IAC Statement to Auroville Residents
An open letterBy International Advisory Council
Keywords: International Advisory Council (IAC), Communication, Governing Board, Conflict resolution, Values of Auroville and Letters
Dear Residents of Auroville,
This month we complete our four-year term as members of the International Advisory Council of the Auroville Foundation. We joined the Council at a time when Auroville was going through rapid change. Recognizing that this was unsettling to many Auroville residents, we attempted to be a bridge between them and the Governing Board, listening to your concerns and doing our best to convey them to the Governing Board. Throughout this time, we advocated for an inclusive and transparent process, for greater communication, for dialogue and open, respectful exchange so that residents would have a voice in the changes taking place and be involved in decision-making processes. Unfortunately, we cannot say that our own voice has been heard.
While much remains to be achieved for Auroville to become the city the Mother envisioned, much has already been accomplished, and we applaud the work that has been done – your contributions to making Auroville what it is today. In the past few months, we have been meeting with many individuals and groups within the Auroville community, seeking to understand how we can best serve you as we approach the end of our term. We will be compiling our efforts, thoughts and recommendations in a final report.
We leave you, hoping that the effort to instill greater transparency and inclusivity will continue, as it is the very foundation of Auroville. It is you, the residents, not the infrastructure or buildings, not the roads or waterways, not any bureaucratic structure, that make Auroville what it is and will be.
— International Advisory Council of the Auroville Foundation, 9 October 2025