The Voices Online, A digital platform created last year to engage students in creative and meaningful online activities during the pandemic times organized “Mandela Gandhi International Exchange Program'' to promote friendship among students of various nations and thereby enhance international peace in future. The online inauguration of the event was organized on 9th July 2021. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, Granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi was present as the chief guest of the event and inspired the gathering with her inspirational message on social values and responsibilities. Anju Ranjan, The Consul General of India at Johannesburg, SA also joined in to share some important information regarding several projects of the government and interacted with the students. Other social icons like Dr. Annurag Batra, MD and editor in chief of Business World, Tanmoy Chakrabarty, CGO of Tata Sons and Anoop Bose, Senior advocate of Supreme Court of India also attended the event to support the cause. Eminent educationists like John Andrew Bagul, Principal of South City International School, Sunita Sen, Principal, The BSS School and Sumit Dargan, Principal of JBCN international School were present to share their inspiring messages and encouraged the students from India and South Africa. The event was moderated Kanak Gupta and Prof. Deborshi Barat.
Chloe Van Wyk, Carli Kapp, Faith Stride, Takunda Mundawarwo, Adrija Jana, Aanya Datta, Simran Choudhury, Naman Poddar, Navya Bhalotia, Bhumika Dahima were the students who represented their countries and shared interesting information regarding history, tourist attractions, festivals, music, dance Art & Culture of their own countries.
Ruhail Choudhury, an eminent social activist and founder of The Voices Online mentioned that more than one lakh eighty thousand students from all over the world are part of this initiative and students from many other countries are soon expected to be a part of this international exchange program to spread international peace and friendship.
