________________
The First Regional Jain Conference 'Indo-American Conference was held at Siddhachalam, Blairstown, New Jersey State, USA on September 26. 27 & 28, 1986,
The main objective of the 3-day Conference was to strengthen unity and create mutual understanding amongst the Jains residing in USA, Canada and to adopt measures to propagate the principles of Jainism and vegetarianism.
The Conference was a big success with more than 1200 people attending. Delegates participated from Jain centers and 1 MJM centres throughout the United States, Canada and England and India. Some of the areas represented were New York, New Jarsey, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachussetts, Washington, D.C., California, Michigan, Illinois, in USA and Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal, in Canada and Delhi, Bombay and Gujarat in India.
The Conference commenced under the guidance of His Holiness, Acharya Sushil Kumarji, the Founder-President of World Jain Congress. Shri Veerendra Heggade, who is the President of the World Jain Congress, could not participate due to pressing work in his home country, India. He had his best wishes for the Conference.
Guruji in his opening address stressed the need for unity among all Jains and called for an end to separatism and narrow-mindedness.
There was a Sub-Committee meeting held in the afternoon of September 26 under the Chairmanship of Acharya Sushil Kumarji. Shri Satish Kumar Jain, Secretary General of the World Jain Congress outlined the requirements of the Jains the world over in mattets of propagation of principles of Jainism, vegetarianism, literature on religion and educating children etc. Several members participated. Seven Panels were formed on the subjects as under:
World Jain Congress-Jain Unity; Chairman : Shri Satish Kumar Jain Co-Chairman, Shri Madho P. Jain Convenor : Shri Dulichand Jain Co-Convenor : Prof. Mrs. Nirmal Jain.
Construction of Jain Temples and Jain Art Museums : Chairman : Shri Rajnikant Gandhi Co-Chairman : Shri Ramesh Jain Convenor : Shri Amul Shah Co-Convenor : Shri Kanu Lakhani, Jain Literature : Chairman : Dr. T. J. Salgia
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
