Jain Spirit 2003 06 No 15

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 15

GLOBAL NEWS
"What we possess, we do not own - we merely hold it in trust for God," says Sacks. Because we are not owners of our property, we are bound by the conditions of trusteeship, "covenant is a bond, not of interest or advantage, but of belonging."
The Dignity of Difference is a useful starting point for a conversation between people of different faiths or none, as well as between those who are opposed to globalisation and those who see globalisation as a way of bringing
prosperity to the world. Jonathan Sacks is to be congratulated for presenting these ideas in a sensitive and thoughtful way. There is much food for thought in the book and I would agree with much of his analysis, even though I have questions about his assumptions and premises.
As a Jain, I believe in small scale, decentralised, diverse and autonomous communities, largely managing their own economy and politics, communi- cating globally on the level of art,
poetry, philosophy and spirituality. E.F. Schumacher's idea of small is beautiful' is more conducive to a more spiritual, moral, ethical and ecological world order. Small governments, small businesses, small units of production and small scale communities bring people face to face in closer connection and create a sense of belonging. When organisations, be they political, economic or religious become too big, they lose a sense of community and a sense of belonging. Satish Kumar
UK JAIN SCHOOLS HOLD FIRST ANNUAL TEACHERS' CONFERENCE
On 15-16 March 2003, the Shri Chandana Vidyapeeth Jain School, a nonsectarian Jain organisation devoted to promoting Jain teachings to both children and adults, hosted its first annual UK teachers conference in Leicester, England. The two-day event was attended by 44 teachers from the four UK schools in North and South London, Northampton and Manchester
Keynote addresses focused on the curriculum, on teaching and learning methods and the penetration of the school within the UK Jain community. Prakashbhai Patalia, the conference organiser and a trustee of Veerayatan UK, which runs the schools, commented: "Our goal is that every Jain child should have access to Bhagwan Mahavir's teachings. We teach in English and in a way that makes Jainism relevant to modern life. We also believe that learning religion is a life-long activity and so we have classes for all age groups."
The first Vidyapeeth was founded in North London in 1997 by Jain nun Pujya Sadhvi Shilapiji. Today centres
materials available through the Internet. The annual conference was punctuated with open forums and lively debates to allow delegates to participate. In addition, the Jain temple nearby also provided an opportunity for early morning pooja. "The conference has provided the first opportunity for a substantial number of teachers from our UK schools to meet and exchange ideas and experiences. It has been very valuable and we are
committed to holding this conference every year," added Prakashbhai.
Navinbhai Sanghrajka, Veerayatan's senior trustee, gave the closing address where he thanked the teachers for their devotion and dedication, and recognised their achievement in light of their work, family and other pressures on their free time.
exist in Kenya, Australia and Singapore. The Vidyapeeth plans to continue to open centres wherever there is a sizeable Jain population. The four UK centres have approximately 500 registered students, and this year had some 25 of its teachers pass through a University of London accredited course in Jainism.
The conference also reviewed the new workbooks and course material the school has produced to make teaching more enjoyable through activities such
To learn more about becoming a teacher or enrolling at Shri Chandana Vidyapeeth, email: nilesh.doshi@btopenworld.com or visit www.veerayatan.org
There was also a launch of an initiative to provide teacher resources and some
June - August 2003
Jain Spirit
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