On Oct 10, the FCC hosted the Danish Ambassador to India Freddy Svane. He talked at length about the India-Denmark relationship and the various facets to it. He talked about his time in India, and how he has known Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a long time.
The ambassador said that another Nordic Summit is likely to take place next year, and that the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark has acquired great significance. He also said that bits of the Delhi Declaration, after the G20 Summit have been inspired by the Green Strategic Partnership. He also called for an early signing of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India.
On Oct 11, the FCC hosted a thought-provoking book discussion with author and lawyer Bhuwan Ribhu on his book: ‘When Children Have: Tipping Point To End Child Marriage’. Ribhu, who is a noted child rights activist and one of the most prolific lawyers in India working for the protection of women and children, is also advisor to over 160 organisations working for safeguarding and protection of child rights in the country.
The audience had many questions
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for the author ranging from strengthening the legal system to changing the mindset of the society. The author discussed many of the aspects related to child marriages, like the sexual abuse of children, prevailing social norms and poverty. It is a grim reminder that while India has made strong progress by reducing child marriage by more than 50 percent since 2006, the national average still stands at 23.3 percent.
On Oct 20, the FCC hosted former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who in a lively interaction spoke on many of the issues facing the state, and the political scenario in the country. In response to a question, he said the people in the Union Territory are suffering as they continue to be denied their right to a legitimate government and dared the BJP to hold elections there.
“Almost everything provokes the people to come out because there is a simmering, sort of, resentment about the way things have been after August 5, 2019. And it is more visible in Jammu than Kashmir,” he said.
The Centre had in 2019 abrogated Article 370 and divided the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“I can only speculate but the only conclusion I can draw is that the BJP is afraid of what the results will look like. They don’t want to damage their chances in the Parliament elections.
He said the state of the media in
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Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of great concern. “The fact is that I have never known the media to be as pressured as it is today in terms of what they can report and what they cannot. The fact is that even cartoonists today in Jammu and Kashmir are afraid to draw cartoons about the government,” Abdullah said.
It was a packed house and an interaction that lasted over an hour.
On Oct 28, the FCC hosted the second round of the monthly Quiz. It was a fun-filled evening where a total of eight teams participated. The Quiz had questions from the world of arts to sports to science. The audience members were also active participants and got prizes for correct answers.
The quiz master was senior journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury, a veteran of about a thousand quiz competitions either as quiz master or participant, and author of four quiz books, too.
The Ambassador of Slovenia to India, Mateja Vodeb Ghosh, was the Chief Guest and handed out prizes to the three top teams at the end of the quiz. All in all, it was a great event which will be held on the last Saturday of every month.
The Quiz was sponsored by Mr. Jerry's Cocktails, Highbury Classic and Celebration by Hema connoisseur collections.
The next quiz will be held on November 25.
Editor: Simran Sodhi
Design: Anil Yadav
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