I was recently afforded the opportunity to travel to Kolkata, India through Create Voice; a young people's forum at the Victoria and Albert Museum that I have been involved with since summer 2011. Myself and other young people from Accra, Dresden and Kolkata attended a conference on Urban Changes and Culture organised by Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. The purpose of the conference (in my opinion) was to get young people to act as a sort of think tank in which we would discuss the effects of rapid socio-economic development and globalisation on cultural institutions around the world. This may sound quite heavy and stuffy but the organisers of the trip planned the itinerary in such a way as to allow us to discover the exciting city that is Kolkata for ourselves.
Kolkata is a noisy, colourful and restless city offering a plethora of sights, sounds and tastes. It's citizens and most gracious hosts have an almost unmatched willingness to share their culture and their history. I had the best of times there and will forever be grateful to all those who made it possible. The short amount of time I spent there only gave me a snippet of what the former capital of India has to offer and I one day hope to return so I can experience it all. For now, the pictures and memories I cherish will have to suffice.