Spanning a record-setting 122 hours from August 15th to August 20th, 2023, the summit has set unparalleled milestones in global collaboration and empowerment, leaving an indelible mark on the world stage.

A Confluence of Changemaking Powers

The summit, organized by Connecting Dreams Foundation under the G20 Presidency of India and in partnership with Civil 20 and Youth 20 engagement groups, brought together participants from an astonishing 137 countries. The digital gathering featured over 760 luminous speakers including stalwarts like Ah Maftuchan, C20 Sherpa Indonesia; Athayde Motta from Brazil; Ela Ionescu of UN Women; Fiona Mcrath from Bezos Earth Fund; Padma Shri Manjamma Jogathiand and the Padmavibhushan Sh Dr. D V Veerendra Hegde from Dharmasthala, among many others.

Seamless Synergy: Unity, Determination, and Global Impact

Dr. Amit Tuteja, Founder of Connecting Dreams Foundation and a fervent advocate for social entrepreneurship and youth empowerment, praised the summit’s monumental achievement.

“In these unprecedented times, the need for global unity and sustainable action has never been more critical. It’s an honor to see 137 countries come together to share, learn, and commit to a more equitable future,” said Dr. Amit Tuteja.

A Tapestry of Global Perspectives

With themes ranging from climate action and economic inclusion to gender equality and youth empowerment, the summit showcased a rich tapestry of global perspectives. Over 300 captivating sessions were spread across 10 themes, culminating in a record-setting 74,900 hits over the five days, a testament to the summit’s global influence and deep engagement from participants committed to meaningful discourse.

The Architectural Marvel of Youth-Led Teams

The real heroes behind this mammoth event were the youth-led teams, who seamlessly orchestrated the summit, including the students and volunteers of EMPI Institute. Their unwavering support played a pivotal role in ensuring the summit’s triumph. Their unity, determination, and collaborative spirit not only fueled the summit but will also continue to drive its legacy.

Local Solutions, Global Resonance

Aligned with G20, C20, and Y20 principles, the summit provided a unique platform to discuss and develop solutions that not only have global resonance but also drive grassroots change. It underscored the power of collaboration across sectors including academia, business, civil society, and government, thereby highlighting the essence of the Collective Impact.

Key Highlights and Discussions

  1. Technology and Accessibility: The summit led candid conversations on the need for inclusive digital platforms that cater to people with various impairments, thereby driving market expansion and innovation.
  2. Quality Education and Skill Development: Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) was recognized as an essential curriculum element to help students and teachers regulate stress and anxiety. Automated assessment for SWOT analysis also took center stage as a powerful tool for personalized student growth.
  3. Economic Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation: The success of NRLM over the past decade was showcased as an effective means of women’s empowerment and income generation for the economically marginalized.
  4. Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change: The summit highlighted innovative farming practices like vertical farming and precision agriculture as key drivers for sustainable development.
  5. Healthcare: Advances in genomics, personalized medicine, and telehealth were discussed as revolutionary steps in expanding medical access and improving patient care.

The Global Changemaker Collective: A Vision for the Future

One of the summit’s most significant announcements was the formation of the Global Changemaker Collective. Designed as a collaborative platform, the collective aims to bring together changemakers, irrespective of geographic or demographic divides. “This collective will serve as a cradle for ideas and a loudspeaker for unheard voices. It is our commitment to come together, magnify our collective strengths, and make dreams a reality,” affirmed Dr. Tuteja.

Next Steps

The CDF plans to roll out more details about the Global Changemaker Collective in the coming weeks, with an open invitation for people, organizations, and governments to join in. “Collaboration is our biggest asset. By working together as a unified collective, we can turn dreams into tangible impact,” Dr. Tuteja added.

Acknowledgements and Conclusions

The Connecting Dreams Foundation extends its deepest gratitude to all speakers, participants, and collaborators, including partners like EMPI Institute, who made this event a resounding success. “We’re not just concluding a summit; we’re opening a new chapter of possibilities,” concluded Dr. Tuteja.

About Connecting Dreams Foundation

Connecting Dreams Foundation, under the visionary guidance of Dr. Amit Tuteja, stands as a leading nonprofit organization ardently committed to fostering positive social change, empowerment, and sustainable development. Through groundbreaking initiatives like Apna Tech Tree, CDF College Changemaking Labs, and the Global Changemaker Fellowship, the foundation aims to create a better world for present and future generations.

