Jain Digest 2000 07 Vol 16 No 03

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

Page 36

Jai Jinendra!
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) was founded to create conditions to foster our precious religion and preserve our heritage in North America. Jains all over this continent look forward to JAINA conventions as a useful tool to bring their families to one site for four days of spiritual advancement, assimilation, education, and socialization. 11th BIENNIAL JAINA CONVENTION is scheduled to take place from July 5th to July 8th, 2001 in Chicago.
Many exciting changes are taking place in the way our conventions are organized. The most significant change coming as JAINA enters third decade of its existence, is that now and in the future, JAINA will organize and will be responsible for all JAINA Conventions with the cooperation of a local Jain center.
Over the last 20 years, number of Jain Centers in North America have grown from Four to Fifty Seven. Attendance at the conventions has been growing and the task of holding the conventions is getting more complex each year. In the past, all financial and organizational responsibility was carried out by a local Jain Center. This reinventing of the wheel every two years at a different Jain Center was costly and inefficient. Over the time a pool of national talent has been developed and JAINA has decided to tap into this most precious resource - experience and dedication of national volunteers. The 11th Biennial JAINA Convention in July 2001, is first time a JAINA CONVENTION BOARD has been formed to bring about this change. The fifteen member Convention Board has JAINA's First Vice President as chairman of the Convention, seven members nominated by JAINA from all over the continent and seven members from the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago ((the host Jain Center).
By making our convention a national event, we are going to make this OUR CONVENTION. The issues affecting us, our children and our youth are national and international in scope. Now our agenda has to be set in larger context and is a responsibility of everyone. So please join hands with us in shaping our future. If you wish to contribute your time, talent or treasure to this noble endeavor, call one of the members listed below. The theme for the 2001 convention is "Practising Jainism in the 21s Century".
LTH BIENNIAL JAIN A CONVENTION
JULY JULY S
00
Rosemont Convention Center near the O'Hare airport is selected as the site of the convention and 1400 rooms at the hotels within walking distance of the Convention center have been reserved for the convention attendees. The convention center has room for Exhibition booths, lecture halls etc. To make sure that your visit is very pleasant and memorable, we would like to plan this event with you in mind.
Please help us by registering for the Convention as soon as possible and take advantage of the early bird special. Online registration will be available after November 30th. A major Internet credit card approval company with secure and proper firewalls will handle Credit Card transactions so that privacy of your account will be maintained.
As the whole event is funded by registration fees, advertisement and donations, we appeal to you to make as large a contribution as possible. Please come with your family and friends and share the excitement of this great event.
CHAIRMAN & CONVENOR Bipin D. Parikh
PH: 847-699-1294 dmdmrch@megsinet.net
CO-CONVENOR Kishor C. Shah Ph: 630-671-0001 kishcshah@aol.com
CO-CONVENOR Prabodh B. Vaidya Ph: 630-985-9144 pbvaidya@aol.com
ADVISOR Gyan Chand Jain
Ph: 416-447-1650
34/JAIN DIGEST. FALL 2000
JAINA CONVENTION BOARD
DOCUMENTATION Vinay K. Vakani
Ph: 201-967-9344 vkvakani@worldnet.att.net
FINANCE
Keerti N. Shah
Ph: 630-837-8716
knshah@uop.com PROGRAM & VIP
Samprati Shah
Ph: 847-524-0463 sshahjain@aol.com REGISTRATION Lata Champsee Ph: 416-441-2200 latachampsec@usa.net
PUBLICITY Dilip V. Shah Ph:215-561-0581
dilipvshah@aol.com
SOUVENIR
Virendra K. Shah Ph: 310-326-5268 jcornerllc@aol.com
HOSPITALITY - FACILITY Pravin M. Shah Ph:815-436-1312 goodroofer@yahoo.com
FOOD SERVICES Arvind M. Shah Ph: 847-699-7778 arvind699@aol.com
CULTURAL PROGRAMS Megha A. Doshi Ph:847-735-0120 akdoshi@aol.com
YOUTH ACTIVITIES Mukesh Doshi Ph:847-517-2505 mukesh52@aol.com
EXHIBITION & SOUVENIR Jagat J. Shah
Ph: 630-529-5645
jshah32946@aol.com
CONVENTION HQ Priya M. Shah 847-397-8316