Creating a better world with open minds

Updated on: 31 August,2009 09:32 AM IST |
Shree Lahiri |

For the past five years, one organisation has quietly been bringing together people who wish to tackle issues facing our society, discovers Shree Lahiri

For the past five years, one organisation has quietly been bringing together people who wish to tackle issues facing our society, discovers Shree Lahiri

When Hutokshi Doctor and his friends founded Open Space in 2004, they had only one aim: to build a platform to discuss social and environmental issues like sustainable development. In the past five years, Open Space has achieved its aim quite successfully. "It encourages citizens to explore and engage with the world around them instead of leaving public policy and discourse to policymakers and politicians," said Doctor.u00a0

Using media
The group uses a mix of conventional and unconventional methods to reach out to the common man and spread the message. Rakesh Ganguly (33), a member said, "In our youth outreach programme, we use different forms of media such as literature, cinema, theatre, music, publications and the Internet to communicate on various social and cultural issues in a creative manner. We also use different outreach strategies and processes such as workshops, public lectures, seminars, trainings, games and festivals," said Ganguly.

No violence, please
He added that their violence against women campaign called Violence is not OK was publicised across six to seven colleges in the city and students participating in large numbers. "Students had tied a white ribbon around their wrists with a message protesting violence against women written on it to reach out to people on the subject," said Ganguly.

Membership
The group has three categories of members. One category includes those who sign up online for events and get added in the mailing list. Members who actually volunteer at events fall into the second category. The third category include members who are allowed access to Open Space's resource centre for books and films.
The organisation also has chapters in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Lucknow.