Delegation Leader: Mr. Robert E. Hall
Past President, Air and Waste Management Association

Program Dates: December 7 - 16, 2008

INDIA

India represents diversity in all its forms: people, religions, traditions, clothing, dialects and habits. Even India’s landscape ranges across the spectrum, from the highest peaks to rolling plains to coasts on three seas. This fascinating country, linking East Asia and Europe but belonging to neither, exudes a deep mystery.
 

Sunday, Day 1: New York (JFK) to Delhi

Monday, Day 2: Delhi
The bustling metropolis of Delhi has been invaded, destroyed and rebuilt countless times in its 5,000-year history. Today, it is a sprawling urban center divided into two parts: Old Delhi, the classic Indian experience of colorful crowded streets and historical monuments, and New Delhi, India’s capital, a city of wide avenues and government buildings that the British began erecting in the early 1900s.

Arrive in Delhi late this evening.

Tuesday, Day 3: Delhi

Program briefing:
Discuss the political and cultural diversity of India and receive further information on the delegation.

Begin exploring with a visit to Old and New Delhi. Contemplate the impact of Mahatma Gandhi’s life while at the Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to the legendary hero. Hop in a rickshaw for a view of the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, or Mosque of Friday.

Discover the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, before visiting Humayun’s tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun. Continue on to the imposing India Gate, the Parliament buildings, and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the president’s residence.

Enjoy a welcome dinner with fellow delegates.

Wednesday, Day 4: Delhi

Professional Overview: Status and delivery of air and waste management in India

Professional program focusing on:

• NO_x and SO_x control
• Particulate matter control

Guest program:
Visit the Crafts Museum and the National Museum of New Delhi, which houses over 2,000,000 works of art covering more than 5,000 years of Indian culture and history.

Thursday, Day 5: Delhi to Jaipur
Proceed by plane to Jaipur, also known as the “Pink City” because it is set in the tones of an autumnal sunset. Jaipur is the only city in the world to be built in nine rectangular sectors to symbolize the nine divisions of the universe.

Friday, Day 6: Jaipur

Professional program focusing on:

• Mercury and air toxics including dioxins and furans
• Utility and industrial boilers, hazardous, medical and municipal waste incineration

Guest program:
Among the highlights of Jaipur are the City Palace, an overwhelming complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards, and the Jantar Mantar Astronomical Observatory. Constructed by the Maharaja of Jaipur in 1726, the observatory is one of the five astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh. You will also have the opportunity to explore the local markets and mingle with the locals.

Saturday, Day 7: Jaipur
Delegates and guests will drive outside of Jaipur to the ancient capital of Amber to see the fabulous Amber Fort. Once at the top, stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. En route, visit the Palace of Winds, otherwise known as Hawa Mahal. It’s an elaborate façade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings-on in the streets below.

Afternoon professional program focusing on:

• Global climate change

Guest program:
Enjoy an afternoon visit to Sanganer to explore the ruins of two tripolias and the city’s exquisitely carved Jain temples. Learn about Rajasthani art from local masters in this important center for art and textiles. Enjoy a stop at the Lakshmi - Narayan Temple situated below the Moti Dungari. A modern temple built of white marble, it dominates the skyline of southern Jaipur.

Sunday, Day 8: Jaipur to Agra
En route to Agra, delegates and guests will visit Fatehpur Sikri, a spacious red sandstone city built in the 16th century by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The architecture combines Hindu and Moghul styles, expressing Akbar’s vision of synthesizing the cultures. The onetime capital was deserted after only 12 years, but the audience halls, palaces and mosques are still perfectly preserved.

Monday, Day 9: Agra to Delhi and Evening Departure
The highlight for delegates and guests today will be a visit to the Taj Mahal - a monument to love intricately designed and constructed in pristine white marble. A mausoleum built by Shah Jehan for his queen Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is said to have taken 22 years and 20,000 craftsmen to construct.

Continue to the Dayal Bagh, headquarters of the Radhaswami sect, as well as the Agra Fort, a legacy of the highly artistic Mughal dynasty.

A farewell dinner on the final evening in India will give delegates a chance to recap their People to People experiences

Depart late this evening for New York (JFK).

Tuesday, Day 10: Arrive in New York (JFK)

We work diligently to ensure that the activities described here are available on your program. In rare cases, scheduling conflicts, delays, weather or circumstances beyond our control may result in program changes. If substitution is required, we make every effort to feature comparable events to retain the content and quality of the program.