Bridging boundaries and building one world: I.I.M.U.N's European Union Study Tour

VMPL
New Delhi [India], April 5: In a world which is becoming increasingly isolationist, Indias International Movement to Unite Nations is trying to build bridges between nations and creating a more interconnected world. This was the vision behind their inaugural study tour to the European Union held from March 27 to April 2, 2025, in Belgium for high school students. Established in 2011 and one of the world's largest youth-run non-profits headquartered out of Mumbai, the 30 member Indian delegation had students from 8 cities.
Designed to encourage global citizenship and spread the idea of India, the tour featured a landmark session at the European Parliament, where students had the opportunity to hear from former Prime Minister of Latvia, His Excellency Krisjanis Karins. He shared invaluable insights on India-EU relations. Additionally, they attended a panel discussion on Uniting the World the Indian Way, featuring Hamisha Ahuja, a Nigerian-Indian filmmaker, and Mr. Bhaskar Bhushan, Counsellor at the Indian Embassy in Belgium. Chief Mentor of I.I.M.U.N, Ms. Anjani Raipat shared with the students how young people are not just the future but the hope for today as well. Students then explored one of the largest democratic parliaments in the world, gaining firsthand exposure to European legislative processes. Along with students from India, there were joined by counterparts from France, Greece, Belgium amongst other European nations.
Over the next two days the students participated in insightful discussions on India-EU relations and building a Free Trade Agreement. Representing various perspectives from across the EU and India, the idea was to get them to think about innovative solutions to problems of today and tomorrow.
On 1st April, 2025, the delegation visited the Indian Embassy in Brussels, where they interacted with the Indian Ambassador to Belgium, His Excellency Saurabh Kumar, and toured the embassy premises.
"What impressed me the most is the consistency over the last 14 years with which I.I.M.U.N is working towards building one world"

Beyond the parliamentary sessions, the itinerary included visits to Belgium's cultural and historical landmarks. In Brussels, students marveled at the Atomium, an engineering marvel from the 1950s, and visited the Palace of Laeken, the official residence of the Belgian royal family, followed by the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The group also explored the cities of Antwerp and Ghent, where they visited the Cathedral of Antwerp and The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in Ghent. No trip to Belgium would be complete without a visit to a traditional chocolate factory, where students not only learned about the country's rich chocolate-making heritage but also indulged in its finest offerings.
Reflecting on the experience, Mrs. Jyoti Tomar, Coordinator at The Hyderabad Public School, remarked, "The exposure given by I.I.M.U.N. is preparing learners to become global citizens is remarkable but what stood out even more was that the study tour was seamlessly executed by a young, proactive, and dedicated team." Arun Ochwani, a student from Career Point World School, shared his perspective: "My parents used to keep telling me about one world, today I.I.M.U.N made me live that experience."
I.I.M.U.N. operates in 220 cities across 35 countries, hosting annual programs in 108 cities and 15 countries apart from a slew of activities like literature festivals, study tours, leadership series. All of this is designed to spreading the idea of India amongst school and college students. With an eminent and active Advisory featuring personalities such as Ajay Piramal, Deepak Parekh, Nadir Godrej, A.R. Rahman, Shashi Tharoor, PT Usha, Boman Irani, Gen VP Malik- the organization has positively impacted over 50 million adolescents. From its initation to now- it is entirely run by individuals aged 16-22, many of whom have gone on to become elected officials, civil servants, lawyers, doctors, and engineers.
To know more about them you can visit their website: www.iimun.in or www.instagram.com/iimunofficial
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