JAINA Convention 2005 07 JCNC

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

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initial efforts to encourage more centers to join the Federation. This was not an easy task but all fifteen of the largest centers of those days joined the federation. Membership has constantly been growing and today 65 Centers in the USA and Canada have become members of JAINA. The objectives of JAINA are to:
1) Promote religious and educational activities related to Jain religion and to
develop better understanding of the Jain religion 2) Assist and promote charitable and humanitarian activities in North America
and worldwide. 3) Actively promote Vegetarianism and Nonviolence 4) Provide and promote academic and cultural exchanges amongst Jains every
where 5) Assist existing Jain associations and support the formation of new Jain
associations in North America 6) Serve as a liaison with government agencies in pursuance of the above
objectives 7) Foster cordial relationships with interfaith or multi-faith organizations
During 1984 JAINA arranged for Dr. Hukamchand Bharill, Prof. Pratapkumar Tolia, Dr. Prem Suman Jain and Dr. V. P. Jani to visit various centers. From that point, the Scholar Visitation Program of JAINA was born. Today the JAINA roster has grown to 90 visiting scholars and monks. The Jain Society of Greater Detroit agreed to host the Third Jain Convention during the Memorial Day weekend of 1985. At that gathering, several goals were identified: strengthening of the Scholar visitation program; publishing a youth directory and arranging youth programs; publishing a quarterly news magazine; and supporting the publication of Jain literature. 250 people attended the convention. Dr. Tansukh Salgia was elected President and he served two terms of two years each. During his Presidency, JAINA helped support the making of a documentary by Michel Tobias "Ahimsa - Non Violence," for PBS. Membership during those four years grew to 36 centers. He also formalized periodic executive committee meetings. The JAINA library was started with the help of Dr Prem Gada, Professor Malukchand Shah of Ahmedabad and Dr Sulekh Jain Initially, the library was housed at the Jain Center of West Texas in Lubbock. Today the library has grown to nearly 10,000 volumes and in 2000 it was shifted to the Jain Center of Southern California. JAINA Library books are cataloged, listed on their website and available for borrowing, by mail, to any one who requests.
Detroit, MI
Dr. S. A. Bhuvander Kumar of the Jain Society of Toronto was named editor of the JAINA's newsletter: "JAIN DIGEST." In August of 1985, the first issue of JAIN DIGEST was published. This marked an important point in the development and growth of JAINA. The publication raised funds through a JAIN DIGEST Patron program with a donation of $101.00, matrimonial announcements, sponsorship of
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33 www.jainelibrary.org
Jain Education Interational 2010_03