Letter from IAC to the community

On June 9th, the Auroville International Advisory Council (IAC) shared with the community that during a joint meeting with the GB on May 31st, it had called for a more transparent and inclusive land exchange process. The IAC affirmed that it understands and supports the need for the consolidation of land in both City and Green Belt areas, so that the city the Mother envisioned can be built. But it also stated that a city is more than infrastructure and is about the people who create, live in and maintain the city, sacrificing so much to actualize the Mother’s vision, which, if successfully achieved, will benefit all of humanity. “We are convinced that the city is about the spirit more than the material manifestation. However, that manifestation is a vessel for the spirit, and HOW the city develops does matter,” wrote Ms. Dena Merriam, the IAC Chairperson. “We believe that promises made must be kept, losses must be compensated for, and careful consideration given to which lands are being exchanged, which implies a fair process of consultation with the concerned residents and relevant working groups.”

The IAC has communicated to the GB much of what it has been hearing from the Aurovilians and will shortly be recommending ways to move forward in a manner that, in its estimate, would be transparent and unifying.