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Sumati-Jñāna
(USA) the 7th biennial JAINA Convention 24 under the Presidency of Dr. Sulekh K. Jain with the participation of Acārya Sushil Kumar, the Bhattarakas of Humcha, Mudabidri and Kolhapur, Shri Gurudev Chitrabhanu and Shri Satish Kumar Jain. Its was a great success by the number of attendants and the quality of the various displays and exposures. The same year, big statues of Tīrthankaras were ceremoniously installed in the Jain temple of Chicago and during nine days was celebrated the "Parliament of World Religions Centennial Year", with the contributions of great Jains ascetics or leaders, like: Acarya Sushil Kumar, Bhattarakas Chaturkirti and Devendrakirti, Sadhvi Shilapiji, Shraman Stithprajna, Dr. L. M. Singhvi, Dr. Sagarmal Jain, Shri Gurudev Chitrabhanu, Dr. Nalini Balbir, Dr. Sulekh Jain and numerous others25.
Acārya Sushil Kumar (Pl. 26.8) died on the 22nd of August 1994 at the age of 68. He was greatly regretted for all he had done in favour of the development of the Jainism outside India. Born in a Brahman family 26 he had converted to Jainism and received Jain “dikshā" at the age of 15. The Jain community continued his work with the devout assistance of Shri Gurudev Chitrabhanu. In 1994, was held in London (UK) (Pl. 26.9) and next in Chicago (USA) the two first "Young Jains Conventions". Since, they continue every two years with a large success showing the interest of the young devotees to strengthen their faith and to promote Jain values. On February 1995, a Jain delegation was formally welcomed for a private audience by Pope John-Paul II at the Vatican where Jains had been invited in the context of inter-faiths dialogue. The Pope was himself welcomed in New Delhi by Shvetambara Acāryas, in spite of the opposition of some religious leaders. In July, was held the 8th JAINA Convention (USA). In December of the same year, the "Sixth World Jain Conference"28 took place in New Delhi with scholars and delegates from the USA, Germany, Singapore and Nepal. The theme was "The Jains in the XXI rst century".
Along years, various new Jain families had also migrated from India to countries like South Africa, Thailand, Australia, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Dubai and even two or three in France where they practice worship at home.
In 1994, 1995 and 1996 were organized four brilliant exhibitions on "Jain Art from India" in Los Angeles County Museum, Kimbel Art Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art and Victoria and Albert Museum in London. They obtained a wonderful success29. In the USA, successive JAINA conventions decided to promote Jainism by publishing books on it and by opening websites in English and in other languages (to mention especially the sites "jaina.org/education.committee" and "jainworld. com" in 24 languages with translations of sacred books, Jain history, Jain festivals, registration of Jain hymns and religious songs, etc.). To cite also the publication by JAINA of its periodic "Jain Digest", by "Jain Samaj Europe" of its magazine "The Jains" », by "Oshwals Association in UK" of a specific religious newspaper and, during some years, by Dr. Atul Shah of a splendid magazine entitled "Jain Spirit"30. Courses on Jainism are given now in various Universities in the USA and in some other countries. To mention "The Centre of Jain Studies" at "School of
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