Website:

1. Changemaker20 Summit

https://www.changemaker20.org/CH20

2. Connecting Dreams Foundation

https://connecting-dreams.org

Together, We Are Changemakers.

At a time when the world grapples with myriad challenges, the Changemaker20 Summit serves as a testament to what we can achieve when we unite for a common cause. The summit’s overarching success is not an end but merely the beginning of a transformative journey towards global sustainable development.

For further information, please visit [https://connecting-dreams.org] or write to us at [info@connecting-dreams.org].

Founder – Connecting Dreams Foundation
amit@connecting-dreams.org
+91-9899748528

The 1st Tourism Working Group Meeting under India’s G20 presidency which was held at the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat from 7th-10th February concluded today. The meeting included two side events, an inaugural session, two days of working group meetings on the five identified priorities, a series of bilateral meetings and excursion visits.

The working group meeting was preceded by a Side Event on the evening of 7th February on the theme, ‘Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation’. At the panel discussion panelists gave presentations and held discussions highlighting the best practices, success stories, prospects, and issues in the field of Rural tourism. At a separate event, Shri Miya Hussain Gul Beg, Head of Dhordo Village (Sarpanch) highlighted the positive impact of the development of tourism infrastructure and tourism promotion activities like Rann Utsav on the village economy and creation of job opportunities in the area.

The inaugural session was graced by the Chief Minister of Gujarat Sh. Bhupendra Bhai Patel, Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER Sh. G. Kishan Reddy; and the Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

At the inaugural session, the Indian dignitaries shared their views on Indian tourist destinations, steps taken by government to promote tourism, safety of tourists, digitisation in the tourism sector and the impact of tourism on the local economy and employment.

During the working group meeting, discussions were held on the Indian Presidency identified five priority themes including Green Tourism: “Greening of tourism sector for a sustainable, responsible and resilient tourism sector”; Digitalization: “Harnessing the power of digitalization to promote competitiveness, inclusion and sustainability in tourism sector”; Skills: “Empowering youth with skills for jobs and entrepreneurship in tourism sector”; Tourism MSMEs: “Nurturing tourism MSMEs / Startups/ private sector to unleash innovation and dynamism in tourism sector” and Destination Management: “Rethinking the strategic management of destinations towards a holistic approach that delivers on the SDGs”. All the 5 key priority areas set for the deliberations were endorsed by all G20 Members, Guest countries and International organisations.

On the last day of the working group meeting, a second side event was organised on the theme, ‘Promotion of Archaeological Tourism: Discovering shared Cultural Heritage’. Speakers at the panel discussion shared their views on conservation of Archaeological sites and challenges faced at such sites. They also highlighted the benefits of promoting archaeological tourism for empowerment and sustainable livelihoods of local communities. In his concluding remarks, Secretary, Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that Archaeological tourism can provide socio economic development of local communities in a sustainable manner.

During their stay at Dhordo Tent City, the delegates had an opportunity to attend a Yoga session at sunrise at White Rann. The delegates also visited the Harappan Site of Dholavira, a UNESCO World heritage site where delegates were briefed about the effective and efficient water management at Dholavira. The delegates were also familiarized with the local Kutchi art and traditions. They also enthusiastically joined the folk artists in a dance permanence during a cultural evening.

Before their departure, the delegates also paid a visit to the state-of-the-art Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum in Bhuj.

Going forward, the Tourism Working Group will reconvene for three more meetings including a Ministerial which will take place in Goa. A Ministerial Level Communique and the Goa Roadmap for Tourism as vehicle for achieving Sustainable Development Goals are the planned deliverables.

In addition to the four G20 meetings of G20 Tourism track, three mega events are also planned to promote tourism during the period of India’s G20 Presidency. The Ministry of Tourism will be organizing the first Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) in April/May in New Delhi; MICE Global Conference in May; and G20 Tourism CEO Forum in June.

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is participating in World Travel Market (WTM) 2022 from 7th to 9th November in London which is one of the largest international travel exhibitions. The theme of this year`s exhibition is ‘The Future of Travel Starts Now’. With the reopening of the country to foreign tourists, after a gap of almost 2 years, this year`s participation of India is particularly significant. After world’s largest vaccination drive, the country is ready for international tourists. India is participating in WTM 2022 to showcase itself as a preferred destination for tourism.

