About the Initiative ::.
Demystifying India is a large scale educational initiative that is the first of its kind in the United States . This initiative will provide Tampa Bay ’s populace (citizens of six counties - Hillsborough, Pasco , Pinellas, Polk, Hardee, and Manatee counties) with a thorough education and detailed insight with regards to India , its rich culture, and its vast contributions to society, past, present and future. The main emphasis is on educating children and the community. The mantra of this initiative is: Education - Awareness - Acceptance. Essentially, we believe that education will create awareness which will in turn create acceptance. For members of Tampa Bay ’s Indian Population this initiative translates into the creation of a community where Indian children and community as a whole will feel comfortable celebrating, rather than suppressing, their culture. As you know this is a significant challenge with which every Indian parent continually struggles. Unless addressed this struggle will become more and more difficult with each new generation. As a city, Tampa Bay will be nationally highlighted as the first city in the United States to create a mass educational initiative of this type that manages integration. By supporting this effort, Tampa Bay will demonstrate, both nationally and internationally, its commitment toward building a community foundation that embraces its multiculturalism. Additionally, Tampa Bay ’s children will be highlighted as being equipped to enter a rapidly integrating global community - a trait that is already being demanded by progressive companies of the 21 st century. Tampa Bay ’s Indo-US Chamber of Commerce has partnered with The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) to make this initiative a reality. There are seven goals of this joint initiative:
- Educational Exhibits : to develop educational exhibits highlighting the contributions of India past, present and future. These Exhibits will prompt discussions of India as it exists today and will provide opportunities for students to explore the current economic contributions, science and mathematics contributions and learn more about the culture.
- Teacher Training: to conduct annual teacher training seminars to boost teacher understanding of the India today and its rich culture.
- Resource Library: to create and maintain a library and resource guide for teachers and students to use when studying India.
- Updated Curriculum: to provide a curriculum on Indian matters for teachers to follow. This curriculum will focus on extending discussions of India to the present and will also provide opportunities for students to explore the current economic contributions, science and mathematics contributions and learn more about the culture.
- Educational Trips: to coordinate public and private school educational field trips and projects to study India at MOSI.
- IMAX Experience: to provide a free IMAX Movie experience, i.e. Mystic India - a glimpse into the awe inspiring spirituality and complexity of India.
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Speaker Bank: to set up a bank of Indian presenters for teachers to call upon to address their classes.
It is important to note that these components are designed to be ongoing and will provide comprehensive education for generations to come.
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