JAINA Convention 2005 07 JCNC

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

Page 47

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year. This way every summer there will be an event for our youth either at the JAINA Convention or at the YJA convention. At the 1993 Convention in Pittsburgh Dr. Talsania's proposal to have first YJA convention in Chicago was approved. Dr. Prem Gada and Jayshree Ranka joined hands and the first YJA convention materialized. That first YJA convention in Chicago must be considered a watershed event for JAINA. 400 youth participated in that first convention and YJA has never looked back. Later JAINA too reorganized itself into this system of six regions. JAINA also adopted YJA's organized process of inviting bids to host conventions in a given area. Interest in YJA is growing among young Jains and the youngsters who grew out of YJA created the Young Jain Professionals (YJP) in 1997.
YJP was initially founded through the leadership of Shilpa Shah, a former YJA board member. While significantly smaller and younger than YJA, YJP is actively building a solid foundation on which to grow. Since its founding, YJP has progressively grown to an organization that provides resources to its members through local events, a comprehensive magazine called The New Jain, and an annual convention. The future of YJP will involve the creation of local YJP chapters, the development of a truly member-focused, interactive website, and the nurturing of young Jain leaders who will help shape the future of Jainism and Jain dharma, in North America and beyond.
YJP is Young
Jain
YJP is Young Jain Professionals. It serves youth between ages of 24 and 39. Many
of their members migrated from YJA so there is a natural overlap between YJA and Professionals. It
YJP. Individuals can decide for themselves whether to be members of both groups or choose a single membership. Both groups work with one another and JAINA very closely. The idea behind this organization has been to provide a forum for learning about and discussing issues that Jain youth face in the professional world and continue to face in their daily lives. YJP has organized a total of six conventions to this date. The first convention was held in January 1998. The convention topics included: Should Jains be discouraged from entering certain professions; Socially Responsible Investing: Jain Ethics in Medicine; Balancing Career and Family; Nonviolent Communication; and Applying Religion to Daily Life. During that con
vention, there was also some discussion about turning YJP into a formalized organization and having conventions on a regular basis. Since that time, YJP has made it a point to have conventions in more unique venues. So the second convention, held in October 1998, was held on a cruise to the Bahamas. After the second convention, YJP developed a set of Operating Guidelines and established a formal structure of seven board members with well-defined roles and responsibilities. After several more conventions, it was decided that YJP conventions should be held at a consistent time of year, similar to JAINA and YJA conventions. It was decided that Columbus Day weekend, which falls during the same weekend as Canadian Thanksgiving, would be the most ideal choice.
JAINA
ᅲᅲ
2005
serves youth
between ages of 24 and 39.
Many of their members migrated from YJA so there is a
natural overlap between YJA and YJP
Extending Jain Heritage in Western Environment
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