THE ALICE PROJECT IN SARNATH

“Alice in Wonderland” is the story of a little girl who crosses the gate of the magical world of her dreams by chance and ventures into the inward universe of mind on her own. Nobody accompanies Alice in her journey, no pathfinder shows her the way. Eventually, she is lucky enough not to get lost and to find her way out of there again.

Hence ALICE, an educational project whose creators have been carrying out a study which began in the Italian state-run school more than twenty years ago and which continues today in India and in other countries.

The core concept of the project is that of unity, beyond and despite the boundaries and barriers set by nationality, traditions and religions. Its goal is helping to create a multiethnic, multicultural society. This is not just a social project, but one aimed at motivating individuals in their quest for a deeper relation to their inner self and for a psychic oneness replacing a conflicting, divided mind that hampers the realisation of a harmonic personality.

What happens when we look into ourselves? What do we see? Which fantasies? Which emotions? Which realities? This inner world cannot be separated from what we perceive as outer reality.

The experience of those working on this project tells us that an integrated personality requires an integrated education, teaching youths to get to know the outer as well as the inner reality without discrimination and helping them develop the powers of mind (visualisation, concentration, imagination).

On these principles, a school was set up in Sarnath, India. The school is for free and open to anyone. Because of that, most of its pupils come from destitute families lacking the basic necessities: food, clothing, medical care, etc. Malnutrition often causes the level of children’s intellectual development to be considerably below average.

We need voluntary workers of various kind (psychologists, social workers, teachers etc.) ready and willing to share this experience, even for a limited period of time.

ALICE in not just a group of lay missionaries and volunteers working on one of the many aid and assistance initiatives on behalf of the third world. It is also an educational project whose aim is that of tackling some of the problems of today’s world.

By helping those children we also help ourselves, help our own children and lay the foundations of the School of the Future.