July 31, 2018
Acclaimed actress-filmmaker Nandita Das was among the jury members of
the 2018 edition of the Unesco-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of
Tolerance and Non-Violence.
Nandita, who is in the midst of a gruelling
schedule, working towards the India release of her much-awaited film "Manto" and
its participation in international film festivals, found it rejuvenating to get
this invite to participate in a meaningful initiative.
"Having been on
many film juries, right from 2005 when I was on the main jury at the Cannes Film
Festival, I have always enjoyed the deliberation process. One gets to know
different perspectives that reflect different experiences and contexts," Nandita
said in a statement.
In recognition of a lifelong devotion to communal
harmony and peace, the Prize bears the name of its benefactor Madanjeet Singh,
who was a Unesco Goodwill Ambassador, Indian artist, writer and diplomat.
It is awarded every two years, on the occasion of the International Day for
Tolerance on November 16. The Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is
presented with a sum of $100,000.
For Nandita, this was the second time
that she was on a jury for a social impact initiative.
She finds such
engagements "very inspiring".
"One gets to meet and read about people who
are doing incredible work around the world. It's a good distraction between our
own indulgences.
"Having been caught up with 'Manto', it was actually
refreshing and brought back a certain sense of hope. Opportunities like this
allow one to feel connected to a larger community of people, all of whom are
seeking ways to make the world around them more liveable," she added.
Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay had appointed the jury, which also
included Nadia Bernoussi, a celebrated academic and legal expert from Morocco,
and Abdoulaye Konate, a prominent artist and cultural voice in Mali.
Celebrating its 22th anniversary and its eleventh edition this year, the prize
rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or
communications fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and
non-violence, according to the official Unesco website.