________________
Their Prominent Features in India and Abroad : 247 members, to afford support to the construction of temples and to increase links with governmental authorities”. Every two years it organizes a large convention that assembles thousands of delegates and several Acārya travelling especially from India. Each year since 1998, JAINA organizes a pilgrimage to India to visit temples and sacred places and gives its charitable support to social activities. It publishes a magazine “Jain Digest" that contains articles on various aspects of Jainism and reports on each of its communities. Since 2000, it also publishes a yearly well-illustrated calendar citing the Jain festivals of which dates change in accordance with the Indian lunar months. JAINA also sponsors seminars for young Jains and publishes matrimonial advertisements for its adherents' grooms and brides. It nationally broadcasts TV programs about "ahiṁsā" and consideration for fauna and flora. Its delegates take part to inter-religious meetings like “the Parliament of religions" and others. Its hopes that every year, on “Paryūṣaņa” and “Daśalakșana” festivals, one day will be devoted to "universal forgiveness” and one another to “ahissa" on the first Sunday of October, when Mahatma Gandhi's birth is commemorated. All these activities and many others are entirely paid by the generous donations of the members of JAINA. In North America a section of “Young Jains “ works to improve their knowledge of Jainism and to manage contacts with other young people around the world. An “International Summer University was created in 2005 to increase knowledge of Jainism by learned scholars all over the world.
There are also active Jain communities in Kathmandu and Biratnagar in Nepal, in Kobe in Japan, in South Africa, in Malaya, in Australia, etc.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
