On Monday, at the month-long “What is Auroville” festival here, three speakers shared their ideas of how the experimental multicultural society near Puducherry, founded on the ideals of Sri Aurobindo, brings together people from around the world for unity and peace.
Karan Singh, Rajya Sabha member and chairman of the Auroville Foundation, said the idea of Auroville was an attempt to transcend differences of nationality, religion and cultures.
“While technology has made the world truly global, the mindset is still pre-global. I can see only two future scenarios: one of self-destruction because human beings are programmed for it, and the other, like Sri Aurobindo said, human beings need to evolve further,” he said.
Speaking on the role of the arts, Vishaka N. Desai, Asian scholar and member, Auroville International Advisory Council, pointed out how it offered a space for inner reflection in an increasingly materialistic world and how it was truly global.
