FR.
LAWRENCE D'SOUZA S.J.
Director, UNESCO youth club Bijapur
- Born in Mulki, near Mangalore
on August 9th, 1932 in the family of agriculturists. Had his early education
in the village and Mulki town. Discontinued studies after the high school.
Did intermediate studies at St. Joseph's College Bangalore and graduation
in St. Aloysius College Mangalore. Joined the Society
of Jesus at Calicut in 1953, studied philosophy in Shembaganur (Tamil
Nadu) Theology in Kurseong (West Bengal) ordained in 1964, did his B.
Ed in Mangalore. Member of the staff St. Aloysius High School for 19
years.
- Started the school UNESCO
Club in 1972. The only club to adopt villages. These village projects
were sponsored by UNESCO, and they came under UNESCO Co-Action Programme
(U C A -14). Now there are 27 adopted villages and 19 Ashram schools
(Residential schools for the tribals)
- In 1982, he was invited
to Tokyo by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan
to be a panelist at the symposium on UNESCO Co-Action Programme. In
1984, he was a special invitee at the World Congress of UNESCO clubs
in Sendai, the birth place of UNESCO Clubs. He was one among the five
chosen from various parts of the world to address the delegates. Representing
the Asian countries, he spoke on the topic "UNESCO and Rural Development"
with special reference to India.
- He was instrumental in
starting many UNESCO Clubs. On Nov. 25, 1985 he started the INDIAN NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF UNESCO CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS. Now there are 110 UNESCO
Clubs affiliated to this Federation. The World Federation of UNESCO
Clubs Centres and Associations received INFUCA as a member in November
1986. INFUCA received the INTERNATIONAL LITERACY AWARD known as Noma
Prize-1993.
He was also honoured by the Government Karnataka on Nov. 1st 1995 for his effort to eradicate illiteracy and for his work among the Koragas and sandesha for starting UNESCO clubs and for his work among the ashram schools.
- Mr. Pierre Leseure, the
Secretary General of the World Federation requested him to represent
the World Federation and CCIVS (Coordinating committee for International
Voluntary Service) workshop that was held in New Delhi 1985.
- Represented India, as an
official delegate at the World Congress of UNESCO Clubs in Madrid in
1987, Later he visited UNESCO headquarters, and then met the UNESCO
Club members in Belgium, Holland, Germany and Italy. He gave a lot of
publicity to UNESCO Club work during his stay in Canada. He was specially
invited to Denver Colorado for the celebration of the 40th anniversary
of the UNESCO Association of Colorado (formerly Steel Centre UNESCO)
the third club in the world.
- Mr. Amadou Mahatar M Bow,
the Director General UNESCO incorporated in his report the activities
conducted by UNESCO Club Mangalore, when he submitted the report to
the Executive Board of UNESCO (of 125 Ex-38 April 1, 1987)
- In charge of workers associations
for ten years.
- Edits and publishes the
monthly bulletin DIGANTA WYAPTI, AIKYA VANI and quarterly paper CONSCIENCE
OF HUMANITY and CALT Care News. Author of the books KORAGAS A PRIMITIVE
TRIBE OF S. INDIA, KORAGA BHASE (Koraga Language), MALEKUDIYAS, THE
THIRD TRIBE (Kudubis) and HAKKI PIKKIES. His book on Koragas is translated
into Japanese language. He is also instrumental in publishing twelve
books including books on Tolerance and on Human Rights.
- His project on literacy
was approved by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan
and he was asked to start UNESCO Co Action Learning Centers for the
education and conscientization of Koraga tribals. Now there are six
learning centers. And he also works among the Malekudiyas, Kudubis,
Gonds and Hakki Pikkics.
His new project is to work among all the 54 tribes of Karnataka and the slum dwellers in Bangalore. Three agencies from Japan have come forward to help him to put up UNESCO LITERACY RESOURCE CENTRE in Bangalore. This is a gift of the Japanese as he celebrates the silver jubilee of UNESCO Club movement and the tenth anniversary of INFUCA.
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He was invited to attend the International Conference on Literacy in Aomori (in Japan) in 1989. He was member of the editorial board for preparing the UNESCO Co Action Learning Centre Manual. He was gain invited to Japan by the NFUAJ to attend the International NGO Forum on the theme "Literacy for all". He was the panelist for the Open Forum and a resource person at the Workshop in 1990 at Nagoya. Again in 1993 he participated at the Nagoya workshop and the Symposium on Literacy at the U.N. University Tokyo.
- The Secretary General
of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs Centres and Associations invited
him to attend the "UNESCO Clubs week" in Moscow in 1991. He
was the only one representing the Asian countries.
- Attended the International
Conference on Literacy organized by UNESCO at Colombo in 1991 and Kaula
Lumpur in 1992.
Attended the World Conference on Literacy in 1995 at Tokyo. Attended the World Congress of UNESCO Clubs at Sinaia (Romania) in 1995. Gave talks on Koragas at Fribourg University (Switzerland)
- Through CALT (Cancer, AIDS,
Leprosy Tuberculosis) care programme he has helped more than 120 tribals
patients.