Japan to build solidarity among committed Japanese Buddhists and develop a best overall move,” Watts explained. “We hope that when this pandemic passes, we can have a larger and more representative conference than just the Zoom meeting we have scheduled here for December 17.”

Based in Bangkok, INEB was established in 1989 by prominent Thai scholar, activist and social critic Sulak Sivaraksa and a group of Buddhist and non-Buddhist social thinkers and activists. The organization’s goal is to connect committed Buddhists around the world, promote understanding, cooperation, and networking among inter-Buddhist and interfaith groups, and actively address pressing global issues such as human rights. human rights, conflict resolution and environmental concerns. .See more

Japanese Engaged Buddhism: From Caring for the Individual to Transforming Society (JNEB)

International Network of Committed Buddhists
Japan Network of Committed Buddhists
The Center for Research on Buddhist Cultures of the World
International Buddhist Exchange Center
Center for South Asian Studies at Ryukoku University

Aim for US$5 trillion
¹ Economically, India is fast becoming the third largest market after the United States and China. That’s a big leap, considering that if we go back to 1980, when there was only a US$190 billion financial system at #13 in the world rankings. Coupled with one of the youngest populations and a burgeoning middle-class society, however, this race puts India’s high-octane growth through several challenges.

The Indian government has triggered scale development. And Hitachi, one of the world’s innovation leaders, providing future-proof technologies and next-generation people-centric, IT-centric solutions, is joining this transformation across the board.

Bharat Kaushal, Managing Director, Hitachi India ,
said, “The company is leading a phenomenal transformation towards future development. Hitachi’s world-renowned OT x IT computing solutions, data analytics, IoT-enabled interactive devices, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are changing lives. Hitachi’s partnership with the Indian government on initiatives such as “Make in India” and “Digital India” is accelerating a predominantly agrarian India’s entry into the IoT era, a leap that is essential to the emergence of the nation as a global production and economic power. Nevertheless, Hitachi’s global heritage and expertise in technological innovation has sparked a social revolution here.

Hitachi and a transformed India

Makeover mobility

Under the Smart Cities Mission, among key efficiency gains, India has focused on world-class urban mobility and public transport, as well as robust IT connectivity and digitalization. Hitachi Rail has played an important role in revamping and modernizing the transportation system to meet the increasing demands of city life, especially with the influx of rural/semi-rural masses to metropolitan cities. Like the development of a comprehensive mobility plan for Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, enabling state-of-the-art trains with driverless operations and smart signaling with dynamic progression, facial recognition, people flow management, to only cite a few.

Setting the benchmark for IT and social innovation

Smart transaction is the next big thing. To financially empower a population of over 1.3 billion, the government, along with the country’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), are working tirelessly to enable citizens across a vast and complex geographical expanse with a myriad of cultures where money and digital economies coexist.

Hitachi Payment Services Pvt. Ltd., a Hitachi Group company, has been at the forefront of partnership in this dream of making India financially inclusive. White-label ATMs under the Hitachi Money Spot brand, state-of-the-art point-of-sale solutions, state-of-the-art card acceptance and digital payment platforms, internet payment gateways, innovative solutions for public transport and electronic toll payment, etc. propelling India to progress.

Additionally, innovation in cash and digital payment solutions has made Hitachi Payment Services (HPY) one of the cornerstones of partnerships with government and private institutions. A key Joint Venture (JV) initiative illustrates this instantly. State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest commercial bank, and Hitachi Payment Services have entered into a joint venture (JV) to create a state-of-the-art card acceptance and digital payment platform ready for the ‘coming. The joint venture, SBI Payments, offers a comprehensive suite of payment options to customers and merchants by focusing on deploying a national infrastructure for card acceptance, quick response (QR) code acceptance, l payment interface (UPI), the transit industry and e-commerce businesses.

Fostering a Cohesive Future in Payments

From Digital India’s perspective and as a simple technology, it is ubiquitous. Moreover, in the case of India, from a governance perspective and as a self-sustaining entity, information technology has played a revolutionary role in positioning India as one of the leading nations.

Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic Pvt. Ltd harnesses IT, Operational Technology (OT), Internet of Things (IoT) and big data analytics to lead India into the future. Hitachi has partnered with government to simplify and make governance processes more efficient and the delivery of government services more efficient in various areas and to end users.

Take e-governance to the next level

Nothing can succeed without a modern government and its elegant delivery. The Government of India’s e-governance mission, coupled with Digital India, has undergone a paradigm shift, a new thinking on how it engages with its citizens and its interstate and intergovernmental functions. A vision of the future and of sustainable development has been considered. In this regard, Hitachi plays a key role through collaborative co-creation. Hitachi’s operations are strongly aligned with the government’s mission: to create three value propositions by enhancing the social, environmental and economic values ​​of citizens. Hitachi combines government, data, technology and governance as a force to accelerate e-governance initiatives and optimize decision-making.

