Young Aurovilians

AVYI was an amazing experience. I learnt so much more than I expected. All the organisers and participants were amazing, and I had so much fun.

A new Auroville Youth Integration programme has been developed by the YouthLink team for ‘Children of Aurovilians’ between the ages of 16 and 25.

Recently, Jay Naidoo, an ex-freedom fighter from South Africa, visited Auroville and addressed an important question to the youth: “You say you are open to everyone and invite people from all over the world, but have you actually created an environment where African people can integrate into the community?”

Auroville-raised Lili spent eight years studying art history, theatre and fine arts abroad, and is now perhaps the busiest youth in Auroville.

Zohar (17), known to most as Zozo, might be Auroville’s youngest full time forester. He lives and works in Evergreen, where he grew up among the trees and animals.

The Auroville Gap Year Programme (AGYP) was designed by Auroville Campus Initiative (ACI) to provide a learning platform to the youth of Auroville between the ages of 17 and 30.

When my family and I moved to Auroville in 1999, we stayed in various places before settling down in Surrender. After having gone out for a few years, I returned to Auroville in 2013.

While we project Auroville as an international township dedicated to human unity, in fact we do not know much about each other’s lives and aspirations.

“I love Auroville because it’s my home. I love Auroville because of the freedom I have, because of the beautiful nature I am surrounded with every day, because of all the cultures and variety of people I am constantly exposed to, because of the wonderful school I go to, and all my amazing friends I have met here.

“I hear that you’re leaving Auroville.” The words stung more than I thought they would. Even after years of developing a thick skin and learning to shrug off Auroville gossip, somehow this statement still pinched.

Why am I in Auroville? I choose to stay here because I am inspired by Auroville – by its dream and ideals, by its people and their stories, by its beauty and unending possibilities.

In Auroville as a toddler and then raised there from the age of 8, I left Auroville in 1993 at 18 to pursue university studies in America. Although I worked part-time through my education, I still finished my degree with close to $20,000 in government-funded student loans.

I was born in Auroville, but at the age of 14 I chose to go study at the Kodaikanal International School. I had always wanted to get out. I was always told that Auroville is a special place, and my parents were both here for that reason; but when you grow up it is not so evident why Auroville is special.

My name is Manjula, I was adopted at a young age by Sanjeev and Miriam, who have lived in Auroville for a long time. The Auroville experiment on human unity in diversity started right at home.