Why is it that top leaders/politicians appear sensible only when they are about to relinquish their high office? The latest is that Mr Tony Blair wants to devote his time to promoting inter-faith harmony once he bows out of No. 10 Downing Street.
“Tony Blair intends to create a global foundation to foster ‘greater understanding’ between the three ‘Abrahamic faiths’ of Christianity, Judaism and Islam after he leaves Downing Street,” The Times reports.
“The Prime Minister, who tomorrow will announce his time-table for resignation, is expected to make the project the main focus of his energies when he leaves office this summer.
“A member of his tight-knit inner-circle of advisers confirmed yesterday that Mr Blair is looking to ‘set up some sort of interfaith organisation’, saying: ‘He sees this as where the action is and nobody else is really doing it.’
“The foundation, which will be based in London and modelled closely on that of former President Clinton, will also provide him with a platform to pursue other issues including global warming, African development and the Middle East peace process.
“But friends dismissed speculation that Mr Blair was preparing to become President Bush’s peace envoy in the Middle East – or even take over from Paul Wolfowitz, the embattled President of the World Bank.”
(Did I hear someone exclaim “Sau choohe khaa kar billi haj ko chali”! … This typical observation is made in lighter vein in India and Pakistan!)
How about including Hindus, Buddhists and others in your future religious networking, Prime Minister Tony Blair?
And, yes, why not invite President George W. Bush to join full-time in this grand religious mission…provided he is willing to leave his hot seat before the “D” Day!
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.