Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji inaugurated the two day World Toilet Summit, organized in Mumbai on World Toilet Day by the World Toilet Organisation, Singapore; with the support of Lixil Group, Japan; Reckitt-Benckhiser, UK; in association with the Global Citizen, USA; India Sanitation Coalition; Eixon Services Foundation; Water.org, and other reputed institutions.
The event began with a beautiful lighting the inaugural lamp ceremony with vedic chanting with Pujya Swamiji, Jack Sim, Founder of the World Toilet Organization; Representative from the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Government of India; Shri Madhusudan Lohia, Marino Industries Limited, Shri Dayanand Pansu, Eixon Services Foundation; and other special guests.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis addressed and congratulated the esteemed guests through video message.
Said Shri Devendra Fadnavis in his video message: “I am very proud today. India is the only country where there is such a large-scale government funded mass movement for the cleanliness of toilets and the change in cleanliness even in Rural India is truly remarkable. Answering the clarion call of our Hon’ble Prime Minister for a #SwachhBharat, in Maharashtra we have become 100% ODF. Therefore, organizing the World Toilet Summit in Mumbai is of great relevance, and I wish for the success of this Summit.”
The Hon’ble Chief Minister continued by saying that by the year 2019, India greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhiji on his 150th birth anniversary will be to sustain a Swachh Bharat and an ODF India.
Together the panel of experts discussed the Swachh Bharat Mission and the goal to end open defecation by 2030, discussing cleanliness in both the outer environment and our inner environment, universal access to sanitation, and corporate responsibility.
The Swachh Bharat Mission, India, under the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, was honored for their tremendous example and contribution for the success of the Clean India movement as well as drastic improvements in sanitation. Pujya Swamiji and the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance was honored with the Hall of Fame Award for being the world’s first initiative to bring the faiths together for improved WASH, for it’s consistent and significant efforts to mobilise a mass movement through a game changing faith based approach. Pujya Swamiji was also deemed as the Toilet Guru bridging the gap between the spiritual and the social upliftment of the society.
“Let us turn our lives FROM TEMPLES TO TOILETS! Until every school, home, village & city has safe & sufficient #WASH we should work together to be the change our world needs today.” @PujyaSwamiji #ODFIndia #Goal6 #WorldToiletDay @2018WTS #WorldToiletSummit #SDG6 #SwachhBharat pic.twitter.com/x2tilxD1KS
— Pujya Swamiji (@PujyaSwamiji) November 19, 2018
Said Pujya Swamiji: “The Swachh Bharat mission has really worked to awaken people across the country about cleanliness and sanitation. In the same way, if we all come forward and do our part, using our own time, talent, technology and tenacity, then a huge change can be brought to clean and strengthen our country.”
84% people believe in faith and we believe a congregation of the Faiths for improved #WASH can help establish Health, Hygiene & Harmony in the world, says @PujyaSwamiji, President, @ParmarthNiketan, Founder @wash_alliance. #WTS2018 #WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/mrDHsBAKQv
— World Toilet Summit 2018 (@2018WTS) November 19, 2018