Introduction:

Traditional wisdom on healing across the different cultures have attracted attention in recent times especially in the western world. Such ancient systems were prevalent in India, China, America, Africa, South East Asia and other countries. The tribal people in many countries used plants for healing ailments of mankind. The relationship between plants and man is known as ethno botany.

Uniqueness of Symposium
Regionally, nationally and internationally known scholars, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, and traditional healers of rich and varied cutures interacted in presentation and roundtable format. Traditional healing artifacts and curios displayed. Participants had an oppurtunity to stimulate their senses through traditional healing practices. Experience healing traditions, traditional music, food, and wellness practices. Traditional ayurvedic and tribal healing systems of India. The event broadcasted live over the AMRITA-ISRO indo-US Satellite Network.

                                                               ***

The Centre for Environmental Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore in association with the Centre for Healing Across Cultures, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA organized one International Symposium on ‘Healing Across Cultures’. The symposium was held in Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham , Ettimadai Campus, Coimbatore on July 9, 2007.

Researchers, academicians and students from Cleveland State University, Significant Change Centre, Ohio, Baker Institute, Australia and delegates from India were participated in the symposium.

All the foreign delegates and some local delegates arrived at the Campus on the evening of July 7, 2007. Accommodation arrangements were made for their comfortable stay at the Guest house of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

On July 8, 2007 the delegates were taken for the Campus tour. Faculty and staff from Centre for Environmental Studies guided them for the trip. The delegates were taken to sewage water treatment plant, herbal nursery, medicinal plants garden, coconut farm and vermicompost yard. From this visit, waster management, waste recycling, organic cultivation of medicinal plants and coconut, ex-situ cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants and their uses, medicinal values of trees and healing properties of plants were explained to them.

During the Campus tour, the delegates interacted with Br. Abhayamrita Chaitanya, Chief Operating Officer, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Swamiji spoke about the healthy living and the tribal knowledge giving equal importance to nature and biodiversity conservation for attaining sustainability.

Mr. Moorthy, Public Relation Officer of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham arranged for press meet with the delegates. He also made all arrangements for press release. A very good coverage was obtained from the media.

In the evening, Bharatha Nattiyam and classical songs were performed by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Students for the delegates.

All the events of the Symposium, held at E-Learning Studio on July 9, 2007 were telecasted live by AMRITA-ISRO Satellite Network to 42 Universities across India.

On July 9, 2007, the symposium was inaugurated at E-learning studio, followed by technical sessions. A total of 75 participants attended the symposium inauguration. Dr. M. Aravindakshan, Coordinator, Centre for Environmental Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham welcomed the gathering. Br. Abhyamrita Chaitanya, Chief Operating Officer and Dr. P. Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham delivered the Presidential and felicitation addresses, respectively. Dr. Todd Pesek, Director, Centre for Healing Across Cultures, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA delivered the introductory Remarks on “True Healing: Shifting Paradigms”.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was established between Clevland State University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham . Br. Abhayamrita Chaitanya signed on behalf of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Dr. Todd Pesek, on behalf of Cleveland State University.

The inauguration was followed by the technical sessions; 1) Indian Perspectives and 2) Global Perspectives, which were moderated by Dr. M. Aravindakshan, Coordinator, Centre for Environmental Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Dr. Lonnie Helton, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA.

For the Indian Perspectives session, 5 research papers were presented which included the presenters Prof. P.R.G. Mathur Chairman, Commission on Urgent Anthrophological Research, on "Ecological knowledge of Indegenous Communities", Dr. P. Ram Manohar, Director, R&D,Arya Vaidya Pharmacy on "The epitome of healing", Dr. P. K. Sudhadevi, Associate Professor, Kerala Agricultural University on "Healing plants used by Malayan Tribes of Kerala" , Dr. D. Kannan , Center for Environmental Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Dr. Antony Palackal, Loyolla College of Social Sciences on "Ethnomedicine in Kerala: A case study"

In the afternoon session, 6 research papers were presented on the Global Perspectives. The authors were from Cleveland State University, Baker Institute Australia, and Significant Change Centre, Ohio, USA.

Dr. Murali D. Nair, Professor, School of Social Work, Cleveland State University in his concluding remarks recommended the delebrations of panel experts of the symposium for further joint ventures between the two institutions.

A group of delegates including Dr. Todd Pesek, Dr. Lonnie Helton, Dr. Ron Remnick went to some of the tribal hamlets of western ghats region of Idukki District, Kerala and interacted with the tribal healers.