During 2019, the contribution of travel & tourism to India`s GDP was 5.19% of the total economy. In 2019, the Indian tourism sector accounted for 79.86 million jobs (direct and indirect employment). The consistent efforts of the Central and the State Governments has helped the tourism industry to gradually recover from the Covid-19 pandemic shock to the pre pandemic levels.

A total of 16 stakeholders, including from State Governments, other Central Ministries, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the industry partner, DMCs, tour operators, hoteliers, travel agents, online travel agents, facilitators of medical value travel are participating as co-exhibitors in the India Pavilion. The objective is to showcase the diverse tourism products and services including Medical Value travel, luxury trains and the gamut of tourism products to the international business community. This year, the Indian delegation is being led by Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary (Tourism), Government of India includes Shri Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary and other senior officials from the Ministry, besides representatives from the Indian travel and tourism stakeholders.

The Indian Government is cognizant of the country’s potential in the tourism industry and has taken several steps to make India a global tourism hub. During the visit to WTM 2022, the Indian delegation led by Sh. Arvind Singh, Secretary Tourism, Government of India will showcase the varied tourism offerings of India to the global tourism industry stakeholders such as tour operators, travel agents, media etc. As India is poised for massive growth in the tourism sector in the future, this visit shall also offer an opportunity to the Indian Government delegation to showcase the investment opportunities and potential which India offers to the global investors.

India is also gearing up for the G20 Presidency which is scheduled to start from 01st December 2022. Under its Presidency, the country is expected to host over 200 meetings across 55 cities in the country. The G-20 Presidency will give India’s tourism sector an unparalleled opportunity to highlight India’s tourism offerings and share India’s tourism success stories on a global stage.

The Ministry of Tourism is aiming to develop the tourism sector especially in the aftermath of COVID Pandemic to new heights and accelerating the transition to achieve sustainable development targets of 2030.

Key Highlights

  • Secretary Tourism and High Commissioner of India to UK inaugurate the Indian Pavilion at WTM2022
  • Over 20 participants at Indian Pavilion of WTM
  • Theme of this year`s exhibition is ‘The Future of Travel Starts Now’
  • India to be promoted as a multi-product and around-the-year destination with sustainability at WTM

Ministry of Tourism has taken a space of 650 sq. mtr., over 20 participants around Indian Pavilion to participate in the Exhibition. The formal inauguration of the Indian Pavilion was done by Mr. Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India and Mr. Vikram Dora swami, High Commissioner of India to the UK in presence of Tourism Ministers of Kerala, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu. The inauguration of the India Pavilion was done with Ribbon Cutting, Lamp Lighting, Ganesh Vandana and Welcome Remarks by Secretary, the Ministry of Tourism, and Welcome Remarks by the High Commissioner of India to the UK.

After the inauguration, the Indian delegation and participants went around the Indian Pavilion and booths of various participating states and other stakeholders. During the day, Incredible India organized various Cultural Performances, Yoga Sessions, Heena, and of course Bollywood Dance Performances. Secretary, Ministry of Tourism attended the session on “Growing Consumer Demand for Responsible Tourism” held at Future Stage and “Preparing for the next crisis: Reaching for long term sustainability” held at Sustainability Stage, WTM venue.

Later Mr. Arvind Singh Secretary and Mr. Rakesh Kumar Verma Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism held discussions with officials of ABTA to promote tourism between the two countries. Mr. Rakesh Kumar Verma held meetings with the travel trade and media and briefed them about the measures taken by the Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism post-pandemic.

The highlight of India’s participation of WTM in the first day was India Evening at Copper Chimney, West Field Mall. The invitees to India Evening were members of Travel Trade from India and the UK and the India Diaspora. India Evening on 7th November 2022 witnessed the participation of several Tourism Ministers and Secretaries of various State Governments participating in WTM 2022. The India Evening provided a platform for interaction and discussion to promote India as a multi-product and around-the-year destination with the sustainability

Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India Shri Arvind Singh while delivering the welcome remarks at the India Evening emphasized the priorities and objective of Ministry of Tourism to showcase the diverse tourism products and services including Medical Value travel and wellness, luxury trains and the gamut of tourism products to the international business community.