A piece in an online news daily caught my eye a few days ago. The Romans, it seems have taken that drop-in-the-ocean step towards nipping terrorism in the bud that we are still mulling over.
A seemingly small step, but a step forward, nonetheless.
Starting September 15, 2016, the Italian government started shelling out EURO 500 for every 18 year- old to spend on cultural feats like museums, opera, theatres, concerts, libraries and bookstores.
In our terror-struck world today spreading like an ugly fire across countries and the Uri attacks being the latest ignition in the Indo-Pak saga that has brought us to the brink of another world war, every little effort to curb violence and terror is profound today.
Accessible through an app through which vouchers will be downloaded and redeemed both in online and physical stores, the Italian under-secretary Tommaso Nannicini believes that the Euro 290 million cost of this endeavor to the Italian government is money well spent.
“It reminds them how important cultural consumption is, both for enriching yourself as a person and strengthening the fabric of our society,” he says.
This announcement came on the heels of the latest in the heart-wrenching attacks in France – adding to the avalanche of tragedy bestowed on the European subcontinent in recent times. It is an effort that might seem meek on paper but if utilized and executed as planned, can be a masterstroke in reducing the number of impressionable young minds who are falling victim to radicalization and blind faith in causes that only further human destruction.
We in India can certainly do with such efforts too. A country wherein ‘religious righteousness’ is a garb worn by those who will shamelessly slaughter men, women and children to save cows and instigate students to commit suicide by brutally isolating and questioning their patriotic dispositions can certainly do with being reminded of the rich, culturally unifying and peace-provoking cultural heritage that is its legacy.
Here are a few ways in which both the government and we the people in India can take a page out of Italy’s book and take steps to push our youth in the right direction, away from the dangers and temptations of radicalization:
1. The National History Museum in New Delhi has efforts underway in improving, preserving and furthering the viewing and educating of people in their country’s rich, cultural past. It is also important that our government invests in the upkeep, maintenance and restoration of our iconic museums, libraries and monuments.
It was reported in The Hindu last year that a letter of complaint had been written by The Archaeological Survey of India to the Union Culture Ministry regarding the careless handling and irreparable damage caused to two invaluable statues at the Kolkata Indian Museum – the country’s oldest museum. The story is the same across the country and it is no secret.
The urgent need of the hour is for a complete overhaul of the archaic museum policies and to hire skilled museum professionals who can add value in improving the quality of restoration activities and also conceive outreach programs to help people engage and connect with their cultural heritage through streamlines efforts.
2. It is important that children today are acquainted with their country’s cultural heirlooms in their formative years. Efforts need to be made to reduce screen time that they are more or less born with today like exposure to Ipads, smartphones, computers and so on and more time needs to be spent on cultural expeditions like a visit to the zoo, museum, park, library and theaters where they can learn through engagement, interaction and constructive Q&A sessions.
3. We were babies of the late eighties when mobile phones were a novelty and the hours on computer games and television had been restrained by the parents. I had very quickly forged a long lasting relationship with the wonders of books and looked forward to the library-hours at school when I was free to choose from the unending joys of fiction and non-fiction on offer.
Today the library as we knew it is on the verge of tragic extinction. We can’t put the blame solely on the advent of technology and our various gadgets but also the abysmal upkeep of our age-old libraries and the speedy decline of encouragement by families to visit these traditional storehouses of literary knowledge. It is imperative that steps are taken to rehabilitate the old library structures erected from before the time of our forefathers and both government and school-funded programs put in place that can compel the need for periodic library visits and encourage storybook reading in children.
4. The internet is the most powerful tool in influencing young minds today – for better or for worse. The availability of unending information on virtually any possible topic makes it a dangerous weapon that can play havoc with the vulnerability of the innocent mind and allow them to be easily targeted and recruited by radical elements. It is how most young minds are being radicalized today due to the ease of communication and ability to easily sought out potential victims.
Computer classes in school in the early years of education need to focus on the use of the computer and internet for constructive, positive means. Awareness needs to be spread in these formative years about the dangers of cyber-crimes and the exercising of caution when dealing with unknown persons on the world wide web.
5. The government can further this cause by emulating its Italian counterparts and releasing schemes like Italy’s culture bonus to encourage the learning, awareness and idea of love for one’s own people and country as well as respect for all religions. A ‘Culture Day’, for example, can be introduced every month wherein school children are required to take a school trip to a museum, theater, library or any other eminent cultural landmark in the city they belong to.
The youth is the future of our country and investing in them should be a priority – especially in these tumultuous times we are living in today where so many of them are being snatched away under our noses by the promoters of terror.