The 3^rd Global LMTV (Long/ Middle Term Voluntary Service) Conference kick started on 11^th February 2012 at Nava Spoorthi Kendra, Bangalore. As FSL India completes ten years of its existence in facilitating youth volunteering for field services and inter-cultural learning, it is a rare opportunity to host GLMTV conference for the international partners.

Playing the perfect host is an integral part of the Indian culture and tradition. FSL India being the host organisation welcomed the delegates with a typical Indian style. GLMTV started with welcome and inaugural function. After a brief welcome address by Mr. Rohan D’Souza the Director of FSL India, The FSL team ceremonially extended hearty and cordial welcome to the participants by performing Arati, application of Tilak and offering Garland. Arati which signifies a guest is peripheral to Godhead or divinity, FSL India team performed this with a symbolic gesture of expressing respect and reverence to the participants. As Tilak invokes a feeling of sanctity, FSL India team applied on the forehead of each participant with a symbolic gesture of wishing the participants that the pious feeling may pervade all activities during the three-day conference. As part of showcasing happiness at receiving and public acknowledgement of the international participants, FSL India team offered garlands.

The participants self-introduced and articulated the each one’s expectation and fear. In a brief introductory note, Mr. Kai the Founder President of NVDA re-emphasised the objective of the conference. He stated that this conference envisages to improving qualities of LMTV projects, share know-how and experience, develop standards and action plans, establish common systems, tools and methodologies to promote Long/Mid Term volunteers exchange across the world and develop new partnership to promote international volunteerism.