Reflections/Quotes on Mayapur GA08 from SEAP delegates

Padmini Solomon (Nur Damai CC - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia):

In a world where there is much religious exclusivity and negative religious fundamentalism, the fact that ISKCON opened its doors to the URI GA is amazing and impressive. It shows what friendships across religious barriers can achieve as well as how the “moral imagination” of URI’s global and regional leadership enables diversity to thrive and be honoured and celebrated.

I was struck particularly by the voice of the indigenous people who were present and given the spaces to teach us their ancient wisdom. I hope that their voices will grow and that their empowerment will be an ongoing process within the URI.

I met so many unique individuals, especially women. I was very impressed by the work of the young people present and the contributions of these 2 groups to the future of URI is absolutely vital.

It was wonderful to hear that URI is making a commitment to build peace proactively in the years to come. Ways of engaging global policy and decision-makers is the next logical step for URI in its evolution. Teaching “Conflict Transformation Across Cultures” is wonderful! These, for me, are the most significant outcomes of the Mayapur GA.

While quality leadership is essential at all levels, it is obvious that URI lives the dream through the vision, commitment and hard work of the whole worldwide community and not by a few individuals alone. My concern is that as URI grows worldwide, if the Charter is not closely adhered to, it will weaken the community. What drew me and my group to join the URI was the Charter. It is important that each of us makes a personal commitment to uphold the wholesome principles that underlie the idea of URI and that we examine and evaluate ourselves at each step in order to face the challenges ahead.

Sam An Ros (Interfaith Youths of Cambodia CC - Svey Rieng, Cambodia):

“I am very happy to personally meet everyone. I now feel confident in continuing my work and relationship with all of URI. Spending two weeks for YLP and GA08 was very beneficial and happy to me, I got many experiences and I learnt from all of people alot. I hope this experiences will apply for my group for growth. Thanks for your encouragement and support.”

Sidon Sok from Pnohm Pehn, Cambodia (no CC yet):

“I am happy so much to be a part of URI 's work for Peace and I will do my best with you and all URI Activist to achieve URI 's goal.”

Sr. Sandra Clemente, RSCJ (Kalinaw CC - Cebu, Philippines)

“Mayapur is an experience of heaven where you only feel and see beauty, quietness and happy people --each respecting one another, singing and dancing. There was absence of war or violence.

There was perfect weather: cool morning and evening. There was abundance: a lot of food, and no one got hungry everybody are concerned with everybody.

It was NIRVANA. No negative news. Everything seemed to stop for awhile. You have people of different faiths sharing their own traditional rituals, prayers, while where everybody had a place to worship. Everyone was living a very simple lifestyle. No competition.. etc..

That is what Mayapur place was for me...and to add to that the presence of the world religions in one place... I agree with the vision of the founder of iskcon.... one day there will come a place where all the different religions will come and converege an give a glimpse of what the vision of also which is.. that all maybe one... I am privilege to be in that moment of time.. at least i had the experience of the glimpse of heaven..Nirvana...URI is possible and even in a short moment we had experience and taste of it.. URI had come and it will be there whether we like it or not... it is the work of the spirit not ours..let us just be open and allow ourselves to make that happen...whatever we can contribute to make that happen is already our share to the mission...

Cora Ponteres (Bohol Goodwill Volunteers Inc. CC - Bohol, Philippines):

The whole of Mayapur experience was most meaningful to me! The warmth exuded by every participant was very heartwarming and revitalizing!

I was struck by the merging of dynamic and selfless people whom I met during the workshops that I attended; who inspired and opened our minds to do more our share of work for the growth of URI. I was moved by the humility and the nobility of the top URI echelon and how they have patiently listened, encouraged and motivated the youths! I also admired the deep commitment of all other URI Leaders.

It was a rare privilege to be a room-mate of New Delhi's famous woman, Mohini Giri whose generosity in caring for the plight of hundreds of widows and her other countless efforts in lifting up her people's unfortunate predicament have touched my soul!

