Joy of Giving Week

Updated on: Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Kolkata: XLRI School of Business and Human Resources is set to celebrate the Joy of Giving Week with JoyFest to be conducted by the institute from September 27 to October 3.

The Joy of Giving Week, conceptualised by Mumbai-based NGO GiveIndia, is the beginning of a national movement which aims to celebrate “the act of giving” every year. This year, the aim is to get people from all walks of life together and engage them in simple acts of giving - from hotels hosting fundraising dinners to common people donating a few old clothes. This initiative is supported by prominent personalities like Azim Premji, Sachin Tendulkar, Adi Godrej, Sheila Dixit, Sachin Pilot, Rahul Dravid and AR Rahman among many others.

The event was unveiled on August 21 at XLRI. AD Baijal, group director (Global Minerals) of Tata Steel, presided over as the chief guest of the ceremony. Renowned film director Imtiaz Ali, MD of Telcon Rana Sinha and director of Goonj Anshu Gupta, graced the event with their presence.
Anshu Gupta, a recipient of CNN Real Hero award, urged the audience to lend their whole-hearted participation to the initiative. He raised important, yet ignored issues of women health which can be addressed by donating clothes. He stressed that the event was not only about donating clothes but also being active participants in the movement by spreading the message to as many people as possible.

“Anything you do can outlast your life. The greatest contribution you can make is that of your time,” said Baijal. Baijal, who is also an XLRI alumnus, stressed on the importance of not only giving, but doing so without expecting rewards or recognition.

Jamshedpur boy Imitiaz Ali urged the audience to take social responsibility and stop living narrow lives. He said, “Charity is perceived as something distinctly un-cool. We need to understand that charity is not something boring. It can be pretty entertaining.”

Other speakers like Sister Flavian, Amitava Ghosh, Rana Sinha and Father Abraham too shared their views on the subject and reiterated the importance of giving.

The Marwari Mahila community promised to donate 2,000 clothes. Representatives from Tata Motors, NTPC and Press Club also pledged their support.

XLRI has also planned to mobilise donation and distribution of four lakh wearable clothes to support its “Power of Reuse” initiative, which is being carried out in collaboration with NGO Goonj. The Dramatics and Cultural Association of XLRI and the institute’s band Bodhi Tree have both pledged their support in the form of plays and concerts to raise awareness about this initiative.

The evening ended with Father James Santhanam’s poignant words – “Nobody can say I have nothing to give. We all have something to give. We only need to develop the heart to give.

Joy of Giving Week

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