PLENARY 2 and ROUND TABLE 2

Role of the Arts, Media and Popular Culture in Fighting Human Trafficking

BACKGROUND NOTE

For a long time, communities have encapsulated their hopes, dreams and aspirations in their poems and stories. For centuries their songs have sung of nostalgia and memories, of love and relationships, and of values that they hold dear. Their paintings have been talismanic and reflective of the world around them. Much of this has remained in the realm of the pleasant. The arts have created prototypes of images and characters, but have been driven by the desire to find the good in all of mankind. Whether 'devas' or 'danavas', their was no clear cut black and white. This was the stuff of legend and epic.

But the time of such epic stories is over and the arts have to decide whether they will limit themselves to creating beauty or whether they will also reflect the truth. In today's fractured societies the moment of truth has arrived. It is the time for the arts to realize their multi-dimensional role of reflecting, evoking, analyzing and leading the change.

The mirror on ourselves may need to take on a different and less romantic hue. The issue of migration, when people have left their homes in search of better lives elsewhere, is an age old phenomenon. But today it needs to be seen with a lens that goes beyond the setting it creates for the Proshitbhatrika's song of longing and lament. Today's times compel us to look at migration with questions of why, how and for what purpose. They force us to look at who and what causes migration, under what conditions, making what promises, and to what end.

Can the arts stay silent on the fact of forced migration or the trafficking of young women and children through guile and duplicitous methods? In times of greed and profiteering which have enhanced the 'push-pull' factors which drive the selfish desires of the agents of trafficking, can the arts still talk primarily of beauty? Can the arts talk on all nine rasas if the predominant emotion in the life of so many, is sadness and sorrow? Can the arts stay silent and talk of love and desire, if the foundation of so many lives is violence and trauma? The question is not, 'if' but rather 'how' - How can the arts align themselves to reflect the reality of such lives?

For centuries it has been believed that the pen is mightier than the sword. To give justification to this tenet, all forms of artistic expression need to include a concern for those who have not been served by the arts, and neither have their lives been the subject of artistic thought. Nor have their souls been touched by the arts. The arts have to be an active participant in the social revolution that is needed to address the wrongs of centuries, and cleanse the new millennium of the shame it still carries.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life," said Pablo Picasso. To bring this about, the full potential of the arts, media and popular culture, needs to be utilized, so that those broken by the greed of others find their soul once again and rebuild their fractured lives and expunged identities - with dignity.

The arts and popular culture, always in the vanguard of creating new thought, and a new world, can help in the survival and rehabilitation of those who have been victimized. They can offer a sense of self as well as support tangible sustainable livelihoods. The need is to channel the immense power and responsibility of this sector towards solid and robust efforts on the ground and to ameliorate situations of social injustice.

This conference has opened the door for comprehensive thinking - and acting - on these issues.

DAY 2

PLENARY 2: 9.00 - 10.30 am (1 hr 30 min.)

The Role of Arts, Media and Popular Culture in Fighting Human Trafficking

Objective

It is hoped that this session will suggest ways and means by which the mass media, be it films, TV or the press, can highlight and combat human trafficking and the many issues it throws up. The focus on a special session on media is deemed significant because it will encapsulate recommendations from members of the fourth estate, in reporting on issues of trafficking directing them away from sensationalism, closer to the truth and in keeping with responsible cannons of journalism.

The decision to foreground Bollywood emanates from the fact that the false promise of stardom in Bollywood, or any of the other south Asian film industries, is often the start of a journey of being trafficked and lead not onto the silver screen, but into hell. Cinema in this region has been guilty of strong stereotyping. The image of the trafficked woman has caught the imagination of many a film maker. This representation has changed with time, but has it been reflective of the multi-dimensional realities of the problem? No film as yet has been made on the links between trafficking, commercial sex work, drugs and HIV. We hope this conference will nudge creative work on film in that direction

It is important to realize that representations in cinema create cultures as much as mirroring it. The power of cinema to reinforce a caring and protective society cannot be undermined. There have been examples of silent revolutions happening as a result of changes in cinematic themes. We believe that this conference will reiterate the role of media, popular culture and cinema as a prime example of a partnership to make a difference.

Participants include:

  • Shefalee Vasudeva, Editor, Marie Claire
  • Mohuya Chaudhuri, NDTV
  • Mr. Utpal Borpujari, Special Correspondent, Deccan Herald
  • Mohan Ramamoorty, Senior Journalist associated with the TAHA media kit
  • Angel Saltos, Executive Director, Ricky Martin Foundation
  • Simon Goff, MTV
  • Onir, Film maker (My brother Nikhil)
  • Meeta Vashisht, Film and television actress with experience in working with trafficked survivors
  • Meghana Gulzar, young film maker who is known to make films on social issues
  • Ajay Jhingran, Lyricist and singer
  • A.K. Bir
  • Kanwaljeet, actor
  • Anradha Patel
  • Shashi Ranjan, Film maker and publisher; Chairman Indian Television Academy
  • Raj Kumar Santoshi
  • Kirron Kher
  • John Abraham, actor

AGENDA

Presentations and discussions

Chair: Ms. Shefalee Vasudeva, Editor, Marie Claire

  • The powerful press (20 min.)
    Mahua Choudhary, Media Coalition
    Mr. Mohan Ramamoorty, Development Consultant and Media Professional
    Mr. Utpal Borpujari, Senior Correspondent, Deccan Herald
  • Film personalities who are committed to addressing issues around trafficking (50 min.)
    Ms. Mita Vashisth, Actor and Film maker
    Mr. Onir, Film maker
    Mr. Ajay Jhingran, Lyricist
    Ms. Meghana Gulzar, Film maker
    Mr. Shashi Ranjan, Chairman, Indian Televison Academy
    Mr. A.K. Bir, Film maker
    Mr. Anu Agarwal, Actor
    Mr. Talat Aziz, Musician
    Ms. Penaz Masani, Musician
    Ms. Raj Kumar Santoshi, Film maker
    Ms. Kirron Kher, Actress
  • From Across the World (20 min.)
    Mr. Angel Saltos, Executive Director, Ricky Martin Foundation
    Mr. Simon Goff, Campaign Director, MTV EXIT

DAY 2

Round Table session: 10.30 am - 1.00 pm (2.5 hrs.)