“Top-down digital transformation has streamlined government operations, optimized costs, and created transparency for end users and citizens. Hitachi has played a key role in providing solutions for the provision of these services. We have spearheaded digital transformation for government. , its stakeholders, end users and citizens, thereby improving the quality of life of Indian citizens. »
says Bharat Kaushal, Managing Director, Hitachi India

Citizens at the epicenter of transformation

Transforming the life cycle of citizens through connected customer ecosystem solutions including e-governance in areas such as education, health, agriculture, etc. is the top priority of the Government of India . As part of a unique platform of people-centric solutions, Hitachi MGRM Net has partnered with government to this end and co-created connected solutions that improve the lifecycle of citizens and strengthen delivery to clients.

Drawing on more than 30 years of global human life cycle research, Hitachi MGRM Net sets the benchmark. It creates an array of holistic solutions on a platform that encompasses the entire life cycle of a citizen, from birth to end of journey. Hitachi MGRM Net brings comprehensiveness to citizens living in urban and rural areas, touching every point of life and its well-being.

Giving shape to a vision

Not only meeting the changing needs of society, but improving the quality of life and improving the social, environmental and economic values ​​of all its stakeholders for a sustainable future is Hitachi’s mission in India. And, he has been able to transform the way India plans and executes its vision of a smart nation with technology-driven government, citizen services, modern payment methods and a vibrant spirit of innovation. . A future with Indian citizens at the forefront of lifecycle transformation has just begun, and Hitachi is playing a vital role.

Learn more about Hitachi Social Innovation

Learn more about solutions in India

See Powering Good in action

Source links:

1.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/from-fifth-largest-to-5-trillion-economy/.

Resource persons and leaders during the inaugural program of the national seminar held at Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Meriema on April 21.

Kohima, April 21 (MExN): The Inaugural National Seminar Program on “India Social Transformation 2.0 and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020” was held at Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Meriema on 21st April.

The two-day seminar is sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research and organized by the Department of Teacher Education (DTE), University of Nagaland, Kohima Campus, Meriema, a DIPR report said.

NEP Committee Member and Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University of Horticulture and Forestry, Chattisgarh, Prof. Ram Shankar Kureel while delivering the keynote address outlined the vision of NEP 2020.

He mentioned that the NEP aims to establish an education system that contributes to an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high quality education to all, developing a sense of respect for fundamental rights, duties and constitutional values, etc., and by instilling skills, values ​​and dispositions that support a responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being.

The key principles
Professor Kureel said the key principles of NEP 2020 are – respect for diversity and local context in all curricula, pedagogies and policies; equity and inclusion as a cornerstone of all educational decisions; encouraging and facilitating philanthropic, private and community participation; use of technology in teaching and learning; removing language barriers for Divyang students and in educational planning and management; emphasize conceptual understanding rather than rote learning; recognize and identify the unique abilities of each student; encourage logical decision-making and innovation; and ongoing review based on sustained research and regular evaluation by education experts.

The Director of the Department of Higher Education, Government of Nagaland, Dr Katoni Jakhalu, said: “Whether we are ready or not, we are on the threshold of tremendous change, especially in the education sector. Highlighting higher education in the state, she said a task force has been formed to make a recommendation for the implementation of the policy.

She said to raise awareness, seminars and workshops have been held online and offline and attempts have been made to publicize the NEP 2020 guidelines in different local Naga languages, but so far only Tenyidie finished the translated version.

Key areas and agenda
Regarding the key areas and agenda on equity in the NEP 2020, Dr. Katoni said that the state is well balanced on gender parity; in higher education, enrollment of female students in the past two years is higher than that of their male counterparts.

She said that so far, out of 69 NU-affiliated colleges, 40% are NAAC accredited. She said it is state policy to establish at least one government college in each district, tuition is subsidized and appropriate facilities, smart classrooms and digital libraries are provided to ensure that no one is excluded from digital learning and technology, but with the creation of five new districts, she said the task ahead is a challenge.

She maintained that huge gaps and confusing challenges are ahead but as long as there is dialogue and exchange of ideas, the state’s education sector will progress with the rest of India. .

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nagaland, Prof. AK Mishra said that for the social transformation of the country, equal opportunities must be ensured for which education is fundamental. He added that teachers have an important role to play in the successful implementation of the NEP 2020 policy.

Dean, School of Humanities & Education, NU, Professor Buno Zetsuvi said that NEP 2020 envisions great social change by transforming the education system, however, she expressed concern that ‘India being a country diversified, it will not be possible to provide a relevant, perfect policy, acceptable and adapted to the whole country.

The professor added that flexibility and adjustments without disrupting the main objective of the policy are needed.