by Br. Jerome Edison
INDORE, JANUARY 9, 2014: From 28th of December to the 1st of January, the Universal Solidarity Movement of Value Education for Peace organised the 46th Knit India 2013. This is a 
This was not a picnic rather a place of family gathering to live together with a common dream of promoting peace and love. This live together is basically to KNIT people together. It was a fellowship of people belonging to various religions, cultures and languages to foster mutual support and sense of respect to all. There were five panel sessions which were presided by distinguished persons conscious about USM.
The students were given chance to share their testimonies of transformation after imbibing the spirit of USM. This was an opportunity to get motivated, enriched and to create a positive response to the issues faced by our country. In a concrete manner these panel sessions became a personal appeal to all the youth to be a catalyst of change; since all these testimonies sprung from them. It served the purpose of enkindling a new vision to shape the nation with their efforts whether great or small. The sessions helped imbue in them a great sense of value and respect for all and especially women. Truly these youngsters are convinced of practicing values like cleanliness, honesty, being outstanding in a crowd, being responsible, postponing immediate gratification by being able to sacrifice the use of mobile phones, motorbikes, junk food, etc.
Apart from panel sessions they were motivational session conducted by Fr. Isaac and Fr. Varghese Alengaden to increase and enrich the confidence among the youngsters. The thrust of Fr. Isaac's session was on 'Living The Challenges To Inspire And Lead.' The session was presented in a very creative manner to become a leader for a particular cause. Fr. Isaac highlighted the minds and hearts of various leaders of our nation who lived the challenge to inspire and lead. Then he presented seven steps that carved the notion of Inspiring Leadership.
On 30th December Fr. Varghese completed 61 years of his life. During his birthday a historical event took place. The Honesty Awards were presented to six students, a teacher and a journalist for their outstanding acts of honesty. Fr. Varghese then gave a speech on 'Power of Possibility Thinking.' This was to change attitudes and perceptions of all present by asking 'WHY NOT' in order to make possible all that seemed impossible. Fr. Varghese gave an invitation to maximize the divine power to extract the real calibre and potential hidden in everyone of us. Fr. Varghese exhorted to break the yoke of an enemy who impedes everything i.e. the self itself. His powerful session enkindled the courage to light the candle of love and peace with the spark made out of values.
Chintan Baitak was an impressive package of Knit India. It was a forum where the youth shared their thoughts and values that got percolated while reviewing the whole day. They sat in a circle with a lit candle and disclosed their gains and learning's.
USM with its down-to-earth and attractive spirituality is truly helping the young create vision through personal transformation and appropriation of radical policies that will generate responsible citizenship and enlightened leadership which will in turn lead to the creation of a noble nation. Kudos to the entire USM family !