Round table discussion on the Role of Arts, Media and Popular Culture in Fighting Human Trafficking

Objectives

  • Generating awareness on the issue of anti-human trafficking (AHT), including:
    • Creating stand alone art initiatives with the express purpose of generating awareness
    • Weaving anti-trafficking messages into the existent and ongoing art presentations (script of film or serial)
  • Examine the stereotyping, eroticizing, victimizing, stigmatizing and general representation of: (a) people who may have been trafficked, and (b) the arts that they are associated with
  • Creating platforms for engaging the arts at AHT events
  • The arts as sustainable livelihoods in rehabilitation efforts
  • Art as therapy in rehabilitation
  • Role of art and craft in preventing trafficking
  • Direct one-on-one association with rehabilitation efforts

Chair: Mr. Budhadev Dasgupta, Poet and eminent film maker
Facilitator: Ms. Vidya Shah, Development expert and singer
Rapporteur: Mr. Mohan Ramamoorty, Development Consultant and Media professional

Roundtable Participants:

  • Ms. Shanta Serbjeet Singh, Arts commentator
  • Ms. Ratnotamma Sen Gupta, Curator and Editor, Times of India, Kolkata
  • Ms. Jaya Jaitley, Dastkari Haat
  • Ms. Shibani Kashyap, Musician
  • Ms. Shyamlu Dudeja, Crafts activist
  • Ms. Ritu Sethi, Craft Revival Trust
  • Dr. Sonal Mansingh, Dancer and activist
  • Ms. Pratibha Prahlad, Dancer and activist
  • Ms. Meeta Pandit, Musician
  • Ms. Geeta Chandran, Dancer and activist
  • Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, Dancer and activist
  • Ms. Aditi Mangaldas, Dancer and Choreographer
  • Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Scholar and dancer
  • Ms. Sohini Chakrabarty, Dancer and activist
  • Ms. Gulshan Jahan, Dancer
  • Ms. Jerry Almeida, ICONGO
  • Ms. Anjali Pathak, Apne Aap Women Worldwide
  • Mr. Ajeet Singh, Gurriya Swayam Sevi Sansthan
  • Ms. Usha Uthup, Musician
  • Ms. Penaz Masani, Musician
  • Prof. Rita Ganguly, Musician
  • Mr. MK Raina, Theatre
  • Prof. Arbind Sinha, Mudra Institute for Communication
  • Mr. Vagish Jha, Development Communication
  • Ms. Usha Bhasin, Development Communication Division, Doordarshan
  • Dr. Navina Jafa, Jamia Milia Islamia
  • Ms. K. Jayakumar, Poet
  • Ms. Ritu Menon, Publisher
  • Mr. Neel Madhav Panda, Film making
  • Ms. Varshita Shukla, Art curator
  • Mr. Gopi Gajwani, Artist
  • Mr. Manisha Gera Baswani, Artist
  • Mr. Jatin Das, Artist
  • Ms. Sohaila Kapur, Theatre
  • Ms. Surama Ghosh, Sanved
  • Prof. Amrit Srinivasan, Sociologist, IIT Delhi
  • Dr. Sunil Kothari, Scholar
  • Ms. Ishita Chaudhury, The YP Foundation
  • Ms. Ishani Butalia, The YP Foundation
  • Mr. Adhir Ghosh, The YP Foundation
  • Ms. Faith Gonsalves, The YP Foundation
  • Ms. Aditi Raina, SEWA
  • Mr. M. Varadarajan, Former Secretary, Culture, Govt. of India
  • Ms. Asha Kamal Modi, Art Karat
  • Mr. Kamal Modi, Art Karat
  • Mr. Oroon Das, Designer and actor
  • Mr. Uzzwal Madhab, Lakshya Foundation
  • Mr. Hilmi Quraishi, ZMQ Software Sollutions
  • Mr. Geeta Dharamrajan, Katha
  • Mr. Dayus Madhan, The YP Foundation
  • Mr. Shiv Arora, The YP Foundation
  • Mr. Navtej Johar, Dancer and Choreographer
  • Ms. Ishita Sharma, The YP Foundation
  • Mr. Shubharthi Mukherjee, PLUS, Kolkata
  • Mr. Agnivah Lahiri, PLUS, Kolkata
  • Mr. Nitai Giri, Komal Gandhar
  • Mr. Abhijith J, IIT Delhi
  • Mr. Lada Singh, Journalist
  • Mr. GS Chani, Theater activist
  • Mr. Gautam Ghosh, Musician
  • Ms. Shagun Bhutani, Dancer and Choreographer
  • Ms. Divashri Mathur, Student, LSR College
  • Ms. Priyanka Dutta, BBC World Service Trust
  • Ms. Yvonne MacPherson, BBC World Service Trust

Note: This is a partial list of confirmed participants. More names will be added later.

Methodology

  • Short statements
  • Sharing of experiences by those who have made some efforts in this direction
  • Discussion to see how the arts can help in the Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation of vulnerable people

1.00 - 2.00 pm : Work on the Delhi Declaration

Note: Given the shortage of time, the group will work on the presentation for Delhi Declaration during lunch