When people from different cultures meet they don't only share experiences or learn & adapt new ways of doing things but also change & evolve to become better humans whose only religion or culture is humanity.
RKKGPS proudly hosted a 10-day Inter Cultural Exchange Program under the honorable aegis of AFS, India wherein 7 Member Schools from across the country participated with 85 student and 12 teacher representatives from 30th Oct '22 to 9th Nov '22.The esteemed member schools were warmly & traditionally welcomed to the Sun City and accommodated on the school campus. The teams were hesitant to open up at first but as the activities unraveled and broke the ice, the smiles grew bigger and the environment seemed cheerful with the chatter and laughter around every corner.
Any cultural exchange aims at making people aware of the beauty in the differences. When the students interacted and got to know each other they started looking for the similarities that bind them together respecting, accepting, and appreciating the diversity they encountered.
The exchange was planned meticulously to make students understand the depth and essence of the cultural heritage of Rajasthan. The students participated in many fun-filled activities like Masterchef Workshop, Talaash-e-Hunar- Talent Hunt, and Barazza Session. Sporting activities that included Swimming, Shooting, Squash, and a friendly Cricket Match were enjoyed by everyone with full enthusiasm. Various artistic workshops like Dramebaaz- Theatre Workshop, Musical Melodies- Western Song Workshop, Dancing Dreams- Folk Dance Workshop, Artists in Motion- Western Dance Workshop were also organized where the students learned different styles of art and the traditional dance of Rajasthan, Ghoomar. The students showed encouraging participation in the Chehre-pe-Chehra, the face painting workshop where they all bonded and painted each other's faces, which was then followed by a Halloween-themed dinner and Dance party, to promote global acceptance and competence. Treasure Hunt revived everyone's enthusiasm as the students curiously searched for the treasure clue-by-clue roaming around the school premises.
They also undertook service endeavors- Project Prayaas and Project Shakti, initiatives by Yuvrani Sahiba to empower rural women and spread awareness about maintaining hygiene during menstruation, and distributed sanitary napkins among the rural women.
At the Principal's Dinner, each member school gave mesmerizing regional dance and musical performances representing their culture and traditions. They also performed ghoomar, western music, and freestyle dance together. The evening proceeded with the address by Mrs. Neera Singh, Principal, RKKGPS, Jodhpur, and Mrs. Sapna Gupta, Dean of the Exchange Programs, where they encouraged the students to keep participating and learning all that they could through these cultural exchanges to expand their horizons and become a globally competent citizen. All the teams with their teacher escorts were then felicitated with certificates and gifts by the respected principal ma'am and were also given T-shirt souvenirs as a loving memory of the school. The night ended with a DJ revival and a delicious dinner.
The visits to different parts of the heritage city of Marwar had their own effect. The teams explored the Blue City on a heritage walk, visited Tooji ka Jhalra Stepwell, and Hanuman Mandir, and enjoyed shopping in the heart of the city, Nai Sarak. Visiting the Mini Jaisalmer- Osian Safari, Temple, and Mandore Garden was an adventurous experience for everyone. They were thrilled with the fascinating Jeep safari and camel rides in the dunes of Osian. The students were amazed at witnessing the beautiful carvings and age-old inscriptions on the ancient temples of Osian and Mandore. The member schools experienced the roots of Marwar as they visited the pride of Jodhpur, the Mehrangarh Fort, and Umaid Bhawan Palace on a royal affair. The magnificence and grandeur of the Fort and the Palace had everyone awestruck as they explored the fascinating stories behind the royalty of Jodhpur. The students collected a plethora of knowledge about the making of handicrafts and the working of textiles as they were guided through the Shekhawati Arts factory. The visit to the QuickLime Chemical factory had them all motivated and inspired them to follow their dreams as they had a conversation with the owners and winners of Limca Book Record. Visiting an unusual museum Arna Jharna was one of the unforgettable experiences for all.
From enjoying the delicious delicacies of the traditional rajwadi food mirchi vada, daal baati, etc to exploring the monumental treasures of emotional significance to bonding together through various activities, each one of the participants from different schools and provinces exchanged a superfluity of experiences and made beautiful memories. The exchange was a proud success as all found the beauty when they were first greeted with "Khamma Ghani" and had a hard time saying goodbyes where they quoted while wearing souvenir t-shirts that they were leaving a part of them behind and taking a lifetime of cherished memories.
