23rd – 26th January 2025
Fireflies Intercultural Centre 
Bengaluru

Introduction to the Sangam 

The Social Well-being and Justice Sangam took place at the Fireflies Intercultural Centre from January 23rd- 26th, to discuss the above two issues. The Sangam brought together 17 participants from across India. Prior to the Sangam, participants were invited to reflect on the following ten questions on justice and social well-being to deepen and enrich the exploration over the three days: 

1.      What do terms like well-being and justice mean to me personally as an individual in the arena of personal relationships and as a social being in the arena of my socio-political engagements and interventions?

2.      What is my idea of a good life? What is my idea of a fulfilling life? (buen vivir, ubuntu)

3.      What do I understand by words like freedom, peace, compassion, forgiveness, love, etc? How do I relate to these words? Do I embody them in my daily life? If not, what resistance within myself or society limits their expression?

4.      What kind of society can create opportunities for individuals to grow and mature fully as human beings – emotionally, intellectually, psychologically and spiritually? How do we get there?

5.      To what extent do I experience alienation from myself, humans, non-humans and nature? How does this alienation find expression within me (anxiety, fear, grief, dread, indifference etc)? What can I do to overcome it? How can I help others deal with it?

6.      How can I participate in building communities of hope within the ambit of my individual work and influence (including family, community etc)? How can I give meaning and purpose to my life? How can I live courageously?

7.      What role can I play in building individual and social resilience in face of climate and political crisis? How can individuals engage with grief and mourning and emerge as strong, loving and compassionate human beings?

8.      How do we nurture within ourselves the qualities and virtues of hope, faith, forgiveness and love?

9.      What is my relationship with the sacred dimensions of life, whether conceived in terms of God, Emptiness, Allah, Consciousness, Nirvana etc? Is it necessary to have a sacred dimension to my life? Can I be an atheist and still believe that certain things are sacred –for e.g. nature, ecology relationships, friendships, love etc?

10.  What measures will I need to take to build my emotional and spiritual resilience?

Read the full report here.