by Dada Maheshvarananda
Solidarity, cooperation, and community empowerment are positive values promoted in Venezuela in contrast to the individualism and selfishness promoted by the corporate-owned mass media. Cooperatives are quietly transforming people's values in Venezuela, and the rest of the world, though they have been mostly ignored by the mass media and by many political leaders, too.
Solidarity, cooperation, and community empowerment are positive values promoted in Venezuela in contrast to the individualism and selfishness promoted by the corporate-owned mass media. Cooperatives are quietly transforming people's values in Venezuela, and the rest of the world, though they have been mostly ignored by the mass media and by many political leaders, too.The International Cooperative Alliance defines a cooperative as "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.” Worker cooperatives develop trust, solidarity, and teamwork.
Because cooperatives promote socialist values, it is natural that the Bolivarian government once promoted cooperatives in Venezuela; what is surprising is that now it does not.
During the first semester of 2012, four graduate students of finance at the Universidad Nacional Experimental Simon Rodriguez did professional and community service internships in several projects of Centro Madre community center in Barlovento under the guidance of the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela. Students of Professor Dorkis Shephard and Dr. Diaz Mariña Ninoska aided in the development of this Proutist project that is recognized by governmental and nongovernmental organizations as a national model of small-scale sustainable agriculture and the production of fruit trees contributed to the development of important aspects of the project's financial situation. Research and reports by Alicia Gomez, Orietta Portales, Hernando Perez and Edit Valley significantly contributed to:
"The Prout Fish"In the days prior to the First Global Prout Conference in Venezuela, the Institute was looking for a solution to the front wall of the house which was damaged. Then, motivated by the preparation work of the conference, I decided to intervene and the result was "The Prout Fish." Carving with a grinding machine and cutting the shapes directly in the concrete of the wall, I made a pattern resembling fish scales. It seemed a metaphor to see the Institute as a fish that travels the seas linking people, countries, continents. This fish has the mission of spreading the Prout theory to the world, creating links between all those who believe in a better world.
"The Eternal Light of Baba""The Eternal Light of Baba" came after a request by Dada Maheshvarananda to make an original painting for the Institute. I immediately accepted his proposal, because I always had the same desire. After months of searching for the subject of this painting, I came to the Institute with some idea of what I wanted, because in my spontaneous style of painting that arises within me, I'm never sure how to finish a work. In the atmosphere of the meditation room, Baba threw light on me, and so while painting I realized that we are here thanks to Baba who is our inspiration and who guides our steps along the way. His light is our food, our hope, our purpose and our destiny. Holding his hand we walk, turning into warriors or children, but always aware of life and love. The creator of Prout has inspired us with his philosophy that now underpins the work of this institucion. Thank you, Baba, and fill our path with light.
