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INTERVIEW



          ‘Without a                                                                                                             Gandhi at COP 26 in Glasgow,       about climate change, was         during COP 26, and I decided to


                                                                                                                                                                                                      stay connected with Sunita Gandhi
                                                                                                                                                                    significant. We also teamed up
                                                                                                                                 where I was organizing a youth
                                                                                                                                                                    with the Mumbai-based theater
                                                                                                                                 initiative known as C6 World,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      afterward. It was a program focused
          foundation in                                                                                                          in collaboration with the World    group, Rang Bumi, for engaging and   on the economics of creativity,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      emphasizing the power of ideas that
                                                                                                                                                                    enjoyable online training sessions.
                                                                                                                                 Norwegian Climate Network’s EU
                                                                                                                                                                                                      truly resonated with me. The notion
                                                                                                                                                                    Drawing inspiration from India,
                                                                                                                                 programs.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      that a dream becomes a shared
                                                                                                                                                                    we adopted the metaphor of the
          basic literacy                                                                                                         The collaboration between C6       spinning wheel to keep the world in   reality when more people embrace
                                                                                                                                                                    balance and nature thriving.
                                                                                                                                 World and the World Climate
                                                                                                                                                                                                      it was central to our vision. We
                                                                                                                                                                                                      aspired to create a global school that
                                                                                                                                 School, along with DEVI Sansthan’s
                                                                                                                                 involvement in online education
                                                                                                                                                                    This partnership forged its roots
                                                                                                                                                                                                      facilitated rapid learning.
          and numeracy,                                                                                                                                                                               However, the advent of COVID-19
                                                                                                                                                                                                      forced us to reassess our plans.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      With the world in lockdown, we
          understanding                                                                                                                                                                               had to adapt to this disruptive
                                                                                                                                                                                                      environment. Notably, we
                                                                                                                                                                                                      recognized that teaching climate
                                                                                                                                                                                                      change to young children
          climate change                                                                                                                                                                              was challenging, especially
                                                                                                                                                                                                      considering that many of them
                                                                                                                                                                                                      were not in school during the
                                                                                                                                                                                                      pandemic. Without a foundation
          was a distant goal’                                                                                                                                                                         in basic literacy and numeracy,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      understanding climate change was a
                                                                                                                                                                                                      distant goal.


                                                                                                                                                                                                      This realization further reinforced
                                                                                                                                                                                                      our determination to collaborate
                                                                                                                                                                                                      with DEVI Sansthan and bring
                           orld Climate     Development Goals (SDG) 4 and      driving force behind this initiative                                                                                   the ALfA program to our school in
                           School, a        13. Milita Halder of 10X Good      was Hans Jorgen Rasmussen, a                                                                                           Norway. Our dream, born during
                           Norwegian        engaged in a conversation with     visionary who had been actively                                                                                        those pivotal moments at COP 26
                           non-profit       Inger-Mette Stenseth, Co-Founder   involved in climate efforts                                                                                            in Glasgow in December 2022,
         Worganization,                     of World Climate School, during her   since 2015, including the Paris                                                                                     was to contribute to a global
          has partnered with DEVI Sansthan,   visit to the capital of Uttar Pradesh.   Agreement. With a background                                                                                   educational ecosystem that could
          renowned for its groundbreaking   Here are the highlights of their   in psychology, he was motivated                                                                                        adapt and thrive, even in the face
          pedagogy ALfA (Accelerating       enlightening discussion:           to create a support network for                                                                                        of unforeseen disruptions like the
          Learning for All). This innovative                                   teachers, emphasizing teacher                                                                                          pandemic.
          approach not only facilitates     MH: Can you tell us about the      training to expand climate education
          FLN (Foundational Learning &      motivation behind your decision to   on a global scale.                                                                                                   MH: How do you envision the ALfA
          Numeracy) at a 10X learning speed   collaborate with DEVI Sansthan and                                                                                                                      program benefiting the students
          but also nurtures the development   implement the ALfA program in your   The online format turned out to                                                                                    and staff of your school and other
          of essential 6C skills: collaboration,   school in Norway?           be incredibly successful due to                                                                                        communities globally?
          communication, critical thinking,                                    the pandemic, as people had more
          creativity, character, and        IMS: Our journey began in 2021     time to engage online. Our reach                                                                                       IMS: As I currently find myself
          citizenship.                      with the establishment of the      extended globally, particularly                                                                                        immersed in the lockdown situation,
                                            Rural Climate School in Norway,    to regions like Africa, Peru, Latin                                                                                    visiting schools in collaboration with
          This partnership marks a significant   coinciding with the onset of the   America, the United States, and                                                                                   DEVI Sansthan, and delving deeper
          stride towards achieving universal   COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, it   India. It was during this period that I                                                                             into the ALfA program, it becomes
          literacy and realizing Sustainable   operated as an online initiative. The   had the privilege of meeting Sunita                                                                            increasingly clear to me how this


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