If Dreams Could Save the World! | Avinash Jhangiani | TEDxMahindraUniversity

Summary

The speaker shares a powerful initiative where children were encouraged to dream and express their visions for India's future without external incentives. Through 'Project Dream On India,' they collected over 15,000 dreams, revealing children's deep connection with national issues and their hopes for a better world. The project highlighted children's insights on gender equality, climate action, and innovation, leading to a book titled 'I Dream - Seeing India Through The Eyes of Her Future.' It emphasizes the importance of including children's perspectives in shaping the future and the transformative power of dreams that inspire action.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes the importance of nurturing one's inner child and dreaming big to achieve success.
• 🎨 The 'Dream on India' project involved children drawing and writing about their dreams for India, aiming to capture their visions for the future.
• 📝 Two key rules for the project were that adults should not influence the children's creativity, and no rewards were given to encourage authenticity.
• 👶 The dreams of children revealed a deep connection with national issues and a desire for change, reflecting both their inner and outer worlds.
• 🌱 The project 'Dream on India' was scaled up to involve more children, leading to an awakening and a realization of the power of children's dreams.
• 🌐 Children's dreams were found to be aligned with sustainable development goals, showing their global awareness and concern for various issues.
• 📖 A multilingual book titled 'I Dream: Seeing India Through The Eyes of Her Future' was created, compiling the dreams of children.
• 🏆 The project's insights highlighted the need for prioritizing action based on SDG goals, focusing on women's rights, quality education, and climate action.
• 🔄 The speaker suggests redefining dreams as a universal language for visualizing transformation and innovation, emphasizing the importance of hope.
• 🌱 The project concluded with the realization that children should be included in decision-making processes, as they are the future of the country.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the creative daydreaming experiment with children?

The main purpose was to inspire children to dream big about India's future without any external rewards or incentives, allowing them to be self-inspired and express their dreams freely.

What were the two rules given to the children during the daydreaming experiment?

The two rules were: 1) adults and caretakers had to leave the room, and 2) no rewards or incentives were to be given to the children to ensure their self-motivation and creativity.

What were some of the unexpected dreams expressed by the children in the experiment?

Some unexpected dreams included a pre-teen boy sketching about gender inequality and a 13-year-old girl dreaming about gender imbalance, which made the speaker reflect on how these dreams might reflect both their inner and outer worlds.

What was the name of the project that aimed to scale up the children's dreams across India?

The project was called 'Project Dream On India' and it started around Children's Day 2018 and ended on Republic Day 2019.

How did the children's dreams align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The children's dreams were aligned with various SDGs, including justice, equality, and beyond boundaries. They saw themselves as global citizens and understood complex issues that interlinked nature, technology, animals, and humans.

What was the outcome of the 'Project Dream On India' in terms of visibility and action?

The project resulted in the creation of a multilingual book called 'I Dream: Seeing India Through The Eyes of Her Future' and efforts were made to increase visibility through geotagged dreams, experiential installations, and a global jury to judge the dreams.

What were the five key insights that came out of the 'Project Dream On India'?

The insights were: 1) children provided clear direction on prioritizing action based on SDGs, 2) a focus on women's rights and quality education, 3) a desire for climate action rather than just awareness, 4) the importance of innovation with sustainability in mind, and 5) the necessity to include children and youth in decision-making processes.

How did the speaker redefine the definition of a dream based on the project?

The speaker redefined a dream as not just visual imagery but as the universal language of visualizing transformation and innovation, with an emphasis on dreams that trigger hope and have the potential to inspire action.

What are the three types of dreams that emerged from the project?

The three types of dreams were: 1) a 'good dream' which is a positive visual imagery of the future, 2) a 'great dream' that enhances empathy while igniting imagination, and 3) a 'transformative dream' that excites, empathizes, and synchronizes head, heart, and hand to trigger action.

What is the speaker's advice on how to make transformative dreams happen in the workplace and classrooms?

The speaker advises to ensure firsthand experience with the problem, intrinsic motivation for change, and psychological safety to express ideas without fear of judgment.

What is the final question the speaker poses to the audience about their dreams?

The speaker asks the audience to consider what their dream is, emphasizing the importance of dreaming big and the potential to achieve what one dreams.