The inspiration of the Work of URI is something that gives us hope so that the achievement of PEACE which is very elusive in this mundane world will be hastened; by also creating linkages and working hand-in-hand with all other organizations whose aim is also geared towards the same direction.

Learning from each other during the GA was an added blessing that enriched our experience, my sincerest thanks to all our benefactors and all URI people who assisted us and worked hard for the success of this gathering! The warm hospitality of the ISCKON people and our hosts is greatly appreciated and deeply treasured. At the same time, the experience gave us the opportunity to become more aware of how great is the TASK and RESPONSIBILITY that lie before us.

The great spiritual surrounding of ISKCON community was an EXTRA BONUS!

Interfaith Prayer

by Dr. Amir Farid Isahak (Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship CC / Malaysian Interfaith Network CC - KL, Malaysia)

I recently spent nearly two weeks as a vegan, interfaith explorer and peace-pilgrim at the world headquarters of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement) at Sri Mayapur, West Bengal, India...

... The vegetarian food was always delicious. I had never seen more varieties of fruit and veggie dishes, and enjoyed all of them. Many of us became sluggish in the first few days because we ate too much, trying to savour every dish that was new to us...

... You can imagine how fun and activity-filled it was when 300 of us gathered for the Global Assembly at Mayapur. There were songs, dances and story-telling from the Sufis, Native Americans, indigenous South Americans and others, interspersed with prayers, plays and performances from every region of the world...

... And probably for the first time, the Jewish Sabbath, Christian Mass, and Muslim azan (the call to prayer) and Friday Prayer were held in Mayapur. The prayers of all the other religions were also heard as our programme was full of such prayer occasions. We have proven that the people of all faiths can unite for peace, and have fun together, while keeping true to their respective beliefs... read full article here

CATHARSIS OF THE SOUL: My Experience in Mayapur

By Sharon Danisha M. Vaswani*

Who would have thought that a short stay in a little rural town with a population of just over 9,000 in West Bengal, India would have such a profound effect on me?

Not that long ago, my world was amazingly cosmopolitan in comparison to the outlying villages around Mayapur but, I must admit that when I first arrived in Sri Mayapur Dham last November 24, I was surprised at the big complex of the Temple and buildings, all painted pink & white in a garden setting and at the bare foot ISKCON pilgrims walking across the campus silently chanting the Hare Krishna mantra with their prayer beads. Mayapur Dham, 130km north of Calcutta across the Ganges River, is the Spiritual Capital of ISKCON. Considered as one of the most holy and peaceful places in all of India, it amazingly houses over one million pilgrims each year.

Mayapur Dham was also the venue for the Young Leaders Program and the 2^nd Global Assembly of the United Regions Initiative held from November 24 to December 6, 2008 where I was privileged to be part of the delegation from the Philippines and experience beautiful and enriching moments.

During this period, Mayapur Dham became a melting pot of people – both young and not so young- from various faiths and cultures from across the globe. Once, to my left there was a delegate from Ethiopia and to my right, another from Italy and I was chatting with someone from Iran! Although we were from different backgrounds, countries and continents, we were all united in our purpose as Pilgrims of Peace, and Taking the Initiative in seeking ways for a more peaceful and harmonious world.

Each day of our program was filled with learnings and invigorating activities - from the solemnity of the sacred practices in the morning, to the adrenaline rushing activities such as football with a very interfaith team, and mural painting with the local children at a school, as well as the exquisite cultural performances at night! Truly, it was a unique feeling with the elegant and creative initiatives from people of diverse faiths and nationalities at one of the most vibrant places of spirituality in India!

The workshops and the sharings ranged from topics such as peace, sports, the environment, healing, and CC empowerment among a few, which covered a wide range of topics and were food for the soul. One very inspirational workshop I attended was on spiritual leadership or leadership from the self given by someone from Argentina. Despite us all being natives of different countries, speaking different languages; this did not act as a barrier at all. We transcended this difference, and focused on other commonalities that went beyond understanding words, that even got me learning quite a few more phrases in other languages!

