JAINA Convention 2007
Federation of Jain Associations In North America
The 14th biennial JAINA convention was held from July 5th to July 8th at New Jersey, USA.
Six Samanis from the three US centers and two from India were invited guests.
More than 5000 attendees from as many as 60 Jain Centers in USA, Canada, and other countries attended the event. Samanis from all three US centers - New Jersey (Mudit Pragyaji and Rohit Pragyaji), Orlando (Param Pragyaji and Punya Pragyaji), Houston (Akshay Pragyaji and Vinay Pragyaji), and India (Mangal Pragyaji and Pratibha Pragyaji) were present.
More than 20 Sadhus/Sadhwis and 40 scholars adorned the convention. Samanis Rohit Pragyaji and Vinay Prag-yaji conduced Yoga and Meditation session each morning from 6 to 7 AM. On day-1, Samani Punya Pragyaji led the Morning Melodies and Bhakti Sangeet. On Day-2, Samani Mudit Pragyaji gave a Power Point presentation on “Source of Peace”.
Day-3 was filled with series of lectures by JVB University Ladnun Vice Chancellor Samani Mangal Pragyaji (“New Era of Education” and “Peace Through Language Management”), Samani Param Pragyaji (Peace Through Forgiveness), and Samani Akshay Pragyaji (Peace Through Anger Management).
In her closing remarks Samani Pratibha Pragyaji said that unity in Jain community is the need of the hour, and challenged all monks & nuns, and Shravaks & Shravikas to become a torchbearer of Lord Mahavira’s message. She asked everyone to think - What I can do for the Dharmsangh? What I can do for the Unity?
Samani Param Pragyaji, both congratulated and thanked the foreign Jain community for bringing the Indian culture and Jain values together. She asked the community to continue to make progress in this path.
Samani Akshay Pragyaji shared Mahapragya’s thoughts on how to make initiatives of this magnitude fruitful. She mentioned that five points - Milan, Sah-Asan, Sah-Chintan, Sah-Nirnay, and Kriyanviti - have to come together for such projects to become successful.
Samani Mangal Pragyaji said:- Coming together is beginning;
- Staying together is progress, and
- Working together is success.