TS WORLD CONGRESS IN ROME  10-15 JULY  2010

Report by TOS International Secretary, Diana Dunningham Chapotin

4 - How wonderful the informal contact with everyone at the Congress was. 

There were all kinds of rich exchanges.  For example, I was able to discuss applied Theosophy – brotherhood in action – with members living in hot spots in the world.  I asked Tom and Ann Davis from South Africa how black Africans are doing since apartheid was abolished.  As an engineer training freshly qualified Africans to be practising engineers, Tom says he is at the coal face.  As a primary school teacher, Ann also had young African teachers to support. I asked how quickly they feel the black Africans will be able to perform their new functions with confidence and competence.  “Some already are, of course,” Tom replied, “but the majority are struggling.  There is a huge gap in culture, education and experience to fill. There have been improvements in the quality of education.  Parents have obtained jobs through affirmative action or employment equity and this has meant that more black Africans have moved into positions where they have a higher salary and are thus able to pay the higher school fees in better locations.  But the road is very long because from the developmental standpoint, they have to be able to absorb and stand alone in an extremely competitive industrial world.  Ann and I are hoping they will take the best from Western culture and not the worst, whilst preserving the best in their own.”  Perhaps it could be said that Tom is busy not simply at the coal face of training Africans as engineers, but with Ann, he is at the coal face of the First Object of the TS. 

Ann and Tom Davis actively pushed for the abolition of apartheid and are now participating in the long and difficult transition period during which Africans are taking up political power and professional responsibilities at management level.

I was also happy to be able to chat with an Israeli member, Donna Liss, and ask her if the lectures on brotherhood we were hearing were of help in gaining perspective on the very difficult political situation in which she lives.  With great sincerity and honesty, Donna described the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, trying to bear in mind the conditioning that inevitably prevails in a polarised political context.  Such informal chats were extremely enriching.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Congress for me personally was the opportunity finally to meet TOS workers with whom I have corresponded, sometimes for many years.

Norberto Cicirelli, director of the TOS in Argentina, and his loving wife Monica Angela Pastore

Silvia Raquel Blajer, former national director of the TOS in Argentina

Here we see some of the large Eastern African delegation - one big family!  Did you know that there are Theosophists
not only in Kenya and Tanzania but also in Uganda and Zambia? (More of them later.)

Blanka Blaj Borstnar, Melis Pangerc & Breda Zagar - members of the Slovenian Section

Svitlana Gavrylenko, leader of the Ukrainian delegation

Ukrainian delegation

Lissette Arroyo Jiménez, Correspondent of the TOS in Mexico

Janos Szabari & Adrienne Nagyiday of Hungary

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