Unity is great, but diversity is even better! This was the sentiment as various youth from all the seven different continents of the world came together and taught each other dances from their native places! Even more interesting is that each one taught their fellow dancers the steps and we all took part in performing it in unison! So I was not only performing mudras and traditional Indian steps, but incorporated the stylish beats of the Native American, African and also the tangy Samba in to my routine!

This was accompanied by indigenous music such as the nose flute, and traditional drums! It all ended as we came into a circle, and each one chanted the name of God in his/her own language, which the whole group echoed. This was symbolic of the whole notion of the conference, which was to take the initiative, in leading others towards the path of interpersonal and interfaith dialogue, mediation, and conflict resolution and project management.

It was a very enriching two weeks. I got to forge bonds and create ties with a lot of people. Many of them are very memorable for several reasons ranging from the most obvious to the obscure. For example, there was Yaser from Egypt, who's ever friendly face turned any hint of frown into a grin and brightened one's day, Nagmeh from Iran whose demure movements filled us all with a sense of grace and understanding, my fun loving and ever adventurous roommate Elyse from Australia, with whom I discovered the various streets of Mayapur, in all different modes of transport, from a bus, steamboat engine, to even a human-powered rickshaw (three wheeled cart which seats 2 persons) and the list goes on and on… Out of the unique assortment of memorable people during my trip, trying to choose one of them is rather like trying to select my favorite strand of hair – an impossible feat!

But if I there was one person, however, who had quite an unexpected and significant impact on my life – that would be my dear friend Abrar from Egypt. Despite not even being in one single photograph (as in her Muslim family, she is not allowed to do so), the memories of the times I shared with her echo and reverberate in my heart. Ever thoughtful and caring, she is very simple yet sublime. In the simplicity of her heart, she is the pearl, the precious pearl filled with love and concern for others. I have fond memories of the various shopping escapades we had together around Mayapur and also the time when she took time to help me prepare for my solo dance number. Funny, how we only realized how close we were (spatially speaking, as her room was right next to mine!) on our last few days together, and it is my fervent hope that our friendship blossoms even more despite the miles that separate us in our current homelands.

And so while, history might remember those two weeks, as the time when some people wreaked violence in Mumbai, I will forever remember it as the incredible, amazing, and awe-inspiring time when pilgrims all over the world journeyed to Mayapur in the endeavor of promoting enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings…

*Sharon is a Hindu youth from Manila, Philippines. She is a core group coordinator of the Y4U (youth for unity) – the interfaith group of The Peacemakers’ Circle CC. She is also the daughter of URI SEAP Regional Coordinator, Dr. Shakun Vaswani.

This colorful URI Young Leaders Program (YLP) 2008 logo was the winning entry for the logo-design contest conducted by URI. The prize--which was a full scholarship to attend the YLP and the Global Assemby 2008-- was awarded to a young artist from the SEAP region by the name of Mr. Ramesh Balgos of Manila. He is a long-time member of The Peacemakers’ Circle CC family. During the YLP, he led the youth delegates in facilitating the Mural Painting community service project with the local primary school in Mayapur.

CONGRATULATIONS, RAMESH! We are proud of you!

A message from the URI hub: Mayapur GA08 Reflections

a letter from URI Executive Director,
REV. CANON CHARLES P. GIBBS

December 6, 2008

Dear Friends,

Greetings of love and peace from Mayapur.

The Global Assembly that once unimaginably far off is over. The seeds planted here in these two weeks will grow and bear fruit for decades to come. None of the pilgrims who were privileged to pass this time in Mayapur will ever be the same. And neither will URI. We will be challenged, grow and flourish in ways we can't begin to predict because of all the connections that have been made here by URI's pilgrims of peace from many paths with one purpose.

