At a time of social dislocation and turmoil, record upheaval economically, let alone Brexit, we need more than ever the inspiration and hope from those that elevate.
We need those people to show practical ways to help others. We need at a time of international upheaval – just look at China and US warships in the South China Seas, or, again, Brexit, those people who will utter out their voices.
But those people have to be you dear reader. We created two initiatives or programmes to deliver this and help you, give more expression to the inner voice that sits within you. Silently, waiting to roar its thoughts.
First is the City Hindu Voice. Through this we train people to communicate their voice, their ideas, in the modern electronic era. It’s free. You learn from home. A simple video. Followed by future webinars.
Covid has shown that video is going to be how we communicate for a while. So we’ve taken TV presenters with experience of being on BBC, Sky, CNN to teach you how to create your own interviews. How to produce, record. How to ask questions. The online tools to record, edit. We will even supply the bumper and music. Then how to social media promote it.
Whether you are an arm chair general, or 20 something, you can express your voice. Show your loudmouth kids or your parents telling you whats wrong with the world.
The skills are easy to learn. We need more voices. We need more people willing to express themselves. We need to get rid of every single excuse.
It costs nothing. A community needs empowering. But we go further. City Hindu Voice is also launching a written voice element. We will teach you how to write a column for publication. The teachers are published authors and journalists.
Why ‘City Hindu’ Voice? It’s an initiative of the City Hindus Network – but open to all to participate. We will promote and teach you how too. How do you start? Go to our website.
One more reason to do this? It was Asian Voice newspaper that published my first ever article some 30 years ago on the mandir in Watford. It was my innocuous letter, that the editor recalls to this day. A simple voice of a student can help make a small different – it put me on a career that led to being a columnist in the Financial Times and a broadcast journalist. There is nothing more fulfilling then expressing your voice. That allowed me to point out on the BBC to 300m viewers the sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the world wars and the greatness of Hinduism on Newsnight.
Do it. I want you to feel the joy of fulfilment. Our community needs your views.
The second initiative is ‘The Elevator’ stories about how ordinary people in our community overcame great odds to elevate themselves and now elevate others and so inspire all of us to act.
Covid shows the we may be locked up, but a community needs communication more than ever. These modern ways have to be at the forefront of our community engagement now to ensure cohesion. We have to know new skills to communicate.
The old Indian wedding ways are gone for now. So many have mastered WhatsApp – let’s take our community to the next level – be the most technologically sophisticated from uncles and aunties doing interviews and expressing their voices to young people claiming the airways and the printed word.
Alpesh Patel
Chairman, Cityhindus.org
