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JAINA CONVENTION YOUTH SOUVENIR SECTION
Coments from the Crew:
Planning the convention: A twisted tale
In this world Nothing seems to be so damn fair, Everybody hates themselves and others who really care.
Is this what has become of ths,
Or can we make it better,
For what we don't know Is that we can set World Peace together. Even though we have the right to fight,
Is that what we really need?
Don't we have enough problems, Like the homeless and people who can't even read, To you right now the world is just a big, old, ugly place, But when it's gone it can never be replaced.
Some people don t want war,
They think it's too separate, But we can stop if we try to love and collaborate.
Fighting is nasty, and so is war, But if we try together, there might be no more. If the fighting stops, some people will be free.
Together we can do it, it's easy as one, two, three. We can change by liking others, and not hate them forever, And when it's too late, you'll wish you tried to stop the terrors. I wish the hate that made this world fall greatly apart, Would soon disappear and never come near,
And once and for all depart!
by Tejal Turakhia, age 13 Liverpool,
NY
by Mintu Turakhla Convention Youth Committee Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a handful of half-crazed youths decided to try to conquer the task of planning the youth programs of the 1991 JAINA Convention. We had no idea what we were getting into.
We did not realize that the convention would drain so much time out of our social lives by committing our selves to meetings and rehearsals on Friday nights. We were not aware that the responsibilities would be endless, and that we would have to stay up until 4:30 a.m. three successive nights to design this souvenir. One day, however, we finally realized the impact when responsibility slapped us in the face with little time to plan left. We worked and worked and worked... and well, here we are.
So why did we go through all of this? Why did we take part in what, so far, sounds like torture? Well, it wasn't. For the first time in our lives, we were faced with a real challenge. Neverbefore did we, the convention youth committee, have to unite and work together as we did to make what was supposed to be, in the words of the immortal volunteer Shruti Parekh, an "awesome convention."
Last, but certainly not least, we had fun. Yes, the convention did impinge on our social lives, but we always made time for fun. We made countless visits to Denny's, at times in groups of 20, after every JAINA rendez-vous. We went to Little Caesar's so frequently that, by mid-June we had their pizza prices memorized. Somewhere in between, we had picnics, parties, all-nighters, movies, as well as the fun we had from the torture of organizing the convention. Masochism? Probably But all in all, it was well worth it.
India: The foundation our culture and heritage
by Sheetal Vora, San Jose, CA It has many representations: a woman at the holy temple, Palithana, or relaxing sitting cross-legged with her infant in her and enjoying myself at our bungalow on lap amidst the lepers and beggars, or the a Sunday with a cup of cha, spiced tea, holder of the seventh wonder of the in hand. I have experienced true happiworld, the Taj Mahal. In all of its splendor ness family can bring during my visits to and glory, India represents my home. India. My grandfathers and grandmoth
India has been home to my ancestorsers, uncles and aunts, cousins and and has been my birthplace. Each sum- friends have made me believe that all mer, I fly back home to India to visit my the hardships a family can cause is family and friends. I have developed a definitely worthwhile. great respect for the Indian family life. It India always has and will always play is unlike the hustle and bustle of America. a significant role in the way I think and Children grow up with both parents nur- act. Through my family and friends, my turing and guiding them along life's trail culture and heritage, I have been influand tribulations. I value my holidays, enced in many aspects of life. India has which are spent either travelling along revealed the true meaning of family, the Indian countryside to give reverence shaped my code of conduct, and proto the 24th Tirtankhar, Mahavir Bhagwan, vided me with a future goal in life.
. 6TH BIENNIAL JAINA CONVENTION • JULY 1991 . 49
.MY
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