At one point in our closing ceremony, I found myself in a large circle 300+ people of diverse religions, spiritual expressions, and indigenous traditions from throughout the world as we honored the pilgrims from each region by calling them into the center of the circle, where they were graced by a special song sung by a fellow pilgrim from a different region.

I was holding hands with an Iranian Muslim on my left and Israeli Orthodox Jew on my right while a Buddhist monk, who grew up as a Methodist in Toledo, Ohio and now leads a global community of Chinese Buddhists, sang in celebration of the pilgrims of Asia - "She carries me, she carries me; she carries me to the other side." - an invocation of the sacred feminine which has the power to transport and transform us. Let this be a symbol of URI's diverse community and of the surprising connections that have been made here.

Indeed, we all have been transformed. For many of the pilgrims here, this was their first experience of such a beautifully, wildly diverse and loving gathering of URI colleagues.

Inspiration these pilgrims found expression in the big ideas they shared this afternoon with the Global Council, including –

Creating a special Multi-Region whose purpose would be to catalyze a spiritually based culture of the environmental care flowing through every aspect of URI’s work and out into the world – locally, regionally and globally.

Establishing a URI traveling and inclusive Peace University that would be a resource to URI’s global community and to the larger world.

Creating a URI Youth Council, with representatives from each region, to carry out an ambitious agenda to develop youth leadership in URI in service to our world.

We heard visions of URI communications, including our website, in many languages. Of a comprehensive CC capacity building program, including ensuring that every CC is deeply rooted in the Preamble, Purpose and Principles. Of a website that would enhance connections between CCs and create a means for resource sharing.

We heard up visions to enhance URI’s fundraising, locally, regionally and globally; and how a shared commitment to spiritual depth could provide a potent foundation for successful fundraising.

So many visions of the future of a transformed URI that has grown enormously in reach and effectiveness. As I heard them I found myself sensing that these bold visions are not unreachable, and not really even so far off, if we maintain the depth of our commitment and work cooperatively in planning, raising resources, and implementing our plans. The future is not far off.

Toward the end of the afternoon, after the Global Council had listened to the community’s big ideas, and shared some positive reflections about how these ideas would guide their deliberations in the months and years to come, Yoland Trevino announced the newly elected Global Council officers:

Yoland was elected to serve a second term as Chair. Shlomo Alon, from Israel, and Marites Africa, from the Philippines, were elected as Vice-Chairs.

Bishop Swing was elected to serve another term as President.

Rabbi Doug Kahn was elected to serve another term as Treasurer. Anas al Abadi, from Jordan, was elected Assistant Treasurer.

P. K. McCary was elected to serve a second term as Secretary. Pelecinah Josiah Pele, from Nigeria, was elected Assistant Secretary.

I had previously been affirmed to continue serving URI as Executive Director.

Earlier in the day, we heard Puroshottama Swami speak of the power for the ISKCON community of having the URI pilgrims in this place. “Flowers from different parts of the world,” he said, “have blossomed in Mayapur.”

As I spoke with many pilgrims, who were offering thanks for the privilege of this experience, I heard that they were returning home filled with gratitude and inspiration. That they would forever see and be in the world in a new way that came from experiencing the depth of URI’s potential in person.

The seeds from all the flowers that blossomed in Mayapur – seeds of interfaith cooperation to end religiously motivated violence, and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings – are already being sown and soon will begin to bloom in the farthest reaches of our Earth.

May it be so.

Love,

Charles

Prayer Song for Peace

One should chant the Holy Names of the Lord

In a humble state of mind

Feeling one self to be lower

Than the straw in the street

One should be more tolerant than a tree

Devoid of all sense of false prestige

And ready to offer all respects to others.

In such a state of mind one can chant

The Holy Names of the Lord constantly.

(This is the third prayer from the eight prayers of Lord Chaitanya sung by devotees)