Indus Valley World School celebrates Earth Day with Class 4, 5 and 6 students

The Indus Valley World School commemorated Earth Day on April 22 with the students from classes 4, 5 and 6 from 15 schools with the programme being designed to foster a spirit of collaborative learning and teamwork without any competition.

The inauguration ceremony kicked off with the lighting of the lamp, where Principal Reshma Bhattacharya, Director Amita Prasad and Chief Guest Subha Das Mollick lit the lamp along with the representatives of the fifteen different schools.

The environment was filled with the mellifluous rendition of the Sanskrit shloka "Tamiswaranang". The young theatre and film actor Rwitobroto Mukherjee graced the occasion and said, "There is no Planet B to jump to if Planet A doesn't survive. Hence, little actions need to be taken in order to spread awareness. Every single day needs to be celebrated as Earth Day; not just the 22nd of April".

Principal Reshma Bhattacharya spoke eloquently about the harmful effects of plastic and the role that should be played as committed citizens should be.

"Change is led by young minds", she noted, inspiring the whole auditorium filled with the eager students as she addressed them as "Potential Earth Protectors" and "Reuse Champions". Her affirmation for the younger generation included "Mastering the art of Recycling, Spreading the word like wildfire and Creating a Ripple - a powerful wave to remove waste."

Following the inauguration Subha Das Mollick, shared her insight into seeing cinema as a learning tool. Ms Mollick is not only an acclaimed facilitator, but a teacher and philosopher as well. She showcased two short films for the children, namely Anders Artig and Ponds of Mirror.

This was followed by three breakaway workshops conducted by the faculty of IVWS for Music, Dance and Art. The participants of the music workshop learnt two songs - one in Hindi and one in English, which were later presented in the auditorium. The songs carried a powerful message of the need to save the biodiversity on Planet Earth.

"I must say that the children were extremely talented and fast learners, making this a fun learning process for both teachers and students", said Music faculty Papiya Das Mitra.

The dance was composed on the Sanskrit hymn "Bhumi Mangalam", where the students, through their skillful gestures and movements, raised a plea to the Almighty for the wellbeing of the earth and all its inhabitants.

The art workshop taught students how to use leaves, ferns and flowers as material for eco printing. The children learnt a new technique as they made an exquisite work of art.

"We like how all of the events are so beautifully organised, posing an ambient environment," says Ms Mohona Sen, a music teacher of Sushila Birla Girl's School.

The closing ceremony was graced by eminent educationist Meenakshi Atal who presented certificates of participation to all the schools and inspired them to carry on the good work of being champions to the cause of protecting Planet Earth.